Aa
sleep panic kill you?
Can anxiety kill you? Ive had severe anxiety for six months now i have aleast two panic attacks a day will get better and worse threw the months but the worst is wakeing up in the middle of the night felling heart attack heart beating so fast cant breath shakeing. Ive been to the er so many times i cant fet this under control please please help.
You are wise not to take anything that gives you a rash. How many SSRI did you try in your 6 months?
I don't know anything about artery contractions but maybe you could explain why you are worried about them. Did the doc say that is happening?
I don't know anything about artery contractions but maybe you could explain why you are worried about them. Did the doc say that is happening?
I get bad rashes from ssri's thats been a big problem for me. I think all of you for the posts. Im starting to figure them out a little bit. Im also worried about artery contractions.
Without a serious underlying medical problem, no, anxiety can NOT kill you, neither can a panic attack, as scary as they may feel.
Obviously, what you're doing right now isn't managing the anxiety at all, therefore, you need to have a discussion with your doctor about how to proceed. I also highly recommend trying an SSRI type antidepressant, like Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac. They have been very effective in treating anxiety disorders. Zoloft is the most commonly prescribed SSRI for anxiety, specifically panic disorder, because it works for so many people. That's a more reasonable option than a benzodiazepine, like Xanax, IMO, because they come with issues such as dependency and tolerance (the need for a higher dose to maintain the same level of effectiveness). Xanax is best used as a rescue med, taken "as needed". here and there, that way, it maintains its efficacy, and there are no issues with tolerance or dependency.
As posted above, Klonopin is a better choice for regular use, as it builds in the plasma, to allow for a more stead state of calm, versus the ups and downs you would get with the Xanax. However, before I would ever recommend sticking with a benzo, I would suggest that you ask your doc about trying an antidepressant. As for long term use, there are many more benefits, and less issues, compared to the benzos IMO. Make sure a psychiatrist is managing your anxiety disorder, instead of a PCP. P-docs are much more knowledgeable about the meds and they can also refer you to a proper therapist who has a lot of experience in dealing with chronic anixety. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is ideal for management of anxiety disorders, you can ask your doc about finding a therapist who is well versed in that method of therapy.
As for the bradycardia, continue working with your doctor to see if they can determine a cause. Once in while, something like that will happen out of the blue, with no cause or reason.
Just an an example, there is something called a vagal response, which involves the vagal nerve. Stimulation of the vagal nerve (which can happen when doing certain things, like bearing down for a bowel movement, holding your breath, very exerting exercise that causes one to hold their breath or bear down)....can cause the heart rate and/or the blood pressure to drop. If you haven't seen one already, ask your doc for a referral to cardiologist. It never hurts to have a specialist give you a thorough work up.
Along with the therapy, and meds...to manage an anxiety disorder well, YOU are going to have to do some work as well. That includes doing any exercises or activities a therapist asks you to do, learning how to retrain your thinking, and learning how to get through a panic attack. It IS possible. There are LOTS of self help books out there also...one I would highly recommend is "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook". It is an interactive book, like a study guide almost, with lots of information, and different exercises that you can do to help work through your anxiety...everything from breathing exercises, to journaling...all kinds of things. Another suggestion is any book by Claire Weekes (sp?). She has authored many great books about anxiety. You have to empower yourself while also depending on a team of professionals to help guide you in learning how to coppe, and learning how to take the power away from a panic attack.
I also want to say don't be afraid of the meds..while they are not a cure or a quick fix, they can help tremendously...as they allow for some symptom control while you get down to business with a therapist.
Please let us know how you're doing!
Obviously, what you're doing right now isn't managing the anxiety at all, therefore, you need to have a discussion with your doctor about how to proceed. I also highly recommend trying an SSRI type antidepressant, like Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac. They have been very effective in treating anxiety disorders. Zoloft is the most commonly prescribed SSRI for anxiety, specifically panic disorder, because it works for so many people. That's a more reasonable option than a benzodiazepine, like Xanax, IMO, because they come with issues such as dependency and tolerance (the need for a higher dose to maintain the same level of effectiveness). Xanax is best used as a rescue med, taken "as needed". here and there, that way, it maintains its efficacy, and there are no issues with tolerance or dependency.
