I have had them
 

when times are very stressful in my life is when I seemed to get them. When I went through my divorce I got them...that was the worst time in my life. I would definately try the counseling. I would not close my self off to medication.

My counselor said to me when I did not want to meds...that the meds are there to get me through the tough times. I don't have to take them forever...just until I did not need them. She was so right. The medications helped me get through the really really stressful times in my life. It helped me feel normal unitl I could work everything out.

Now I don't take any meds. I still feel panic when I get ready to fly on a plane. However I know what it is and I can talk myself into a calm place.

Counseling is not for everyone but I found that I'm the type of person to hold everything in. It helped me to talk to someone. Someone that I felt safe with. When I was holding everything inside emotionally it usually will come out physically.

Hope you start to feeling better soon.

yougetthesmiles...and Ceaser - Way to go for speaking up on this and you are NOT alone is right. Our minds can really do funny things to us and it's important that you DO get treated before it affects your body. I'm the kind of person that believes if a medication will help TAKE IT. At least try it....many people don't believe in drugs but in some cases they can change your life. It's really worth a try - in the worst case - you can always discontinue them if you find they don't help.

I can't understand what that feels like but lately do know what extreme stress can do to you. Dealing with my husband's illness these days is getting harder and harder and I have physical problems due to the stress. IF I had the money or insurance - you can bet I'd be at the doctor. (Especially since one of the worst symptoms is my hair falling out by the handfuls):( Lack of sleep - headaches - tiredness - weak muscles - all are symptoms of stress or anxiety.

Asking for help and admitting you need it is the biggest step.....GOOD LUCK to you guys !!

Panic/anxiety attacks are horrible. I've dealt with them for a while now and I've learned to notice when it starts or what will trigger it. I just then go to my "peaceful" place and calm myself down. It took a little time, but works now most of the time. I also took Xanax (but not on a regular basis) and still have some handy if I need it.

For as long as I can remember I have always had problems eating infront of large groups of people. At restaurants I have to sit in the corner cause I feel like everyone is looking at me. I feel bad for hubby because we always have to go to restaurants when they are least busy. I find comfort in sitting in booths. I almost feel like I am in my own little room. We don't go to sit down restaurants much because of this, the drive thru is my best friend.

I am a very optimistic, positive and fearless person and was really upset by my anxiety attacks, the suicide thoughts, the crying without an obvious reason and I thought it was so unfair since I just got married to the best husband ever and lived the life I always wanted. I talked to my doctor about it and she blamed the menopause (duh!). She gave me Lexapro and I'm doing great with it. I'm back to my old self and don't feel any side effects. I'm supposed to be on it for 6 months and then we'll see.

It could help you to write everything down and if you don't like to take any Rx meds there are natural remedies out there too. I don't have it handy right now but I'm going to have a look for it. You could do a search on the net too. Good luck! I hope you are feeling better soon and believe me you are perfectly normal b/c those attacks are a cry for help from your body and mind. Be happy they function that way. It's already a great thing you posted your problem here.

:thumbup:

Congratulations to all of you for taking a very big step in talking about this and asking others to help.

I am fortunate that I do not suffer from any anxiety disorder. I worked in a chemical dependency clinic that focused on the psychological disorders that go along with CD. I was not a counselor, but I did earn an apprentice counselor credential and was responsible for transcribing all our patients' sessions. So I do have some insight. Counseling can be very helpful. There are specific behavior modifications that work wonderfully well with anxiety disorders. They are not an overnight success and require lots of diligence. Medication can also help and most times is used temporarily.

There are also self help groups. Read and learn as much as you can. Knowledge will help you a lot also. Learn deep breathing techniques and perhaps try some yoga classes. Any time there is an issue with mental health, regular schedules are imperative. Same time to bed, same time getting up - get in routines with things. Exercise should be a part of this, especially when you are feeling more depressed as exercise endorphines will help to keep you level. Hormones play a huge part here, too. If your hormones are out of whack - so will everything else. That is one reason that many women have more problems around their period.

Hope this helps a little. Best wishes to you all on your road to recovery.

So far I think YT has been my biggest support group! For the longest time I did not want to except that I had this problem, I knew deep down that something was not right but I didnt want to admit it to myself. I'm always having these un-explainable pains in my body and I just dont know where there coming from and why I'm having them, thats when my head will talk me into thinking that it's some sort of disease, I have had different test run and everything has came back normal, so I know it has to be the anxiety that goes way back to the dog bite.
I do think my hormones are all out of whack, about 2 weeks before my period is when I have the anxiety the worse and it will last all the way up until I start. I never seem to have enough energy and can't get myself motivated. All the stress from Kloey and not being able to find a job has just taken a toll on me, My husband is working 7 days a week and pulling 12 hour shift about 3 days a week and I feel so bad for him but it's the only way we can make ends meat. I just hope a job turns up soon, I know that will help with a lot of the stress.
I did call about counceling today and have to make a few more calls pertaining to my insurance. So hopefully I'm headed in the right direction.
Thanks YT'ers, you guys are the best!

I to have panic and anxiety attacks i get them a lot due to fear of someone breaking into my house or anytime i am alone it is very hard to deal with. I also suffer from OCD i have to check my doors to make sure they are locked a million times before i can go to bed it sucks!!!!

I, too, have a problem with panic/anxiety attacks. Mine started about 5 years ago and I know that they're stress related. When mine first got so bad I thought that I was having a heart attack. I had pain going down one arm and pain in my chest. When I got to the dr's office my blood pressure was so high that he put me in the hospital for 3 days. As soon as I got out I had another HUGE attack. I felt like I was going to die and scared because my daughter was at the house taking care of me.

