Anxiety and panic attacks

[average guy]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm not sure this is the proper forum (or even the proper website for that matter) to ask, but everytone here seems so nice, level-headed and helpful (I checked other sites about anxiety and panic disorders that all seem to focus on medication and it's side effects, and since I am not on, nor do I want to be on again, any medication) I wanted to ask anyone who was interested for their advice.

 

I am a ex-alcoholic of an abusive alcohlic father, and have had a lot of reason in my life to feel anxiety. These days it's pretty well controlled, but it pops up every now and then to the point where I want to crawl in a cave and never come out. I've arranged my life (lfeixble work, etc.) around this so it is not a matter of life and death to have to snap out of it like alot of people have to (to go to work, etc.) but it still worries me that I can go from healthy normal person to shaking, sweating and sprialing into withdrawal from people (I end up feeling persecuted and laughed at - like a freak in a human circus) so quickly.

 

My question is how others deal with it wihout medication/alcohol, etc. I exercise 3 times a week, eat well, sleep well (unless I wake up in a panic attack! and do everything else I should, but it ocassinaly rears its ugly head. The ONLY thing I have ever found to help immediatly is called Bach's Remedy, which is a mixtures of herbs that you place under you tounge, and it doeas seem to help, but I was wondering if anyone else had any other natural methods to deal with it on the spot.

 

Thanks

 

Cheers,

 

A.G.

[dyermaker]

It's a common misconception that "natural" means, "good for you", and "side effect free"

 

What is it about medication that turns you off?

[average guy]

I was on a double dosage of Aropax (I was told that a single dose is for depression (which I also had) but doubling the dosage works well for anxiety) but I felt like a zombie watching other people float by. It was almost as Iif I were more detached than when I was off of it. Without it I feel incredibly attached to the world (almost hyper-sensitive) but then go into hiding as I mentioned. But on medication nothing seemed to phase me. I honsetly think I could have done something ghastly like shoot someone and not realised it because I felt so "glossed over" and out of touch with ANY feelings.

 

Anyway, like I say I don't want to debate medications pros/cons as I have done that internally and rearranged my life where it is not necessary for me to sedate myself to be functional, I was just hoping someone else myight have a tip to help make my life a little more stable, and still let me feel the ups and downs, excitment and worry, that are part of life (including a sex drive!

 

Thanks,

 

Cheers

 

A.G.

[average guy]

p.s. dyermaker,

 

I thought you might appreciate this old quote

 

"What's good for the soul, isn't always good for the body,

and what's good for the body, isn't always good for the soul."

 

Cheers

[Arabess]

My doctor put me on Buspirone for anxiety after a bout with pnemonia. I haven't felt any side effects from it at all.

 

I'm with Dyer.....not all of the 'natural cures' are natural or even a cure to begin with. I'd be careful with that. I have a friend who go into the whole 'St John's Wort' thing and it messed him up!! He was eating the things like jelly beans. He is now being treated for severe depression.

[sportsloving]

I had several anxiety attacks and problems sleeping when my father died of cancer, it had been 12 years since we had talked or seen each other and I guess I felt a lot of things at once.

 

Anyways, my doctor tried sleeping pills, but I hate those things, so they also tried Buspirone for when it felt as if I couldn't relax or breathe. Waking up feeling as if someone is smothering is not the way to go. I didn't have any bad effects from it, all I felt was a peaceful calm.

 

It did have one effect (not bad) but I did find that my tongue was a lot looser than it had been originally... if I thought something, I said it. Such as telling the ex to stuff himself in a locker and lose the combination (??). But other than that, all it did was ease the anxiety and make me a calmer person who spoke her mind.

 

I went off it about six months later, gradually. My friend also has anxiety attacks and hight strung, and she was prescribed Zoloft. I thought that was anti~depressant but it works for her, and she is on the lowest prescription.

 

Otherwise, without drugs, I just try to remember that things always change, tomorrow will be different and what is important today may not be so important tomorrow. I haven't had a sever attack for awhile so I may be out of practice.

[average guy]

I'm actually not adverse to medication if I could just find the right one, so I took all your advice and looked up Buspirone. It's described as:

 

an antianxiety agent that is not chemically or pharmacologically related to the benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or other sedative/anxiolytic drugs.

 

It sounds exactly like what I need - just anxiety control, but not a sedative. I still remember sitting on the couch for 3 hours once and not caring even if the house burned down!

 

I will have to ask my doctor, but it may be a different way to go for me. Has anyone had good experince with half-dosages?

 

Thanks a mil

 

Cheers,

 

A.G.

