anxiety and panic attacks

[donaldduck352]

Thank you KingTriton..
Everyone got to find there own path,but the one website that LiviInTheCastle gave us is a great site.It will put alot into place that you never understood and the Dr.dont tell you!!

I recently lost my job(just before christmas)have no idea of what I'm going to do for my future,but I feel content..I foresee alot of people going thru this and it can trigger the things(anxiety-depprision)that you have being covering!!



With that said let me tell you what I've been working on with great success..
For years I always needed my wife-DD-or DS to go into crowded places..I was too afraid to be by myself.So now I take deep breaths and just do it.
Its kinda like your standing on top of a diving board 10' off the water,you get too the end of the platform and decide its to tall.So you climb down and just sit on a chair watching and asking yourself why.I could of done it but I didnt..

I lived in that shell for many of years.Its what they call FIGHT or FLIGHT and all of us have it.But justa few of us have it amplified 10times more then others.And unfortante I fall into that percentile of the population that fall into that group of FLIGHT!!

Now I make it a resone to stop at that fully crowded store just too see if I can do it alone.When I feel it comming on-the FLIGHT-I take a minute and count my breathing and recope and go on!!The more I do this the easer its been getting.So now I stand and FIGHT!!!!!!

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

I am so glad to see that different people are posting on this thread. You NEVER know what may help you. I used to work with a girl who also suffers from panic and anxiety and we used to bounce things off of each other all the time. One thing that immensely helped her had no effect on me positive or negative, and so on. Suggestions are always welcome, especially with that in mind. Once someone told me when you have that tight feeling in your chest to try and burp, and you know what? It did lessen the feeling! How about that? Never give up and keep trying. You have to put the effort into it. You would for any other illness, this illness requires no less effort.

 

[BarbieGal457]

Yes, it does!! I promise you it does. Earlier this year I began to suffer extreme anxiety attacks linked to other health problems, one being I completely stopped eating for fear of vomiting. Most days I wouldn't leave my bathroom to go to class or work. I just couldn't do it. I could barely go into public without panicking something terrible. Finally, my doctor prescribed me Xanax to take when I felt one coming on. This really helped me get it under control, and now when I start to panic I can calm myself down before it gets out of hand (I only take the Xanax now if I really, really need one). There is light at the end of the tunnel, trust me.

What I find helps is confiding in a close friend, such as my best friend who I had class with this semester (we've been best friends for three years now, I trust her with my life). She understood my anxiety and that I had no idea why I suddenly dreaded going to a class where we talked about baseball all day! We would have lunch together and talk about things to take my mind off being anxious, and then we would walk to class together and sit together. She stayed calm and reassured me I could do it. It also helped me to take great big breaths and try to calm myself down and realize what I was about to do I'd done many times before my whole life. Nothing was going to harm me and I had plenty of people who cared for me there in class. Also, I liked to listen to music to comfort me when I was alone in public places (walking to work, to get lunch, etc). My music of choice - the Backstreet Boys and Billy Joel (go ahead, giggle!!) - holds lots of memories for me and was always able to calm me down.

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

Oh my gosh Barbie, I am the BIGGEST Billy fan in the world. I have a picture of him in my bedroom that is like 2.5 foot by 4 foot or so. It was in a display window at a mall my SIL was in charge of at the time and she talked the store into giving it to her when they were through with it. I also had a stand up cardboard cut out, but that got destroyed over the years.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

is anyone still around on this thread? I could really use it!

 

[ERICS MUM]

is anyone still around on this thread? I could really use it!

Hi Toni, I'm here and probably a few other members will be along soon. Let us help you if we can.

Linda

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

Oh I am so glad!

I am getting married soon in Disney and well I am going out of my mind with panic and anxiety.

Not only for the trip there but also the wedding and then the moving out of my parents home. I don't think I have ever been this nervous before. I have suffered from anxiety for a long time but this is out of control!

I am terrified of going on the plane. I could drive down with my parents but I don't even want to do that and even if I did, I still have to fly back home.

Of course I have the normal nervous wedding jitters which I can deal with but the idea of moving out of my parents house, my safe place, is killing me.

Any thoughts?

 

[donaldduck352]

Oh I am so glad!

