Panic Attacks Support Group

Hi folks. I am new here and have been on the Chronic Pain, Depression and The Kidney Stones Forums. So far this site is a God Sent for me, as I do not feel comfortable on very large sites and ones with zero activity never result in a conversation. Please feel free too offer me some feedback if you like.

I have always been high strung, and I liked being that way, doing my job fast and all of that. Slowly I quit my bad habits. I stopped drinking alcohol because I was a pretty bad alcoholic and it needed to be addressed. I quit smoking in hope I might extend my life. I also quit smoking pot because my doctor had mention he might drug test me at any time for the medications he prescribes me and he made it clear if anything like pot /THC was found he would cut off my pain killers. Now that did not seem fair to me, but I am not the doctor. So I quit all of that.

I had a long term girlfriend that lives about ten miles from here. One day I was driving back to my place from her house and the sun was hitting my face, almost like a strobe light- ON- OFF. All of sudden I was in a panic. I feared for my life. I was scared to drive. I was scared to breath. My face around my mouth got numb, my neck got numb. I had to tell myself to breath. For awhile I thought somebody had slipped me LSD- but that could not be....

I got to the place I am staying and I was scared for my life. Colors seemed brighter, my pupils were as big as frying pans, I was way to scared to drive.

I got a ride to ER. I kept asking for something to calm my nerves down. Nobody heard me. I started pressing the nurse button and somebody would show up and ask what I wanted and I did not know, I just shrugged my shoulders as I could not speak due to a numb tongue. I had never felt this way before.

The doctor wanted to rule out a bubble in my lungs, I have no idea why, the nurses all told me what I had. When the doctor was seeing I had no bubble in my lungs, I begged him for something for my nerves and for my chronic pain of which they had a record of. I got 2 shots. Within 5 minutes I felt normal again and they sent me home with a script for xanax.

My doctor prescribed me xanax, but it never lasted long enough. It would wear off and I would panic again. He switched me to something longer acting, but still in the benzo family- It works very well.

The Point:

Panic Attack vrs Anxiety Attack:

Many people I speak too think an Anxiety Attack is the same thing as a Panic Attack. To me, a panic attack does not have a logical reason to set it off, and one thinks they are die-ing, but they do not know why and their face goes numb. The other kind of attack it seems a person has a logical reason to be excited and it is clear why they are upset. But for whatever reason many here where I live do not know the difference in a true Panic attack and an Anxiety Attack.

I fear my younger years of being an alcoholic, and smoking 2 packs of reds a day screwed up my central nervous system to this point.... what do you all think?

Hi DF (digitalfreedom)

I fear my younger years of being an alcoholic, and smoking 2 packs of reds a day screwed up my central nervous system to this point.... what do you all think? NO

My doctor prescribed me xanax, but it never lasted long enough. It would wear off and I would panic again. He switched me to something longer acting, but still in the benzo family- It works very well.

Which one? ativan, vallium, klonopin???

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Welcome to the group. You are not alone any longer. Now you are with friends who understand, because we all have the same problem.

You have seen your doctor - that is good. The meds for the panic attacks (Benzo's) are only to be taken when you have an attack usually, but in some cases <when the doctor tells you> they can be taken full time. Go easy on them - they can be very habit forming.

Here is a great book I got referred to by a therapist - "Feeling Good" by Burns - available in any book store , self help area for about 7$. There are lots of other books too.

You need to go to the forums (top line menu in the panic attack support group) > "medicines and treatments" > titles - -- on breathing exercises and calming exercises. They will help you to control this problem. They work. BUT, they take a lot of practice - possibly a month at 8 times a day for some. But, they do work . They were all submitted by the members of the group for the members of the group.

You need to accept that you do have a panic disorder. That is hard to do. But when you get any sort of symptoms from now on - you need to first think - panic symptom. Of course, you do need to review any new symptoms with your doctor, but knowing that 99 percent of new symptoms will be panic that will help you to not go to the ER so often. Symptoms change - you need to expect it.

