Waking up to panic attack any advice?

[Vlcos157]

Since lockdown began my anxiety has taken a nosedive. I keep it under control for other people but I spend hours in the evenings in a heightened state of panic.

I have taken ciltropram previously so started back on 10mgs this week. Feel awful for having to go back on it.

Thus morning 6am I woke up with a panic attack like I could not breathe I managed to get it under control.

I am worried every health complaint is covid and I'll end up in a and e.

My dad died suddenly on Dec 30th and I think that is contributing.

What I wouldn't give to be normal :-(

I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. Massive hugs to you. And please, please don't feel bad about going back on Citalopram. You haven't been defeated, you're a strong person that recognised that you deserve that kind of self care and support. You aren't alone in having a bad anxiety patch at the moment. I'm back on propranolol which I know I will need to come off when TTC later in the year but right now? It's either the meds or stop functioning. This will pass but do what you need to in order to ride it out. I find getting out in the garden first thing in a morning makes me feel more positive about the day. Find what works for you x

@CraftyGardener Morning and thank you for your reply. Your right I've had this medication in my bag for a month battling on if to take it because if I do it's failure. Yesterday I finally took it, its worked for me before I was on it 6 months and tappered of for years. Its this or getting worse. So I know it's not a bad thing.
I think because I am furloughed it's making it worse routine works better for me. I can function 95 of the time. Night's are hard. I hope today is OK for you x

If you had any other kind of illness you would not feel bad for taking medication, so try to see it as what it is.
I call mine "flare ups". Because I also have had eczema. I see it the same way, sometimes my eczema flares up, some times my anxiety flares up.

When I have panic attacks I try and distract my mind. I have a few that I go to:

• List everything in the room that is a certain colour
• Think of as many animals as you can beginning with a certain letter
• Check in with your senses, what can you see, what can you hear. List them in your head.

Keeping my mind busy helps me get my breathing under control, and then I can start with deep breathing.

I dont know if any of this is useful, but I hope something might be.

I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. It's more than understandable that now is a tough time for you. Be kind to yourself.

Don’t feel bad for taking medication.
What works as distraction? If anything. Have you ever had any CBT?

@Mumoblue your right I take medication for other things why not this. I am almost embarrassed to say I take medication for anxiety or need it. I don't know why.

The distraction techniques you have listed sound really helpful I will give them a go!

@Wolfiefan keeping busy works and thats what I do all day on the go but at night my mind takes over. Twice since lockdown i have had to wake my husband at 3am. He is so understanding.

Never had CBT but I have had therapy which I found really helpful. Just taking to someone was helpful who listened.

I'll look into. Thank you

I found CBT really useful. It’s about how you think and act.
I’m on medication. I’m not embarrassed. If I am not well then I do what I need to do to feel better.
Distraction techniques sound great. Also if you’re keeping BUSY during the day then you may need to think about how to wind down and prepare for bed. Any exercise? Mindfulness? Yoga? Escapist crap on TV or reading?
I knit or crochet or read or watch TV (only certain stuff!) I have a glass of wine or a hot drink or a glass of tonic or elderflower. I would have a soak in the bath but my eczema isn’t great.

May not be relevant to you but I also find if I have a drink the hangxiety is real. When I'm going through a rough patch avoiding alcohol really helps. Not only because one glass of wine means I don't feel like doing anything useful for the rest of the day (cue productivity guilt) but it also makes my anxiety spike for the next 24 hours.

@Wolfiefan good thinking I go from being mega busy to sitting down in front of tv to bed. Mind whirls and I can't concentrate, don't sleep then feel groggy.

My brain does not seem to switch of. I build every little thing up to life threatening something has got to change.

@CraftyGardener good point I'm not a big drinker but during lockdown I have probably been drinking a bit more in the evening to relax myself but it's probably making me worse!

I know if I don’t wind down carefully then my night is awful. Something can change. Do see if you can talk to your GP.

@Wolfiefan I will call them tomorrow

Good luck today.

Thank you @Wolfiefan GP has arranged for me to speak to someone about possible CBT or counselling next week to see which may be best.

Sticking to my meds and trying not to focus on things. One day at a time. Hope you are OK x

I’m so pleased you have a plan. Having a glass of wine and binge watching TV!! Hope they call soon. X

@Wolfiefan Tea and gavin and Stacey for me :-) I have got a telephone consultation Tuesday so small steps.

But steps in the right direction. And that’s the Important thing. Enjoying a massive mug of tea this morning. I might even have a second. Love tea!

@Wolfiefan me to then to tackle home school. Hope your day goes OK x

Good luck. I was struggling with aerodynamics yesterday.

Are you eating well? I find that I wake up in a panic when my B12 levels are low. A few days of a very high strength lozenge (dissolves under the tongue, not swallowed, for better absorption) and it goes away.

I also have sky high morning cortisol levels. If I get to bed early I wake up really ‘wired’ so I tend to stay up late and sleep through the worst of it now! I’m sure the late nights probably mess up my circadian rhythm even more, but in the short term, maybe look at bedtimes and nutrition. If you’re a veggie or eat very few dark green leafy veg and red meat you’re likely a bit low in B12.

@MarkRuffaloCrumble interesting point. My B12 was super low a few years back then after a couple of years on high dose vitamin it was tested and to high. I take B12 of and on, I also tested low for vit d and ferritin so absorption is not great.

I am eating better now than ever because I am actually cooking more since being on lockdown. Definitely worth looking at!

Yes I would definitely try and get it tested again if its something you've suffered with in the past. For me it coincided with a very stressful time for me, so I presumed it was that, but once the stressful time had ended and I was back to normal, the palpitations and waking up in a panic continued. Once I addressed the B12 issue it went away. Hope you get it sorted one way or the other

@MarkRuffaloCrumble is your B12 on prescription or can you buy over the counter? I wonder about my B12 levels (real problems with progesterone levels, family history of pernicious anaemia) but haven never quite known where to start. I have crippling anxiety to the point of hospitalisation, but it starts as a physical and emotional feeling rather than in response to any identifiable thought (so CBT less helpful), so I have wondered if there is something physical at play

I just buy it from Amazon. Make sure it’s the methylcobalamin version, not the cyanocobalamin, as that’s a synthetic type and not as easy for the body to use.

Jarrow do some good ones - this is what I have at the moment but there’s also a cherry version which is even stronger.