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one of the worst days please someone give advice

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Posted 7/29/2009 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
i woke in severe panic had to call off work could not drive went to see my physchiatrist she already has me on paxil 40mg which she up ed 3 weeks ago as this all started 6 wks ago and has not let up actually worse it seems. now she wants to add effector in the am what do you think. all these meds how am i supposed to know when i feel normal again if im on so many meds. and now i had to take a leave from work .im a nurse and cant believe this happening to me again. 7 years ago it happened but i was going through a bad divorce now nothing going on it just hit out of no where. can this last the rest of my life without breaks in it for awhile. do i have any hope to look forward to like it will pass again for awhile. i just cant take much more. now my heart ekg s are abnormal they say this cant hurt you but it is taking a toll ive lost 13 lbs in 6 weeks and heart arrhtymias are starting someone please talk to me here im alone and not making it well.
Posted 7/29/2009 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
nanas4

Hello this is Kitt and I am a nurse too.  It does seem being a nurse we really hate the idea of having any kind of disorder and this was hard for me to accept too but I have had anxiety for a long time now. I have managed to learn to accept this disorder and use the meds and therapy and make it through.  I just want you to know that you will make it. :-)

The meds do take somtimes up to 6-8 weeks to work and often you have to try several to find the right combo. 

I am wondering if you have room to move up on your Paxil?  I know often a combo of meds work but please do feel comfortable in talking with your Doctor about the "whys" of the changes in medications.

Be your own best advocate and you will do well.  Keep on talking with us as we are here to support you.

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

Posted 7/29/2009 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hello! wink I know exactly how you feel. I've been there. Yes, you will see happier times again. Something must have triggered these panic attacks. Did something happen weeks ago to bring all of this on? Remember, the cure to panic attacks is getting through them without adding second fear. Some people may never have another panic attack and others are prone to them.

Don't fret about the heart beats. I've been dealing with those since November. It took many months for me to get convinced that my heart was fine and that these strange beats or fast beats wouldn't harm my heart. Once you know all of these symptoms are harmless, they will subside. They have for me. I remind myself that they are harmless. I just let them happen without fearing them.

I agree with Kitt that increasing your anti-depressant sounds better than introducing another new med. But, I'm not a professional and the doctors know best most of the time. It's probably a personal decision and something you should bring up with your psych. Your body is getting used to the anti-depressant. It will take time and then you'll feel so much better.

Get rid of negative thoughts. Make sure you're eating properly, no caffeine and getting some sort of exercise. Happier times are ahead! Don't give up and stay positive!!

Posted 7/29/2009 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
hi. ive been having a tough time with panic/anxiety attacks lately. ive had them off and on since i was about 6. i didnt know what they were then, but i sure do now. one thing that gets me through the rough times, along with my meds, is the knowledge that i WILL feel better. that bad feeling will not last forever. do you take anything for when your panic attacks are really bad? i take xanax. it helps. im also on several anti panic/anxiety meds. i hope u feel better soon. please keep in touch.
Posted 7/29/2009 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
Yep, reminding yourself that you will feel better helps tremendously! Our biggest problem is negative thinking. If you can change that, you'll be a whole lot better!!
Posted 7/30/2009 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
thanks so much it helps to here from others as noone i know can understand what i am going through. i want to answer some of the questions .i have been taking 30 mg of paxil for 7 years and if i had a anxiety or panic attack which was rare i would take half a ativan for a few days and would be fine. this happened to me years ago and it lasted 4 wks or so the first med paxil helped great. now it has been 3 wks since they have up d my paxil to 40 mg but no relief so they want effexor if ni spelled it right added .im fearful to take so many meds. xanax does not work for me. so the ativan is it when i have severe panic but they want me taking the ativan every 4 hours rather i need it or not for a few weeks which i have done but no relief . im in a panic nightmare 24 /7 for 6 wks now i just dont know how much more a person can take.
Posted 7/30/2009 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
oh yes i want to add also as forgot on the last post that i have read on here where some people never get better and end up house bound and living in fear forever .now im scared even worse i was told by md this cant and wont happen but i see here it does and might.
Posted 7/30/2009 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
People who become housebound or live in fear forever have not learned the techniques to overcoming anxiety/panic. It's all about the way you think. Negative thinking will keep you sick. It's necessary to get professional help, educate yourself, exercise, change your diet, speak to family/friends, get plenty of sleep, write in a journal. All of those or some of those will help.

There's no reason why someone would be housebound. I can understand it because I was almost that bad. But with help and courage, people can get better.
Posted 7/30/2009 3:52 PM (GMT 0)

Finding the right med (dosage, combo, etc) goes along way to getting better and feeling like you have some control over what it happening to you.  It took a long time for me, so sensitive to alot of meds.  I have almost gone to the ER before thinking I was having a heart attack.  It does take alot more than just meds.  You have to work to keep yourself positive and be alert to the signals your body gives you.  When I cut out or cut down on caffeine and sugar, it made me feel better.  Making sure you take a good quality multivitamin/mineral formula helps too.  People who feel anxious and stressed often, are very Vitamin B depleted.  Vitamin B's are the stress vitamins.  Makes sense.

