Anyone else suffer from God awful panic attacks?

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Bane of my existence. And sometimes people say they've experienced them but they're just describing being really stressed and nervous.

I'm talking full blown walking down the street and feeling like you're going to pass out/die/starting going into some kind of fit. It's awful. I'm considering trying hypnotherapy?

Anyone had any luck getting their PAs under control? Anyone have them flat out disappear? How did you manage?

Just had a nightmare situation in central London where I thought I was going to keep over, rushed into liverpool street station but it was full of people queuing and broken toilet doors and disgusting cubicles. Thanks God my friend was with me!

Yes , I used to. It's so awful , you think you're going to die.
I used to worry about when the next one was coming. It's absolutely debilitating.
I was sent to hospital twice and almost had a breakdown.
I was given CBT counselling and beta blockers. My counsellor asked me what was my worst fear about them, I said the thought I was going to die. We went through it and I realised that wasn't going to happen.
They lasted a few months but they did go away for good.
I hope you can get some help and feel better.

I've suffered with severe panic attacks and anxiety since I was a teenager and I can totally relate to the feeling that you're going to die/ have a fit!

It's been about 5 months since my last panic attack (I used to have them once or twice a week). My last panic attack lasted about 2 hours and my SO had considered calling an ambulance because it got so bad. This gave me a wake up call and I decided to go to counselling.
With a mixture of counselling and CBT I've managed to get my anxiety and panic attacks under control. I have heard of people trying hypnotherapy and having very positive experiences and its definately worth a try! I'd recommend going to your GP and having a chat about your options!

I have agoraphobia and social anxiety so panic attacks are a very common thing for me. They're awful, I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm medicated but I've never found anything that really gets rid of them. I hope you have more luck than I have

Terrible. What was brilliant for me was running, it became an all enveloping hobby and I did two half marathons... felt so proud.
I don’t run now but have to walk every day and get at least 10,000 steps in.

Yes, me too.

My last bad one was last week, I was that convinced I was about to keel over I was telling my DM (who was visiting) to ring 999 straight away if I become unresponsive. It is so embarrassing to look back on but in the moment i really can't be convinced that something terrible isn't happening to me. I spent the remainder of the day in bed exhausted from it all.

I have propanolol beta blockers for emergencies and they do help, I'm also having emdr for PTSD which is the primary contributor to the attacks (My PTSD that is, not the emdr)

It does help me somewhat to remind myself in the moment "this is a panic attack, it has happened before and I'm going to be fine, it will pass"

My therapist taught me how to do proper diaphragm breathing exercises which help too, I'm rubbish at explaining the technique but a quick Google will show you better than I can.

Something else my therapist advised was to have a tissue with a strong scent on it such as perfume or an essential oil, in my bag, to smell when I become anxious - it helps to ground me and bring me back to the now.

Meditation is also good for mindfulness, there are plenty of good guided meditation videos on YouTube. I watch and listen to 'The Anxiety Guy' often.

I'm yet to try CBT as I'm working my way through EMDR at the moment but I've heard nothing but good things about it so I definitely think that's worth looking into.

You have my sympathies they really are awful things to suffer with.

Yes and it’s so so awful. It’s life altering and not in a good way.

What worked for me? A mixture of anti depressants (venafaxine) and giving up alcohol. In fact the latter was a game changer. Xxx

Yes! Although I don't have them so much anymore, but had a long period (years) of having them fairly regularly. These days I'm mostly sticking to a constant anxious state . The first time I had one I was very very sick with the swine flu and when the panic attack hit I didn't realise that's what it was, I called an ambulance because I thought I was actually dying.

Propranolol did absolutely nothing for me but I have heard they work for many. The only thing that works for me is Lorazepam but doctors tend not to be too happy to give these out.

Alcohol and caffeine can make the feelings worse , might help you to give those up

I think you have to do all the sensible things: no caffeine or alcohol, eat healthily and exercise. Also do headspace app a few times a day.

Learn about what is actually happening, it's your body's response etc. Belly breathing is a saviour.

The biggest thing for me was tackling the source of the anxiety.

I've suffered from what I later suspected to be panic attacks from the age of about 9 years old to early 20's at the worst.

I had no idea what was happening to me other than feeling intensely anxious, usually in a warm crowded room at school where I felt I couldn't cough or make a sound.
I would feel my throat close up and I'd start coughing constantly and was completely unable to breathe in. It's horrible.

Anything I've read about panic attacks never mentioned the throat closing up/unable to draw breath so I don't know if it was PA or something else. I do know that it was intensely horrific and embarrassing for me.

I get the throat thing, it's terrifying when you don't know what it is.

I thought it was anaphylaxis.

Yes me too haven't had one in a while until recently when I felt my heart had stopped beating throat closing up and everything started to go black. Felt wobbly all the day after. I bloody hate them! I'm going to try hypnotherapy as my life is very stressful and I've been through an absolute shit load this year. I thought I was coping but my anxiety is through the roof. Am on a waiting list for NHS urgent counselling and 4 months on am only halfway up the list I've been using headspace the past couple of weeks and it does help me. Hugs to you all they are horrid things x

POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia) is often misdiagnosed as panic attacks or anxiety. See POTS UK website for info and ensure no underlying medical reason for these attacks.

I had them as a symptom of PTSD and it was horrendous so I do empathise
I still get terrible anxiety attacks when I encounter certain triggers but the full blown panic doesn’t happen any more and thankfully it happens less frequently. I had some CBT, lots of EMDR and also take beta blockers. Mindfulness has been a life changer for me too. Also pretty much cut out caffeine and alcohol and tried to have a walk/ jog most days.
I hope things improve for you soon