Anyone have anxiety/panic attacks, and what meds are you on for them?

[bloodugly]

I'm having these pretty regularly the last couple of months. The first one has me paying off a 1000 dollar ER bill, since I thought I was having a heart attack or something. About all I can do so far is keep some beer in me and that seems to help. Anyone have this problem and gone to a doctor, and what meds did they give you and how well are they working? I have no stress AT ALL in my life, I just started having these things for some freaking reason. Any advice/insight would be appreciated.

 

[JohnCU]

paxil 25mg CR (everyday) + inderal LA 80mg (before stressful situation)

 

[SilthDraeth]

If you don't mind, explain what exactly is happening during your anxiety attack. I get them sometimes, but I do not take any medications. I am curious to know if yours are similar to mine.

Thanks.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

I have pretty severe attacks every day, along with a lot of stress. I'm not a happy camper. But in the past I was prescribed Zoloft, Paxil, Trazadone, Klonopin... and they actually made me feel better in one regard but on the other hand... I didn't feel like they let me be myself and so I quit taking them. I wonder to this day if I made the right choice... should I suffer but be who I am, or get relief but be propped by happy pills for the rest of my life? Hmm.

Best of luck to you on figuring it out.

 

[Ulfhednar]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
paxil 25mg CR (everyday)

I was on that and it gave me horrible side-effects like feeling faint and cold sweating, it also ruined my appetite and I didn't eat for days at a time.

I'm currently on Sertraline (Zoloft) 200mg daily for depression/anxiety, it's not bad but it's not strong enough as I still have plenty of anxiety attacks in social situations.

Also on Zopiclone (Zimovane) 7.5mg daily for insomnia and Chlorpromazine (Largactil) 100mg a day for other stuff.

Pretty much a zombie most of the time. :frown:

 

[bloodugly]

I feel like some weird rush goes through my body, then shallow breathing, some numbness from time to time in my arms/hands, and sometimes a tightness in my chest that totally sucks. Just a general feeling of panic and like I'm about to die. When I went to the ER they took x-rays, and everything in my chest was fine, but my oxygen levels were up from hyperventillating (they did a blood test). They hit me with some Ativan and I was just fine.

All these responses so quickly....maybe we geeks are just doomed

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Heh... those symptoms you described... the rush, the tingling... I have them RIGHT NOW. But it happens to me so often that I don't really remember what it's like to not have them. I feel my life is one big panic attack. Do you ever get terrible stomach pains that coincide with that "rush"?

 

[bloodugly]

Only stomach pains I really have now if from the drinking. I know I'll need to see a doc, but I just wanted to get some input from fellow sufferers about what they're taking and how its working/affecting their lives. This is affecting my relationship with my girlfriend, as it makes me very edgy and irratable alot of the time, since I feel like I'm about to freak out all the time, at least when I'm sober. Drinking is no long term solution for anything, and I realize that.

 

[Turnpike]

Consider seeing a psychiatrist. It's unfortunate you don't have medical insurance (I'm asssuming since you paid out of pocket for ER) so it will cost you a bit, but it's definately worth working out with a combination of medication and therapy. I'm sure you already know this, but using alcohol as a short term fix can lead down a dangerous road. Nothing is as important as your health, both physical and mental.

 

[bloodugly]

I'm just not sure if a psychiatrist would do me much good, as I really have nothing in my life bugging me. I have a great girlfriend, I make easy money, and nothing is bothering me. I have no idea where this problem came from. These attacks just show up randomly. I can be sitting around browsing the internet and BAM!, I get an attack. I'm well aware that alcohol is no solution, its just a short-term fix I've been using, but I don't want to kill my stomach and liver with it. I just wanted to get some input from other people with the same problem and see what they're using to deal with it and how its working.

 

[fitzov]

It's not a panic attack--it's a demon.

 

[49erinnc]

I don't have panic attacks but I do have spells where I get overly worked up over meaningless issues and it can take me several hours to regain a more pleasant demeanor. Sometimes they're pretty bad because I just bottle up the stress and then it affects my interaction with my friends/family/coworkers by being overly sensitive and defensive.

I take Klonopin but only when I'm stressing out or I'll take one if I know I'm gonna be in a stressful situation. I basically pop one under my tongue and within 15 minutes, I'm as cool as a cucumber. However, they can have the opposite effect in that when they wear off, they tend to make you even more defensive and confrontational. That's why I just try to avoid them all together now and find other ways to combat stress.

To the OP, if you aren't normally a stressed out person but had an attack so bad that it prompted an ER visit, then I highly recommend seeing someone. You can even just go talk to your primary care physician. He/she may be able to help you out but if not, they can refer you to someone that can.

 

[j00fek]

marijuana

 

[bloodugly]

pot has always been good to me, but it just makes this shxt worse. it sucks when something you love gets taken away from you.

 

[SilthDraeth]

That pretty much sums up the symptoms I get. For me it has been really tough, since I am in the military, so I have to squash the attacks, at least outwardly.

Besides taking drugs to negate the symptoms, try self examining yourself. Lay down in a dark room, (or if darkness isn't comfortable don't use a dark room), or somewhere quiet if you can, and start listing off good things. Maybe even write it down, the time and date, what you where doing, and why you thing you might be getting the attack, or why you know you shouldn't be getting it.

For me, I pretty much know what events will trigger my attacks, and so I avoid those events as much as possible.

 

[0]

I'm sorry to hear about it. I've had some experience with this as well. After much research, here are some conclusions. The SSRI meds prevent your brain from destroying seratonin (that's why they're called reuptake inhibitors). So your brain has more seratonin, and you supposedly feel better. The problem is, those meds do MUCH more than that. They also affect many other chemical aspects of the brain that are not even fully understood. So I had to ask - why not find a way to get your brain to make MORE seratonin, instead of inhibiting its destruction? Recent evidence shows that fish oil boosts the brains ability to create seratonin. People with high fish diets generally have lower rates of suicide etc. Also, not to sound like a commercial, I found the suppliment 5HTP, which is a precursor to tryptophan (in meats like turkey) boosts seratonin production. I talked to my doctor about it, and she said it would be good to try. I have found it to be very effective, and I would recommend it to you as well. All of these are available at my local Meijer supermarket. HTH and I hope you feel better, as I have.

 

[bloodugly]

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth
That pretty much sums up the symptoms I get. For me it has been really tough, since I am in the military, so I have to squash the attacks, at least outwardly.

Besides taking drugs to negate the symptoms, try self examining yourself. Lay down in a dark room, (or if darkness isn't comfortable don't use a dark room), or somewhere quiet if you can, and start listing off good things. Maybe even write it down, the time and date, what you where doing, and why you thing you might be getting the attack, or why you know you shouldn't be getting it.

For me, I pretty much know what events will trigger my attacks, and so I avoid those events as much as possible.

I have no triggers, they just appear randomly. i feel odd from the moment i wake up lately, I'm probably just crazy.