Am I having severe panic attacks?

[GinaT]

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??

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

this question has just been answered

[Mazzcm]

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

[3rdMajor]

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).

[blue_eyed_angel]

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.

[LORIANDTOM]

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

[techsup]

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.

[lilmich]

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...

[rankin_902]

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!!!!

[DJW]

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.

[brite eyes]

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 patients.  He brought my dosages up slowly until the attacks were totally gone and it works.  Some doctors are against it saying you build up a dependancy to where the dosage you are on won't be effective anymore and your body will require more.  Other doctors disagree with this.  I also disagree because I've been taking my regular dosage 2x a day now for 3 years and have only had one attack since and that's only because I drank alot of caffeinated coffee that day (not knowing it).  I had asked for decaf and it turned out to be caffeinated, and I had a very long stressful day at work on top of it.  So, I just took an extra pill for the night which took the attack away, and went back to my normal dosage the next day and haven't had one since.

This drug has been a wonder drug and I am so happy I found the doctor whe prescribed it to me.  At first, you feel droggy (which is why the doctor will increase your dosage slowly until the attacks stop) and I still feel a bit droggy on them but if I'm busy, I don't notice it.  After that year of terror, I would rather feel like this anyway.

So the bottom line to my panic bio here is:  If you are diagnosed with Panic Disorder, ask your doctor (if you haven't already) for Clonazepam but make sure he slowly increases your dosage until the attacks disappear. You may even want to go to a specialist such as a Psychiatrist to make sure it is being administered properly. It is a wonder drug for this disorder (at least for me and everyone else my specialist prescribes it to).  And I've tried everything, including natural holistic healing, etc. because I was so nervous of prescription drugs (or any other for that matter), but nothing else worked.

If you've read this far, you're better than me.  I hope that some of you benefit from my story and suggestions here even though I'm not a doctor, but know enough about it that you may be able to benefit from my experiences.

[zebung]

Brite eyes seems to have had the exact same type of episodes as I had (beginning in 1996).  After a year of feeling like I was going crazy or was having a heart attack every day, I went to a doctor.  I was very apprehensive taking 'brain candy' to help, but I was prescribed Zoloft to treat these attacks and the accompanying depression (as a result of the agorophobia).  I got lucky (I guess) as Zoloft has helped me tremendously and I haven't ever had to change medications.  I haven't had an attack in 6-7 years now and am living a happy, active life.  I haven't experienced any negative side effects, either.

I won't go so far as say you should go out and ask for Zoloft specifically because your body chemistry is different than mine and than everyone else's.  Zoloft may be terrible for you, but it has worked for me.

No matter what medication you take (if you decide to go that route) or how you decide to manage this, seeing a doctor is always a good idea.  If not only just to speak to a professional.  Whatever you decide to do, start addressing this NOW!  Don't let the fear and embarrassment take over you´r life.  I gave up a year of my life sitting in my house wondering when I was going to die or when I would go crazy.  It was pure unadultered hell and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy.  Don't let this spiral downward any further.

You are in my thoughts
zebung

[brite eyes]

I agree with Zebung.  It is pure wretched hell to have to live with if you haven't found the proper treatment.  And when it takes a year to finally find a doctor who can help you, that is also quite frightening (when you think that if a doctor can't help you, nobody can).  

I've also heard that Zoloft is one of the best anti-depressants for Panic Disorder and has few side effects on the body.  I almost took it, but after experiencing what I did with Paxil and Prozac, it scared me from trying any other types of anti-depressants.  

And Zebung is right about medications being good for one person and not good for another.  I know people taking Paxil with no side effects at all, yet I went the other way on the same medication, so it does depend on body chemistry.  And with Clonazepam, some of people can't function because they find they're too lethargic, or some complain it wears off and they need more, but as long as I'm busy, I forget I'm even on it and live a normal life and it has not worn off in 4 years and my Psycho-Therapist told me it wouldn't.  

At one time, I thought I was alone in this and so it's nice to hear that others are with me.  I am very happy for Zebung for being able to find the right treatment and go on happy.  It's the greatest feeling in the world to be able to live again.  I found I didn't appreciate life and took it for granted, until it was taken from me with this disorder.  Now I have a much greater appreciation for life.

