Fellow Panic Attack sufferers what meds are you on? Thinking I may need to up mine?

[Curiousmama]

I'm on citalopram 20mg but have found I'm starting to have panic attacks again I'm heavier by at least 1.5 stone since I started on them do you think it can make a difference to the mg you take?

I had a big one in town today, felt like I couldn't breathe, had warm feeling all over, felt as if I was going to faint. I know it's a PA as once home I was ok and still am.

I've asked my GP to ring me and she is on Friday so she'll probably advise. I just wanted to hear others stories as am really fed up. I'm hoping to become self employed soon as a mobile hairstylist. It's something I'm really good at, been qualified for ages but am starting to wonder if it's feasible?

I hate them

My nana had them and for years didn't go out, I don't want to end up like that though as I love the outdoors plus have 2 dss.

poor you

Im currently on 75mg clomipramine (a tricyclic) although doesnt appear to be working for me at the moment.

In the past I took seroxat which seemed to work but the withdrawal was very difficult.

Have you tried any cbt etc for the panic attacks and do you have any other symptoms.
Only ask because I find it very very difficult to control depression and general anxiety symptoms myself but over the years have had more success is dealing with panic attacks myself.

So all the breathing exercises. Telling myself its just a panic attack etc.

Hi thanks for replying kizzie. Yes I've tried the breathing exercises and telling myself it's only a PA etc... Haven't had CBT but may ask my Gp if she can put me forward for some as I know the wait is very long. I bought a book on it as know it works, some friends have had it for other anxiety related illnesses.

The strangest things trigger one. I went into specsavers with dp today...previously I'd had a PA in there...and guess what!! Not sure if it's the lights or just a subconscious trigger? I had the worst PA I'd had in ages. Guess I shouldn't have gone to specsavers

I'm having an MRI scan tomorrow for other symptoms that the drs don't think are related but who knows? Hopefully that will come back ok?

I often have panic attacks in the same places. I think its triggered by fear of another attack (sounds silly I know)

I don't take any meds. I find talking to my husband and breathing techniques work for me. Not as easy as meds but I never wanted to rely on them.

paula do you work? I can just about cope but it's trying to make a living that's the worry. I really want to go back to work very soon as I love it.

I'm on 40g citalopram

panic attacks maybe once a fortnight but all to do with neil stuff that needs doing so not really a comparison

Yes Trinity you're bound to have them or at least some anxiety related illness. Thanks for your message though.

I'm a sahm which is plenty of work. Maybe work would help you focus less on them.

sorry I should probably explain

I have had a panic disirder for at least ten years now and bad depression
so have been on citalopram (and others) for a looong time

if I dont take them it gets much more frequent

I guess I meant without the neil thing I would be panic attack free on 40 mg I reckon

Trinity thanks for that, sorry you have PAs to deal with amongst everything else. I've been on and off citalopram for a few years and have gone long periods without but then need them again.

The strange thing is I'm pretty fearless in everyday life. I'm the one who sorts everyone else out and nothing phases me. I don't know about you all but do you sometimes find people have no understanding of Panic?

Take last night, my dss were on their bikes at the park over the road. I had a funny feeling as if something wasn't right ( I am psychic too but that's another story) I noticed a big gang of youths, around 20 plus of them, just over the road on the football field. So, I put my dog on the lead and went over only to see 2 of the lads, aged around 16, having a punch up. Luckily my 2 were off the other side. I stood for a while then when I heard one of them say 'get him down and kick him in the head' I rang the police. No one else was doing anything so thought I had to. Then I went over to them as they were just eyeing each other up, both with battered noses, one bleeding a lot. The one bleeding most was with the gang. I told them not to be so stupid and to take a look at the state of their noses! Anyway, I got a bit of cheek not much though. You could tell they both really didn't want to fight and it was bravado. Anyway I said you're both pathetic and walked a bit away. Soon after it broke up and the one on his own told me it all started with a comment on bloody facebook! Bless him he said to me, does my nose really look awful. I said it doesn't look too good get it checked.

Dss had gone past me by now and gone home. I spoke to a couple of my friends on the phone, one thought I was bonkers the other said they'd have done the same.

