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Bad day yesterday........(again)

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Posted 6/19/2009 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
Well, not long after I posted about my wife's surgery going well yesterday while I was at work, I started feeling dizzy & almost faint while standing for any longer than 30-45 seconds at a time, I thought maybe I just needed to eat more so I did & it didn't help....so then my heart rate gets up, my left arm and both hands start feeling tingly so I pop a 1mg Klonopin and it still doesn't help. I get really scared and can hardly stand at all....I'm at work in a hospital in the pharmacy all alone, sitting in the floor about to cry and don't know what to do.

I call 911, for the first time in my life.   sad

By the time the ambulance gets there I have slowly made my way out front into a chair to 'meet' them, they check my O2, my BP, listen to my hear and my breathing....my heart rate is up to about 100, O2 is 95 & my BP is 145/88 both of which are high but not real high....the nice paramedic talks to me, tells me I show no signs of a heart attack and asks about stress in my life and if I've ever had panic or anxiety attacks?, I almost laugh and then tell him my history and my present stress of leaving my wife at home a day after surgery, having to take care of my 1 year old by myself, and being in this new job and not wanting to screw it up with my 'psych' problems....he looks at me and says that it's very likely I was having a 'semi-panic/anxiety attack' that I kinda caught with the medicine before it really got out of control, so I sit there with them for a few minutes, take another 1/2mg Klonopin & tell them it's ok for them to go.

I let the other 1/2 take affect, then slowly make my way to my car, go straight home, get in bed with my wife & nap for about an hour. I wake up feeling better but feeling like I ran a friggin' marathon.

I guess I want/need some re-assurance that all the symptoms I described(racing heart, near-crying, extreme fearfulness, dizziness when standing/walking, elevated blood pressure, etc.) are all normal symptons when it comes to panice/anxiety attacks

Sorry for the long post....like I said it was a bad day.  sad

Post Edited (James Jr) : 6/19/2009 6:55:54 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/19/2009 1:01 PM (GMT 0)

James,

Yes those are all normal sx of anxiety.  You have had a great deal on your mind and with your wife's surgery it feels to me like you fought back your anxiety and made it through the day well.  However, it all crashed around you yesterday and you were not expecting it.

Sometimes that happens post-event, I.E. your wife's surgery.

Please do not beat yourself up and calling for help was the right thing to do. Perhaps next time try to take your Klonopin a tad sooner to try to stop the anxiety before it escalates.

I believe you are going to be fine, just keep remembering you have anxiety, it does not have you.

Stay in the moment and let go of yesterday, it is over now and you are OK. 

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

Posted 6/19/2009 1:04 PM (GMT 0)

stkitt said...

James,

Yes those are all normal sx of anxiety.  You have had a great deal on your mind and with your wife's surgery it feels to me like you fought back your anxiety and made it through the day well.  However, it all crashed around you yesterday and you were not expecting it.

Sometimes that happens post-event, I.E. your wife's surgery.

Please do not beat yourself up and calling for help was the right thing to do. Perhaps next time try to take your Klonopin a tad sooner to try to stop the anxiety before it escalates.

I believe you are going to be fine, just keep remembering you have anxiety, it does not have you.

Stay in the moment and let go of yesterday, it is over now and you are OK. 

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

Thanks a lot for the encouraging words Kitt, they just about made my lip quiver. blush

I would have acted quicker with the Klonopin but I really didn't know what was happening, it seriously felt [i]different[/i] than my symptoms of the past....or maybe it's just been so long I kinda forgot how it felt to have a full-on attack(almost).

Post Edited (James Jr) : 6/19/2009 7:09:55 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/19/2009 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Sup, James! Can you take the Klonopin regularly? I think for a little while anyway, you need the Klonopin until things settle down. You might feel better if you take it every day. Ask your doc if that's possible.

Your bp was high because you were scared. I get the heart racing everyday. Not fun, is it? If the racing is due to anxiety then it is harmless. You can still walk around and do what you have to do. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water/juices. You may have been a little dehydrated. The tingling was probably due to your breathing more quickly than normal. These attacks are frightening, especially if it's been awhile since you've had one. Not fun.

I'm glad you work in a hospital. That should make you feel better that help is so close if you need it. Feel better, James!
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