I hope others in this forum who are suffering can find the relief that Zebung and myself have and I hope that it will be helpful to you when you go to the doctor to ask about these two medications.  I would suggest to ask for Zoloft first since it does have less side effects (see, what your doctor says) and if that makes you worse (hopefully not), ask for the Clonazepam.  That's what I did.  I studied various medications (since my doctor told me I only had stress) and then tell my doctor which ones I wanted to try (before I went to the specialist who only uses Clonazepam to treat).

Best of luck to all of you.

[Ianna]

Hi,
-
The problem is de breathing.
Try to learn to breath the RIGHT way.
Nearly all the symptoms you describe are from wrong breathing.
It does NOT solve the problems WHY your are in panic; but right breathing lessens your 'strange' symptoms and 'weird' feelings.
You can relax more.
The books by Claire Weekes, described in an above post, are wonderful, and have been my rescue.
-
Be well - *Ianna*

[JEREMY27]

Well first i feel for everyone of you. Im 27 and i've had these attacks for about 9 yrs. I was on paxil for 4 yrs and i was doing pretty good and then i quit taking them cause it was so expensive. I  was fine for about 3 yrs and just last week i had an attack and it doesnt seem to be going away.My symptoms are similar to most on this board except mine make me think that every little thing that feels wierd is a tumor or a heart attack or that something very bad is wrong with me. For example i lost 30 lbs in about 3 months exersizing and dieting but when i got this attack it made me feel like something terrible is wrong and thats the cause of my weight lose. So anyway thats some of what im going through and it sucks . sincerly ..Jeremy

[nikl]

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF PROZAC IS CONSIDERED A SSRI.  MY SON TAKES PROZAC FOR ANXIETY AND SOCIAL PHOBIA BUT I HATE THAT HE HAS TO TAKE ANY MEDICINE AND I'VE BEEN WORRIED IF PROZAC IS A SSRI BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS READ WARNING LABELS ABOUT DRUG INTERACTIONS AND SSRI.  THANKS

[Ianna]

Hi,
-
Yes, Prozac is a SSRI.
Look at this site:
http://www.painstresscenter.com/mall/Prozac.html
-
Very clear...better stay away from it.
-
Bye - *Ianna*

[treestand]

it is painful to read the intense panic and distress of a few of you, yet i want to tell you a few things that really has helped me recover from severe panic attacks, suicide behavior, and depression. if i give you hope, that is all i want to do.

my panic attacks were 24 hours a day, and it took me a few months before i (and the doctor) realized it was not just stress and physical. i have every symptom of panic attacks and every symptom of major depression, to the extreme.

my recovery started the day i started taking paxil, and my psychiatrist explained to me what was happening, in solid numeric terms (X% of people get this, paxil helps x%, here is what will probably happen). i also took trazodone for sleep and ativan for when the panic attacks got worse.

i saw that if i really paid attention, i had a chance. and EVERYTHING that was working against my health, i decided to get rid of. whether it was drinking, or overeating, or a job i hated.

two years later - now - i feel great, really do, and though i am still on paxil and trazodone, my dosages are lower. and i am willing to accept some of the side effects in tradeoff for the possibility of leading a healthy life (you can't have everything). here are the things that i think helped me, in terms of how i thought:

- realize that panic attacks cannot hurt you
- know that the most important thing in your life is you, and whatever you need to do to get healthy - do it and do it now. if that means living through your worst fears (quitting a job, going broke, etc) do it, because "the growl of the bear is worse than seeing it." those fears fester, and sometimes just putting yourself first is what you need to do. the sooner you get healthy, the sooner you will see that you will probably not need to live through those fears cause you are healthy enough to deal with everything. when you are healthy, you can go back and rebuild. i lost my business, my home, my marriage, and i am now feeling great and rebuilding.
- materialism and capitalism suck, and they tend to make people think they need to do something like everybody else. lose those material desires, now, they are only dark clouds in trying to recover
-say to yourself "i need help" and learn to say that to other people
- do not notice the reactions you will get from your friends, they will not know what to do, but if you just make it simple and ask for their patience, or their support, it will be ok.
- with each and every improvement, give yourself something, notice it
- do not be ashamed of anything you are going through. be proud that you are handling it as best as you can.

these are some things that seem to have really helped me. and when i was really down, i said to myself "if i ever make it back, i will try and understand the decisions that led me here, and i will try to change my life to put my health first." i am doing that.

you will be ok. but you need to take control of your own health, and start giving up the things that are hurting you so your heart and mind can heal. and the "growth curve" usually states that things get worse before they get better. know they will get better.

and know that a lot of people love you, though when you are going through panic or depression, sometimes your closest friends seem like aliens.

