ANXIETY ATTACKS

[RALPH44]

I have  to panic attacks and I read at the peg itron 2b web site  that the peg itron 2b can cause panic attacks is this true? My panic attacks got so bad last year had to take time off work. I no longer take anything for them, just as needed. Does anyone else have panic attacks and take the peg itron 2b? My doctor has his mind set on this treatment instead of the other even though I told him the sides from the other were less. Please help


Shelly
HCV 1A

[JodyLynn]

I have them sometimes but im more bipolar. One doctor wouldnt even treat me because of it, but im doing pretty good as far as the bipolar goes so far.

[hippygem]

I suffer panic/anxiety attacks as well, the only thing that helps is anti-depressants, take a small dose or half to a quarter of the dose if you dont like taking ADs, just enough to take the edge off.  I tried stopping ADs after tx, but the attacks were still there.
Its now 3 yrs since tx.  I take prozac, half tab every 3 days and it helps.

[sfwandwow]

i take xanax for my attacks, i just take them when i get that funny feeling of one coming on, they are fast acting..

[Forseegood]

hi! although I think there is a bio-chemical component to anxiety, panic attacks, etc...I also there think there could be a psychological one (chicken or egg deal as to how much of that is bio-chemical too)....in that the subconscious is going wild behind the scenes, and thoughts get into a loop without our even noticing them too much....because the chatter is so commonplace in the back of our minds.

You might be just feeling tomatoes at the grocery store and thinking about that process first and foremost.....but in the back of your mind youre also thinking you'll probably be dieing from hep c in the next few years, if that makes any sense. (Or something like that, that is also irrational and drastic.)

Many of these behind-the-scenes thoughts are just thoughts and are illogical when you sit and dissect and analyze them....but we don't analyze them much of the time, which is part of the problem.....and they just go around and around at their own pace and acting on our emotions.

Many of these thoughts just don't seem to turn off for many people. It gets to be like a whole committee in our heads just chattering away. This phenomenon is just a part of the human condition and very intelligent, highly sensible people suffer from this.  

Anyway, this is a HUGE oversimplification, but I'm just trying to explain it in as simple terms as possible, from the way I understand it. Particulars are up for debate of course.

Anyway, the subconscious can act on these, many times, illogical and dire thoughts, and it just sees things in black and white and acts on the emotions.....and believes there is a *real* danger coming upon us, just from these random, illogical thoughts. The subconscious doesn't analyze.

And the blasted subconscious can then cause a person intense anxiety, that can morph into a full blown anxiety attack, because the body reads this as a "flight or fight" response, and pumps out more adrenaline, etc.

This is at the heart of many anxiety attacks, phobias, etc. If you ask a person why it is they are phobic of spiders for instance, they can't tell you from a logical standpoint.....they'll tell you that they know intellectually that it is a little spider that really can't do much to a full size human being, but that kind of logic won't matter, and they will develop an irrational fear they can't explain. The same principal *can* hold for a person who is just walking along, and then get a horrible panic attack.  

While I think that anti-depressants are of course helpful, etc and many people *need* to take these, because of chemical imbalances, etc.... and doctors will prescribe them to phobics, people who are prone to panic, anxiety attack, etc...I also have found hypnosis, thought process exercises and breathing techniques  helpful in dealing with these types of things, at least for me.

Also, many people who suffer from these might be helping matters by eating more frequently, healthy, smaller meals (which is a healthier thing to do anyway) to help keep your blood sugar level.

Listening to hypnosis tapes, etc can help train the subconscious. There are good tapes dealing with these things at hypnosisdownloads dot com. Really reasonable, and you can listen on your computer or ipod at night, like I do.

There are also exercises that people have devised for phobias....a great guy for this is at phobiascured dot com. Some of these types of techniques can also work for anxiety attacks. Another one is phobease dot com.

And simple breathing techniques....many shallow breathers get panicky for a number of reasons. If you go to (about dot com) and punch in panic disorder, they have a lot of information on breathing techniques and panic. This stuff has worked miracles for me, and many people I know. I think they are worth a try along with medical therapies, couldn't hurt! lol....just my take on these things, maybe they will help you.

[desrt]

I took Peg IFN 2b and the way I made it through my last 2.5 months of treatment was the same way I dealt with panic attacks 4 years earlier: a brisk 40-45 minute walk three or four times a week. There's something about that particular level of exercise that is a good, non-chemical way to regulate your serotonin levels without SSRI drugs. This was something that was suggested to me by two separate MDs - a cheap, $10 co-pay, family doc in '99 (for my panic attacks) and a much pricier shrink in '03 who helped me while I was doing IFN.
It worked for me so I'd say it was worth a try.

[RALPH44]

Did the peg cause any panic attacks. I have had only one since last year dont want them started again, I only take something when I need it would never take AD's again took paxil once gained 40 pounds so threw them in the trash and change doctors told me there were no caleries in them.Just not a pill taker.

Shelly

[Forseegood]

yeah, forgot to add that. Exercise will cure most all your ills. Don't know personally, but I have heard from more then one person that they had to use anti-d's and/or mild tranquilizers - as needed - for the treatment anxieties (along with as much exercise as they could manage). Maybe some people can add to this.