As posted above, Klonopin is a better choice for regular use, as it builds in the plasma, to allow for a more stead state of calm, versus the ups and downs you would get with the Xanax. However, before I would ever recommend sticking with a benzo, I would suggest that you ask your doc about trying an antidepressant. As for long term use, there are many more benefits, and less issues, compared to the benzos IMO. Make sure a psychiatrist is managing your anxiety disorder, instead of a PCP. P-docs are much more knowledgeable about the meds and they can also refer you to a proper therapist who has a lot of experience in dealing with chronic anixety. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is ideal for management of anxiety disorders, you can ask your doc about finding a therapist who is well versed in that method of therapy.
As for the bradycardia, continue working with your doctor to see if they can determine a cause. Once in while, something like that will happen out of the blue, with no cause or reason.
Just an an example, there is something called a vagal response, which involves the vagal nerve. Stimulation of the vagal nerve (which can happen when doing certain things, like bearing down for a bowel movement, holding your breath, very exerting exercise that causes one to hold their breath or bear down)....can cause the heart rate and/or the blood pressure to drop. If you haven't seen one already, ask your doc for a referral to cardiologist. It never hurts to have a specialist give you a thorough work up.
Along with the therapy, and meds...to manage an anxiety disorder well, YOU are going to have to do some work as well. That includes doing any exercises or activities a therapist asks you to do, learning how to retrain your thinking, and learning how to get through a panic attack. It IS possible. There are LOTS of self help books out there also...one I would highly recommend is "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook". It is an interactive book, like a study guide almost, with lots of information, and different exercises that you can do to help work through your anxiety...everything from breathing exercises, to journaling...all kinds of things. Another suggestion is any book by Claire Weekes (sp?). She has authored many great books about anxiety. You have to empower yourself while also depending on a team of professionals to help guide you in learning how to coppe, and learning how to take the power away from a panic attack.
I also want to say don't be afraid of the meds..while they are not a cure or a quick fix, they can help tremendously...as they allow for some symptom control while you get down to business with a therapist.
Please let us know how you're doing!
I can't figure what you are saying partly in your first line. You don't use sentences so not easy to tell when one thought ends. Hoop is right, you need more than short term Xanax, until you learn how to feel happy again.
I recently was prescribed Xanax .05 twice a day. I started having daily panic attacks, and then my attacks were lasting 6-8 hours a piece. Miserable. About a month ago, I started suffering from nocturnal panic attacks (what you are speaking of). One thing I would highly recommend is talking to a doctor about being on Xanax. In my own personal opinion, xanax is good for the short term, but if you need a long term solution due to all the panic, sounds like you need something longer lasting, like Klonopins. I was on xanax and was taking more than twice as much as I was prescribed by the time I switched. It was like over night my panic started to reduce. Benzo's aren't always the easy way out. They are highly addictive, especially to the body, which can actually cause panic when you withdraw.
No reason to be afraid of the meds. If you cannot sleep, get up and do something. Your adrenaline is at work and over worked, might as well try to put your mind off to something else. Do not TRY and distract yourself, just start doing something like cleaning. Breathing exercises help a ton.
Panic attacks suck. I suffer from Panic disorder. Stress makes me have constant heart pounding anxiety that is detrimental to my day and allows me to accomplish nothing.
Lots of information on the internet about self-help. Read up on that while your mind is over working. Allow your mind to be at ease with the fact that anxiety, adrenaline, and panic cannot kill you. It's very natural.
No reason to be afraid of the meds. If you cannot sleep, get up and do something. Your adrenaline is at work and over worked, might as well try to put your mind off to something else. Do not TRY and distract yourself, just start doing something like cleaning. Breathing exercises help a ton.
Panic attacks suck. I suffer from Panic disorder. Stress makes me have constant heart pounding anxiety that is detrimental to my day and allows me to accomplish nothing.
Lots of information on the internet about self-help. Read up on that while your mind is over working. Allow your mind to be at ease with the fact that anxiety, adrenaline, and panic cannot kill you. It's very natural.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?
