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If you are panicky now.....

Old 07-15-2007, 03:48 PM
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If you are panicky now.....

I'd like to share what might be of assistance to you until help is available.......

I've just been thru a horrendous panic attack and I coached myself down. There is still some residual dizziness, shaky, anxiety.

It all started after my morning exercise class. Leaving the gym I noticed the extreme humidity in this part of the world. A major trigger for me. The feeling of claustrophobia and 'lack of air' started playing tricks on my mind, and it just took off.

I found myself spinning out of control. It was about a five minute walk from my car to the office. I didnt want to freak out in public (I dont have to tell you folks what thats like), but I had that doomed feeling again.

I put my coping skills into action............Easier said than done, I understand, but here it is.........

-- Breathe normally. Do not allow yourself to hyperventilate like I almost did. It works.

-- Distract yourself from what the panic is doing to you. Count backwards by 3 from 100. If in public, start talking on your cell phone in a normal tone. Sounds silly doesnt it? When Im in a panic, the silly or ridiculous is a great idea as long as only you know it.

-- For me, going to the restroom and splashing cold water on my face is a biggie to calm me down. If there are others around, I still do it. I just put off as if its been a long day, or hard nite, and want to freshen up.

-- A chewable vitamin C tab is another biggie that brings me down.

This is not intended to be licensed therapy, just sharing some points that seem to work for me. Some may find this share amusing, ha, me too, thats why Im glad Im anonymous.

If it helps someone out there to better cope, I think its worth it to save even one person from the insanity of panic and anxiety.

I'll tell you something else thats a big help...........Coming on this SR site and reading/posting. It helps to rant, share, or ramble.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. By the way........

Im still an Introvert.
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Old 07-15-2007, 03:55 PM
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When I started that last post, I was a mess with panic/anxiety. Couldnt even sit in the chair and type. By the time I finished, I had forgotten all about it. I was seated, calm and heart rate came way down to normal.

Told ya it helps to post.
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Old 07-22-2007, 04:30 PM
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Monday morning.

Kinda anxious today. Slightly shaky. Head floating a bit. Nothing like it was before. On a scale on 1 to 10, Im about 4 right now.

During my haydays with the height of panic/anxiety, symptoms included shortness of breath. I have retrained my thoughts to breath normally and not hyperventilate (which was the cause of that problem).

I have to also be careful as I have a tendency to sigh a lot during panic. This may cause hyperventilation to sneak up on me.

My confession..........drinking. I made some homemade salsa this weekend. For those of you who frequent mexican restaurants, what happens when the waiter brings you salsa and chips? You guessed it, a bottle of corona, or tecate. It was a major trigger for me.

Another contributor to panic/anxiety can be spicy foods. Yep, my salsa was spicy as all get out. Made with ground habanero peppers. Alcohol, spicy food, a double whammy!!

Not feeling very productive today. Better break out my itinerary and get busy getting thru my to-do list.

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Old 07-22-2007, 04:51 PM
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Panic/Anxiety coping skills

Sometimes it is very necessary to be on medication for panic/anxiety.

For those who dont or even if you are, here is a handy website that may help improve your ability to cope. http://www.joepanic.com/

It has self help tips, and will allow us to understand whats going on in our minds and bodies.

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Old 07-22-2007, 07:33 PM
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Smile Diet and Exercise

I cant forget to mention to how important diet and exercise are to keeping our panic/anxiety at bay.

I know that sometimes, medication is an integral part of it and may be very necessary. I dont intend to have superior knowledge over licensed health practice. Im just sharing a few simple things that may help take the edge off of this terrible condition.

Anyway, part of my job/career is to participate in an exercise program at least 30 min a day, three times a week. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we are out as a group participating in mandatory exercise during working hours.

Go figure.

I get paid to go to the gym. Ironically, with exercise being so important in the battle against panic/anxiety, I ruin it with my drinking. After that,.......... withdrawal,...........during withdrawal.........panic.

But, had I not been exercising, I would be a lot worse off.

Walking on the treadmill, riding the stationary bike, swinging on the cross trainer (everyones favorite), stairmaster, aerobics (hate aerobics), running, and maybe some light weight training.

Exercise is very helpful. Drinking is not.

CBT is very helpful. Drinking is not.

