Constant panic...Am i alone?

[Aint_It_Fun]

Hello, Im 19 and started having panic attacks early this month. It started with me riding my dirt bike around (something i enjoy to do) and then all the sudden i was hit by a full blown attack. It was by far the worst one yet and i have not felt the same since then. I seriously thought i was dying, and that kind of changed how i look at life. Anyhow to the point i cant seem to do anything now...I go through my whole day feeling like im in an attack or about to have one any second. I feel freaked out just about all day. Its ruining my days because i cant do anything but sit around or i either start to have an attack or feel like i am. I cant ride my dirt bike which is something i love to do, even when i play video games the action will make me start to feel like an attacks coming on. And its not any better when im sitting there......even when i try to sleep once my body is rested i start to panic in my bed...i'll feel my heart beat and automaticaly my mind starts wondering if its beating how it should, or my nose will clogg a little and i'll freak out about my breathing. And when i wake up....I feel zombie like...almost as if parts of my brain are still asleep and that feels awful. Thing tend to feel unreal when i wake. I'v had a history of nervousness but i'v never had any problems with anything like this until that attack. Do any of you have this problem? And for the record, I'v had an EKG done and it was good, Also a halter and that was good, chest xray...good...bloodwork...good. With everything ruled out my mind still wants to just move along to the next possible deadly problem possible. It seems to just get worse...its almost like a handicap since i had that first one. If anyone has these same problems please share....cause i'd feel better knowing its not just me. Thanks.

[Scraggle79]

Hi there, I have just turned 30 and I had my first panic/anxiety attack when I was 17. I felt so alone and the sensations I had were undescribable, none of my doctors really understood me and just but me on anti-depressants. I would explain to my family that things just seemed so unreal to me all the time, I would have feelings of what I would think a heart attack would be, numbness around my lips and finger tips cause I would think I couldn't breath....I really thought I was dying every time I had one. Sometimes I would have them 5-6 times a day. It was almost like a seizure because I was exhausted once it went away or at least when I calmed down.
Once you have one you just panic about when the next time will be. I mostly have them at night or when it gets dark. My fiance' who's never had one before doesn't know how to help me or understand what I go through, but it gets so bad that my stomach is so upset I throw up etc...

I am now 30 and they have gone away quite a bit I only get one maybe once a month ( a bad one) but it's not for any reason which is strange. The only thing I can think of is it happens before my menstral cycle. Hormone changes.
Doctors have me on Ativan and Lexapro. I have two kids to keep me busy but still afraid of the next attack.
The only thing that helps if I feel one coming on is to put a cold wash cloth on my chest that way I don't concentrate on my heart beating.

[cleo1966]

Like we all said kido, your not alone.  I was in my early 20's when I had my first panic attack.  NO FUN!  They put me on ATIVAN (lorazepam), its a benzodiazapine it is an anti-anxiety medication (only use very short term).  It aids only as band aid, not a cure.  Try alternative medicine before medications if you can first:  example> YOGA, MEDITATION, DEEP BREATHING, SELF HELP BOOKS.  But if you cannot function or do anything, then seek professional help like a psychiatrist MD.  They know their chemistry better than your regular family doctors, or internal medicine doctors, you may have to result to medications only as your last resort, so you can function.  But if you can control it naturally, thats the best way to go.  I'm no pro, but now I'm 41 years old & wish someone would of told me this when I was your age.

[Aint_It_Fun]

Thanks for the input guys, These attacks can be hell on both your mind and your body. You cant help but to think what if when they happen. I'v been to the emergency room over them a couple times cause they were so bad. Its hard to think your dying and push it to the side.

[Rachaelanne]

You are not alone, I've had panic attacks for about 2 years. My first BIG panic attack was just last week, All of a sudden while i was watching tv, my heart started skipping beats and it felt like i was having a heart attack. I was freaking out really bad. It flet like i couldn't breath and everything felt unreal, like i was having a dream.
After that i didn't want to go out anywhere, i couldnt even go to school for about a week because i was afraid i would have another panic attack. I just started taking ativan and it seems to work, as soon as i feel like im about to have a panic attack i take one ativan, it takes about 15 minutes to work.  Just knowing that the ativan will make the panic attack go away will make you calm down even faster.
Before i had the ativan i would call my friend to come over and stay with me till i felt better. Also if you keep thinking about the panic attack you had it will only make you feel worse. So try not to think about.:)
good luck and i hope you will feel better soon :)

[sugarpea013]

Hey there, I wanted to comment on the metoprolol. Yes it will definately cause a dry mouth. You need to make sure you keep very well hydrated while on this.

[GraphicsQueen]

You are not alone! I suffer from Panic Attacks and have been suffering since I was 10. And believe me, at 10 years old a panic attack is frightening. I took Klonopin for a while and that seemed to keep them under control. But I wouldn't suggest taking a medication like Klonopin long term, because it is very addictive and difficult to get off. But know that you are not crazy or alone. Also, I know this sound weird, but it may have gotten worse since the attack because you are still thinking about it a lot. As a fellow anxiety sufferer, I find that is something scary happens or I feel that something scary could happen, the more I think about it the worse I feel. If you have some close friends or family that you feel comfortable with, try calling them or hanging out with them when you feel this way. Sometime just chatting to someone you care about can make a difference. Or at least I find this works for me. Good luck, and I hope you find some peace soon.

[Aint_It_Fun]

Also I just want to add my doctor put me on motoprolol sucinate....I dont know if this is a side effect of my medication or not but my mouth tends to get dry to the point i have to get up and get a drink.