please please help me with these panic/anxiety attacks xxx

[nikcola]

this is from my other thread .....

ok been taking tabs for 2 weeks now, no side affects thank god but the panic atttracks are getting really bad so bad i dont want to leave the house today was really bad....

today was dd's x mas carol concert at nursey at 10.30am so i dropped her off at nursery at 9am then went back at 10.20am for the carols i felt ok was prepared but felt sort of calm, i stepped in to the hall there was about 20 people in there so i got a seat then i started to swaet and shake my heart was pounding so i fanned my face with paper and tryed breathing exercises,

then it got worse so i went a sat in the loo for 5 mins then i came back even more poeple where in there,

so i sat back down and it got so bad my eyes went black i couldnt see properlly so i rushed out in to the loo sat down and blackedout i couldnt control it im so embarresd emagine if id have faitnted infront of dd

i watched out side from the door, what the hell is wrong with me why arent tabs working im too scared to go out now

im on citalopram tablets btw xxx

I've heard of the idea that when you get panicky tell yourself 5 things you can see, touch, smell, hear, want, and it basically distracts you from panicking more, is that worth a try?

i cant think when its happening i just need to get out of where i am x

Oh dear in that case sorry can't help, but hope you get better soon. xx

x

Wear an elastic band round your wrist (or one of your dds hair ties) and whenever you feel a panic attack coming on flick the band against the inside of your wrist - where your puls point is. That should help you if you're struggling to get to the doctor's.

It works on the same principle that a slap across the face does - you know like the ones men give hysterical women in old movies. Jolts you enough to let you think straight again.

ok will try it when i go to docs

It does work, I promise.

I'm off to bed now - night.

ok thanks, night x

hi nik, havent seen your other thread. ive had panic attacks for years but luckily they arent so bad now. the last one i had was during my tribunal, it was the second (and strangely less stressful day when we stopped for lunch). i was absolutely fine (well as much as i could be) and all of a sudden the floor started spinning and i started shaking and feeling faint. i went into the toilets, sat down and thought "right, i have no choice here. i have to calm down because in 20 minutes i have to walk back into that room" i think i forced myself out of it.

i try to distract myself usually, maybe go into another room for a few minutes, do the breathing exercises or if its possible i get the mobile out and phone someone (my friend is used to this and just chats to me about nothing in particular) which kind of..im not sure, maybe it brings back that sense of reality somehow. i also tell myself over and over that everything is fine, and there's no danger. i try to empty my mind, not think of anything in particular and just look at what is around me. dont know if any of this helps but it works quite well for me.

hope you're feeling better soon.

thanks sn,

i took dd to school, i ran in and ran back out like i normally do, will ring docs later x

im supposed to be going shopping (dp gave me money to get my x mas prezzie, its a 22ct gold bracelet) but i have to go to the indian jewelers but im too scared as they have two locked doors to get in iynwim you have to press the bell then they let you in and im scarred i wont be able to get out i really want to go

couldnt go through with going to jewlers, went to wilkingsons instead and had to walk out as its getting worse , not appointments with gp till monday x

Nik - just try and get through the days till Monday. Might be worth seeing if NHS Direct can give any helpful advice. Hopefully it is just the tablets that are making you feel worse, so once you stop the tablets you'll be back to normal. If you do get out again, you might find Bach Rescue Remedy helpful (you should be able to find it in Boots or Holland and Barrett)

Nikola, one of the side effects of Citalopram is panic attacks - it sounds as if maybe the Citalopram is making your problem worse rather than better at the moment. When I started taking Citalopram the GP told me that the side effects could mean things might get worse before they got better, but that usually that goes away after a couple of weeks. Sometimes it doesn't, but changing the ads will probably improve things.

Can you try and get an emergency appointment with the GP? Otherwise if things get worse and you really feel you can't cope, you can go to A&E and ask to see the duty psychiatrist who may be able to help you with your meds.

i will try,

im, so sngry with myself , i have got loads of shopping left to do before x mas and i cant go, im too bloody scared, will try and get a emergency appointment for tomoorw x

I used to get panic attacks years ago when I was going through a stressful time and I can recommend the Bach Rescue Remedy. It could just be a psycological (sp?) crutch and just water in the bottle for all I know but it did help.

Also, try to breath deeply and count very slowly to 10 till you feel yourself coming under control.

My trigger was at the supermarket. I would be fine, then join a queue and if someone came behind me, I would feel trapped etc.

Keep a paper bag in your handbag. If the panic attack takes over and you find that you are breathing rapidly, take slow deep breaths into the paper bag. Hopefully this will lessen the likelyhood of blacking out. It will help, honestly!

How are you doing, nikcola?

hi, seam a bit better today managed to go to the butchers and to sainsburys even though it was really busy just hope these tabs start working xxx thanks for asking btw xxxxxx

Glad that it's been a bit better today. Are you still seeing the GP on Monday?

yas will still go on monday, have to go for something else anyway x

yas will still go on monday, have to go for something else anyway x

will let you know how i get on tomoorw x

best of luck for tomorrow nik. hope you are feeling a bit better this weekend.