I am having a panic attack right now

[suzi-q]

I am at work and I am a kindergarten teacher...I am having a panic attack as we speak...my heart is racing, I have that warm feeling, have pressure in the chest and feel a heavy head.  I have had these many times before, and I am sick of it....I am in the middle of a nice project with them and I feel so sick...I need to hear one of my cyberbuddies tell me I am going to be ok...anyone out there??

[sweetypi]

Hi all, my panic attacks are becoming more frequent and it is really getting to me. I'm not sure if anyone else has these symptoms but, I feel my heart racing really fast out of no where and it throws me into a panic attack. Also I have noticed I tend to get them more at night or wake up in the middle of the night with a full blown attack. I've tried relaxation and deep breathing techniques but nothing is working. I also take ativan when needed, which seems to be more often lately. Does anyone know of anything I can do to stop them or at least control them while there happening? They terrify me to the point my heart rate can reach 180 bpm.Thanks for listening to me and I hope you all feel better soon.

[GonnaBeOkay]

Thanks to all of you - for some reason having someone say "just calm down" works when I'm aware of what's happening to me.  I've acctually gone to the hospital during an attack and couldn't even communicate a clear thought - and the nurse's wouldn't let me see a doctor and gave me a list of referalls. Well, the referalls were to the family doctors who told me to go to the hospital and get on meds first, so they could treat me as a follow up!  I called a psychiatrist and it's $450 cash, they don't take insurance, and that's cash upfront, per visit (with no guarantee they'll be able to fix me), plus the cost of meds. I tried calling the state funded community mental health clinic and they are at full cappacity and they have a 2 year waiting list! Unreal ain't it?  I usually turn to drinking, but then wind up with worse anxiety the morning after!  I can't drink anymore. I now have a felony charge, CPS took my kids and I had to jump through hoops of fire to get them back. I had to leave my home and job to move closer to my kids since my mother had temporary custody (which I signed over while I was in jail so they wouldn't go to foster care). So, once I was released, I worked two new jobs, went to daily rehab, all while living in my car because part of CPS's conditions were I couldn't stay at my mothers house, plus payin probation/legal fees, while trying to get into a new home because CPS wouldn't give my kids back until I proved I could provide a home (even though I was forced to leave my home because of there involvement!) And also my little brother was recently killed - a passenger in a drunk driving accident, his best friend was the driver - I still have a hard time explaining my feelings towards that, so I'll spare you that for now.  My anxiety is the root of my drinking - so just a warning - our issues are not excepted.... don't self medicate, start seeking a doctor now, because you could be on a 2 year waiting list to get help!  I've been suffering almost daily for 10 years now.  It started when I was 15 - I got a break when I was 19 for a year.  It came back worse than before. I'm 24 now and puttin a shot gun, cocked and loaded in my mouth was definately the wake up call.  I can't lie - I finally felt at peace when the gun was in my mouth and knowing it would all be over soon, but then I snapped back to reality and thought of my children, so I layed the gun down and refuse to ever be in that position again!  What I was about to do was not me at all. It's not just in your head - it's real.  On good days, you can talk yourself out of it - other days you have no control and it progressively gets worse.  I couldn't imagine suffering daily physical pain - but the pain I experience emotionally and mentally is literally destroying my soul and completely altering who I really am, the person I want to be, and the mother my kids need me to be!    .......... phew.... glad I got that out.

[PhilyChiTown]

This forum helped me to simmer down and relax. I never felt anything like that before. Hot then cold. Threw up. Laid down for 20 minutes. Then it really hit. Read your amazing posts and all I can say is thank you.

[tyronewave]

I normally don't do forums, but I thought that since right now I'm in the midst of a panic attack (actually an intermittant, lingering one going on about 3 weeks now) it would be therapeutic to type something.  Foggy head; pressure in chest, ears, belabored breathing at times; general uncomfortability--it's all there.  I believe I know the catalyst: a war in my subconcious because of my feelings of subworth due to lack of work, inability to do much constructively due to general lethargy, and good ol' cabin fever in this lovely month of Feb. in the midwest.  

I have had these before, 25 years ago even, they've surfaced maybe a half-dozen times since then, but this has been the worst.  See, I'm already calming down.  That's all it is folks, our heads are overloaded either with too much or too little.  The balance is off, but, for most of us, it can be reattained with a few minutes of talking to yourself (never let anyone tell you that's wrong) and a few relaxation exercises--just slow your breathing and halt your 'bad thought' assembly line.

I must mention a couple things that maybe you people can relate to as well.  I have sinus issues and many times that can disorient me--it's like a trigger that leads to overthought about your state.  I also smoke occasionally, so, of course, I begin to think the worst (which is possible but not probable concerning these instances).  We sufferers all have very active imaginations, which sometimes gets us into this trouble; instead, use that imagination to let you loose from the company of this unwelcomed visitor.

I bid you all even breathing, clarity and equilibrium.

[gregm34]

i cant keep doing this every day

[GenieWishes]

My mum  is my security blanket  to,
i have severe panic attacks i  even became  agrophobic and need to take medicaition i had up to 5 major panic attacks a day now its more like 5 medium ones a week,,  but i  know you will all be ok because your dealing with it and you have to be strong,,
If you stop  a panic attack it will come back  worse so just ride  it  out, nothing will happen yea you   may  feel a bit light headed  hot and all that but you know you will get through it .
One day you will be your old self again.

It really gets me down because i cant go out with my mates but they understand and im even managing to get back   on the train, yes very panicky but im doing it.

Just  believe in yourselves we can do it!!!! LOL

i have
panic attacks
anxiety
seperation disorder
o.c.d
deppression
insomnia
i am cynical and defensive
am irritable with outbursts of anger
and accident prone

Well thats  me! hope i did nt make you bored! <3