[VanVivCam]

I have been suffering on and off for the past eight years from panic attacks. Since I truly love this website and forum, I thought I would ask you if any one else out there suffers from panic attacks? Last night I woke up from a dead sleep thinking that I couldn't breath....and most of the day today I have had trouble getting my breath....Just another day in "panic attack world".:bolt:

 

[AnW819]

I hear yah. I have been suffering from panic attacks for about 9 years now. Ugh. Have you tried any SSRIs?? They don't work for me unfourtinitally...but for most people they do.

My main thing is I get panic attacks from worrying that I am gonna have a panic attack...weird huh??

 

[Palooka]

*waves* me me! Mostly generalized anxiety because I have learned how to deal with panic attacks, but not to say they don't hang out in the back of my mind.

I've dealt with it for years. It's nothing to be ashamed of. We've had a few threads about this in the health forum in the past.

 

[Dixie]

My main thing is I get panic attacks from worrying that I am gonna have a panic attack...weird huh??

Oh yeah, my old enemy, anticipatory anxiety.

 

[phoeny_moonstar]

I have anxiety/panic attacks as well. I am on medication currently that usually does a great job of helping me get through them. Though before the Doctor found anything to help me, life was really rough. I had a hard time holding down a job, I refused to go outside because I would have to interact with people, I gave up my license because I was in fear of driving...

 

[homemaker66]

I have panic attacks for atleast eight years now. I find when I am tired I get them. So I make sure that I get atleast 7-8 hours of sleep every night. If I don't get enough sleep during the night I will take a nap throughout the day. Just one night before bed it hit me like a ton of bricks and my life had changed. There is alot of great forums in the health section that will help you out.

 

[Mummy2]

I have anxiety/panic attacks as well. I am on medication currently that usually does a great job of helping me get through them. Though before the Doctor found anything to help me, life was really rough. I had a hard time holding down a job, I refused to go outside because I would have to interact with people, I gave up my license because I was in fear of driving...

WOW! I thought I was the only one! I have the exact same thing except I held a job, Being a bookkeeper I was able to lock myself in the office and not interact with any one, talk about feeding the anxiety. I used to be a fearless driver but Im sooo careful now my Dh asked me when i became so scared.

I have episodes when money is tight, Dh isnt working, when my ex- is messing with the kids, or when I flat out get over whelmed. I can see as I get older its going to be interesting.

When I get back to the real world my hobby will be therapy....

 

[jas]

I have suffered from panic attacks for over 30 years. Sometimes they would be a few here and there. For years I would not go to the movies, hated going over bridges, the grocery store ect.

I had them the worse in 2008 most of the year was the most horrible time of my life with panic attacks. I had a few health concerns that I think started the chain that time. Then with the elections and the econonmy tanking it put me over the edge.

It became so bad that I avoided doing much of anything and became darn close to becoming agorphobic. I could not go and do much of anything. I was is the ER twice and I thought my life would never get better with those attacks.

Finally I went to a counselor, she just listened really, told me I was not crazy or alone. What really helped me, you may think it is crazy, but a site online called panic away.
http://www.panicaway.com/



They do want you to buy something, but you don't have to because if you just read what is already available on the site you get the info for free anyway. I was so desparate I did buy it though. I have been panic attack free for almost a year now. And if one pops up I know how to handle it. And stop them in its tracks. I never thought I would be well again. I was at my wits end.

I am not suggesting anyone buy anything from this site, but there is a wealth of great info just by reading what is there for free. I know it helped me a great deal just learning about panic attacks.

Hope it helps! The cure is really a no brainer. And it works.
You have to stop fearing them. Simple as that. Try and will one to happen and work yourself through it. Sounds like the last thing you want to do, but it works. Hope you at least read the free info.

If I went from having dozen of them a day to none, there must be something to the method.