Medication is very helpful.........Drinking is not.

For some of us, the panic/anxiety has a cause that is simple to fix. For most of us it may not.

But for all of us there is good news, we can be cured of panic/anxiety.

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Old 07-23-2007, 04:25 PM
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Intro, regarding the diet I have noticed that sugar increases my anxiety. I stopped eating candy/icecream and don't put any sugar in my fruittea. It helps.

I have started exercising a lot too, 40 mins of running daily or at least 30 kilometers cycling. That helps too but I have to control my breathing after the exercise as I stay in "hyperventilation" mode.
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Old 07-26-2007, 03:39 PM
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Friday morning.....

Played some basketball this morning. Havent done that in years.

(This is becoming sort of a journal. I really dont intend to do that, because I would like to post helpful hints.)

For some reason I was really winded after the game. Wanted to quit during the first half, but didnt want to ruin it for everybody. Guess Im not really working hard enough during regular workouts. I figure it was the intensity of the game, with all the sprinting back and forth on the court, instead of the steady moderate run or bike ride. (Kinda guess where Im going with this?)

The ole' hyper v started creapin in. After that, the panic. Okay, activate coping strategy.

Strategy not responding. Okay, alert the cbt and check for stabilization.....

........Negative........no response........panic intensifiying.........

Want to run............want to shout out for help.................no, wait. Too many people around. Would be embarrassing.

..........activate self talk..........It will pass..........gettin' scared...........It will pass..........activate distraction............distraction technique engaged...........

Its working............panic subsiding................heart still palpitating.....

Too aware of heartbeat..........panic rising again. Legs feel unstable. Getting dizzy.

Hold on, hold on.................(wondering....how far away is the ER?)

Breathe normally, dont sigh.............Okay, whatever happens.........happens.

Panic subsiding......... Vision clearing.........Quickly feeling normal.

Stop into this restroom..............No one here....Good! A little cold water on the wrists, hands, face.

Time to reflect.

Another attack occured. Another battle won.

That felt like a biggie. Looking on the bright side, havent had a biggie in quite some time, versus every day years ago.

It can be done.

With each success, there is less intensity, less frequency.

Triggers have less of an effect (Hot, humid gym).

The next time you find yourself in this similar situation..........

Remember..............if nothing else..............

.........it will pass.

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Old 07-26-2007, 04:21 PM
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Well done! I sometimes have exactly the same after very intense exercise, my breathing stays in hyperventilation mode.

Had a big panic attack in the supermarket 2 days ago. I was standing in a long line and ofcourse it kicked in as I couldn't leave the line with all my groceries. But somehow I won this battle won

Do you have any difficulties sleeping? My worst panic usually occurs when I go to bed...
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Old 07-26-2007, 04:37 PM
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Difficulty sleeping only the day after I quit drinking. Other than that, not really a problem with panic just before bed.

I can remember however when my p/a was at the height of its grip on me, I was panicky just before bed. Too scared to sleep, too tired to stay awake.

I forced myself to lie in bed using slow, deep breathing exercises, and eventually I fell asleep.
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Old 07-27-2007, 08:22 AM
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Hey Guys

Nakur, My panic attacks mostly happened at nighttime, too – as I was trying to fall asleep.

Do either of you guys take benzos or SSRI’s or anything for it? If so, what do you think about what you take, pluses and minuses?

And out of curiosity, do you guys fly or fear flying? I can't stand it.
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Old 07-27-2007, 10:55 AM
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Hallo Barto,
Right now I am taking 5mg of Lexapro which is even below the recommended dose of 10-20mg. I don't feel any effect on my anxiety/panic. I am very cautious about using SSRI's as I was on huge dosis of Paxil for 3 years which was really a nightmare. The panic attacks were less frequent but my personality changed, I became very agressive, abusing various substances, basically not caring about
anything in my life. The moment I stopped Paxil my personality returned to normal.
Here are 2 good articles about the dangers of SSRI's
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pinealstory.htm
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/...oglycaemia.htm

I used to take benzo's when my panic was really bad but my doctor doesn't allow it anymore because of my history of substance abuse. I think he is right because they work very well for me but the panic always return so I might wind up taking them daily.