I am getting married soon in Disney and well I am going out of my mind with panic and anxiety.

Not only for the trip there but also the wedding and then the moving out of my parents home. I don't think I have ever been this nervous before. I have suffered from anxiety for a long time but this is out of control!

I am terrified of going on the plane. I could drive down with my parents but I don't even want to do that and even if I did, I still have to fly back home.

Of course I have the normal nervous wedding jitters which I can deal with but the idea of moving out of my parents house, my safe place, is killing me.

Any thoughts?

I feel for you.I like yourself have dealt with this for along time and finnally got too the point I couldnt handle it on my own.Read some of my earlyier posts.
I'm on meds now and LivinInTheCastle gave me a great website that tought me self help measures..Let me give you the website:http://www.stresscenter.com/

At the In the right hand corner and click on the test yourself link..
Please do this and let us know..It is like a five day coarse and its free.It goes directly to your E-Mail..

I would see your MD also you may need meds depending on the severity of it..
Try this route and please let us know what happens..

I'm sorry I didnt reply earlier,we do care and want too help!!

Also congratulations on your upcomming wedding...

 

[TashaRVT]

is anyone still around on this thread? I could really use it!

I'm still lurking! Don't worry, you're not alone.

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

Hi, I'm here to! I check in at least every other day. I have known numberous people that have had problems with flying. I would ask your dr. if he can give you a few days worth of Xanax to try. It is a medicine that calms you down within 15 minutes or so of taking it. It really doesn't have any of the bad side effects that allot of anxiety meds have. You may feel a little drowsy for a few hours but honestly that is about it. I don't really have any specific advice about the moving issue, but you do have an awful lot of stressors going on in your life right now. I would also recommend 2-4 breathing a few times a day. It is basically breathing in through the nose to a count of one thousand one, one thousand two, and out through the mouth for the same only til 4 (1,2,3,4) for about 5 minutes at a time. It's amazing how shallow we breath when we are extremelly stressed. Good luck to you and let us know if there is anything else we can do!

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

Thanks everyone. glad you are all still around!

I actually have been to the stresscenter.com website! It is great. I kind of backed off of it but I should go back! I actually own the Lucinda Basset CD's but I haven't listened to them yet. Its so weird. Its like I have these resources but im not using them.

I am on Zoloft right now. I have actually been taking it for about 4-5 years. I feel like its not as effective anymore. I was thinking about Lexapro. Does anyone have experience with Lexapro? I am making an appointment with my dr. next week to get some xanax. If it makes me drowsy that is great then maybe I can just sleep on the plane. Its only a 2 hour flight but that 2 hours feels like an eternity when you are panicking...lol.

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

Hey Toni--glad to hear you are taking some proactive steps with your anxiety. Yes it would be very likely that you could sleep the whole time on the plane. Take it about 20 minutes before you board, or discuss it with the dr. if that would make you feel better. I have never taken lexapro, I take Effexor XR and I think it has helped me allot, but different meds work for different people.
I would also highly recommend you use the CD's. Do you have a MP3 or IPOD? If your CD's came with the relaxation CD, put that on to listen to, that CD has actually put me to sleep once and it has taken me out of a panic attack more than once.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

Hey Toni--glad to hear you are taking some proactive steps with your anxiety. Yes it would be very likely that you could sleep the whole time on the plane. Take it about 20 minutes before you board, or discuss it with the dr. if that would make you feel better. I have never taken lexapro, I take Effexor XR and I think it has helped me allot, but different meds work for different people.
I would also highly recommend you use the CD's. Do you have a MP3 or IPOD? If your CD's came with the relaxation CD, put that on to listen to, that CD has actually put me to sleep once and it has taken me out of a panic attack more than once.

Yes actually it did come with a relaxation CD and I love it. I wonder if I can put that on my Ipod?

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

My husband put mine on my IPOD. You just have to burn it to the computer from the CD, put it in the Itunes library and sync it to the mp3 or ipod from there.

 

[donaldduck352]

Alittle update-warning.If they prescribe Paxil,it works very well,you WILL gain wieght tho.Had a phyisical today and before I started Paxil I was 201lbs. Now Im tipping the scales of 250!!!The only sideeffect I encountered so far..
Now I'm on a mission too take off the wieght..