 

[gottadance]

Add me to the list - my family has a history of anxiety issues - grandma, aunt, mom, uncle - and now me. I'd always been a little claustrophobic, but I started having serious stress when I was 38- my biological clock screaming, no Mr. Right in sight, I was so stressed. Then I went on a business trip and had an awful flight- I've only flown once since then. At 41, things really fell apart - I had lost my job, I ended a relationship with a guy that I thought might be my ninth inning homer to have bio kids - he turned out to be a commitmentphobe, so I had to grieve not only the relationship, but the loss of the idea of a traditional family (marriage then kids); two months later my dad almost died. My anxiety was through the roof and I didn't even realize it until I started counseling. Thank God for my counselors - one of them immediately recognized that with a family history like mine, I needed to be on meds. I went on Lexapro 10 mg and that has been a Godsend.

I stayed in counseling to work through all of my issues related to wanting bio kids, but eventually stopped the counseling and was working out very regularly and went off the Lexapro for a year and was fine. Then I was trying to have a child and got pg and had terrible nausea so I couldn't sleep - my anxiety came roaring back, so I went back to counseling and back on the Lexapro and have been on it ever since. I really needed it when I was going through infertility treatments - all those hormones, lost pgs, etc. Claustrophobia is my #1 issue - getting in elevators, working in a low rise in cubeland, closed doors, flying.

I'm no longer doing fertility treatments (on to adoption) and am feeling very good these days - the best I've felt in a long time. I've stopped seeing my counselor at her recommendation. Some keys for me are working out regularly or getting any kind of exercise - yardwork, walks in nature, walks on my lunch hour - and getting enough sleep. I notice a huge difference for me when I don't get enough sleep. I know my therapist is there if I should need her again - maybe once I adopt my child or if I decide to tackle the flying issue (I would like to fly again so I can go see my sis and other family). But for now, all's well - and that feels GREAT!

 

[frugalwarrior2]

I was just thinking about this entire issue the other day. I have gotten more anxietous over the years. As the economy tanks and my health is not getting better , our money for retirement is not growing as time ticks. I feel my anxiety grow. My mother suffered from it when I was a kid and had 3 panic attacks. She also was afraid to leave the house and could never learn to drive. I assumed it was her early abuse by a relative. Now I'm not so sure because of my moods.

 

[adavant]

Hi everyone! I too suffer from panic attacks I have since I was a small child. I have certain triggers, they have changed over the years. I do take meds for them but sometimes that doesn't even help. TOtally feel you all on this one.

 

[gottadance]

I was just thinking about this entire issue the other day. I have gotten more anxietous over the years. As the economy tanks and my health is not getting better , our money for retirement is not growing as time ticks. I feel my anxiety grow. My mother suffered from it when I was a kid and had 3 panic attacks. She also was afraid to leave the house and could never learn to drive. I assumed it was her early abuse by a relative. Now I'm not so sure because of my moods.

My therapist said "trigger events" are very common in leading to anxiety. My mom has been on and off anxiety meds her whole life - she'll be doing fine and then something will happen. When my aunt died who my mom was very close to, it just sent her into a bad depression and anxiety stuff started happening again. I'm so glad we have better meds today and that we know so much more about what causes anxiety and depression. I started to have agoraphobia when my anxiety was at its peak. I only felt "safe" at home - the weirdest thing. But shortly thereafter I got meds and counseling and that has completely disappeared.

 

[Luckybustert]

I used to have them several times a day and was becoming agoraphobic. I don't have them so often now, just occasionally. I was on my way to work last week when I had one, and I almost turned around and went home. Had to force myself to keep driving. SSRIs do work for a lot of people, but some of them also cause significant weight gain (I gained 80 lbs each and every time they tried me on Prozac) and then there's the "can't have an orgasm to save your life" problem that's so common with them (which fyi, Viagara counteracts for women too if you can get a doc to prescribe it). To me the SSRIs posed too many quality of life issues....I told my doctor that I didn't care what he prescribed as long as it a) didn't make me gain weight, and b) didn't cause anorgasmia. Wellbutrin was the ultimate solution, but I can't use the generic (I've read many people have problems with the generic) so it costs more... but very worth it to me. And sorry if I just went down the TMI path :yikes:

 

[frugalwarrior2]

LB- I agree about the generics. They did not work at all w/ my DD. Wellbutrin combined w/ her concerta was causing blackouts. Zoloft has been her saving grace. Unforunately, her menstral cycle overides her drugs.