[beamishboy]

ralph,if you need to treat for hepC just accept the possibility of taking an AD..there are many solutions to anxiety,but only one solution for the virus-at this time..if you can afford to wait,i.e. low viral load&little liver damage. wait for trx drug regimen with less side effects and of shorter duration..if your  fear of ad's is weght gain don't worry about that-at all-the combo therapy is a v good diet plan-hah!.either way, GOODLUCK

[desrt]

I think I understand your distaste for ADs. Watching two of my friends withdraw from Paxil was a big factor in my not taking them. However...
Since you are geno 1, you'll want to have as many 'tools' as possible at hand to deal with your treatment. I was able to do a short course of treatment and SVR, but if I'd had to do 48 weeks, I would probably have had to do something besides exercise. I don't care if it's hypnosis, yoga, ADs, or herbs - be prepared to do whatever it takes to stay on treatment.
I don't remember treatment causing any panic attacks and the list of all the things IFN 'might' do is pretty long. What does your doctor say about all this?

[RALPH44]

I did try to be hypnosis one didnt take or my brain dont work rigth but I do walk 3 miles every day so I hope that works and I want to keep working. I would just rather not do this at all because I feel fine other than being tired and getting quizzey once in a while, and my doctor did let me wait a year

[Forseegood]

I'm probably trying to play this banjo too many times, but the thing about self-hypnosis is that many people don't have the patience to give it time to work. It takes a little discipline for sure, anything that is worth getting usually does, but if you give it a chance, like doing it every day night or morning (and it's only 15 minutes or so) it can really do wonders.

Say if youre trying to give up smoking, you might really want to give up smoking, and you say to yourself, "I'm gonna do this this this time by golly, I am really going to do this.   I'm giving up smoking FOR GOOD'!!!!                          

Problem is, up in the back balcony a lot of your self talk is saying, "oh come on, this again? Youre not going to be able to do this you weak minded sob...! Don't you know that by now? How many times have you tried, just go ahead and smoke, go AHEAD AND SMOKE GODDARNIT!!!

That's what most people are up against...a committee up there, not always in your best interests...that's why it takes some work and discipline in changing those thoughts deep down, and the other things you need to stop of course, gum or the patch or whatever, sometimes people do it with just self-hypnosis alone though...Same thing with anxiety, it's something you do every day and you suddenly realize youre way less anxious, etc etc...

but of course, whatever floats your boat, this has really worked for me with a lot of things. Calming down about this creepy disease for one thing, lol...but anyway, of course regular exercise is great for the oxygen, etc...hope anything you do works out for you...

[Pauly Boy]

I had no frame of reference or much understanding of what a panic attack was but while on tx I had one and thought I'd die. I mean actually die. What a lousy feeling. After the week end I went in to see my docs and they gave me a drug called seroquil in case it ever happened again. Some other methods to deal with an attack are relaxation and meditation and stopping hyperventailation with a paper bag that I experienced. Thank god, I haven't had another one! I've since found out that the seroquil fights the attack by putting you to sleep. Just a sidebar, I was taking an A/D  during tx to pretreat depression which is common during tx. Good luck, wish you SVR... so, keep killing those little critters.
Pauly

[merryBe]

the riba has speed like qualities, which can wear on, and make other things worse.
if you can just go lay down, in your car to 20 minutes, ot something, to take an afternoon breather it may help.
is the panic associated with more pain, difficuly breathing ?
if so, think mild anti depressant or an occasional Ativan. don't get out the big guns like xanax if you don't have to.'
I think the theory is, as little extra stuff for liver kidneys to deal with as possible, but still keeping comfort in mind. Nothing that causes dependance is a good thing, nor are panic attacks so use judiciously.

[merryBe]

sorry that last post was to you
hope it helps

[wyntre9]

I only have panic attacks when I have to around people so my solution was seclusion.  *LOL*

And it does work.

And for those times I'm forced to interact, well, i just try to get it over with as fast as possible.

I also find sleeping helps a lot.  Seriously.

wyntre

'

[geterdone]

Yeah, after being married a couple of years felt the same way, I always wondered she’d get mad but caulked it up as pms. LOL!  :-)

[albany]

re:'speed like' effects of riba: i sometimes feel quite shaky ... vibing almost.  am on wk 6 of 48 for geno 1a pegatron wtih 1000 riba a day.... coudl this be a riba effect?  

[merryBe]

don't know, I'm on 1200 riba, 3rd week only and didn't sleep for 3 days...sounds like speed to me!!!!!!!!

funny but not, but hey, at least it means people can answer one anothers questions!!!!!!!!

no tea or coffee do I drink, so now, I take the first dose as sson as rising, 2nd dose early eve, always with food,

and ASK the doc for something to sleep. I'm on ambien 1 yr. (hep c also deprives sleep)
so now I've had to up it from 12 to 18mg since starting tx. But you HAVE to get rest to get well
so this is not the time to just tough if out, if you need help ask for it.
lots of folks seem to get shakes, panics, and/or sleep probs.
hope that helps.

[merryBe]

I'm being to think that our seratonin levels are directly tied to our stress level.
that said, my first thing for the liver pain is to sit up and try to belch, this can cause panics because excess pressure gas, alomng with inflammed liver/speeen put pressure on diaphram and windpipe...causeing shortnees of breathe causing panic.

so movement is key.
then resign yourself to a sharper temper and a lower level of tolerance it goes with not much seratonin. an incometant cleck I would wait patienctly for a month ago is likely to get a piece of my mind...or three.  I'll probably ask for some help this week, been having a melt down crying jag or 2 each day....no point in putting family though all this, but there's only so long you can feel like mud before the shotgun on the mantle starts looking like your long losr best friend
we don't need to go their. Antidepressants are prefect for things like this. Not for every boohoo in life, but for times of real pain and stuggle, they can make all the difference.
don't be ashamed to talk to your doc MOST GROWN MEN on tx become emotional meltdowns. It's the drugs doing it, not you. The right drug will simlpl restore some of the seratonin that the tx drugs have been destroying, or are being used up in the constant battle of pain strss itching etc.
let me know how it goes, OK?
Hope this helps