Panic attacks and anxiety

[gingerninja]

HI, not sure if this is the place to post. Hopefully someone can offer some advice.

A friend had a baby 6 weeks ago and has been having panic attacks and overwhelming feelings of anxiety. She said she doesn't feel stressed, anxious or overwhelmed about anything to do with the baby. She feels that she's coping really well but she is getting these physical sensations of total panic and can't control it or see where it's coming from. Apparently she has occasionly had them pre baby.

I'd like to be able to offer her some kind of asurity that it's temporary and that hormones, sleep deprivation and emotion maybe compounding so I wonder if anyone has experienced this and what did you do, did it go etc etc.
I'll post this somewhere else too and see if I can get a mix of responses. Many thanks

Get her Self Help For Your Nerves by Claire Weekes via Amazon - there is also an audio version which your friend can listen to if she finds reading time hard. Also google a self-help group called Panic Stations.

this happened to a friend of mine, turned out that it was a thyroid problem...

i only say this because she had the heart thmping panic feelings but no symptoms of stress or anxiety.
GP just sent off a load of bloods for her and lo and behold it was her thyroid.
on medication and great now.

a possibility.

Thanks for the advice both, Dissle, very interesting. She does have low iron levels and blood pressure so it's plausable imo that it's part of an imbalance. Thanks again

I suffer from time to time

Last time it presented itseldf with the physical symptome first, strangely enough after I had ds.

She could try nomorepanic.com (or co.uk, im not sure). The fact that she is semi aware of whats going on is good in that she can try and see it off before they cause her too much trouble.

Coupled with a newborn though, it can be a tricky time.

Practically, ask her what would be most helpful. Its good that she has a friend like you.

Ultimately a trip to the gp isnt the end of the world if it becomes a bit much.