 

[baxjul]

*waves* me me! Mostly generalized anxiety because I have learned how to deal with panic attacks, but not to say they don't hang out in the back of my mind.

This is exactly how I am.

 

[gottadance]

I haven't had any side effects from Lexapro - it's been a dream drug for me and I'm so grateful, hard to hear about those dealing with side effects - that stinks!

 

[Luckybustert]

I haven't had any side effects from Lexapro - it's been a dream drug for me and I'm so grateful, hard to hear about those dealing with side effects - that stinks!

I was miserable on Lexapro.....increased anxiety, weight gain, trouble sleeping and really weird dreams....it's strange how the effects of these drugs can be so different from person to person.

 

[Josephhgoins]

in the last 5 years I started having them. It started out with 1 or 2 a month and had the height was easily 2 a day. Because of the attached a I started some other not so good habits like deciding if I listened to a certain song on the way to work in the morning the day would be good and I wouldn't have them. I listened to that same song every day except two for at least the last 4 years.

This summer I quit my job and took a work from home position. I now realize that the worst that can happen is that I will be fired and have to live off my retirement for a while. I am perfectly happy with that possibility and am glad to say that I have had just 2 since July.

Basically I got rid of my trigger, which was my work and life has never been better.

 

[gottadance]

Speaking of these issues - I still haven't conquered my fear of flying. Because I was undergoing infertility treatments, which was very difficult emotionally since they were unsuccessful over and over again (I was in counseling to deal with it), I couldn't take on the fear of flying issue, too - it was just too much. I had to deal with the infertility issues. I had my last treatment in July which ended in a miscarriage and then I went to adoption. I'm now feeling really good, but still not ready to take on the fear of flying issue. After 2.5 years of infertility treatments, finding out I can't have biological children, it was a traumatizing experience and I just feel like I'm still recovering from what I've been through - an exhausting, devastating experience.

I'm in IL and my dad is in FL and in failing health. I knew his health wasn't great, but his wife sent a letter in their Xmas card letting me know that they think he's having mini strokes - becoming forgetful and confused. I am now planning to go see him January 15 but I've decided I'm driving down. I love driving, I love open roads and seeing the countryside and I just still am not ready to tackle the flying issue.

I keep weighing it in my mind - I could get some xanax from the doc and book a flight, but I just don't feel ready. I keep thinking if I flew I could be down there in 2 hours - but then I picture having a bad flight or getting stuck on the runway, bad weather - all of that stuff would put me over the edge. The funny thing is, I used to fly all the time - I traveled for work and for pleasure. I've flown all over the world - to Europe, Asia, etc. But ever since the anxiety issues I just don't want to.

What do you guys think? Has anyone ever had one of these big issues that they faced down? How did it go? How did you know when it was the right time?

The truth is, although I'm excited about going down there - a) I need vacation and b) I'll see my mom and a good friend, too - I'm a little nervous about it. Last time I was far away from home was 4 years ago and I was somewhat agoraphobic. But that was pre-Lexapro and pre counseling. I'm in a completely difference place now. I feel like, well, what am I going to do - stay at home and never go anywhere? So even though I'm not flying, this trip is still sort of a big step for me. I'm going to take my counselor's number with me just in case.

What does everyone think? I could use some encouragement just about me taking the driving trip. Thanks!

 

[Luckybustert]

What do you guys think? Has anyone ever had one of these big issues that they faced down? How did it go? How did you know when it was the right time?

What does everyone think? I could use some encouragement just about me taking the driving trip. Thanks!

I got past my fear of flying through hypnosis. Easiest and quickest method I've ever found for dealing with phobias. Have been the counseling route and all they really did was listen. They didn't make the changes in my life - *I* did. My point here is that you have to want to make the change and be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Rationally, you know these terrible things are not going to happen. How do you benefit from continuing to dwell on them? For what it's worth, this question was one of the most useful ones my counselor ever asked me.

As for the right time....no time like the present. Feel the fear and do it anyway is my mantra.