Do you have anxiety attacks?

[Christine]

Maybe my moments that I call "high stress" are actually panic atacks, when I have had the biggest affects, like hyperventilating, rapid heart rate,etc. They are very few and far between though. I have really hyperventilated 4 times: twice in arguements , once in an airplane (though have come to tears other times), and once in a spray-on tanning booth. This just doesn't sound the same as some other posters are describing..

These sound like panic attacks to me. Everyone's panic attacks will vary to some degree but the classic feature of them is that the discomfort comes on suddenly and it lasts about 10 minutes. It can have only one symptom (such as just a rapid heart rate) or many. Each one of my panic attacks has kind of varied. The one I had driving over the bridge the other day had rapid heart rate, clenching of my jaw, feeling choked up, hyperventilating, and REALLY, REALLY agitated. Then I had one at work that started out as nausea. When I stood up my heart started pounding, I felt very shaky, and kind of dizzy. But I was breathing fine.

I'm trying to figure this out, so times I have become anxious (extreme frustration, heart rate up, etc): almost daily dealing with ADHD son and arguementative daughter, heights (new fear for me), some other relationship stuff. Oh, and the doom and gloom only happens if I wake in the middle of the night (I can usually turn it off though)

I just don't know what to attribute to normal life issues and I need to dEAL WITH IT or if medication would really help.

Dr. says that anxiety does not cause high blood pressure except maybe at the moment of experiencing it--not chronic IOW. I asked him at the physical about anxiety--not something he brought up.

I HATE putting any drug into my body--I'm allergic to some and jsut very wary of mind-altering, behavior altering, sleep altering, etc., but if it would be a real help, I will.

I have many of the same issues as you. I have two ADHD children (my son is more obvious with it). My DD (15) is changing schools, is very moody right now, testing her boudaries, and the new school is costing me a fortune. I work full-time and have a long commute and, franky, I'm TIRED a lot. My health isn't great and the anxiety is really making it much worse.

It gets really hard to figure anything out when anxiety grips you. Part of the reason that your kids may be stressing you is because you do have anxiety and you are not handling things well. I used to consider myself to be very resilient and tough. In fact, one of my old bosses wrote me up as being "unflappable." I am not the person anymore. Anything with my kids just wigs me out. Even having to go out at night to a band concert or something just tires me out and gives me anxiety. Right now I don't know which came first. So I understand EXACTLY how you feel.

And, did you know that being very frightened of medications is very common among anxiety sufferers? Very common.

I am fairly against medication because I have done poorly with it and I do think it is important to find out what the issues are. Having said that though, I know the medications work wonderfully for a lot of people and I think they are worth a try just to get your life back. I really wish I could use them more.

 

[goofy's friends]

Hmmmmm........ a lot to think about. The thing that gives me pause is that its not everyday and its not debilitating. Hmmmmm.......

I might even be willing to try it if it was an immediate differrence and I could tell if it was right for me, but DR. says it takes 3-4 weeks to tell.

I will think on it. Any more thoughts are welcome.

 

[Sonya]

It was a real help for me, I didn't know how much I was all doom and gloom until it stopped. Yes it takes a while for it to kick in, but for some people they notice a difference in just a week. The only major side effect I had was being tired, but that passed quickly.

 

[zalansky]

I was having anxiety the past few months and took Xanax every night to help me sleep for about 3 months. When I stopped taking it, I got very bad insomnia. So now I have been taking it for a week agaon .5 but I want to wean off it. Does anyone have any suggestions? It seems I can't sleep without it.

Also, I cut out all caffeine 3 weeks ago and that was hard....but I do feel better over all. Those first few days without my morning coffee were a killer....bad headaches, but I feel better. Plus my anxiety (family issues, aging sick Dad) are getting better so I feel much less anxious now. Again just looking for suggestions to stop the Xanax. Thank you.

And the the OP, it does get better.

 

[my3kids]

I'm really surprised that so many people were prescribed Xanax. My doctor was pretty adament that while that was great there were so many problems that he much preferred treating the condition with a daily medicine than treating an attack with something like Xanax. Most of the SSRI's also treat anxiety and the resulting breakthrough panic attacks. Does anyone else's physician feel this way?

