to ask you about panic attacks?

[TheOrchardKeeper]

Had an unexpected one (first one ever) at the beginning of the week.

There was no mistaking it even though I've never seen/had one. I was crying about something I was upset about (been quite stressed lately) and ended up hyperventilating, vomiting and couldn't stop my arms and legs shaking. Spent the rest of the night clasping my pillow and trying to sleep (took ages to wind down afterwards).

Has anyone else had similar and not gone on to have any/many more. (I had another one the next night and feel like I might again at least once a day since then). Should I go to the GPs? Or is it likely to pass?

Can you tell I'm a bit clueless?

Hello, yes I have had two and they are horrible! I can almost feel myself about to have one and like you say it is easier said than done to make yourself not have one if you get me. I panic about getting one which sometimes triggers it. They are horrible but I have never been to the doctors. I have learnt to deal with it a little better by taking deep breathes and it always helps if I have someone near by.

I had one 7 years ago, climbing something high.

It was awful. I never would have believed that it could be so awful...never!

I haven't had one since, had a near miss once but I did counting and breathing to not panic. It worked.

I've suffered on and off, but read a similar book to springy. If I feel one coming on, I ask myself what the danger is. I've even (in the past) written that question at the bottom of my shopping list as the supermarket was the main place for them happening. As soon as I felt anxious and panicky I would look at that question and realising there wasn't any danger, could calm myself down.

Other techniques (particularly when stuck in traffic) are to pick specific details out about my surroundings and focus on them.

It is ages since I've had one. And have come a long way since having to leave a trolley full of shopping in Tesco as I could feel one coming on.

Both DH and I suffer, he worse than me. We both find that large, busy, echoey places like supermarkets are triggers so we get in and out as soon as possible.

I had my first on in a while this weekend actually - whilst I was asleep in the car on the way home from holiday, woke up and couldn't breathe - thought I was dying. DH stopped the car and calmed me down/talked me through it. I was very scared this time, and the DCs were terrified.

i am going to see my GP this week.

I'm certain the trigger is overall anxiety and possibly depression (if i'm anxious for long enough it seems to snowball into depression, at least it always has done in the past) so I'm pretty sure that the CBT will help me address that, which will decrease the overall pressure/levels of anxiety that caused it IYSWIM. I just don't feel able to do it myself atm or talk myself out of it without that extra help.

It's reassuring to hear some people haven't gone on to have any/many more, though even one feels like plenty enough!

I had one 11 year ago when dd was a tiny baby - never had one since - but I agree it was horrible - but bever had another one again.

Sorry to hear that Mrs F'

I've always had problems with anxiety but not this bad & it's much more alarming from the inside than it appears on the outside I think. I feel reassured now I've been given these Beta blockers and know I have something in place that will help.

I scared DP as it came on very badly and very quickly and I shook a lot & couldn't speak so he thought it was a seizure to start with, poor bloke!

I'm a therapist, I treat panic attacks all the time, they are so common.

1, don't avoid anything
2, don't misinterpret anxiety symptoms as harmful
3, read and follow this:
www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk/panic.asp

or www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp/

Oh and refuse beta blockers, they are a safety behaviour that teaches you that a fast heart rate is harmful, it's not.

Thank you.

I don't want to avoid anything but I want to get rid of the sicky, heart-racing feeling I've had for the last few days if possible as it's making life with a toddler impossible so will try the BBs and as soon as I feel I've learnt enough CBT I'll get rid.

I'm not worried about the fast heart rate itself, it's the hyperventilating that scared the hell out of me & the shaking.

I range from having up to 3-4 a week.

Distraction is what works for me and I am also on medication for it for when I have a server attack.

Claire Weekes (check Amazon) literally saved my life. She was nominated (I'm pretty sure?) for a Nobel Prize for her amazing work re panic

Hyperventilation and shaking is not dangerous, you will not faint.

Mc new pants, distraction works in the short term but not in the long term, as you can see by having 3-4 a week. It's still avoidance. Face it face it face it. I know it's horrendous though, I've had a couple, felt like I was dying.

Perhaps you could take a bit more time to write your posts Buddha - it feels like you're flying in and out. I appreciate we are in AIBU (and perhaps OP chose to post here for a purpose) but you appear to be rubbishing things that people hold on to (for dear life) and I feel offended at your self-proclaimed 'expertise' - which is not particularly evident in the contents of your posts; save info. This is a very difficult and sensitive disorder, please take care.

I started getting them about six weeks after the birth of DS, our wecond child. Think it was a combination of PND combined with a major depression about 9/11 ( and other things related to that). Lots of tea and a computer ban helped... Antidepressants not at all.

Second

I know it's not dangerous & appreciate where you're coming from but the GP I I saw said that BBs would help me not feel constantly on the edge of another one, which I have since that first one and have found the weekend incredibly hard work as a result.

I've not slept properly in weeks and need the CBT so once I'm in a better state sleep wise and better prepared for handling the thoughts that are causing most of this then i'll drop them.

I turned down ADs as I've never got on with them and the last one I was put on gave me palpitations, which obviously made the anxiety worse.

CBT did wonders for me in the past so I'm just going to stick with that in the hope that addressing the negative/anxious thoughts head on is what's best for me

Still feel crap today but trying to hold on to the idea that it's up from here on out

Morning,Orchard.

Hope you start to feel better soon, the lack of sleep is such a pita on top of everything else isn't it, my trigger time was always around 3 in the morning, I'd wake with a sense of impending doom, all down to stress and anxiety.

Thank you YSCSD

My mum's having him on fri and sat night so I can catch up and I didn't have a PA last night, which I was scared of happening so it's a start! I know what you mean about early morning anxiety. I always tell myself it's stupid to worry about anything at that time as you can't think straight...but I do it anyway!

Am glad the heatwave is over anyway...that made me feel all funny as I don't do well in the heat, to the point where I stayed in whenever I could

I agree regarding the heat.

It's much cooler now, there's a real nip in the air, much better for trying to sleep and not overheat.

I used to clench my fists so tightly that I could feel a pulse between fingers and hand then concentrate hard on the pulse while breathing in slowly for a count of 5 and out for a count of 7. The breathing works without the fist but it takes a bit longer-never fails. I used to think I was dying!

I (weirdly) really thrive in the spring/autumn sort of weather, where it's not too hot or too cold. It's just right!

And it makes pushing a heavy toddler around in a buggy plus shopping (I don't drive) much easier. It was not pretty during that heatwave

DP has been amazing the last 2 days as well which has been a massive help. I could do it alone but it's awfully nice not having to and having that extra support. He seemed a bit unsure of how low I really was until I had that first PA in front of him (I guess I don't seem it as the anxiety keeps you sort of wired so you seem well functioning). I'm pretty sure i'd have gone to A&E if i'd been alone, I was so freaked out

Don't feel quite as panicky today but I can still feel myself 'bracing' a lot (i.e when DS has been winding me up in the normal toddler sense or when I've been thinking about things I need to do, especially if it's money related).

Without going into too much detail Orchard my panic attacks were partly due to the issue of financial worries, my heart would pound when the postman delivered the mail.

I agree with the poster who said exercise is good, it uses up the adrenalin surge and is distracting.

Could you go for a kick around with your ds if you feel up to it?

Managed to get out and see a friend today we took DCs to the park and everyone burn off energy so DS is now being easier (he's worn out bless) and I feel less jittery. Am currently a FT student on benefits so have been trying to avoid reading anything about the benefits changes that hasn't been sent to me by mail etc so I can't worry as much but you can't really help catching snippets here and there.

That's why I'm studying though! It won't be like this forever, fingers crossed.