Anyone here suffer from anxiety? Tips?

[Robindianne]

I'm looking for tips on dealing with anxiety attacks. I have the whole tingly arms and legs, chest pain, sweaty skin, shallow breathing stuff. About 5 attacks today. After starting a couple of months ago with 1-3 attacks each morning it's gotten much worse. I try meditating, turning on my Cinderella Castle lights, listening to soft new age music, deep breathing, mantras, vitamin B, Bach flower rescue remedy. Anyone have something specific that works for them?

TIA

 

[Serena]

See an actual doctor would be the best thing to do. All of what you are doing will help, but apparently it's not enough.

hang in there

 

[disneymama73]

I would suggest talking with a therapist. I have very severe marital problems and was having bad anxiety attacks. My doctor put me on Ativan which really helped. But what has really helped is going on Zoloft. Now I don't get the attacks at all and don't need the Ativan.

I know how bad you feel when you're having one, and if you ever want to talk to someone, feel free to PM me.

 

[rie'smom]

For me,taking a breath and realizing that it is just anxiety helps alot!! In fact,I suffer from panic attacks and this strategy is the way that I deal with it. If it's really bad,I walk outside for a few minutes and that helps too. I hope that you find something that works for you because it's just the most awful feeling.

 

[JadenLayne]

When I first started having panic attacks 15 years ago they were like yours. They came up to 10 times per day. Paxil is the only thing that helped at the time although part of me wishes I hadn't started them (They are very hard to get off of and I'm still on them).

Now after years of research and reading everything I could about panic I can control them with my thinking usually. I can talk my way through them. I only have them maybe twice a year now which is awesome. Don't get me wrong I still have those feelings of the start of an attack every now and again but NOTHING like it used to be. Sometimes walking outside helps me too.

I would highly recommend seeing someone, a Dr. or a Phyc. who can help and knows and understands whats going on with your body.

Good Luck!

 

[Robindianne]

Thank you all for your replies. I did see my doctor today and I am to start Paxil tomorrow. I hope it's not a forever thing, but I will deal with that later as long as I don't feel too medicated. I was told the Paxil won't take full effect for 4 - 6 weeks though. I'm really hoping it's much much faster. Each day has gotten much worse and I'm hoping that doesn't continue.

Anyway, thank you for being the people I can even say any of this to, and for responding in kind ways and giving me hope for a better day tomorrow. I've been feeling so so alone and you've all helped me with that by your kind, nonjudgemental replies.

Thank you.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Thank you all for your replies. I did see my doctor today and I am to start Paxil tomorrow. I hope it's not a forever thing, but I will deal with that later as long as I don't feel too medicated. I was told the Paxil won't take full effect for 4 - 6 weeks though. I'm really hoping it's much much faster. Each day has gotten much worse and I'm hoping that doesn't continue.

Anyway, thank you for being the people I can even say any of this to, and for responding in kind ways and giving me hope for a better day tomorrow. I've been feeling so so alone and you've all helped me with that by your kind, nonjudgemental replies.

Thank you.

Don't allow yourself to be drawn into the "this med will be forever" Some of us do need to take some sort of med to make our lives comfortable for the rest of our lives. REMIND yourself that it is a true brain chemical disorder. There is no shame in feeling this way,asking for help or taking meds!

You may find that extended family will give you a lot of grief (if not already) about taking meds -- tough luck, they are not dealiing with the emotions you are feeling! As others have said talking to a professional will help. There are days when I feel like I wish I could crawl outta my skin. I end up shaking either a leg or arm and that tends to calm me a bit since I am able to focus on the movement.

Take solace in tha fact that you are not alone!

 

[MoniqueU]

Here is my thread. Man do I suffer. I have both panic attacks like the original poster was talking about and true anxiety. The panic attacks I can deal with better because they come and go. My anxiety is nearly always there. I am on medication, go see a therapist and nothing is really helping. My mom says I am becoming almost agoraphobic. Anything and everything stresses me out and adds to my anxiety so I try and avoid everything. My kids, my husband, being awake, paying bills, grocery shopping. shopping period I will do in large quantities so that I dont have to come back for awhile, or I will do it online to avoid going into a store. I force myself to travel, go to my kids practices, go out to eat etc but anything more then that I can't handle. Right now I am getting anxious because my husband is trying to get my daughter to bring in a monitor from the car and he is being loud about it. I can't stand people even speaking loudly unless it is me.

I have been this way pretty consistently for about 2.5 years since I quit smoking. Smoking really really really helped calm me down before. I can't go back to smoking though because it was killing my gums and causing gum damage and I can't stand the dentist. The dentist is the one thing that keeps me from going back to smoking.

