Wellness

[Q4u]

In Nov 2013 I had my first panic attack on the table of a CAT scan after being injected with the dye to illuminate my heart.  It started building with rapid breathing and the sensation that I was trapped and that I wouldn't be able to get down off the table.  I thought I was just having a nervous reaction and focused on breathing correctly and for the first time my "mind over matter" didn't work.  It kept building, sweating, breathing hard and an insane feeling of running away.

I didn't know at the time much about "fight or flight" that is part of our primative automatic "switches" to help us get away from danger was a part of this reaction. THIS however is very interesting in that there was no danger, I am NOT and never was claustrophobic but was feeling that way.  After a few minutes of this building beyond anything I had ever experienced I yelled for the technican to come and help me off the table...  There was NO WAY I could continue with the test.  I was literally shaking for an hour and they had to get my husband.  I needed water and had to endure a stress test when I recovered.

What I learned from my heart doctor later on was that it was not out of the realm of his experience to hear that occasionally someone had a reaction such as this from the radioactive dye injected into the bloodstream....  For a year after I had 2 recurring episodes (not as bad) and often during the night if I couldn't breathe properly I would awaken with the sense of the feeling starting.  Or if I thought of being trapped, or in a crowd, or even in a Dentist chair being worked on would start the sensation.... then it would stop.  It took about a year but It totally wore off.  I have had no reaction at all for two years now.....  even if I force myself to think of being trapped.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

For me, it's been the disappearance of the rational mind.  Like I can't get a grip and the earth is spinning out of control.  Nothing seems positive.

The physical symptoms that follow are a natural result, as someone else said, of the "fight or flight' response.  Sometimes I wonder if the physical precedes the mental - as in, fear of heights, but having to be in a high place, that causes the "blanking" of the rational mind.

All I know is that I avoid things that might cause a panic attack to happen.  Middle of the night, they sometimes still occur for me.  There's really no way out of that one - except move to Scandinavia.

[ms traditional]

i had a brief interlude with panic attacks when i was dealing with something that was overwhelming.  i had the same symptoms - not able to breathe, lightheadedness, feeling i was not long for this world.   however when i dealt with the issue confronting me, they disappeared.  never to return again.  

[MaggieMack]

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@ms traditional wrote:

i had a brief interlude with panic attacks when i was dealing with something that was overwhelming.  i had the same symptoms - not able to breathe, lightheadedness, feeling i was not long for this world.   however when i dealt with the issue confronting me, they disappeared.  never to return again.  

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@ms traditional, when I first met my late husband, he almost couldn't get his hair cut without experiencing a panic attack. LOTS of childhood trauma. Lots of needing to be in control of the smallest minutiae in his life. Over time, though, and with him feeling unconditionally loved, and much self talk, he overcame the anxiety attacks. The only time after overcoming the anxiety attacks was the day we buried his 24-yr-old son when one arrived in full force. Understandable, certainly. A little Ativan helped considerably.

[sfnative]

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@fortune wrote:

Unfortunately, medical professionals aren't always available when you're having these symptoms!  I thought of calling 911, because I thought my blood pressure might be skyrocketing.  But, I started to feel better.  Just telling myself that I could just dial 911 before dying helped.  I also went online and ordered a blood pressure monitor.

Online I found some suggestions on breathing techniques, as well.  Thank you all for your responses. 

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@fortune

Fortune,

What the kind folks here are trying to tell you is this: get referred to a healthcare professional, psychiatrist would be best, who can address your problem.  Of course, there isn't going to be a doctor available right now if you were to have a panic attack in 5 minutes.  That's unrealistic.  Please get in touch with your primary care physician and tell him or her that you need a referral to a psychiatrist because you're ready to take on your panic attacks and need the best help possible.

God bless you - you WILL get better. ~Rebecca

(I'm following this post with another, which has personal information.)

[ms traditional]

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@MaggieMack wrote:

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@ms traditional wrote:

i had a brief interlude with panic attacks when i was dealing with something that was overwhelming.  i had the same symptoms - not able to breathe, lightheadedness, feeling i was not long for this world.   however when i dealt with the issue confronting me, they disappeared.  never to return again.  

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@ms traditional, when I first met my late husband, he almost couldn't get his hair cut without experiencing a panic attack. LOTS of childhood trauma. Lots of needing to be in control of the smallest minutiae in his life. Over time, though, and with him feeling unconditionally loved, and much self talk, he overcame the anxiety attacks. The only time after overcoming the anxiety attacks was the day we buried his 24-yr-old son when one arrived in full force. Understandable, certainly. A little Ativan helped considerably.

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@MAGGIE Mack -  gosh that is amazing that he was able to overcome so much. i do feel once you know what is going on, you can start to talk yourself through the attack and take control back.  i do remember downing a tranquillizer once which helped me to move ahead when i got so very immobilized.  this was 30 some years ago but i do remember still  how those attacks feel -   they know so much more about things now.

[sfnative]

@fortune

Hi Fortune,

I'm back with additional information.

My mother used to describe me as high strung, memory like an elephant, never stops moving, knows all her Bible verses, won't eat liver, talks back too much (to her) and the like.  We didn't have a very good relationship.  I decided to list these qualities and such, that she would constantly pound me with, as I believe they eventually were partially involved in the development of my adult personality, which turned out to be a pretty strong personality.

Having a "strong" personality was a good thing, until I went to work for the military.  As a civilian employee,though a Division Head of some note, I was not allowed to be privy to any personnel matters, even my own staff.  I was livid at a system that would disallow me knowledge of my staff. Furious!