Try to understand - panic attacks are nothing more than your own body reacting to your worrying and fears. Your body gets overstressed by you being stressed and jumps into fight or flight mode. That means your breathing gets crazy and your brain does not get enough good air. You need to slow the breathing down - thus - the breathing exercises. Have you ever seen anyone breathe into a paper bag - well, that's it. Too much oxygen.

Look over the threads and the posts and the forums - they will help you. Feel free to comment on any of them, and to create new threads with new topics.

You may think you have a tiger by the tail, but reallly he is just giving you a big bear hug.

Raoul

I am more on the anxiety attack I have specific triggers and bam I am freaking out I do rarely panic for know reason but mostly its a trigger but treatment are similar so

Hi Vivkie

- what are you doing up so late?

I hope you are well.

Big Hugs, Raoul

Thanks Ray. Im always thinking of addiction in the back of my mind, and I realize this class of drugs when mixed with most anything can kill people! So I take it easy, but I am supposed to take my "klonopin": everyday. I often just cut the pills in half for the days I seem to be doing good. I try my best to stick to the directions, but the facts are that a real bad panic might take me 1/2 pill more to get things under wraps, and on a good day I can normally get away with 1/2 pill less. It averages out pretty well.

In my situations of having constant pain of unexplained cause, inability to hold a job or even a girlfriend, I think I can see for myself why parts of my own mind freak out from time to time. I would not wish a panic attack on my worse enemy- they are like living a real live nightmare!

I was never told about the breathing part-Im glad you told me. It appears I have much reading to do. Thanks.

Peace to all.

Hi Terry

Okay - then if you were not aware of the breathing exercises, there are also calming exercises , and a few other new techniques . Look them all over.

Start using the breathing exercises first - because the breathing is the biggest problem.

I sent off PM's to two other group leaders to try to locate someone who remembers a similar problem.

Did you say you are still getting stones passing thru???

That is certainly a possible cause for pain.

Hang in - it will take a few days to get some sort of a response for the other leaders. In the meantime I will search my memory to remember if it could have been another group.

Good start.

Raoul

Welcome to the group Terry!

I am on 1/2 klonopin twice a day and another nerve pill and one for depresion. I also have body akes for no reason and I can't explian it I also have hot flashes. Again welcome and feel free to post and ask any questions this is your group now too and we are here any time you need us just post or PM any of us.

Hugs

Tracey

Hi Tracey, Terry

Tracey - all my Love.

Sent Pm to you Terry concerning some news on a related problem that may help your with your assistance.

Got some help from Arthritis group/ hatbox121.

Give us some feedback.

Am checking further.

Love, Raoul

Hey, a big thanks to all of you, ' sorry if I don't list all your names. But thanks for all of your input.

I'm still learning my way around the forum so it might take me awhile to learn how to use this software. Normally I'm online everyday, but my pain has been super-bad for the past 2 days, and yesterday was the worse. - Oh, I am passing very small stones, normally when I first get out of bed. I have been told by a doctor in the past that both of my kidneys are full of tiny stones, some people call them "pepper-stones" - I have a small jar I am saving them to show my doctor. My doctor seems to think my pain has something to do with the way my brain is wired, and I have read a recent medical article that made a case for many people with C.P. having parts of their brains active and not shutting up- Kind of like feeding pain pulses when it should not be. So in my case the chronic pain nailed me first, then a couple years latter the panic attacks started, and they might hit me everyday if I do not take my meds. I believe every doctor I have ever seen has told me I seemed very nervous, or the doctor would ask me why I was nervous/shaking etc. - Sometimes I don't have a clue how to answer such questions and having no income nor medical insurance does not help any either.

Thanks for the advise, there is a lot of good information here.

Terry

I really have not thought about a difference in panic attacks and anxiety attacks. I have some underlying anxiety most of the time. My panic attacks are getting better. I can relate to your panic attack symptoms. Changes in light effect me and things look bigger and bolder colored to me as well when I panic. I thought I was pretty much alone with those symptoms. Sorry you had them but glad to know someone else relates.