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Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
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Am I having severe panic attacks?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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MedHelp Member's Question

Am I having severe panic attacks?

by GinaT, Jun 10, 2003 12:00AM
Feb. 15 was my worst instance of what I have been experiencing daily for 4 months. It was night time; I kept noticing a disoriented, off balance feeling, voices sounded different (far away). I had a strange tingling feeling from the base of my head up to the center of it. I wrote it off as being tired and tried to ignore it. Ten minutes later I got strange body sensations(numbness, tingling, weakness in my legs, burning in my arms), I felt like I was going to go crazy any minute, I had uncontrolled thoughts and felt like I needed to be home right away. I went home and this went on for two hours and got worse. I got the shakes, felt a burning down through my arms and couldn't focus on anything. I was nauseous and pacing, and then tried to sleep to get rid of the thoughts and sensations. I slept for three days straight almost, every time I woke up the burning sensation and the thoughts of going crazy would return immediately, and I would try to sleep as soon as i felt them coming. Doctors tried to tell me I had a sinus infection which I knew was not right so I didn't bother getting the medicine. It is June now, these episodes have not gone away. I have only had two other nights like that one. Otherwise, I get mild symptoms like these daily; most common symptoms are feelings of nausea, frequent strange and uncontrollable thoughts, scared/anxious feeling, tingling down the arms and head. (This is what usually starts the cycle of the other symptoms). From everything I read it sounds like anziety/panic attacks?? However, I can't seem to narrow this down to specific events? I have been to concerts since this started and my second bad episode was at one, but the next concert I was fine. I have been skydiving, and you would think that would cause it, but sometimes it happens just sitting at home, or driving, Help?!! All I know is I have been fighting this daily for 4 months now and I can’t seem to stop it. I am reading books right now on how to prevent and get rid of anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes i see progress and then I have a bad day. Any Advice??
Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D., Jun 11, 2003 12:00AM
this question has just been answered
Member Comments (30)

by Mazzcm, Jun 12, 2003 12:00AM
It sounds like a severe Panick Attack. But it seems to be lasting a very long time.



Get checked out by an MD first.

It could be alot of diferent things

by 3rdMajor, Jun 12, 2003 12:00AM
Sounds like anxiety, but not a panic attack.  My panic attacks were intense and short in duration, with resolution of symptoms between attacks, (except for generalized anticipatory anxiety).

by blue_eyed_angel, Jun 14, 2003 12:00AM
Hi I have been haveing panic attacks for about 10 years. And also sometimes feel off balance I alawys have numbness and tingleing which convinces me I am haveing a heart attack. I went finally to get help and have been perscribed klonipin. I have a severe phobia of medicine as well scared of a reaction or side effects does anyone else have this problem if so perhaps we can work as a support tema with each other through a email or messenger.

by LORIANDTOM, Jun 17, 2003 12:00AM
Hi.  Your symptoms sound a lot like what is going on with me and has been going on for about a year now.  I would have anxiety (?) attacks for no apparent reason and not to do with a place or situation that made me feel nervous.  I got them at work, at home and on VACATION!!! My symptoms are very similiar to yours.  I have had good luck controlling the symptoms with SSRI's. I tried to go off them recently only to the anxiety return.  My episodes are also like yours- not brief- lasting days and it could be a struggle to function.  Please let me know how you are doing!



Lori

by techsup, Jun 21, 2003 12:00AM
To: blue_eyed_angel
I read every single thing I can find on side effects of any medication that is prescribed for me.....I am very fearful of anything that is going to cause me to feel worse than I already do.....sometimes I think that reading all this stuff actually causes me to think that I have some of the side effects....I don't know.  It is nice, in a strange sort of way, to know that there is someone else that fears the same things that I do.

by lilmich, Jun 23, 2003 12:00AM
Hello,



I recently got back from being deployed for two months with the military. About 2 weeks into the two months I started feeling dizzy (unblanced) and having headaches. I got all kinds of physical tests ruling everything health wise out. A little while later I started getting chest pains and shortness of breath, tingling and the shakes. Sometimes my stomach gets a little upset too. I was told is was stress related and being away from my kids. But in reading everyones postings I think I may have aniexty really bad, because I am now home and the symptoms have not gone away. I dont feel the same all day long just some parts of the day. My main problem is the feeling of off balance or that something is just not right. I dont want to go on any medications but I am not sure if it is possible to get over these feelings by myself without medications. Someone please help...