Right now I am trying to fight my panic attacks with a combination of diet (http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/artic...mic_diet.html), psychotherapy and breathing exercises (http://members.westnet.com.au/pkolb/but_strt.htm). I am also leaving for Poland next week to do some tests in a private clinic to make sure there is no physical cause like hypothyroidism or DHEA deficiency for my panic attacks.

And yes I don't fly since a bad experience with turbulance in 1999. They would have to pay me to go on a plane
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Old 07-27-2007, 12:55 PM
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No meds now, but used to be on Paxil several years ago. Side effects, aggressive behavior, I had to decide to come off that.

My job sometimes requires me to fly a few times a year. The only thing that bothers me about flying is the turbulance.

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Old 07-27-2007, 03:21 PM
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Thanks guys.

The thing that bothers me about flying is crashing and dying I guess, a fear which turbulence evokes.
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Old 07-27-2007, 05:34 PM
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My worst fear on a plane is about the helpless minutes the plane is falling down and you know your going to die
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Old 07-29-2007, 04:09 PM
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For some, like me, driving or riding in a car is the worst.

Go figure, at least in a car, one can simply pull over and step out. In a plane, youre stuck. Just have to tough it out.

The other odd thing about p/a and driving is the trigger. A bridge, a tunnel, or even the highway can bring on p/a. I figure its a trained response. The anticipatory anxiety. Fearing the next one coming.

I remember long ago when the anticipation of p/a was the worst, especially when I went into an avoidance zone. I was practicing my cbt to lessen the effects of triggers. Fortunately I can look back with success, but it took a lot of courage.

Taking a commuter train can be a major trigger. Several months ago, I took a commuter train to a destination that took about 45 min. I felt myself wanting to panic, but didnt. On the way back home, yeah, I did have a mild attack.

Imagine the embarrassment of running thru the car freaking out. My mouth became so dry, I couldnt swallow. I wanted to grab the bottled water from the guy standing next to me and gulp it down. How embarrassing that would have been.

Good thing I stood calm, in spite of being turbulant on the inside.

Good news for folks who encounter these experiences..................We do get better.

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Old 07-29-2007, 07:25 PM
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It is amazing. I can ride a motorcycle, put a car into a four wheel drift on pavement, and all kinds of other things that would freak most people out, but an airplane just scares the sh*t out of me.

Nakur. The thought of those final moments, then a crash make me shudder.
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Old 07-29-2007, 07:43 PM
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If you must fly,

You guys should keep your thoughts not on the focus of possibly crashing, but landing safely at the airport. Concentrate on the track record of flying. Statistics show that flying is very safe. There are far more car accidents on the road then there are air crashes. We would have to weigh in proportion the amount of cars on the road, compared to planes in the air at one time.

I hear what u guys are saying. That physical feeling in the pit of ur stomach during takeoff is murder. If I have to sit by the window, I close it. I prefer the aisle. During takeoff, flight, landings, I concentrate on believing its just a bus ride with a few bumps on the road.

My favorite part of flying is taxiing the runway after a happy landing. Just like riding in a car.

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Old 08-01-2007, 06:06 AM
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Hi,

I had a major anxiety attack this morning. Got an e-mail from one of my bosses who is really angry because one of my staff made a mistake. She then called and screamed on the phone. I am responsible and rightly so, but she was over the top hysterical. Thankfully, I remained calm.

I contacted my staff and collaborateurs and now the problem is solved.

However, I feel absolutely awful, knot in the stomack, headache, general feeling of being ill. Probably I shouldn´t have such a stressful job with my illness, but years ago, when I started my career, I promised myself that I should not let the anxiety attacks interfere with my dreams.

However, on top of everything bothering me now, I feel like I´m really nothing, weak as a kid and just not feeling good.

On the other hand, I hope all of you reading this have a good day.

Love and light,
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Old 08-01-2007, 02:07 PM
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Hang in there........

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Old 08-01-2007, 10:06 PM
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hey guys an oldie but a good one, pop an ice block in your mouth when you feel a panic attack coming on. It totally takes your mind of it. It's worth a shot, it works for some and not others. I find it 50/50. Give it a go, no harm in trying!!! And if you can't get to ice run into a shop like 7-11 that sells slurpies/slushies. Avoid brain freeze though and drink it slowly.
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