Panic Attacks

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I'm not quite sure if anyone still reads these postings. Some seem very old but I'd like share and see if anyone out there is in the same boat. I have been suffering from Panic Attacks for a very long time. I didn't know what they were at first. I just thought I was crazy, perhaps past along through some weak inherited DNA, not sure. I have also thought about the food thing, especially MSG. But I think that is just an overall ill feeling contributing to the existing anxiety. I've been hospitalized several times because of panic attacks. Mind and heart racing in every different direction all by itself. I was diagnosed with superventricular tachcardia, low potassium, anemia and hypothyroidism. I do have a thyroid problem but I think the other three were from not eating because when I'm anxious I don't eat. It's funny how the body reacts. I have learned through the years that diet and mind control are very important. However, lately, that is not enough. I guess that is why I am here. I do everything that I'm suppose to do to stay in control but there have been instances lately that I can't control. Like, last Friday, I went to the movies with my daughter, 15, and her girlfriend. It was a scary movie in which I usually like, but I spent the whole time trying to control my anxiety. I wanted to be there but I couldn't breath and it was hard to swallow. I thought I was going to have to leave. I made it through the movie with cold water and an occassional M&M, but I thought I was going to die. The longest hour and 40 minutes of my life. It's such a terrible feeling. I am a divorced mom (divorced for 9 years, not the problem), so it is very important to me to set a good example and not be freaking out in front of my daughter. Yes, I do have other stressers in my life but everybody does. Is everybody on drugs??? I am very embarassed of this. I was on xanax for a couple of years but didn't like it. I mentioned it to my new doctor and he gave me some long term pills that I couldn't take either. Bottom line... I don't want to freak while driving, going into a store, going to work, having fun with my kids or anything else... I want to know if there is anyway to overcome this without drugs? Please advise.

nushis · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

When I began experiencing panic attakcs, I thought I was the only one, I felt as though I was crazy! The one thing I wanted to know is that there was hope!!! I remember going through it and it was the most horryfying expereince I've ever been through in my life!
I had been having family problems and experiencing A LOT Of stress due to work, school; and my personal life. Around the same time, I went to study abroad, a dream that I'd had for years! But as soon as I got there, I don't know if it was due to the stress and jet-lag; that I began having these horrific panic attacks. I had no idea what it was, and since I'd just gotten on birth control, I thought it was a heart attack. SInce I was alone in Spain, taking myself to the Emergency in another CONTINENT, by myself, was horryfying! To make the story short, I got so bad I didn't know how I was ogin to fly back home. I lost the class I was to be taking and they refused to reimburse the money, even though I only attended ONCE! And I ended up flying my mom to help bring me back.
But it got worse when I got bak. When I went to my Dr. he gave me Lexoprau (not sure on how to spell it) But I was terrified of taking medications, so as soon as I took a 5mg. pill, I began panicking; in my mind, it was the medicine that was making me crazy. So I ended up seeing a psychiatrist who wanted me to take Paxil, but to me taking medication was going to make me crazier (casue that's literally how I felt) and the Dr. was not helpful at all! So I forced myself to take it but only took it twice. He then gave something else which I forget the name, but I also did not take. In the meantime my General Physician had prescribed Dorazepam which did help but my Bright psychiatrist had scared me into not taking it telling me how I was going to become addicted and loose my job etc (how can you stressout someone eho's already on edge??) Anyway, I went to see another Psychiatrist who finally convinced me to take Prozac, in the meantime I was having the worsepanic attack, I could not sleep, eat, anything. Once I began on the Prozac, I began with what I felt were worse panic atttakcs, I ended up in the Emergency room thinking Prozac was making me crazy. But I was lucky in the regards that the Er DR. was very helpful and said that if I had to go into the ER everyday forhim to tell me to continue to take it, he would do so. I continued on the Prozac, refusing to take any anti anxiety medicine since I was so paranoid of becoming addicted. I did take Xanax which didn't really work for me, and then Lorazepam, but that didn't help ewither (also, it was in very small doses and I beleived that medication as going to make me crazier) so just cause that didn't work for me does not mean it does not work at all. In the meantime, taking the Prozac was no easy ride for me, I wiuld twitch everytime I went to sleep that I thought I was going to have seizures, and I'd wake up from severe panic. Again I founf this Dr. not helpful until I found another Psychiatrist who assured me he was going to make me normal again. It took a while for Prozac to work for me, but after a month, it eventually began to work. I am happy to report that it's been 9 months since my last attack (and I'm knocking on wood cause I do not want to jinx it...hee)
I am still taking the prozac and I'm not sure how much longer I'll be on it for, but it doesn't matter becasue I rather take it thatn have those horriible panic attakcs! I also have diazepam and I take it everywhere I go, but it's been 9 months since I've actually needed it; it just comforts me knowing it's there just in case. For the most part I am back to my normal life, in fact, I am happier than I am prior to the attacks!!! And though sometimes I get anxious, I can control it and it never EVER gets to an extreme!!!! So there is HOPE, belive me, you just have to find a Dr. that gives you that confidence, and patience, I know that sucks cause in panic attack time, a week feels like a year. But there is HOPE, You will be happy again, you'll see!!!!

Lincoln252 · Newbie Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 14

I am glad you ask this question about controlling your condition without relying on drugs. I have come across a couple of ways to overcome this without relying on drugs -

1) There is a technique known as solution-focused brief therapy or SFBT. With this you start seeing difference fairly quickly - in 4-5 sessions. As the name suggests, it is meant to be brief. If you get a good, experienced therapist, you'll start feeling better even earlier. Not sure where you are from but there are good, trained practitioners and centers US, UK, Europe and Australia - not sure of other locations.

2) There is a popular self-help technique known as the one-step technique. Here YOU are the one doing it - which I think is the best part as you can experience for your yourself what works best. This can be used irrespective of whether you already undergoing medication and therapy. If you need more details about this mail me at ***********

You may not be able to totally do away with medicines immediately, but it can definitely work in reducing your dependence and dosage. The best thing about these techniques are they do not have side-effects of drugs, are light on your wallet, and you are able to bring back verve into your life with your own self-effort.

There is definitely a lot of hope - so don't worry!

Take care.

Panic Attacks

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