# so-called panic attacks?

Category: Health and Wellness

## Post 1 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 7:08:34

Hi guys.

## Post 2 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 9:18:33

I get Panick attacks. I wouldn't say it is fun. I get them especially during the summer. Thismorning when I got up I was like a zomby. That happen some times because of the medication I think.

## Post 3 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 9:20:43

ther'es medication for it? or are you on meds for something else?

## Post 4 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 9:25:54

I take venlafaxine for my depression and Seroqual to keep me calm. It works most of the time. I am also on medication for Epilepsy.

## Post 5 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 11:52:53

ah i see smile. one thing I am trying right now, is to do a log of when I get attacks on the pc. just use notepad, and type this as your first line:
.LOG
Once you do that, and save it, the next time you open it, it'll stick the time and date in the file, and place you on the line below that to start typing. Don't forget to include the period though, and make the log word, all capitals.
I figured it'd give me something to concentrate on, and hopefully minimize me freaking out as I normally do.
All I'll put in there, is what the symptoms are, what I was doing before it kicked in, then rate my stress levels from 1 to 10. Where 1 is no stress at all, and 10 is wanting to kill the next person who irritates you, grin. For example, right now I'm at about a 3, because I keep having to retype the word irritate, as I keep messing it up.
Stay cool,
TL

## Post 6 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 12:15:29

That's whatmy psychologist used to do withme on a rating 1 to ten. They do that on a yahoo group for depression to that I elong to.

## Post 7 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Sunday, 27-May-2007 12:23:15

ah right. Not exactly a new brilliant idea of mine then, grin. Still it's worth a go I reckon. I'll try anything to manage these bloody things.

## Post 8 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Wednesday, 30-May-2007 12:25:17

Went to the heart specialist today, and it seems this lot may not be panic attacks after all. Not sure as yet what is happening to me, but they want me to have an angiogram and a 24 hour tape. wish me luck lol.

## Post 9 by sugarbaby (The voice of reason) on Wednesday, 30-May-2007 13:49:12

tis tricky. I suffered similar simptoms when I was 18. Was in my last year at school at the time so put it down to stress about final exams. I never told anyone because I thought I was losing the plot.
I think that one of the problems with these types of things is that one can cause another etc, you have one attack, it's so scary that you think about it, it, and the more you think about it, the more you panic that you may experience it again, and the more you think like that, the more chance there is that you will experience it again and so on, if that makes sense? The way I dealt with it at the time was to try as much as possible not to think about it, and when it happened, to sit down and to breathe very slowly, very deeply, and to think about something nice, and it almost always passed.
It turned out that my own simptoms were caused by an overactive thyroid which was diagnosed and successfully treated two years later.
These simptoms can be caused by lots of other things as well though. I've had palpitations since then and it's turned out that these are because of the amount of coke I drink, so giving up coke stopped them happening within hours. do you drink much coffee? much coke? high cafeen intake can be a major contributing factor. Try cutting out the amount of cafeen you drink and see if that makes a difference, ask for a thyroid check at the hospital, it may be something that's easily treated through medication or change to diet/lifestyle.
good luck.

## Post 10 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Wednesday, 30-May-2007 14:58:14

This morning my heart was beating faster than normal. But I think it was me starting to panick that the bus was late. Don't know why I did because the bus is always later on a Wednesday. Last year my sister had to have a tape for her heart. To find out why it was going faster than usual. but she never found out.

## Post 11 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Wednesday, 30-May-2007 15:21:00

claire, lot of sense there. Yes I drink shit loads of coffee, coke, and even mountain dew and code red when I can get it. And as for one bringing on another... lol I can see how that would happen. Also thinking about it while it's happening can also make it worse. Damn vicious circle it is, grin. With me though, I'm hoping that they can find a common cause, like you with too much coke, too much stress at exam time etc, get rid of that and viola, all done. May not be that simple, but let's hope lol. But no more coke, coffee, mountain dew, and code red? *sulks* Not fair! Oh well I suppose I could cut back a bit. I guess it's kind of like being a big doughnut fan, and being diagnosed diabetic, grin. That'd have to suck, badly, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do don't ya.

## Post 12 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Saturday, 02-Jun-2007 1:38:26

I had to see a psychologist for panic attacks back in October, 2006. He gave me some progressive muscle relaxation excercises to practise to prevent further panic attacks. That's if you don't need medication, though. Hopefully, I never will.

## Post 13 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Saturday, 02-Jun-2007 6:23:01

hmm that's one to try also. Recent events would suggests that what I'm experiencing isn't panic attacks at all. Or if they are, they're brought about by something entirely physical, and so controlable/fixable. We'll know more after the tests though.

## Post 14 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Saturday, 02-Jun-2007 11:33:03

I have medication and theripy to help me with panick attacks. But with the medication no drinking alchol. I don't drink much anyway.

## Post 15 by Albanac (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Thursday, 05-Jul-2007 6:25:28

Na I can leave that alone too these days. Last drink I had was nearly a year ago. Small update on my stuff while I'm here, it turns out it's not panic attacks after all, (bloody doctors). Went into hospital about 3 weeks ago with chest pain. They did a bunch of tests and found that my acid levels, salt levels, calcium levels, B12 levels, and a few other things were a bit screwy. (I'm also a kidney patient). While I was in they also did an angiogram, which discovered that I have a 70% blockage in one of my coronary arteries. Needless to say I am now on a few more meds, am awaiting an angioplasty, (or however you spell it), and have given up cigarettes. This is my third non-smoking week, not! fun! I'm doing it though. Already things are improving. Anyway just thought I'd share, smile. Cheers, Simon.