I hope you start feeling better soon!  With each new day there is always hope.

Gem

Posted 7/30/2009 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
I'M a forty year veteran of panic disorder ( vietnam). I am currently taking meds. for anxiety but have occasional break through episodes. One of the things that seem to help is breathing into a paper bag. Since hyperventilating is common it brings the oxygen levels down. Recognizing the triggers and desensitising yourself to them is also helpful. There are groups that ban together to help through the process.

GAGingro
Posted 7/31/2009 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
thanks again to everyone who has helped me .im going to post a new thread about inderal i was at the cardiologist today .now im really confused. please read the new thread i  post i just want others th see also incase they may have info too. love to you all
Posted 7/31/2009 7:33 AM (GMT 0)

nanas4 said...
i have read on here where some people never get better and end up house bound and living in fear forever .now im scared even worse i was told by md this cant and wont happen but i see here it does and might.

My first pyschiatrist told me at 14 that i would be an 'emotional cripple' who would most likely be house bound and 'never contribute to society in a meaningful manner.' and for 3 months after that, i was housebound. my agoraphobia was awful. I chose to prove this jerk of a man wrong. I got the right meds and a NEW pyschiatrist, went to therapy and moved out of home at 18, went to university, did nursing, then went back to uni and did high school teaching. I have a double degree. I have nursed in Oncology for 5 years, and now am a high school teacher. I am independant. I refuse to let this illness take my basic right to freedom away. At 14, i thought i was going to be trapped in my house for EVER. it doesnt have to be that way and you will get through feeling like this.

Maz XX

Posted 7/31/2009 12:11 PM (GMT 0)
Will power and determination go along way.  That is amazing and inspiring!

Happy it is Friday Gem!

Posted 7/31/2009 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
nanas4

Good Morning and I will look for your new thread.

I was first dx with Anxiety and Depression in 1982.  I raised 4 children and worked full time rarely missing work and never because of my anxiety until 2005 when I had a bad run with the Depression.  I did go through therapy, continue to take my meds daily and learned how to "stay in the moment" not worrying about the "what ifs" but living one day at a time.

It takes a lot of retraining of your thinking but yes you can get past the anxiety.


Reducing anxiety in our daily lives is not hard to do once we know how. Please do consider therapy if it is available to you.

 

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

Posted 7/31/2009 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
thanks again for all the help. wow some of these threads like max s is amazing.  i hope i can be as strong. i remember after my first breakdown with panic i got out of the hosp. and finished nursing school then divorced my abusive husband of 25 years with the help of first step for women .i dont know how i ever did that .i thought i was cured it was just a breakdown and i had survived. i did not know this would come back and for what reason i have no idea.
Posted 8/3/2009 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, nanas4!

What struck me about your OP is when you said "I'm alone". Have you ever tried group therapy? It is just like what is going on on here only in person! You can make some amazing friends who know exactly what you are going through. When I first experienced anx/pan many many years ago I attended group therapy 1x/week and then saw the same therapist individually 1x/week. It was a life saver!!! We even got together outside of therapy for parties; we all became so close. We shared a very personal bond with each other, you know?

I would think that going through this alone may make it 10x worse and may make it take 10x longer to recover.

Also, exercise as was mentioned above, can be like medicine for the body. Burning off all that extra nervous energy can reduce anx to normal levels and make panic a thing of the past. I know when our therapist told us all "To walk every day" I thought "Is she nuts! I am experiencing the worst fear of my life and she tells me to walk?" But she was right. She was a former anx/panic and that is what got her interested in psychology! You have to stick to it though and make it count. But it is free and painless ( if your body is in good enough shape CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR). And the results can be miraculous!Seriously. Even though we are all different, I believe exercise is one of those things that works for more than it doesn't work for, but you have to be consistent and give it time. Take care and know This too shall pass!

Thanks for listening,

Spinnaker

Posted 8/3/2009 5:30 AM (GMT 0)

P.S.  From experience I recommend sticking with an exercise program for life! Which is what the health professionals tell us  we should all do anyway- anx or no anx.

I have not followed my own advice. When my anx.  fell to  normal levels I was busy with my kids and stopped walking and then would wait until I was in crisis mode again before walking again.  And through this last lax spell I gained too much weight and walking is painful and stressful, and I am suffering the consequences.  Also, I must admit a fear of meds spurred me on to exercise, so I don't have to take any...Spinnaker

Posted 8/3/2009 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
thanks spinnaker i have been getting cardiac testing to find out if i can begin a exercise program as my cardiologist has told me my panic is causing life threatening arrythmias. which as caused me to panic more.im wearing a 24 hour monitor now and go for a stress test next week.
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