 

[MoniqueU]

I'm really surprised that so many people were prescribed Xanax. My doctor was pretty adament that while that was great there were so many problems that he much preferred treating the condition with a daily medicine than treating an attack with something like Xanax. Most of the SSRI's also treat anxiety and the resulting breakthrough panic attacks. Does anyone else's physician feel this way?

My first dr wouldnt give me anything,, my second dr has given me pretty much everything BUT xanax and hasnt said why. Probably because I am on meds daily like lexapro, lamictal and a few others and it would be just one more thing I took daily with me. It might be addictive is why and I would get hooked without even knowing it. My cousin is on it though and she has less problems then me so I guess it varies dr to dr.

 

[dcentity2000]

Xanax belongs to a family of drugs called Benzodiazepines; they are addictive and you build up resistance to them fairly quickly. They should only be prescribed when needed.

More info here.

In severe cases, drugs called Barbiturates can be used, but the potential downsides are worse.

More info here.

SSRIs and antidepressants in general can help, especially the sedative ones. A new drug, Tianeptine, an SSRE, seems to show particular promise in combating anxiety.

More info here.

Other medications such as beta blockers can also be used.

Excuse the shameless plugs

Hope that helps!



Rich::

 

[Buckalew11]

Well, I know I don't need something everyday. Some days are more anxiety filled than others. Some days I feel very normal (no jokes!! LOL). I have noticed that anxiety is very high right before I start my periods so I know there is some relation to hormones.

Otherwise it is situations--flying, riding in a car with someone, feeling out of control (haircut chair, dentist chair, etc.) these situations can set me off (or not!)

I am happy taking a half a 1 mg of xanax in these situations. And yeah, I can see why it is addictive. I would never take it the way it is prescribed though--I'd be a zombie!

 

[goofy's friends]

Rich, which category is Lexapro in and how does it work? (If you know) I don't want to start something and then stop taking it because it's not working, THEN have trouble with insomnia, etc.

 

[my3kids]

Lexapro is an SSRI, a selective seratonin reuptake inhibitor. These medicines regulate the way seratonin works in the brain. That is why they are taken daily, to keep the levels even as they would be in someone who didn't sufer from anxiety or depression. These make you "normal," not a zombie. (some medications like this also work with norepinephrine also in addition to seratonin.)

 

[goofy's friends]

Lexapro is an SSRI, a selective seratonin reuptake inhibitor. These medicines regulate the way seratonin works in the brain. That is why they are taken daily, to keep the levels even as they would be in someone who didn't sufer from anxiety or depression. These make you "normal," not a zombie. (some medications like this also work with norepinephrine also in addition to seratonin.)

So, if it just regulates seratonin, then how does it help both anxiety and depression? They seem to be opposite each other. Would they be considered brain altering or just giving something your body lacks, like insilin for diabetics?

 

[dcentity2000]

Lexapro is the brand name for Escitalopram. It's a derivative of Citalopram, a drug of the same family (SSRI).

It's viewed as a very safe and dependable drug, one of the best available for sensitive sufferers. It is the most selective drug in its class, meaning that it potentially is the least likely drug in that family to cause side effects.

In other words, it's a good drug and one that is often overlooked, IMO. It should offer a decent medium to long term benefit in combating anxiety; short term (less than two weeks) it may not be so good, as it will require time to build up in the body.

If you are very anxious, you may be better off trying Sertraline (Lustral; Zoloft), a drug of the same family (SSRI) with sedative side effects.



Rich::

 

[Disneytwinz]

haven't read all this - but here is a tip to try. If you are a coffee drinker (or colas, etc...) try cutting out all caffine. NO caffinated coffee, sodas, ect... and really limit any chocolate intake (also has caffine). You could "cure" yourself overnight.

I had panick attacks since I was age 21 when my mother died. (I'm 35 now.) They lasted about 2 years off and on. Out of the blue within the last 3 years I had my heart race so fast I thought it would explode and suddenly went back to normal. This only happened once. In the last 2 years, the heart palpitations here and there. I get on a bad day, about 5-6 along with dizziness and sweats. If I stay away from caffine, it doesn't happen as much. If I drink caffine I get the jitters so bad I feel like I'm going into convulsions inside. Just had to add my experience. Also, I get panicky worrying about a panic attack out of the blue

 

[my3kids]

So, if it just regulates seratonin, then how does it help both anxiety and depression? They seem to be opposite each other. Would they be considered brain altering or just giving something your body lacks, like insilin for diabetics?