[winebev]

Gina, you are obviously suffering from anxiety.  I have had anxiety/panic attacks for 14 years.  Tingling in my head, arms, legs, difficulty breathing, feeling spacy, feeling out of control, having strange thoughts and feeling detached from your body are all symptoms of anxiety disorder.  The most frustrating yet encouraging fact of all is that there is probably nothing physically wrong with you.  Anxiety can strike out of the blue and without warning.  These feelings are very scary but cannot hurt you and you will not go crazy or have a heart attack or pass out, etc.  Please listen to me and see a therapist about your symptoms.  There is medication for this, there is therapy and great books for anxiety and panic.  I was so bad off that I couldn't leave my house for months w/out having an anxiety attack and now I fly all over the country.  Once you understand what is happening to your body, you will be able to control your thoughts.  Your thoughts are the main cause of your anxiety, believe it or not.  There is help and you do not have to suffer with this.

[winebev]

Dr. Lucinda Bassett, a recovering anxiety victim has written unbeleivable books on anxiety, how to cope with anxiety and explains what and why your are experiencing it.  The book is called "From Panic to Power" I recommend anyone who suffers from anxiety to read this book!!  It has done wonders for me!

[sundrop]

Since my dad died and I'm getting married I have these really bad attacks, sometimes I wake up and I just can't stop moving I feel like I'm in lala land my heart starts beating really fast even skips I feel off balance my stomache hurts my palms get really sweaty sometimes feel like I can't breath eyes get really puffy I get dizzy I go to Er a lot I didn't know what was wrong with me well, went to my doctor I think their idiots their but they did blood work all fine cat scan waiting for that to come back but she gave me xanax for now it seems to be working but now I feel tired and still off balance.

[winebev]

Just thought I'd share a poem I wrote about anxiety:
Enjoy!!

I wish you could fathom
Pain endured while a rapid pulse
Paces gray floors
I wish you felt my quiet
Death with in vain fears and hours
Spent; yes shallowed breaths
To sweaty palms for I've spent
My days reciting
Psalms.
Can you hear my private pain in
Which the culprit anxiety
Blamed- watery, weary, anguised
Eyes where unsurmounting
Avoidance lies.
This tortured, tormented prisoner
You see is but my mind
Manipulating me. I wish you felt
My secret hell and to that
I say you never will.


Jodie A. Howell

Copyright ©2003 Jodie A. Howell

[Ianna]

Very nice, Jodie!!

[winebev]

Thank you, Ianna! :)

[slim 1]

i am interested in having a buddy who also has severe panic attacks email me

[babyangel28]

i have been having these for a long time.....i just had two back to back.it feels like that your leving your boy or something.and when it starts i get scare and it makes it worse....can some one please help me?

[ABSTRACT ARTIST]

I have suffered with panic attacks since I was about 13teen im now 32.I had one hell of a life with the panic it has kept me from doing a lot more in my life I feel I would have been farther along without them.
I always had heart palpitations through out my life but i never really got them as bad as i do now.I get palpitations 2-3 times a day sometimes more.I just kept blaming the palpitations on my panic attacks because i always got palpitations when i would feel a panic attack coming on.I have been to DR after DR for my panic attacks and i was given may of meds but im not one for covering up the problem im one that wants to face my panic with a clear head.I had taken meds in the past and i felt like i was on cloud 9 and i wanted to sleep all the time.It seemed worse after i started the meds then before so i stopped and have not taken anything for years.Well the other day i went to see my DR and i mentioned to him i was having palpitation a lot and he listened to my heart and noticed something not right.I went to a specialist to find out i have a prolapse valve in my heart.Now the big part of this story is having a prolapse valve can cause you to have panic attacks.I had no idea that something with my heart can cause my panic attacks. He told me that there are may people walking around with prolapse valves in there heart and having panic attacks and never put 2x2 together.He said 20% out of 100 have this problem:( its not serious but it something for those of you with panic attacks to look into.