[Tony T]

Many doctors prescribe Klonopin for panic and anxiety. It works well but does not give you that tired, zombie-like feeling. Also, antidepressants used in combination with Klonopin, such as Norpramin, Paxil or whatever works well for you, can be very helpful. There are many ways for successfully managing panic disorder without making you feel tired or uncomfortable. I'm sorry you are so turned off by meds now, that a shame, because a good doctor could have helped you quite well.

[average guy]

Hi Tony,

 

Thank you for suggessting Klonopin. Do you know how it compares to Buspirone? The chimical; description is completely different. I'd hate to try one, only to have to go off it and try the other.

 

Does anyone else have any expereince with Klonopin?

 

I'd like to thank you all. I'd lietarrly written off medication (I was on Aropax for almost 3 years...and it was hell to withdraw from - I couldn't walk for three weeks due to dizzy spells {my body felt like it was walking to the left while I was facing forward, short term memory loss, and many other truly debilitating side effects - it was one of the reasons I decided to change acreers so I wouldn't have to go out as much!)

 

Anyway, the thought of being able to rejoin the human race and being normal in normal situations is very exciting without having to rely soley on my self-control and discipline (deep breathing, self-hynosis, meditation, herbs, etc.) could be fantastic.

 

Thanks again

[Tony T]

Average guy:

 

You make a serious mistake trying to get a lot of feedback from different people who are not licensed medical practitioners. Take the recommendations that are made here and consult with a medical doctor who can manage your medications for you. The meds I suggested above are commonly used in panic disorder and meet your requirements. Now, you have to ask your doctor if they will be right for you.

 

Stop comparing medications. Every one of them is different. I'm sorry you're having this problem and I understand your desperation but nothing will substitute for an excellent doctor. If the one you have now is not helping, find another physician.

[Fedup&givingup]

Average,

 

All those prescription medications (Maoi's) scare me. If the natural stuff works, go with it.

 

I had something really freaky happen to me about a year ago, and I could swear it was an anxiety attack. I am fearful of being put on these prescription meds.

 

I hope you find something that helps you, no matter what you choose to do!

[moimeme]

Were you diagnosed with anxiety attacks? Was there any investigation into PTSD? If you had a past of abuse, you could be suffering from PTSD, which responds well to EMT. If your doc has not checked this out, it's worth looking into.

[average guy]

I agree Tony, I would never (or could never) get a prescription without the advice of a Doctor, but I can't help but feel that, based on my experince, a little knowledge beforehand might be useful this time

 

Thanks

 

A.G.

[moimeme]

All those prescription medications (Maoi's) scare me

 

You are entitled to make decisions about your own health, but not to tell others to avoid potentially beneficial treatments.

[Fedup&givingup]

Originally posted by moimeme

All those prescription medications (Maoi's) scare me

 

You are entitled to make decisions about your own health, but not to tell others to avoid potentially beneficial treatments.

 

I didn't tell him what to do. I told him about me. I rendered my advice like anyone and everyone else can do on here.

[faux]

I think medication is rubbish. Come to think of it, I happen to believe that the entire mental health system is rubbish. I had gone the route of therapy, family counseling, in and outpatient hospitalizations, and medication so many times for nearly ten years it makes my head spin.

 

Ones chances of finding "the right medication" or "the right combination of medication" are not very good. Some people get very lucky and find a combination that works wonders for them, without taking much time to do so, but there are a great many that are not very lucky. The longer it takes to find a combination which works, the more difficult it is.

 

With every medication comes side effects, and every change in a medication's dosage can change this completely. One might think that one overcame the side effects after the first week or two, but they can come back, or change, when the dosage is altered. Switching medications, also, takes time as one must be properly weaned from the medications.

 

Take a moment, also, to consider how much damage psychotropic medication can do to ones body. Medications such as Paxil, Ritalin, Neurontin, and Ambien actually change how the brain works chemically. One needs to realize that one will be dealing with the possibility of inability to orgasm, the development of insomnia, inability to concentrate, blurred vision, constant dizziness, migraines, short-term memory loss, and a variety of other side effects when trying to find "the right medication".

 

The worst of these that I encountered was short-term memory loss from sleeping medication. It took two months to fully regain my concentration and memory levels back to what I consider "normal". My psychiatrist at the time incorrectly prescribed sleeping medication to me. Sleeping medication is only intended to be used on a short-term basis, perhaps for two weeks. I had been prescribed to these pills for months, fully trusting my psychiatrist.

 

I'll wrap this up, and just admit that the mental health system does work for some people. However, I have lived with a great many people in hospitals, and spoken to a great many more in outpatient care, who had little success and much damage caused by the system.