And so it happened that my lead surgical assistant went AWOL (in my book).  He was a civilian and had been "missing" for over 3 weeks.  I continued to ask my department head when Tom would return, as his absence was causing me undue amounts of stess and additional hours of work (was working 60 hours a week). 

One Friday, I had to take 3.5 hrs off work for an appointment with my Gyn.  While I was in the shower, my left eye felt funny, as though I had gotten a lot of soap in it, but hadn't yet washed my hair.  Weird, I thought.  When I got out of the shower, I noticed that the white of my left eye was totally red.  Clearly, I had spiked a BP and busted a blood vessel in that eye.  So, off I went to my very savvy Gyn.  As soon as I sat down in her office, she took one look at my eye and asked me what was going on, so I exlained the work stress.  Further, I explained that I'd been experiencing this weird sensation in both of my forearms that felt like ants crawling under my skin.  Again, weird.  She looked me straight in the eyes and told me I was having a panic attack.  "What," I said, "I don't get panic attacks.  You've got to be kidding."  Then she proceded to exlpain the physiological consequences of the stressors I was under.  Long story short, I walked out with a prescription for a med and counseling.  The med did GREAT!  After three sessions with the counselor he said,"You really don't need me.  You have your act together.  Let me know when and if you need help."

So you see for me I just needed the med.  I was a simple case, but can't imagine how many different manifestations of panic there are.

Please know that no two people have the exact same panic attacks.  Also know that great strides have been made in the development and availability of medications to treat panic attacks.  This means that if the first med doesn't work another can be tried.

I pray you will find a physician very soon.  Please do come back and let us know how you're doing.  We all care for eachother.

God Bless ~ Rebecca

[hckynutjohn]

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@ fortune wrote:

Unfortunately, medical professionals aren't always available when you're having these symptoms!  I thought of calling 911, because I thought my blood pressure might be skyrocketing.  But, I started to feel better.  Just telling myself that I could just dial 911 before dying helped.  I also went online and ordered a blood pressure monitor.

Online I found some suggestions on breathing techniques, as well.  Thank you all for your responses. 

fortune,

 If a person is having a true Panic/Anxiety Attack it can be very easily compared to having something like A-fib, a heart irregularity symptom. It generally is not life threatening, but is certainly something that needs to be checked out and diagnosed by a Cardiologist.

A person does not necessarily need "immediate professional care", but to not seek a Cardiologist for testing? To me that would be foolish and very dangerous.

Similarly, if one is having a "True Panic/Anxiety Attack(that can be diagnosed as such", they do not necessarily need immediate help from a Mental Health Professional. What they need is to seek a diagnosis as to what is causing the problems.

Panic/Anxiety Attacks are not something that comes and goes like the wind. Being nervous and anxious is some situations is more likely the problem. I could go on and on and create a whole diatribe of contraindications with many disagreeing with what I am saying, so I will not go there.

My experience with my dianosed Anxiety/Panic Disorder was not "from an experience" like going over a bridge or driving a car in high level/high speed traffic. To me would be considered being "nervous or fearful", and also one would know the cause of this issue.

With my Disorder, it was what "I did not know", that was the problem. I felt like I  had to get away from "something", but I had no idea what or where that something might be. It was nowhere close to the "fight or flight" fear that many experience.

Someone pointing a gun at you/coming at you with a knife, and so on. You know what you are fearful of happening to you along with knowing "THE CAUSE".

Most suffering the same thing in my 7+ days in a mental ward experienced the same thing, or close to my experiences. They were afraid of something, but they did not know from where it came/why it was, or what to do to escape it.

A high heart rate and rapid breathing can be caused by nervousness and many times it can be reduced by the old "breathing in a paper bag" relief function. That is done because fast breathing with a high heart rate while not exercising.

Many times this is caused by trepidation of the the body not being able to expel the amount of carbon dioxide being removed from the body that is equal to the amount of oxygen being introduced within the body.

Thus the paper bag that prevents the escape of carbon dioxide and the inhalation of more and unnecessary oxygen.

Anyone that has suffered from true Panic/Anxiety Disorder knows it is not something that "comes and goes" like a windy day. It is something that needs a Mental Health Professional Diagnosis along with being given the proper tools to be able to live and co-exist happily with this Disorder, but never being able to say "I am cured".

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[AngelPuppy1]

Boy, I feel for anyone who has these.  I have experienced these for years.  For me, they seem to come in groups.  I will not have them for a good while and then I seem to get several.  

I wake from a sound sleep with them.  I will find that I can't seem to get any air.  It's as if all the air has been su*cked out of the room.  Things look foggy.  My heart races.  I feel like I don't know where I am.  Like I want to run away, but where?  I also have what I call a feeling of unreality --- like I am not me.  I feel as if the walls are closing in on me.  I also cannot stand the darkness.  I perspire and feel sick to my stomach.  I do better if I can go outside and walk around.  A cool cloth to the head and wrists help some.  I must try and distract myself by listening to music, t.v., walking or talking to someone.  If I do not do this, I feel as though I will lose my mind.  It is an absolutely terrifying feeling.  

I am sure everyone experiences different things.  Seek help though.  They can give medication which helps if things are severe.  

[LilacTree]

Xanax.  (Of course ask your doctor.)  A low dose (.05 mg) does it for me.  It's a physical misfiring in the sympathetic portion of the brain called the amygdala.  In other words, it's physical, not mental.  No amount of psychiatric treatment or antidepressant is as effective as Xanax.

Doctors don't like to prescribe it because it has become a street drug when used in high dosages and very dangerous when mixed with other drugs.  However, if used properly and not abused it is a godsend.

It is also very inexpensive.