I really wish there was an answer for all of us that suffer. I am going to reread this thread and see if anyone has suggestions. I have tried what seems like everything. The only peace I have found so far is sleeping as much as I can. Even that doesnt always work as I have been up since 3 30 my time

 

[Tiffer]

Of course see a Dr. I have had them for 14 years. Honeslty, zoloft for 6 mos and an anxiety therapist helped me tremendously, about 5 years ago. I still get them, but only about 3 times a year, instead of every day like I used to.

Whatever you do, don't let a Dr put youon meds and leave you on them. Make sure you have an exit plan.

Other than that, pysch yourself out of them. Tell yourself that it is only psychological and tha tyou can beat it.

You can do it and

I am always around for a pm.

 

[Robindianne]

Thank you Jacqueline, and thank you all. It's funny I hadn't realized just how alone and hopeless I felt. Only felt the panic, and the anxiety about expecting there to be another attack coming. What a cycle!

If I do need to take medicine forever, I will. And if not, I am no better or worse than if I had to. I used to feel like that was OK for others to take medication but not me. I never judged others but felt if I needed pills there was something wrong with me. Now I feel real hope for the future. And if Paxil doesn't work I will not give up but will ask about other prescriptions mentioned here. I feel almost silly for not having known it was OK for me to ask for medicine earlier.

Anyway, thank you all so so much. You'll never know how much your words have helped me.

 

[Tiffer]

Thank you Jacqueline, and thank you all. It's funny I hadn't realized just how alone and hopeless I felt. Only felt the panic, and the anxiety about expecting there to be another attack coming. What a cycle!

If I do need to take medicine forever, I will. And if not, I am no better or worse than if I had to. I used to feel like that was OK for others to take medication but not me. I never judged others but felt if I needed pills there was something wrong with me. Now I feel real hope for the future. And if Paxil doesn't work I will not give up but will ask about other prescriptions mentioned here. I feel almost silly for not having known it was OK for me to ask for medicine earlier.

Anyway, thank you all so so much. You'll never know how much your words have helped me.

Your first paragraph is the truest statement. The fear of an attack gives you an attack!

 

[Robindianne]

Sorry to keep repeating myself, but each time I am writing thank you to some wonderful posters, someone else posts another warm response.

You people are truly the best!

 

[Buckalew11]

Here is my thread. Man do I suffer. I have both panic attacks like the original poster was talking about and true anxiety. The panic attacks I can deal with better because they come and go. My anxiety is nearly always there. I am on medication, go see a therapist and nothing is really helping. My mom says I am becoming almost agoraphobic. Anything and everything stresses me out and adds to my anxiety so I try and avoid everything. My kids, my husband, being awake, paying bills, grocery shopping. shopping period I will do in large quantities so that I dont have to come back for awhile, or I will do it online to avoid going into a store. I force myself to travel, go to my kids practices, go out to eat etc but anything more then that I can't handle. Right now I am getting anxious because my husband is trying to get my daughter to bring in a monitor from the car and he is being loud about it. I can't stand people even speaking loudly unless it is me.

I have been this way pretty consistently for about 2.5 years since I quit smoking. Smoking really really really helped calm me down before. I can't go back to smoking though because it was killing my gums and causing gum damage and I can't stand the dentist. The dentist is the one thing that keeps me from going back to smoking.

I really wish there was an answer for all of us that suffer. I am going to reread this thread and see if anyone has suggestions. I have tried what seems like everything. The only peace I have found so far is sleeping as much as I can. Even that doesnt always work as I have been up since 3 30 my time

This post really gets me. Monique, I really hope you can find some help. You aren't able to truly live right now...you are existing (getting by) and escaping through sleep.
Are they saying you are depressed also?

Anxiety and panic are hell.

 

[Tiggerific04]

Thank you Jacqueline, and thank you all. It's funny I hadn't realized just how alone and hopeless I felt. Only felt the panic, and the anxiety about expecting there to be another attack coming. What a cycle!

The cycle is the worst part! I used to get horrible panic attacks because of a digestive disorder I have -- I was always terrified in school of having to go to the bathroom (or not making it there!) that I would make myself sick to my stomach with worry, panic, get sick, etc. Around and around. I finally went to my family doctor and explained the situation and he put me on Zoloft. I was on it for about 8 months and then felt fantastic. I had to go back on it a couple times for about 4 months at a time. Now I'm on a low dose of Lexapro because I had some really bad side effects with the Zoloft the last time. I did try several therapists but that didn't work for me since I already knew what the problem was and how to fix it -- it just took awhile for me to actually do it. Good luck!!