 

Once I realized that mental illness is truly "all in your head", and one can control it without medication, I have done so much better for myself. I was officially diagnosed as Bipolar years ago and am managing perfectly well on my own. I even went so far as to have a full evaluation, some time ago, to be satisfied that the professionals did not feel I needed further therapy or medication.

 

So far as controlling anxiety, no matter what causes you this discomfort medication is never necessary unless you think it is. If you think that medication is something you want to pursue, speak to a psychiatrist, and combine the medication with a good psychologist. Remember that you have the right to be fully informed of what is happening to your body, and you have the right to discontinue your medication, and to be tapered off of it safely any time you want.

 

There is a chance that medication may help you. I just thought that you could do to know more of the truth behind the mental health system, dealing only with medication. Again, these sorts of things could happen to you, but will not necessarily happen.

[befuddled11]

Originally posted by moimeme

All those prescription medications (Maoi's) scare me

 

You are entitled to make decisions about your own health, but not to tell others to avoid potentially beneficial treatments.

 

For crying out loud, she wasn't telling him what to do.....she wasn't telling him "don't you dare try MAOIs"......she was giving her own Personal Opinion.......which was no different than Tony singing the praises of Klonopin and suggesting he ask his doctor about trying that med.

 

No where in there was she even remotely close to telling him what he should do about his own health....note the words "scare ME." Good grief!!

[moimeme]

Once I realized that mental illness is truly "all in your head", and one can control it without medication, I have done so much better for myself.

 

Thousands and thousands of people have been told that over the years, have gone to years of therapy or read dozens of self-help books to no avail. Then we discovered that the brain is an organ like any other and that it suffers from chemical malficiencies like any other organ. Once that was discovered and meds were researched, miracles started to happen. People with schizophrenia could actually leave hospitals and live 'normal' lives. People were rescued from hopeless depression. People previously hospitalized due to mania or depression of bipolar were able to live outside hospitals.

 

Yes, some individuals have trouble with the meds, as is the case with all meds. Some people still die of diabetes despite insulin and some can never control their cholesterol and on it goes.

 

HOWEVER, until you've at least tried to get treated, you'll not know whether or not you respond well to the medications. To eschew them entirely without giving them a chance is foolhardy, particularly if your life is negatively affected because of your ailment.

 

Also, the fact that you may have had a psychiatrist who recommended meds inappropriately or neglected to monitor them properly speaks to the quality of that individual, not to the system as a whole. Certainly be aware of all the potential side-effects. By all means, ensure you have a good medical professional and do not hesitate to change doctors if you don't like the one you have. Be aware that the meds don't work for everyone - and researchers are trying hard to come up with better treatments.

[SoleMate]

Just my two cents' worth...for me, Paxil has been a wonder drug that not only has cured my depression, but also had some great side effects, like reducing a specific phobia, helping me control inappropriate anger, and making it easier for me to be social with people the way I want to be. If that is due to a fundamental change in my brain chemistry, I couldn't be happier. I have wondered for most of my life what was wrong with me, and Paxil fixed ALL those problems.

 

I'm just one data point. I'm sure the problems with Paxil are quite real for some people who try it. But for me, it is a miracle. You take away my Paxil only by prying it out of my cold, dead hands...

[kara]

Agree with SoleMate and Moimeme, medication can work wonders. I have tried Paxil in the past and it has reduced social anxiety significantly, however didn't do much for my scattered-brainnes. That might be too much of a wonder to ask for anyway

 

 

 

average guy, I am an adult child of an alcoholic father as well, and anxiety, especially social anxiety seems to be a common symptom of ACOA's. There are great books out there, the following 2 for example helped me a lot:

 

"Adult children of alcoholics" and "Struggle for Intimacy" by Janet Woititz.

The author is a an ACOA herself.

 

Anxiety is still my biggest problem and I believe I need to go back on some kind of medication, but being aware of the whole picture, that is the awareness of the ACOA syndrome is a very good tool.

Last but not least: looking good is also key, anytime I knew I looked my best I was less anxious to go and talk to someone at a party and so on. I wish you the best.

[bowwie]

average guy, i also have a history of anxiety attacks and have been to counseling and the best thing that worked for me short term was to sit still and do deep breathing exercises. i know it may sound lame but i guarantee you it works and it works fast and with no meds! you sit and try to breath from the lower abdomen and to keep the chest from moving as most anxiety is from short chest breathing which can lead to hyperventilation feelings causing the anxity feelings. try it you have nothing to lose but some anxiety, and as far as he klonopin, my own expericene with it was awful because it is addictive!

