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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
how do i over come these attacks
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
how do i over come these attacks
by linci, Sep 02, 1999 12:00AM
i feel so funny sometimes my palms get sweaty, i cant concentrate and i have know idea why i feel like this. when i have to go and do something like just going to wal mart i feel like every muscle in my head tightens up. even when i am getting ready to go somewhere i start feeling funny. i had thyroid cancer when i was 19 i am now 27. i go to an endocranologist in dallas i have blood work done every 6 months and a sonogram done once a year. i am on .125 synthyroid. i also take prozac for deppresion and ativan 1mg as needed for nerves but i still have this fear that something really bad is wrong with me because i feel so wierd. my heart rate is always 120 even at rest, i have been to the er room before and the ekg came out normal they said i had some kind of tacacardia and that it was nothing to worry about but it dont seem to me like it would be healthy for your heart to beat that fast all the time. my colesterol is high and i worry that i am going to have a heart attack thats my biggest fear. i am sorry that this has been so long but lease i need your advice PLEASE HELP ME linci
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS MD -RG, Sep 03, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Linci,
A panic attack is defined as a discrete period of intense discomfort accompanied by four or more of the following symptoms that develop abruptly and reach a peak within ten minutes- palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, fear of losing control, fear of dying, hot flashes. Panic attacks can occur in conjunction with mental disorders other than Panic Disorder like Generalized anxiety Disorder or Depression among others. Some panic attacks do not easily fit easily into the distinction between unexpected and expected, and these attacks are referred to as situationally predisposed; they may or may not occur when a patient is exposed to a specific trigger, or they may occur either immediately after exposure or after a considerable delay.
It is not uncommon for panic attacks to last for 20-30 minutes but usually last less than an hour. Symptoms of panic attacks may mimic some medical conditions like anemia, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, among others.
Certain types of tachycardia (fast heart rate) can feel uncomfortable to patients, and make them anxious. A re-evaluation by a cardiologist may help.
A reassessment is necessary to confirm the effective dose of your present medications. It is best that you see a mental health professional or your medical doctor for a re-evaluation.
The information provided in this Forum is presented for general educational purposes only. Specific questions you have pertaining to your health should always be directed to your personal physician or you may call Henry Ford Behavioral Health at(248) 689-7476 for an evaluation.
I wish you the best,
HFHS MD - RG
*Keyword: Anxiety
A panic attack is defined as a discrete period of intense discomfort accompanied by four or more of the following symptoms that develop abruptly and reach a peak within ten minutes- palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, fear of losing control, fear of dying, hot flashes. Panic attacks can occur in conjunction with mental disorders other than Panic Disorder like Generalized anxiety Disorder or Depression among others. Some panic attacks do not easily fit easily into the distinction between unexpected and expected, and these attacks are referred to as situationally predisposed; they may or may not occur when a patient is exposed to a specific trigger, or they may occur either immediately after exposure or after a considerable delay.
It is not uncommon for panic attacks to last for 20-30 minutes but usually last less than an hour. Symptoms of panic attacks may mimic some medical conditions like anemia, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, among others.
Certain types of tachycardia (fast heart rate) can feel uncomfortable to patients, and make them anxious. A re-evaluation by a cardiologist may help.
A reassessment is necessary to confirm the effective dose of your present medications. It is best that you see a mental health professional or your medical doctor for a re-evaluation.
The information provided in this Forum is presented for general educational purposes only. Specific questions you have pertaining to your health should always be directed to your personal physician or you may call Henry Ford Behavioral Health at(248) 689-7476 for an evaluation.
I wish you the best,
HFHS MD - RG
*Keyword: Anxiety
