Panic Attacks Support Group

A few questions... If anybody can help, that would be awesome!

1. Is it safe to take Xanax and Magnesium supplements or multivitamins at the same time, or within a few hours of each other?

2. I've been to the gym 2 times in the past month, both times resulting in a panic attack (more severe than others). This is driving me crazy because I had been going to the gym regularly for the past few years, and now that I can't it's driving me crazy.

Is it safe take a half of a Xanax before going? Half of a .5

3. I know Xanax is supposed to be used when you feel an attack coming on, what else is used to PREVENT them from coming on?

4. Any natural supplements out there that help?

Thanks guys, this website has been great!

Hi ESPN

1. we really can not answer medical questions - but can only give an opinion or qoute our experience. My opinion - yes.

2. It is very important to not restrict where you go or do because of panic attacks. Otherwise you will wind up in your bedroom unable to go anywhere. The panic attacks can occur anywhere (including in your bedroom) . It does absolutely nothing to not go to the gym because you had a panic attack there.

However - you need to read/pull down the breathing exercises and the calming exercises from the Forum (top line menu) > "treatments and medicines" > titles. They were all assembled by members of this group, and they will help you. BUT, it takes practice before they will help - a couple of months at 3 to 5 practices per day is not uncommon, but just an example.

2b. taking 0.25 xanax before going (I assume you mean to the gym) is going to negate the xanax. You would do much better taking it after going to the gym and returning home (or such) and resting for a half hour to an hour. Of course - this is just my opinion.

3. Xanax will not prevent an attack - it will help you to deal with an attack. Based entirely on all of the books I personally have read - the most highly recommended medicines for panic are all in the same group of medicines - zanaz, klonopin, ativan, and vallium. Xanax is the one with the shortest half life and is there fore the most highly recommended in the books.

All of the above meds are immediate acting type. And they are habit forming; however, I and lots of others on this group have been using it for quite a long time (correctly) and are not hooked on it/them.

Many doctors will also recommend additionally to use SSRI's (such as celexa or lexapro) . These are taken daily, and take at least a month to come up to a significant level to be much help.

4. do not know of any useful alternate meds.

However - if you are unable to get any meds at all - hot milk with chocolate moo in it will provide a significant amount of seratonin to your diet and should help to make you mellow.

Hope these help.

Raoul - all of these are opionions only - I am not a doctor.

I'm a moo addict. Drink probably 5 glasses a day and have for the past several few years and had no idea I was self medicating until about a year ago when I read about the effects it has.

Did you read that Magnesium and Amino Acid post espn? Is that what you're thinking about? I did a mini research on Magnesium several months ago more related to the effect on the heart. Basically we suffer from lack of magnesium in our diets because most of us don't eat out of gardens anymore.

So you can try to increase your magnesium level by eating more things grown in the ground. You might try researching which foods are high in Magnesium?

I love salads so I'm trying to eat them almost daily loaded with all kinds of yummy veggies.

What else the xanax? Yes I do take it that way, I can't say that it's always effective though. I have been disappointed when I have taken it to avoid anxiety and ended up having it anyway. I guess it would have been that much worse without it. I love it. It helps me feel so normal. I wish it wasn't addictive because I avoid taking it, and it really does help!!!

Let us know what you decide or if you try it and it does work.

Damsel

I didn't know about the Moo, will give that a try.

Yea, i saw the post on Magnesium, and did the research. Says it's supposed to help anxiety/panic, so figured it wouldn't hurt to try! Just didn't want to mix it with the Xanax, but spoke to the Dr. and said it isn't an issue.

Thanks for the info!

hey espn, I've used my multi-vitamins at the same time as xanax and haven't had any problems, but not sure about the magnesium. I've also increased my vitamin B, which a therapist told me would help. I think it does make a difference, but who knows, maybe it's just in my mind (parden the pun!)!

As for having a panic attack at the gym, are you having it after you start working out or before? I've been doing a lot of packing and moving around this last couple of days, and I have found myself several times having to stop a panic attack when I start getting out of breath. I think, for me, my body just kicks in and says, "OH, heavy breathing = panic attack!" Now that I've identified it, I'm taking caution to stop more often and take a few good deep breaths (as described in the therapy threads).

If you're experiencing the panic attacks before hand, I'd probably take a bit of xanax before heading to the gym. As Raoul mentioned, we can't really give medical advice, but I know a lot of folks that take it to help prevent a panic attack, myself included, and it has been effective. Often, I don't even take a half at that point, sometimes, even just a little sliver or a quarter is enough to relax me enough to get through what I need to without a full blown attack coming on. However, of course, addiction is a concern with this med, so be careful to not overuse.

Good luck!

jen

Hi JRose,

Well it first happened at the gym while I was talking to a buddy in between sets. While talking, I started to feel VERY dizzy, shaky, and my ears felt like they were plugging up. I had to sit down, then made my outside to "get away" from it all. I went home, and really didn't think much of it..I was just getting over a cold, so thought that had something to do with it. Then it happened again while in the car a few weeks later and thats when I freaked out and went to the ER. After being told it was panic, I was determined not to let it ruin my everyday life, so tried going back there a few weeks later. The same thing happened. talking with a friend in between sets, and started feeling really hot and dizzy. Again, I go outside to my car and I as breathing like crazy, shaky, and dizzy.

Thanks for the input! BTW, Oregon is my favorite state!!

Hey ESPN, Oregon is your favorite state, eh?! I like it a lot myself!

Well, sounds like you are just having good ole panic attacks, not induced by the physical aspects of working out. I'm glad that you're determined to not let them stop your everyday life tho. That is a mistake that I made and am having to work extra hard at fighting that "habit"!

Try to remember all of the times you went to the gym without having a panic attack. You have gone several times with no problems at all, in fact the last few times you had panic attacks is a grain of sand on a beach compared to all the times you felt great. What Im saying is it is unrealistic to think everytime you go to the gym now you will have a panic attack, odds are you wont. Go to the gym and remember you can leave anytime you want, you are not stuck there, nobady can make you stay, you can leave anytime you want. Also go to the gym to work out not to prove to yourself that you wont have a panic attack. Very important. Take your ipod and listen to music. Remember you can leave anytime you want.