[Fedup&givingup]

Faux,

 

I know what you are saying. All those drugs can be quite scary. They may work well for some people, but not everyone has the same brain chemistry. That being said, that is why they are so dangerous to some people.

 

There are also many of these drugs that seem to work fine, but if you go off of them or try to, it's a whole other ball of wax. Lots of them leave people with permanent scars and damage.

[Arabess]

AG,

I'm not even sure what an 'anxiety' attack would even feel like. My doctor prescribed the Buspiron to keep me from spazzing out when I got short of breath. I have no idea if it's helped because I didn't consider myself as having a problem in the first place. I am not aware of it having any side effects on me.....not yet anyway!

 

Checking out various types of prescription on the web is a great idea. Make a list of pros and cons to discuss with your doctor.

 

I think a person's smoking and drinking habits can also play a part in which meds work better.

 

Good luck in finding the right meds for you. I'm sure your doctor can work with you on this.

 

Arabess

[Nim]

I was diagnosed with an anxiety-panic disorder about a year and a half ago though we think I had it since I was 12 or so. A lot of treating it involves behavior modification, but I was put on 10mg of Lexapro, one of the newer SSRIs. It's worked wonders, I used to sit in class like a zombie and not be able to concentrate or care about what was happening. I don't advocate that medication fixes everything, but it can definitly help, and SSRI side effects are managable. Other SSRIs are Celexa and I believe Paxil is one as well. SSRI common side effects are loss of appetite (I wasn't about to complain), tremor (that went away after a week), anxiety (that one I don't get), and loss or increase of sexual desire (I got the former, but who's keeping track?). I grew up in a distorted family as well, but often depression is related to a chemical imbalence which the meds can help quite a bit.

 

Arabess, panic attacks for me involve uncontrollable hyperventilation and crying.

[average guy]

Wow, what a plethora of great advice! Thank you everyone!

 

Just to answer a few questions from people:

 

I was diagnosed with PTSD from being an ACOA (I sound like a police radio!) with both depression and anxiety being major problems. In a nutshell, I was so under such unbelievable stress from working two jobs (a year’s overlap to finish one and start another), finishing my master’s degree, a huge new house mortgage, and dealing with my father retiring and wanting me to take over the family business. What brought it to a climax was my wife finding me screaming at cars passing by our house to “leave me alone”! As it turns out, (I discovered under hypnotherapy) the sound of cars coming towards me triggered memories as a kid of the sound of my father’s cat coming up our drive and the fear/anxiety/etc. of knowing the abuse was about to begin.

 

Anyway, my doctor, therapist and psychologist or psychiatrist (I can’t remember which one can prescribe medication) all agreed to put me on massive sedative for a few weeks until the double dosage of Aropax could kick in. I completely agree with everyone who swears medication is good – it literally saved my life, marriage, job, and everything at that time. (I only wish that they had something when I was growing up to help deal with depression/anxiety – I might have grown up to be a normal person to begin with!

 

Anyway, after about 3 years of constant supervision from my doctor, psychologist/psychiatrist and therapist (including at one point the three of them rotating a 24-hour suicide watch on me with their mobile phones) they all agreed to take me off Aropax and that’s when the horrible withdrawal symptoms started (short term memory loss, lack of concentration, not being able to walk unless someone was holding me by the arm because my head would be turned to the right thinking I was going in that direction, but my body would be going to the left, and many other irritating things.) Anyway, once al the dust settled I realised how “alive” I felt and how I missed feeling things like the exuberance of the wind blowing on my face. It was just like a haze being lifted and seeing clearly again. I have absolutely no complaints about having been on medication (even considering the painful withdrawal where I had to take a 3 week leave of absence since I could think, remember concentrate, walk drive) – it did save my life and I would do it again if I ever became that severe again.

 

However, I have since sold the house, moved to the country (where I don’t have any mortgage), changed careers, have sorted out a manageable relationship with my father, and can bike or walk on trails that have no cars around – in short, my life is completely different.

 

The problem is now I still get anxiety attacks (they still seem to revolve around cars – encountering an aggressive driver on the road can send me into panic-stricken sleepless nights for about a week) but they are all manageable due to the new lifestyle I have now. If I could just take the edge off of it so I was more stable, I would be so happy! That’s why I was asking about herbal remedies, or even ½ dosages of something, that would just keep me from getting the worst attacks, but still let me feel the excitement of all the little things that are supposed to make your heart beat faster!

 

Once again, thank you everyone for responding and all the helpful advice

 

A.G.