Both are results of the brain chemicals not transferring properly between nerve endings(or whatever that is technically called ) Different exibitions that researchers are finding are more closely linkied than initially thought. The same medications are used to safely treat both anxiety and depression. Some are better at one, some the other, some work great in certian people for 1 condition and a different medication might have the same effect in another. The first months are trial and error, starting with the lowest dose to watch for side effects and effectiveness. Side effects in SSRI's are not generally dose dependant so if you are getting some good out of a medication and not having troubles, increasing the dose might be what is needed for full effectiveness.

 

[lbgraves]

Before this past May I would have said no. I devoted myself to PTO & homeroom mom jobs at the kid's school putting in over 400 hours last school year. To add to the mix, DH started a graduate program last September that required him to be away for 6 weeks for classes, a 5 week internship in MD, and a 4 month internship in DC. Add to that him doing regular trips for work that added another 2 months to the time away. When he has actually been "home" he has been going to the office or the library on Saturdays so that he could work on reports and projects. The last thing on my mind has been my MIL's battle with stage 4 colon cancer for the past 5 years.

Anyhow, I kept pushing adding more & more on to my plate of responsibilities just "dealing with it." After one too many dealings with unappreciative parents who never find the time to actually volunteer in the school but can criticise anything, I decided that I had enough. I took my name off the ballot for this coming year and spent the next two weeks completing the things that I had been organizing. Finally I had nothing to do but work on the house. I woke up on Tuesday feeling the best that I had in months...on top of the world...and stamped DD's room with crowns and castles. The next morning I tried to get out of bed and had the worst pain in my chest. I tried again and was afraid that I had pulled something. I forced myself up & got the kids ready for school...my shoulders & neck started cramping like a charlie horse and I felt naseous. Within 30 minutes the chest pain was constant and my arm was starting to hurt. I looked up the symptoms online & was afraid that I was having a heart attack. I got the kids to school and a friend who saw me in the carpool line followed me over the the doctor's office & sat with me until they opened. I was rushed right back...nothing like having medical professionals asking you what is wrong because you don't look good. They did everything & it all checked out. The pain started at 7 am and I didn't leave the office until 10:30 with it finally subsiding. The next week I had an ultrasound to check for gallstones and a cardio cscan to check due to family history.

After all of that...my heart is perfectly healthy and have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. The doctor said that adrenaline had been holding everything back & when I finally relaxed it was like a damn flooding my system and it broke down. I have had more anxiety attacks since then but now that I know that it isn't my heart I stop & try to relax and get back in control. Last weekend's lasted most of the day so I gave in & called my doctor to get samples of lexapro. I have been taking 5 mg for 3 days now and after 2 days of feeling fairly woozy, I have had a pretty good afternoon. I know that I can't continue to live like I was. Taking that first pill is hard because I hate the idea that I am not in control of my life. I am learning to say no....not an easy thing for me. Of course, these kids are still acting up....I just don't get as upset about it.

 

[lbgraves]

that was how bad my panic attack was, minus the vomiting (although i thought i was going to, i sat near the toilet), but plus tunnel vision (which in my opinion was the worst part).

I have to ask about this. I use to have migranes & had the visual issue with the light flickering in my view except right ahead of me. Lately I have had this happen with both eyes & just on the right side but no headache. Is this what you are referring to? I was going to ask my doctor about this at my next appointment. TIA!

 

[lbgraves]

I am actually on Lexapro, my doc put me on it just the other day when I went to see him. He also gave me some xanax for particularly bad attacks. I have used it twice and it makes me feel strange. I guess I am most anxious because I was diagnosed with sinusitis but I have had lots of problems with head pressure/headaches along with the anxiety and I am worried about something more serious. I have had 2 CT scans already and am having an MRI done monday and praying for a normal outcome. I appreciate everyone's support.

The first two days I felt strange...like I was going in slow motion and very spacey. Today is the third day & I felt very clear this afternoon. It just hit me when we were next door visiting with friends. I didn't feel spacey anymore!!! I am just taking half a pill right now. The doctor said to go on 10 mg in a week...but I might stick with 5 mg for a second week and see if I am doing better on the lower dosage.