[Mickiee]

I am not a doctor, so this is just my experience and my opinion. Doctors and mental health experts are wonderful and thank God we have them, but they don't know everything, and they are the first ones to tell us this.
I think panic attacks are related to events in our lives that we don't consciously remember. Somehow, we come across events that trigger a subconscious memory in our lives and bam, panic attack. Maybe this isn't the answer for all panic attacks, but I do have a point here.
I know, because I went through it.
Hypnosis could be a consideration.

[Rach_716]

I'm 14 years old and i think i have been having panic attacks, all day long i'll feel unreal or lightheaded and i will panic about stupid things, it feels like its controlling my life, and i feel like im going insane, i went to my doctor and told her i had been having a shortness of breath and she got me an appointment to get my breathing tested and then i was looking through a magazine and saw an article on panic attacks and i had all the symptoms, the shaking the uncontrollable thinking everything and i just want it to go away i want to be normal again, what should i do? my mom isnt being at all supportive and my friends think im making it up! help me please

[Jeb1976]

I can relate to just about everyone on here. I've been struggling with panic attacks for almost a year and I can't seem to find the right treatment. Xanax is the only thing that seems to work, but it doesn't last long enough. Has anyone heard of Xanax XR? It's a daily pill that is time released. Anyway, I'll keep searching, but I was wondering if anyone wanted a panic buddy to talk to.

[markkram95]

I am a 27 year old male living in Leeds, in the United Kingdom!
I have had panic attacks for 2 years now, and they are extreme.
I am currently taking sertraline (zoloft in America I believe)200mg daily.Iam also on buspirone 10mg daily (anti-anxiety drug) and 15mg Diazepam (valium) daily. Taking these drugs is like a balancing act, and to make matters worse I have a rare blood condition (hereditary angio-edema) which I take 10mg of Stanazolol a day for Life! The Stanazolol which is an anabolic steroid can cause depression and increase likelihood of panic disorder. At the moment I am struggling to find an equilibrium  for all the medication I take.(I have listed only a few!) I feel totally in a dream like state for up to 6 hours per day which is usually a few hours after I wake up. I feel like I am losing my sanity and going totally crazy/confused. I get strange sensations through my whole body, mainly my head/face/arms, and I also get severe palpitations and basically fell like I am about to die!! This has happened easily over 200 times since I was diagnosed with panic disorder, but one symptom of this affliction is that during an attack, no matter how many you have had, you still feel like you are going to die every time. I feel like a burden on my family and during my attacks have felt like ending it all. The reason? Because it feels like I am in hell during the attacks and would give anything to stop them. I feel like a hypochondriac, with so many symptoms during my attacks. I have been To Emergency Room at least 6 times before I realised that they could do nothing for me. I have had a CAT scan with nothing unusual, but I still feel like there is an intense pressure,or something I can't describe trying to explode in my head. I have spoken to a few people with this affliction and I and my mother who has also suffered the similar agoraphobia symptoms have (in our opinion!) found that Particularly sensititive or intelligent people are most often affected.
I know this is no consellation prize but realise that you are sensitive to life!  
I know this sounds really crass, but I feel I must share this!
Since my attacks started I have had many vivid dreams about various things. Recently I woke to tell my mother about a vivid dream I had and that the prime minister was very ill. To my surprise, after picking up the afternoon newspaper I found that he had been taken into hospital for a full investigation because he was suffering severe abdominal pain. Also a local motorcyclist was due to race in the Isle of Mann races. I said rather flippantly to my father "He will die". A week later the same newspaper reported that he was the only casualty of the race and died in a crash.(usually at least 1 dies per year)
I know, I dont believe in all that mumbo jumbo fortune telling stuff, but over the past year I have definately opened up to the possibility!!! Most of all, to all sufferers.
I am like you, I Suffer every day. Just think of the others with panic attacks while you are having one and remember, no matter what symptoms you have and how extreme(like mine) you will not drop dead in the middle of the street!!!! Be strong!!

[looneygirl]

rach_716      If you're still out there, please try to talk to a trusted adult at your school, in your church, or another family member, etc.  Or perhaps there is a mental health clinic in your area you can visit.  If you have been keeping up with this forum, you can see that people from all walks of life have problems with anxiety and panic attacks.  The point is that you don't have to suffer, especially at such a critical time in your growth and development--please get some help.  Write back sometime to let me know how you are doing.