 

[KRIS10420]

I had my first panic attack 10 yrs ago and was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder/depression. My doctor started me on Paxil and sent me for psychiatric help (I totally recommend this). Over the past 10 yrs I have been on about 8 different anti depressant/anti anxiety meds and have had lots of counseling. It has taken a long time to find one that works for me. If you are on an antidepressant for more than 8 weeks and you still are anxious and depressed then the med is not working, try something different. I also don't think medication is for everyone. In retrospect I kind of wish I hadn't started on the "antidepressant train", as I call it. The side effects have been crappy and coming off the meds is really difficult. However on the flip side I do realize I have a chemical imbalance and I have wasted so much time being depressed, I just want to live and be happy and these meds finally make that possible. I am now on Wellbutrin which has less side effects but doesn't have the antianxiety component to it so I have to control my anxiety on my own. When I feel a panic attack coming on I stop myself and take a deep breath to the count of 4, hold it for a count of 4, breathe out to the count of 4, then nothing for the count of 4, repeat. It really works for me and I'm at a point now where I get very few attacks.

 

[Robindianne]

Here is my thread. Man do I suffer. I have both panic attacks like the original poster was talking about and true anxiety. The panic attacks I can deal with better because they come and go. My anxiety is nearly always there. I am on medication, go see a therapist and nothing is really helping. My mom says I am becoming almost agoraphobic. Anything and everything stresses me out and adds to my anxiety so I try and avoid everything. My kids, my husband, being awake, paying bills, grocery shopping. shopping period I will do in large quantities so that I dont have to come back for awhile, or I will do it online to avoid going into a store. I force myself to travel, go to my kids practices, go out to eat etc but anything more then that I can't handle. Right now I am getting anxious because my husband is trying to get my daughter to bring in a monitor from the car and he is being loud about it. I can't stand people even speaking loudly unless it is me.

I have been this way pretty consistently for about 2.5 years since I quit smoking. Smoking really really really helped calm me down before. I can't go back to smoking though because it was killing my gums and causing gum damage and I can't stand the dentist. The dentist is the one thing that keeps me from going back to smoking.

I really wish there was an answer for all of us that suffer. I am going to reread this thread and see if anyone has suggestions. I have tried what seems like everything. The only peace I have found so far is sleeping as much as I can. Even that doesnt always work as I have been up since 3 30 my time

I'm so sorry Monique. I wish I knew something to help. I think this is a good thread since so many wonderful people have posted and maybe one of them can give you ideas. I wonder if using a smoker's patch would help? Or that gum but that might hurt your gums. If sleep helps and you can sleep, maybe your body needs that the way some need medicine. I'm sure you probably thought of asking for a different type of medicine to try? I'm thinking about you and sending peaceful thoughts your way.

 

[JadenLayne]

I agree that the thoughts of,

"OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO PANIC!" will BRING on panic. I had the Lucinda Bassett tapes for a while (they really are pretty good) and that was one of the main things that she taught. You have to realize that a thought, no matter how fleeting has made you panic. Usually if you panic it DOES come from a thought, something you saw on TV, a small pain in your finger that you blow into a heart attack etc.

Now when I start to feel panicy I will stop and just think and 9 times out of 10 I can usually pinpoint where the feelings came from. Before I would say that the panic came out of the blue but it really doesn't.

 

[KozmicLee]

I've also been diagnosed with depressive anxiety and right now it's preventing me from working. My awful cycle is that the anxiety causes me to freak out and close myself down, leading to the depression and then I'm afraid to start something new for fear of the anxiety.

I just recently started on Effexor and I'm hoping it will help get me back on track. We moved across the country 6 months ago and it seems like nothing has gone right for me since we left home and the stress is catching up with me.

to everyone of us who struggles with these things.

 

[SunKat]

I've been on Zoloft (well I'm on the generic now) for almost a year and I haven't had one attack since starting the meds. I don't ever want to go through those episodes again (the ER trips, I'm sure some of you know what I mean!!) I really felt like I was dying, it was horrible. When I started the Zoloft, they did say it took about 6 weeks to kick in, but I found it worked a little quicker than that. Good luck to you...there are a lot of us out here who have been where you are now.

 

[Spoonful of Sugar]

I hope I'm not repeating anyone because I haven't read all the responses yet.

I've been getting panic attacks and anxiety for almost a year. I'm on bupropion (which definately isn't for everyone and can make anxiety worse, but works for me). I find it helped in getting me to a point where I could think straight enough to deal with it. I also have Atevan (sp?), but I rarely have to take it. Just knowing that I have it with me helps just as much. One nifty thing a counsellor taught me that helps sometimes when I feel an attack coming on is to look around the room and find 5 things I can see... think or say "I can see the computer" or "I can see the clock". Then find 5 things you can hear and do the same thing. Keep doing it until you feel more calm. It sounds silly, but it can help keep your thoughts from running wild.