 

[goofy's friends]

Before this past May I would have said no. I devoted myself to PTO & homeroom mom jobs at the kid's school putting in over 400 hours last school year. To add to the mix, DH started a graduate program last September that required him to be away for 6 weeks for classes, a 5 week internship in MD, and a 4 month internship in DC. Add to that him doing regular trips for work that added another 2 months to the time away. When he has actually been "home" he has been going to the office or the library on Saturdays so that he could work on reports and projects. The last thing on my mind has been my MIL's battle with stage 4 colon cancer for the past 5 years.

Anyhow, I kept pushing adding more & more on to my plate of responsibilities just "dealing with it." After one too many dealings with unappreciative parents who never find the time to actually volunteer in the school but can criticise anything, I decided that I had enough. I took my name off the ballot for this coming year and spent the next two weeks completing the things that I had been organizing. Finally I had nothing to do but work on the house. I woke up on Tuesday feeling the best that I had in months...on top of the world...and stamped DD's room with crowns and castles. The next morning I tried to get out of bed and had the worst pain in my chest. I tried again and was afraid that I had pulled something. I forced myself up & got the kids ready for school...my shoulders & neck started cramping like a charlie horse and I felt naseous. Within 30 minutes the chest pain was constant and my arm was starting to hurt. I looked up the symptoms online & was afraid that I was having a heart attack. I got the kids to school and a friend who saw me in the carpool line followed me over the the doctor's office & sat with me until they opened. I was rushed right back...nothing like having medical professionals asking you what is wrong because you don't look good. They did everything & it all checked out. The next week I had an ultrasound to check for gallstones and a cardio cscan to check due to family history.

After all of that...my heart is perfectly healthy and have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. The doctor said that adrenaline had been holding everything back & when I finally relaxed it was like a damn flooding my system and it broke down. I have had more anxiety attacks since then but now that I know that it isn't my heart I stop & try to relax and get back in control. Last weekend's lasted most of the day so I gave in & called my doctor to get samples of lexapro. I have been taking 5 mg for 3 days now and after 2 days of feeling fairly woozy, I have had a pretty good afternoon. I know that I can't continue to live like I was. Taking that first pill is hard because I hate the idea that I am not in control of my life. I am learning to say no....not an easy thing for me. Of course, these kids are still acting up....I just don't get as upset about it.

Wow, you're life sounds like mine. I personally have started grad school, 3 kids, close grandparent just died, issues, issues, issues I had an attack like you are describing right after myDS was born and thought it was heart attack--went to emmergency room. They said gallbladder when allwas said and done. They seemed unsure and now I wonder if it was at all

 

[lbgraves]

So, I guess my question to you guys is "how do I know if symtoms are bad enough to go on medication? or is the anxiety normal for someone with 3 kids, etc." (I hate taking anything, BTW)
And, "Have you guys experienced any side effects from Lexipro?"

Well, my doctor put it this way...I could wait it out & handle it on my own and it could take a year or so. A year isn't a long time in my life however how long is it in respect to my children's lives and their development. That really got me. Looking back on the past 10 months...I feel like my kids have already missed out on that time...I don't want to add another year to it. Kids make messes and mistakes and moms get upset and yell. When I have my chest tighten up, my shoulders cramp terribly, and my arm go numb because of this....I am at the point to need help. I want my kids to remember me for things other than being the crazy woman yelling at them.

It has taken me two months to finally break down and take something. I tried therapy & that was a joke to me. I don't have time to sit & whine to someone...that's just how I felt about it. The first two days were hazy but I expected that. Today I have felt really good.

 

[lbgraves]

Well, I know I don't need something everyday. Some days are more anxiety filled than others. Some days I feel very normal (no jokes!! LOL). I have noticed that anxiety is very high right before I start my periods so I know there is some relation to hormones.

YES! They are! I am reading Anxiety & Panic Attacks their cause and cure by Robern Handly - and that is something that I connected with.

women, whose panic episodes are more frequent just before the menstrual peirod and during early childbearing years when progesterone levels are high, some physicians link this female hormone to panic disorder.

Dr. says that anxiety does not cause high blood pressure except maybe at the moment of experiencing it--not chronic IOW. I asked him at the physical about anxiety--not something he brought up.

Stress leads to anxiety which can cause high blood pressure and even a heart attack even if you have a clean bill of health with blockages.