by rankin_902, Jun 25, 2003 12:00AM
with me it started a7 years ago june 5th i got off of work at 1 am and was rushed to a hospital far away...i was 5 and a half months pregnant... no hope for my child and it was 50/50 for me..the bottom line was me and me son made it.... but for me after long hard panic attacks...it does get a little better over time....just keep yourself  busy .........it's not easy all the time but hey we have to ,if we want to get back to normal...i keep praying to god for help.for the last 7 years it's like someone took over my body, all i want is to get back to normal.. but i still can't there's always that fear. with me to describe a panic attack it's like telling someone their son or daughter was just killed with a car.... you know that feeling that would wash over you; that's how it starts for me anyway.i get sick to my stomach;dizzy,my heart starts to pound like my hearts going to jump out of my chest;clammy;hot;my arms go numb ;i go off balance; sometimes i faint; i hyperventalate; my head goes numb ;it's always that feeling like your going to die. i hate it...i'm at the point  i keep telling god if he's going to take me just do it....... stop putting me through this misery.i can't stand it...  please help...desprate in cape breton!!!!

by DJW, Jun 26, 2003 12:00AM
There is an amazing series of books written by a lady called Dr. Claire Weekes which have been of tremendous help to me over the years I suffered the worst of my nervous symptoms. The best ones for anyone suffering from panic attacks would be: "Peace From Nervous Suffering" and "More Help For your Nerves". The main thing she centres on is the fact that we must FACE, ACCEPT, FLOAT WITH, and LET TIME PASS. In other words, a sufferer must learn to cope with his or her symptoms by learning to become unafraid of them. The more fear, the more adrenaline is produced and the more sensitised our nerves become. To learn a bit more go to :

www.self-help-hub.com/Peace_from_Nervous_Suffering_0451167236.html



www.claireweekes.com  



Hope that will be of great help to all you panic and anxiety sufferers. She has tapes available as well as books. I wish you all the best.

by brite eyes, Jun 28, 2003 12:00AM
I am a walking example of pure panic disorder and have done so much research on it, I know just about everything about it.  I have had severe panic disorder for the last 4 years now.  The first year was unbearable.  I wanted out and contemplated suicide it was so bad.  I had every symtom that is listed on the websites you find explaining panic disorder.  The tingling, pounding heart, total terror, feeling like I am going crazy, feeling uncontrollable, weak legs, trembling, feeling light headed like I am going to faint, going to emergency rooms nightly, my stomache was filling up with acid to the point I was feeling sick and couldn't even stand the smell of food.  And while on the stretcher in the hospital, it was shaking so bad from me shaking, the doctor couldn't believe it but new I had panic disorder and needed to seek a medical professional.  I would still go back to the emergency rooms because that's the only place I felt safe.  



My panic attacks were so severe, I didn't have a break in between cycles.  Each one went through the cycle of about 10 minutes, but they were constant and I barely slept because my heart was constantly racing, even when I tried to slow it down with breathing.  So, I was nervous of going to bed because everything was so quiet and I laid there having attacks all night, then again all day.  Feeling fatigued through the day worsened the attacks.  I did some research to see what was going on with me and there was no doubt what I had.  My attacks were so severe, it turned into agoraphobia (avoiding public areas for fear of an attack in front of people).  For a year, I was unable to work, unable to do anything but sit there and feel the attacks one after another.  It was horrible!  And it's not like you could go anywhere to get rid of them.  They happened in door and out.  I couldn't even drive my car for that year.  My family doctor told me I only had stress and prescribed me Larazepam which did nothing for me.  Then he prescribed Xanax.  Well, that worked very well, but only for about 20 minutes and then the attacks seem to be worse after the Xanax wore off.  So, then I found out that Anti-depressants also help panic disorder (SSRIs).  I tried Prozac and it made my attacks worse.  I tried Paxil.  It did the same.  One pharmacist would tell me you have to give them 6 weeks to work and in the meantime, that would happen.  One told me that I shouldn't be feeling worse and should get off of them.  I couldn't handle it so I took myself off of them immediately.  I went to a Psychiatrist, he didn't believe in chemicals and taught me breathing exercises.  The entire time I was in his office, I was in panic attack state (since it was 24/7) and told him so.  The breating exercises did nothing for me.  



I finally found a doctor that specializes in panic disorder and is very fond of the drug Clonazepam.  He gives that to all his panic disorder