Panic attack out of nowhere

[Sean117]

My heart started to race out of nowhere cause I was stressed about this new med zoloft that I'm on. Right now it's day 8 on it and I feel only panicky at night cause this pill. If you look back at my other post I have bad experience with pills and don't like taking them. This is how day went, I was chillin with my girl and her lil brother felt good no problems til it just hit me at night before bed getting worried about this pill so I started to get the hurting feeling in my chest. This is how my heart beats 1 2 than my heart hits against my chest hard and make my body jump up than get that choking feeling and feels like I can't breath. I've taken a xanax as prescribed by my doctor to only take once at night everyday, but sometimes I don't feel the need to take it at night cause I'm able to sleep sometimes. Another thing to add I've been having memory problems not able to remember lately, can this be due to this medication I started taking? Leave a comment and I'll get back at you

[nursegirl6572]

Sorry you're having a rough time.

It's very common for anxious people to be anxious about taking a medication.  That alone could be causing your anxious reaction at night.  It's kind of like a self fulfilling prophecy, you know?  You worry about something enough, and it ends UP causing your anxiety.

Are you in therapy?  If not, you need to start ASAP.  That's truly the BEST way to address anxiety.  Medications will help by decreasing the symptoms, but therapy is where you will learn coping techniques, and how to change your thought process.  A therapist would be the one to really work with you on getting past that anxiety about the medication.

It's far too soon to assess how the Zoloft will work for you.  Also, remember that most of the time, the medications make us feel a little worse before we feel better.  It's tough to wait it out, but it's necessary.  The best thing you could do is to try to keep yourself as busy and distracted as possible, especially at night, when you've been having the anxiety.  The more you're thinking about it, the more anxious you will feel.

Hang in there....update us on how you're doing!

[4Maddie44]

I am not any any medication at all and get anxiety.  I get palpitations like you describe, and know it is due to that.  If you think the pill may be causing this problem, do you want to stop taking it?  We all have memory problems, not unusual, even in one as young as you.  It is a problem wondering whether to take pills or not.  Are we better on them or without them.  Wish I knew the answer to that.  It is a personal thing.  I have done both, and trying to cope without medication.

Hope you get over this episode, and so sorry you are experiencing problems.