Anyone get panic attacks?

Did you get DX?
Do you get them for no reason?
How did you know they were PA?

Anyone get panic attacks?

PA pro here. years & years & years...........

i would get them if something was triggered and also for no known reason

If you are in suffolk & need reccs, I have a ton

Message edited 10/19/2012 4:29:46 PM.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

I live in NC, so don't need the recs, but I am trying to figure out what's going on with me.

I can be completely fine (I was changing my DD diaper, like usual) & then BAM hot, jittery, sweating, blurry/tunnel vision, very nauseous. basically I HAVE to lay down or I feel I will faint (which I've done in the past). TMI, but almost always I have to use the bathroom after the attack starts.

I tested my blood sugar (cause the dr thought it might be related, I was just there wed & had it happen Thursday). It was normal.

I drank some water & then back to normal. (if it was sugar related, water wouldn't return me to normal). Although felt worn out all of yesterday afterwards.

I've had this happen occasionally, but this was the first time it happened while alone. I had my 2yo with me & had to pick-up my DD at PreK. So now I'm so scared it'll happen again, since they are so out of the blue.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

I used to. Within a year I was in and out of the ER because I swore I was having a heart attack. They would hook me up to the heart monitor, do blood work and everything would come back normal. So they diagnosed me with PA. At the time I had a lot of scary medical things going on too, and I was anxious about it, so PA made sense.

I did not want to take any medication and I saw a therapist who helped me tremendously.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

I used to get them daily, a few times a day. That was years ago. Went to therapy and took medication for about 2.5 years. Slowly went off the medication and therapy. Since then, I still get them. They come out of nowhere it seems.

I learned through therapy how to cope while it's happening and I always have xanax on me "just in case"

I do know for a fact that artificial Sweetener will bring one on and fast. So if you consume any artificial sweeteners, try to cut them out and see if it makes a difference. It did for me.

Message edited 10/20/2012 12:06:55 PM.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

I have had some panic attacks. They are terrible:( And all the same stuff happens to me including the bathroom! One trigger for me is wine. Not a lot of wine and not all wine. But sometimes if I drink a couple of glasses I will have major panic attack the next day.The first time it happened I was in a class in college. I thought I was going to die!! Maybe keep a food diary to see if anything you ingest leads to them.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

So panic attacks can be triggered by foods? This is so odd for me! My Dr is sending me to a cardiologist to ensure it's nothing wrong there.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

My gosh so many variables. So why are they called panic attacks? I sorta think it's because you panic out of fear, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

Something sets off your "Fight or Flight" response. It puts your body and mind into a panic. And then you start to worry about WHY you feel like that, then it turns into - well maybe it's my heart... it snowballs.

Panic attacks suck!! I spent so much of my life afraid of getting them. I still get them, but not as often. I usually know when it's coming and I take a xanax to nip it in the bud.

Get your thyroid checked and stop all artificial sweeteners, lower caffeine intake.

Hopefully those changes will help

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

Every time I've gotten the "attack" (I'm not ready to call them panic), I'm literally doing a normal everyday thing & bam I get hot, nauseous, sweaty, & have to lay because of fear of fainting.

My thyroid is normal, I dont use artificial sweeteners....but caffeine NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! But the last 2 times I didn't even have any yet.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

That's exactly what happens. I remember telling my therapist that I was woken out of a dead sleep with one. Seems to happen more when you aren't actually "thinking or stressing" about something. Just out of the blue. Something is off. Your body should only go into fight or flight when faced with a threat or challenge. Not when - I dunno - folding laundry! But it does. Something is chemically off to make your body do that.

They say to stay away from caffeine or any stimulants for that matter. It only adds fuel to the fire.

Not just your thyroid, but para thyroid. Some Drs do a TSH test and if it's within normal limits never look at it again. When you are dealing with something as scary as panic attacks, you have to be your own advocate and make sure you check for EVERYTHING and ANYTHING that can be physically causing them.

Like I said, it took years to find my triggers and in the meantime I went to therapy and started an anti-anxierty medication. Both helped me so much. It's still a part of my life. I will never be 100% panic free. But I am much better at dealing with them and knowing when it's coming.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

Very interesting!

VERY frustrating!!!!!

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

Have you gone through any life changing events?After I gave birth to my second I felt very overwhelmed. I had a them like 3 or 4 times. Stree, caffeine, alcohol can trigger them. For me it was a who,e new overwhelming phase In Life.im very much a type a perfectionist so I am sure this neurotic type of personality has done me in. However I have calmed down, tried to realizes that this too shall pass. I really try to relax as much as possible, such as exercising, especially running. I haven't had one since. Never took meds, never saw a dr. Just acknowledging something "was up" and became proactive.

Anyone get panic attacks?

I Just saw this now..and I was thinking your symptoms sound kind of like ocular migraines.

My mom suffers from them and they can be rough. Maybe metion that to your doctor?

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

honestly your issue doesn't sound like a panic attack. you could have hypoglycemia -next time it happens suck on some candies and see if it resolves.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

It's not hypoglycemia, that's bee ruled out with bloodwork, & even testing during a recent episode.

Nothing recently has changed. I'm a SAHM to a 41/2 & 2yo.

I JUST got into a car accident this last wed, so we will see if they occur more now. My car was totalled & im in pain still & frustrated about not living my normal life. Plus im shaken up & anxious about what could have happened, or what could have happened if my girls were with me.

Then I'll be convinced it's PA. But i havent had one in over a month, & I honestly don't think they are.

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

DH was in a bad accident a few years ago & since then I would get panic attacks BAD! Over the years they've died down (I, too, went to a cardiologist to rule out a heart condition ). When they do happen, it's during my sleep... I will wake up with a jolt & not be able to catch my breath. The first time was a few days after DH's accident & I was asleep in my bed & all of a sudden woke up standing in the hallway not being able to catch my breath & wondering the hell I got there! Lately it will still happen in my sleep but not as frequent (usually a stressful event during the day will trigger one at night) I'm Getting much better though- It's gotten to the point where I think I'm mentally able to control it.... When it happens now I just tell myself "u r ok! U r ok!" Scary when it happens, though. I hope it never happens to you again

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask if you notice these attacks are related to a certain point in your cycle?

Because I find that at certain points of my monthly cycle, I get symptoms similar to what you described.
I get hot, sweaty, panicky feeling, sometimes kind of naseous, etc
For no real reason.
I kind of noticed a pattern that it happens at the same point in my menstrual cycle- almost like my hormones are causing it.

Just a thought....

Re: Anyone get panic attacks?

We thought maybe it's related to my hormones too (my DH is a PA, so he's been trying to go through everything too). There isn't an exact time, they occur anywhere from 1-2weeks after my period. But I did do some continuation BC pill pack over the summer, so that might be the cause.

I went to the cardiologist & he seems to think they aren't panic attacks & a vascular issue. After thanksgiving I'm getting a monitor to wear to see if it detects something, then more tests if necessary. He did say it might be something I might have to live with, he'd rather not resort to meds if it isn't life threatening. I guess it's a waiting game to see what the tests show.