Well, my doctor was out of town and I went to another doctor who realized what my problem was and put me on Zoloft and Xanax (for occassional use). I finally felt better and my panic/anxiety attacks were under control. Now I'm on Trazadone (which is an old, cheaper medicine). I've tried to go off but in about 3 days I can feel it coming back so I just stay on my meds.

I hope that you're able to find some relief for your attacks because they're not fun and people who don't have them don't understand. Good luck!

panic
 

I started having panic attacks back when no one knew what they were..my Dr. told me to snap out of it..he knew my husband, family, home life and there was no reason to be the way I was..and I paid him for that advise..LOL

I had them off and on for 10 yrs, then suddenly they got worse and I was having them daily, sometimes 3 to 4 per day...then I saw a TV program about them.."Phil Donahue"..to be exact. At least I had a name..and shortly after I found a wonderful MD who only treated panic and stress disorders. I had no problem taking medication...my life was a very tiny circle..I could not travel, fly, go to movies, sit in restaurants or be confined in line, on and on..I had a fear of my panic.

The medication they give for panic is NOT addictive (you must go to a Dr who specailizes IMO)...I took a childs anti-depressive..there was no Prozac back then...for some reason an anti-depressive works for panic and anxiety. I told the DR I was not a depressed person and really doubted her..but in 4 weeks they were 100% gone..my life started over..I booked a trip to Florida to visit gfamily, started showing dogs, speaking before large groups again, doing anything I wanted..I have never looked back or regretted taking meds..and once the panic was under control and I knew it was gone, I lost all fear of not being able to control it, I knew there was a way to stop the panic. I went off the meds and did well for many years..had one reaccurance and went back on for 6 months..and no problems again..BUT I would run back to my DR if I did..life is too short to suffer the way some people suffer.

When I was 50 yrs old I found my biological family. I have 3 sisters and two brothers..one of the first questions my sister Shirley asked me was if I had ever had any problems with anxiety attacks? Come to find out two of my sisters and one brother had them..infact my one sister Jane could not meet us for a trip to Tangier Island where we were orginally from..she had an attack if she got too far from home...she died 5 yrs ago, sadly, she never got to do any of things she wanted in her life because of panic...that makes me the saddest of all.

I used to have people tell me to just be strong and ignore it...that is like telling a person with a charging lion coming toward them, to remain calm and ignore it..that is what it felt like to me...LOL
I wish you the best. God bless you...

I just want all of you to know, if you ever feel that you need someone to talk to, please dont ever hesitate to PM me, I'm here for you and if you would like my phone #, I'm just a phone call away! I know how scary these attacks can be and were not alone!

About 3 years ago I started with terrible anxiety/panic attacks...would cry for nothing, heart palputations, shaking, tremors...you name it...all this over a BOSS! I tried so hard to do it on my own but eventually had to give in to meds if I wanted to keep my sanity ( also had other things going on in my life) I was put on Paxil and Xanax..I finally left my job...The meds were helping me cope but not enough. After being on Paxil for 3 yrs I decided it was time to see my Doctor and go off of them.. I was taking 20 mgs a day and had cut the dose in half myself, my doctor told me I was taking a small enough dose to just stop O MY GOD!!! I had the most horrible withdrawls...All I can say is...if you decide on meds please,please...do your research on what ever it is you are going to take...I did but is was to late...I researched after, of course I trusted my MD. Had I known BEFORE I took Paxil what the withdrawls were going to be I NEVER would have taken it...Let me say it this way....I much rather would have had the anxiety/panic attackts then to go through what I did...If you want to PM me please do...I wish you all the luck

meds
 

You know I must remind myself that medication has different effects on everyone...Paxil is not a good med according to my old DR. also drugs like xanax are addictive, but a specialist in Panic disorders rarely uses these type meds I a told..
I had excellent health insurance and a $375 an hour specialist was worth her weight in gold...
Just because I had no side effects and had no trouble stopping the meds does not means lots do..sorry I was so dogmactic, but medications saved my life with no downside...

Well...Pat - that was really awesome that you shared your experiences.... and you got to meet your biological family ? that's always been a dream of mine too. That had to be a highlight in your interesting busy life.:)

It takes a strong strong person to get on the net and discuss these things - and I wish ALL of you the best. I have a cousin who's b/f used to run a pharmacy - he said out of ALL the drugs these days - Prozak is still the best one - Lexapro is the fastest acting....and very good - The key is to find what works best for you..

I had them when I was 29 and it wasn't very pleasant. Doctor put me on meds which my husband had a fit about because they were addicting. I also developed symptoms to every illness you could think of. Finally Doctor was going to put me in the hospital and do all kinds of tests but added that it probably wouldn't show anything because basically he believed it was in my head. I thought about it for a couple of weeks and finally decided that if my brain could tell me I was a whack job, it could also tell me I was fine and there was nothing wrong with me. I worked on thinking positive and sure enough, I started feeling better and the anxiety attacks stopped. I might add that during the times that I couldn't get to sleep because my head wouldn't shut up, I would watch TV or listen to the radio and concentrate on what they were saying and soon I'd be off to sleep. Much of the problems associated with anxiety attacks can be related to lack of good night's sleep. And the easiest pill to swallow is laughter. Laugh a lot, watch silly movies and laugh, play, what ever it takes to lift your spirits. Hope this helps. Been there, done that. And just an added note, expect similar experiences with menopause. Just remember to laugh, it's always the best medicine.