panic attack?

[erin626]

I'm having a panic attack I think. I feel like I have a ton of bricks on my chest and I'm having trouble breathing and catching my breath and I'm dizzy and kind of nauseous.

I'm scared. Its really bad and I'm contemplating going to the er. I just took a xanax.

I started getting it at work and I'm home now. Anyone on to help me through this?

[erin626]

I was on birth control for an ovarian cyst but I reacted badly to it. I was very sick to my stomach, I would wake up in the morning and dry heave for 3 hours at a time. It wasn't pleasant.

This is just something ill have to learn to deal with and just hopefully come to terms with the anxiety during pms. Ill just have to start preparing myself for these days every month.

[NicholeMarie1986]

I have the same problem with my hormones going all haywire and causing anxiety, depression, and sending me into manic attacks before my period. My doctor recommended a birth control to help stabilize my hormones so I don't go into a manic state once a month. He's recommended Yaz because of its reputation to stabilize moods as well. If you're not on a birth control you might want to consider one. Extra irritability right before your period are signs of PMDD I believe. There should be 7-10 days out of the month where you experience no signs of PMDD at all, but the rest of the month you experience mood swings (in some cases mild), anxiety, depression or other thoughts or feelings that don't always seem rational when you look back at them.

I don't know all your symptoms, so I can't say for sure that you have PMDD, but it might be something to ask your doctor about.

[erin626]

Thanks guys. Just the reassurance that I'm not dieing is very helpful. I was diagnosed with anxiety after several useless trips to the er last year. Well actually I was rediagnosed. I've been dealing with anxiety since I was 5. But it went away for about 4 years and just resurfaced last summer. I went to the er several times with severe stomach problems and all tests came back fine. I have a few more tests to get out of the way on april 11th for food intolerances but everything else has come back ok.

The xanax seems to be helping. I'm breathing easier and even ate a cookie. I'm dealing with pms and my anxiety usually sky rockets during it. I don't take xanax all month but find myself needing them right before my period is about to come. I'm assuming the horomonal changes just cause me some anxiety.

I wish these would go away again. My life was so much better during the 4 years I didn't have any anxiety.

[cj29]

I am sorry you are going through this. I assume you have been to your doctor and diagnosed with anxiety.  

Panic attacks can be very scary, confusing and unnerving to say the least but the good thing is we know that a panic attack will not hurt us even though it is hard to go through.

For me, fighting the panic attack was a big mistake. Once I learned to realize that they would not cause me physical harm, I did not want to waste my energy worry about a possible panic attack.

There are many ways people confront it. For me, deep belly breathing seems to help. In the long term, counseling helped me understand it, and gave me the knowledge to confront it. Knowledge is definitely power in my opinion.

Realize you will get through this and ask as many questions as you like. Keep us posted!  

[NicholeMarie1986]

I get frequent panic attacks. I don't suggest going to the ER. One of the best ways to deal with panic attacks is to make sure you breathe. Try different relaxation methods, and try to remove yourself from whatever is causing the attack. For example; my ex boyfriend use to worry me to death and send me into manic states... so I left him... and as much as that sucked it was better for my mental health.

look on youtube for coping mechanisms for anxiety. they sometimes seem very stupid but trust me, they work. the xanax should help a lot too.

I hope I helped a little.