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

I gained allot of weight on paxil also, I have even now switched medicines and I only lost about 10 of the 50 pounds.

 

[saremca]

I have had panick attacks for around 14 years. They're better now. I talked with a therapist and learned some techniques for dealing with the panic, and now that I'm not so afraid of it, I don't get attacks very frequently anymore, and if I do I can breathe my way through them and they leave pretty quickly.

It is a scary situation to be in because you never know when it might hit. It is good to have other people to talk to who understand.

 

[CinderelliT]

OMG!! I wish that I had found this thread sooner. I could write a book about my anxiety. I currently take Xanax as necessary, but it is no longer helping. I have suffered from anxiety for over 10 years. I also have several health problems that are hard to monitor, and our insurance does not cover most of the visits and treatments for them. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and problems with my adrenal glands as well. So when I have an anxiety attack, my adrenal glands go crazy, and many times I end up sick to my stomach and with a very low blood sugar. This in turn only increases my anxiety of having another attack.
I lost a baby in childbirth 5 years ago, & then lost my house 6 months later to Hurricane Charlie. It has been downhill ever since. I was put on Xanax and Zoloft then, and I did really well. When I got pregnant again, I had to stop the Zoloft and I have not gone back on it.
I have had 2 healthy children since then, but I had to have a full hysterectomy after the last one, and I think that the hormone issues are contributing to the anxiety. That and trying to accomplish anything with a 2 & a 3 yr old are stressful enough.
It really hit me the other day though that I should see the Dr about going back on the Zoloft. We went to WDW, and I was miserable the entire time!! After my 3rd panic attack, I made my family get out of line for Buzz Lightyear ride, and I made us go home. They were so mad with me. But I had had enough.
I know that driving triggers it, as well as confined spaces, waiting in lines, shopping by myself, taking the kids anywhere by myself. It is getting so bad, that I don't even want to leave the house unless it is absolutely necessary.
Thank you to all of you for sharing your stories. It gives me the courage to go to the Dr and ask for help.

 

[donaldduck352]

Just popping in too say hellow..

Why dont we start talking about what works for us when a panic attack starts!!

I start the breathing exercise.One thousand 1 and two inhale exhale with same count for a minute!!

Whats yours??

 

[donaldduck352]

OMG!! I wish that I had found this thread sooner. I could write a book about my anxiety. I currently take Xanax as necessary, but it is no longer helping. I have suffered from anxiety for over 10 years. I also have several health problems that are hard to monitor, and our insurance does not cover most of the visits and treatments for them. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and problems with my adrenal glands as well. So when I have an anxiety attack, my adrenal glands go crazy, and many times I end up sick to my stomach and with a very low blood sugar. This in turn only increases my anxiety of having another attack.
I lost a baby in childbirth 5 years ago, & then lost my house 6 months later to Hurricane Charlie. It has been downhill ever since. I was put on Xanax and Zoloft then, and I did really well. When I got pregnant again, I had to stop the Zoloft and I have not gone back on it.
I have had 2 healthy children since then, but I had to have a full hysterectomy after the last one, and I think that the hormone issues are contributing to the anxiety. That and trying to accomplish anything with a 2 & a 3 yr old are stressful enough.
It really hit me the other day though that I should see the Dr about going back on the Zoloft. We went to WDW, and I was miserable the entire time!! After my 3rd panic attack, I made my family get out of line for Buzz Lightyear ride, and I made us go home. They were so mad with me. But I had had enough.
I know that driving triggers it, as well as confined spaces, waiting in lines, shopping by myself, taking the kids anywhere by myself. It is getting so bad, that I don't even want to leave the house unless it is absolutely necessary.
Thank you to all of you for sharing your stories. It gives me the courage to go to the Dr and ask for help.

Xanax is a short term cure as is valiums. Your doc give you something more long term.Like Paxil,Effixor,or anything for long term!!

I know that feeling of not wanting to even leave my house,and I wont live like that anymore!!Im on Paxil and still have my off days.But the onething I learned is just do it,dont let it control you..

I know easier said then done,but the more you face it the eisier it gets!!

We are all here to help,so feel free to open up as much as possible!!