Ever had a panic/anxiety attack?

[Lovely2CU]

Just started getting them this year, they seemed to start when I had employment issues, due to no work/new projects and was "on the bench", lasting 3 months. I am now in work again.

Panic attacks are nasty, aren't they.

 

[minkydog]

Yes, they are. I started getting panic attacks a couple years ago, but in the past 10 months they really escalated. The weird thing is that I can feel like I'm having a heart attack(palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, throat closes up) and at the same time i know it's just a panic attack. I've been seen several times and the EKGs are fine. Of course, that doesn't stop the panic attack. It just makes me get more anxious because I'm HAVING the panic attack.

I've had severe depression this year, which made the panic attacks exponentially worse. I'm on several meds now, plus therapy which is all helping with the anxiety. At this point it's mostly manageable with occasional flare-ups. At least I don't feel like I'm going to die every day now.

 

[shortbun]

Mine started when my Dad was dying and got bad again this year with my Mother's death. Every time I hear about death, I get anxious. Also, major stress of any kind will make me more likely to wake up in a panic. I hate it!!!

 

[AshleyW]

Yeah, I have some social anxiety issues so I get panic attacks every few months. I had one last Christmas at my grandparents' house while all my family was there.. started getting sweaty, light headed, pulse was really fast. My mom took my pulse and it was around 140 when I was just sitting there. I could definitely do without them, that's for sure.

 

[Micca]

Yes I have. Not lately, but I've been on a plane and had one, and even something as simple as a grocery store visit. Kept it to myself, so hopefully I didn't make a scene.

 

[scottishduffy]

Yes, I started to get them in college. I went to ER because it felt as if my thorat were swelling shut and i was having difficulty breathing. They told me it was a panic attack.

I began to have frequent panic attacks after that, and would always feel as if I was unable to breathe and was having an anaphylactic reaction to anything (ragdrless of how times I had been exposed to said items before).

I took medication at first... but did not want to be on meds forever. Then I began to purposefully expose myself to things that made me panic. Forced myself to work through the fear. It took about a year of forcibly exposing myself to my fears and dealing with the attacks to learn how gto settle myself and deal. I have no problems with these issues currently. But that year of exposure was a rough one... i did exposure on myself once or twice a week.

 

[MissyDVC]

Yup I've had them. They happened with the death of my best friend which was very unexpected and I started to feel like every little ping in my body was something that was going to cause me to die as well. They have since gone away but they were very scary and very real.

 

[disney1990]

I can understand; being out of work does strange things to your head. I have now been looking for another job for 6 months.

I woke up the other night hyper ventilating. I must have had a bad dream, but I don't remember it at all -- maybe that's a good thing. So here I am at 4:30 am on the computer trying to calm down so that I can go back to sleep.

 

[Jennasis]

Yup. Often. Very unpleasant. Xanax is my friend.

 

[sms]

Yup. Often. Very unpleasant. Xanax is my friend.

I know what you mean. Zoloft is my friend!!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I started getting them at 16. No rhyme or reason to them. This summer DD started getting tremors in her hands. Scared the crap out of me. Took her to the neurologist, yep you guessed it, Panic Attacks.... They are the strangest things.

 

[minkydog]

Yup I've had them. They happened with the death of my best friend which was very unexpected and I started to feel like every little ping in my body was something that was going to cause me to die as well. They have since gone away but they were very scary and very real.

You know, I had a very similar experience after the miscarriage of my 2nd baby. Suddenly I was acutely aware of all the pain in the world. Every sound, every breath of wind made my ear prick up. It was as though I had some special telepathic powers to understand sadness and sorry and I was taking it all into myself. I know, sounds like voo-doo. It's hard to explain--I just had a way of "knowing" that I never had before and I felt totally responsible for everything going on in the world. It caused months of depression and sleep difficulties. Now that I'm older and more experienced in the world I believe that was the beginning of my anxiety disorder.

 

[Buckalew11]

Yes, me too. A close family who was like a grandfather to me died when I was in K or 1st grade. They started then. I didn't know what the heck they were back then and didn't find out until I was about 24 or so.

I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. But maybe I would on Cobbins and co.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I've only ever had one that I know of...but I have atrial fibrillation, so some may have been in conjunction and I wasn't aware. But...one day, with alot going on in life, I was on my hr ride to work and I just started sweating, getting dizzy, seeing spots, couldnt' breathe and my heart was racing. I made it into work, but my boss drove me to the hospital. They did catscans, ekgs and all, ended up saying it was an anxiety attack... I dont' know for sure, but I've never had another episode quite like it (similar, but not to that extent)...

I tend to cry over stupid stuff...it helps get out the stress

 

[spacemermaid]

Panic attacks *are* nasty; I'm sorry that anyone has to deal with them...I know how that is.

Mine started when my younger brother passed away a few years ago, were pretty much completely debilitating for a year or so, and now only happen when there are multiple "triggers".

Like a previous poster said, I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy, either. Sending happy thoughts that everyone's panic attacks will lessen/go away!

 

[MinnieTink]

Yes. I get them. I get the throat closing feeling. Also the deep feeling of dread down in the pit of my stomach, many times for no reason I can put my finger on.

Missy--- I lost my best friend too. We were 21 at the time. About 6 weeks later my aunt died. 13 days after that my grandmother. That year there were 10 deaths in my family and circle of friends. The death of my best friend was so hard. She had cancer so I guess it wasn't really unexpected and yet it totally blew me away. This Nov 10 will be 16 years since she passed. It has gotten easier but not a day goes by that she does not come to mind.

I'm sure you can all guess what year my anxiety went cablooey!!!

 

[ginna74]

well I have lots of anxieties and lately I have been able to breath my way out of them and thus it not getting big. BUT, small things (as someone said before me TRIGGERS)can just set me off and I am gone. My whole body reacts and it is a very horrible thing to go through....

 

[chisnpeke]

Yes I do. I was having one at work the other day. My throat started to close up and my chest felt tight. It's an awful feeling.

 

[natenapril]

well I have lots of anxieties and lately I have been able to breath my way out of them and thus it not getting big. BUT, small things (as someone said before me TRIGGERS)can just set me off and I am gone. My whole body reacts and it is a very horrible thing to go through....

I have the same problem. Something small (my wedding ring not coming off) sets off an attack for me.
The other day we went to the lake where my dog (he's older at 11) loves to swim. Unfortunately, there was a current and since he was older he didn't have the strength to swim out of it. Instead of jumping into to save him I went into a panic attack Thank God my DH was there to save him.

So panic attacks are now on my top feared items for me. What if my Dh hadn't been there?

 

[lspst8]

I've had a few panic attacks in my life, and they are extremely unpleasant. My biggest trigger is unorganized crowds of people. I can go to a concert or footabll game where everyone has an assigned seat, but I don't like crowds of people milling about - so no dance clubs ever or bars on New Years Eve for me. Certain restaurants are triggers for me too -- I don't like crowded, brightly lit restaurants. I can tell as soon as I walk it, if it will be a problem, so my husband and family is used to be vetoing a place as soon as I see it. (It really doesn't happen that often any more, but occasionally when we are traveling.)

I recently stopped drinking anything with caffeine in it and have notice a big difference. My day-to-day anxiety level is much lower. I'm really sensative to caffeine, so it only took a 20 ounce Diet Coke to start me worrying over the craziest things. I do miss iced tea.