I'm probably bonkers but I couldn't have forgiven myself if it'd got really nasty. Plus I get so bloody fed up of gangs spoiling our lovely park.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is panic isn't about being scared of everything is it? It's something in us that isn't wired right and nothing to be ashamed of.

Paula, sorry wasn't trying to imply being a SAHM isn't enough. I've been one for ages and my boys are older now, 9 and 12, so think it's about time I got back to it. Plus I love hairdressing and am good at it. I still do friends and family but would like to get some extra cash.

meant fazes

I found the newish anti-depressants made my panic and axniety worse to a point of freaking out and decided to come off them all together and go for cognative therapy.

I personally see anti-depressants as a temporary measure and thereafter you need to learn to control your thoughts.

I paid for the therapy and changed my life lots. It was worth it. I wouldnt be keen to go back on anti-depress unless I felt so so bad. May be a thought???

Thanks bacon glad you're ok now

Not to worry, I knew you weren't.

Good

Hi, there are other medications out there, not just ADs for panic attacks that you may be offered, if you can explain how the PAs affecting you. And the new IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological services ) initiative may mean your gp can refer you to online cbt (need gp access for some) while you wait for something else. Most gp practices have a counselling provision, which gives about 6 sessions, which is shorter wait than other avenues also.

Hope you get the help you need.

thanks keziahhopes that's very helpful.

Gp rang this morning and I'm up to 40mg now and also going to get cbt online. I had a good day in town with no panic!! I've been reading a lot of CBT for dummies and am trying to confront it without props..ok am on meds but sometimes I sit down when dizzy etc...
I was at the job centre today talking about work etc... and when I started explaining about panic it started...I just said to myself 'I know what you are go away' and it did! Sounds mad but it worked.

Perfect, see it does work, you are in control of my our brain, not the otherway around.

Make a list of everything in your life that you hate, love, enjoy doing etc etc. And then you can see how you can change it slowly

I also got terrible dizzy spells. They freaked me out so much I felt as though my brain was free floating in my head, horrible.

I get really annoyed with GPs attitude to depression, its not good enough to be thrown pills and let to get on with it I am sure the NHS would save a fortune is they had more mental health doctors avail at the surgery.

Propranolol. I had a generalised panic disorder which made me virtually housebound for a good few years in my early twenties.

Propranolol got me out of the house initially, but the one thing that helped me on the road to recovery was accepting that panic attacks were a part of who I was, and not something to fight against or run away from.

I haven't had a full blown attack in about a decade now (wahayyy!), but I have had some very stressful times in my life (death of both parents, redundancy, new jobs etc) and during those times I've felt the old feelings coming back, but for some reason they only get to a certain level now before melting away.

I think that you have to find your trigger points and approach them gently, one by one.

You need to recognise what makes it worse for you -mine are not getting enough sleep, hangovers and pmt. Understanding this gives you an understanding that it's not the situation that's making you panic, but your underlying mental state, which in turn makes it easier to to confront the things that you avoid in case they trigger an attack.

Once you've recognised your triggers, you can eliminate them before you plan to do something that you worry will trigger an attack.

Restaurants was a biggie with me. I started by going alone to a cafe for a cuppa on a day when I was feeling good, having had plenty of sleep, no pmt, no hangover etc. I then notched it up over time (lunch somewhere quiet, pizza in the early evening) until I could go for dinner with a friend without thinking to much about it. Don't get me wrong, if I have a plan to eat out with a friend, I won't throw caution to the wind and will always make sure that I get a good night's sleep and not drink anything the night before, and that's part of having accepted it as part of me.

I'm not a doc, or a psychologist, just someone who has been right down there with constant anxiety so understands how debilitating it is, but also knows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it isn't necessarily a train coming in the opposite direction

Good luck!

Thanks for your replies bacon and Cogitoergosum. It's good to hear such a positive story

I still feel great. It's been hot here today and the sun has made me feel even more positive

I'll take it one day at a time but was really pleased how the job centre went as last time I had one in there I had to ask them to put a fan on and felt like I was going to keel over.

Bacon do you mind if I ask which type of therapy it was that you found so helpful. Thanks