Does anyone suffer from Panic Attacks?

[homemaker66]

I often wonder how Panic Attacks can just take control of ones life. It seems that just one day I woke up and then there they were seven years now and still battling with them from time to time. I don't want to take any kind of medication for this problem. first of all I wish they will just go away like they came on but lords knows that will not happen. SO I guess I am stuck with it ANYWAYS.. Does anyone else suffer from Panic Attacks and if so how do you control them or even what do you take to help through them?

[pinetree]

The DH has taken on panic attacks, the last three years.. they came out of nowhere, & just seem to stay..

Hes now on medicine, the Dr. told him to stay on it for aleast 6 mo. then he will try to get him off of them. I think the idea here is he will get out of habit ( that might be a poor choice of words) having them,, I guess he thinks they will stop or he will have a better chance of controlling them.

The medicine is a real low dose & it seems to really be working, but he 's still a liitle anxious.. hes only been on it for about 6 weeks.

I feel so bad for people who have these.. they have no control, and can't seem to get them under control.. the more they try the more attacks they have.

The one thing that really seemed to help was the medicine to keep his heart rate stready.

You might try the medicine, especially if its for a short time & will help you get rid of them. He has tried alot of things,, the one thing that helped was playing a game,,like game boy. something you have to concentrate on.. he just stayed with it until the attack was over... he also tried being hypnotized,, it didnt work either...

Good luck & hope you feel better soon.

[Palooka]

I hear ya. They usually just come out of the blue. A book that really helped me was "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmond Bourne. I have it under control now and have a little anxiety once in a while.

[Amanda W]

I have panic attacks. I've had them for as long as I can remember. The only time I get them now is when I'm going to a place that I've never been before. If I'm planning to go someplace new, I take one or two Xanax and I'm fine. If I have to revisit a place in the future, I'm feel prepared and I hardly ever have them again.

I was against taking medication for a very long time, but I finally gave in and it was absolutely the right decision. I used to avoid going to certain places because I knew I wouldn't be able to cope. I don't take them very often - 30 pills usually lasts me 6 months or so. The difference they've made in my life has been pretty dramatic though.

[MOMMYDEAREST]

oh i have panic attacks bad!!!! i tried fighting them by myself, but i couldn't do it. so i'm surrently taking celexa.......its been a life saver!!!! having panic attacks are a awful thing, i wouldn't wish them upon anyone. good luck!!!

[danni]

I started have panic and anxiety attacks about 4 years ago. The dr gave me meds for them but I rarely need them, thank goodness they aren't too bad right now. I can't go into crowded places so I do shopping in the morning and stat out of the stores close to the holidays. I also switched churches because I hated going because of the amount of people.

[mustang80]

I have them too although I haven't had one in a while. I get them in really crowded places, especially inside. The buzzing of the people talking gets really loud--for some reason I find myself concentrating on it. Then I get dizzy/lightheaded and feel like I have to get out, so I'll leave and go outside or too the car.

Lately I've been able to work myself through them. When I catch myself concentrating on the noise, I try to concentrate on something else until it goes away. I know this all sounds stupid, but it's the only way I know how to describe it.

[JustJoy]

I had panic attacks in my early 20's for a few years, but haven't had any full blown ones since. I do however suffer from generalized & social anxiety disorders. I've tried dealing with it on my own for years, but it was taking over my life. I started on Zoloft last June and it's been a miracle drug for me.

[Dexter]

I have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks my entire life. Even as a child.

I am med free except for the occasional xanax when it's horribly bad.

The best BEST thing I have found is meditation, yoga and self-talk. By self talk I mean telling myself it's ok, etc. In addition to that I also try and exercise at least 60 minutes a day.

[Mamaw]

DD suffers from them and social anxiety. It is terrible for her. She is taking meds and receiving treatment three nights per week which seems to be helping. HUGS to all of you who have these. It is not an easy road to tread. I pray for healing every day for everyone who suffers with this

[lilk]

I suffer from panic attacks also. I had to get on meds because I could barley leave the house without having one. Sometime they come on by going to a new place, or even in crowed area too. I haven't had one since the summer when we were at Cedar Point and standing in a line full of people. I had to go all the way back through the line. It was so embarrasing (sp).
I wouldn't wish Panic Attacks on anyone. I pray for anyone suffering from them.

[kabin63]

I have suffered from panic or anxiety for many years now. I had the attacks bad in my late 20's, before I got pregnant with my DD. Now she has anxiety problems too. Drat! Anyway, I took Xanax when I was first diagnosed, but had to get off of them when I got pregnant with my DD. It took me 7 months to get off them, but I haven't had a full blown attack in years. Probably because, for me, they are either brought on by too much stress or a feeling of loss of control of my situation. Figured it out on my own.

[Cricket1]

I know one of you mentioned sound, buzzing and crowds, but I'm wondering what a panic attack feels like. Does your heart beat fast or do you shake or do you think horrible thoughts?

The reason I'm asking is because my sister thinks I'm suffering mildly from them like she did when she was in her mid thirties. Here's a little background: my dad died suddenly when he was 58 from a heart attack. At night when I'm quiet and still, I can totally talk myself into chest pains. I'm laying in bed and feel them and then start worrying about my heart and wondering what will happen to my family if something happened to me. I also find lately that when I'm away from my kids that something bad might happen to them. I feel like I might pass out/nauseous. I also tend to get really red in the face when I'm feeling this way. This isn't anything that prevents me from going places, but I find when I'm out without my family I'm rushing to get back to them.

Is this old fashioned worry, anxiety, or something else? I'm making an appointment this week with my doctor, but I'm just curious about your thoughts?

[Fritzie]

I'd say its a panic attack. I had them really bad in my mid twenties
and have fought them off several times since then. The doctor did
give me some tranquilizers and they were a tremendous help but
I did seek diet help also. It seems to be a trip in the fight or flight
response of the body and also I was very sensitive to caffeine. Once
I started working on improving my nutrition and eliminating caffeine
I started to improve. The therapist that I saw helped me also to
do deep breathing and deep relaxation to replace the "movies" in my
head of me being physically sick in public. It was a terrible fight but
eventually they went away. I still have to be careful but they have
never been as bad as that 3 1/2 year period!

[JustJoy]

I think you are definitely suffering from anxiety, but it doesn't sound like panic attacks to me. When I had mine I couldn't control my breathing. I felt like I couldn't get any oxygen... I would start to hyperventilate, my heart would pound like it was going to jump out of my chest, my arms and face would go numb, I would get extremely dizzy, everything would seem distorted, and I felt like I was going to pass out.