after effects of panic attack

Hi Zeeshan and welcome!

Great job on identifying your trigger and using self-calming techniques to reduce your panic yesterday!

Thanks for sharing what works for you in terms of managing your anxiety. We like to hear of others success!:)

Post with us anytime for sharing and support. Next time hit the 'Post New Topic' button (upper left) and start a new thread in which to introduce yourself!

Talk to you soon,

Scaredy Cat

Hi F.A. and welcome!

Glad to see you join in the discussion here!

Do consider starting a new thread (Post New Topic icon) of your own, so that you can be recognized as a new member...and more people can welcome you. ;)

I hope that you find the encouragement and support that I have here, and post often!

Scaredy Cat

After a few years of panic attacks, more physical than mental, I have come to understand that terror, and physical terror, are as confusing as dreams and the dream state. We want to find truth beneath the panic afterwards, we seek it out however we can. It's a darning thing. Creativity can help relieve depression that comes after, but what can lead to having fewer panic attacks? I don't know exactly, BUT, I do know that having a very stern talk with yourself about your routine, your expectations, and the expectations of those around you can help, temporarily.

Classically, chronic bouts with anxiety, like panic, can be ameliorated through intense, structured scheduling: time markers for sleep, time markers for work, for eating, for everything. (Slow reintroduction to social situations, though painful, can help those with social panic. The best beginning with going to a cafe and seeming to do work in order to feel like you're tasking and doing things around others.) Scheduling can seem nuts, but it comes down to making sure you're not missing sleep, activity (mental and physical) and food. You should try to eat three to four balanced meals per day. If you're on a budget: sweet potatoes are near a perfect carb/vitamin source; and if you eat meat, you can rely on inexpensive chicken breast along with the potatoes. If you don't eat meat, you must eat a wide variety of foods to supplement your aminoacid needs. If you can't then whey isolate is a good protein, and if you're vegan you should consult a doctor about your dietary needs, preferably someone who knows about your body, i.e. a trained and accredited doctor. I know that sounds basic, but the first thing you must do is eat right, sleep right, and be a little more responsible with your daily activity (too little or too much).

Ideally, you're going to need some good time with people you trust and love to sort out the thoughts panic will make you have, which are always the WORST possible thoughts the mind can come up with. If you don't have family, you can rely on the VA, or free psych clinics, of which there are few unless you are around a major city. Chicago has a bunch because of the Universities. Talking isn't my favorite thing, but it's important to verbalize thoughts from your panic, or simply describe the physical feeling so that you are aware of it when it happens again, which sadly it will. But when it does, you will have a verbal register of the attack and that helps to know what the hell is happening. ONCE you're knowledgeable about your attacks, you can better situate yourself to wait them out. Typically panic attacks do not last more than a minute for most people, the tail afterward then seemingly an extension of the attack, but actually not. The fallout can last days, weeks, months (if it's your first) but following rules and ordering your life can FEEL, at least, like you're in control of something. Which is very important.

One of the biggest mistakes is to think there's something wrong with you. There isn't. And another mistake is to think it will never get better. It will. Age is a beautiful thing, if you give some time and thought to it. Once you have a few years of understanding, panic attacks, though the worst thing in the world, will become a part of you and you will know exactly how to breathe, calm down and deal with them.

Most recently I learned from a military handbook from the 50's that seven seconds breath in and eleven seconds breath out is a good way to alter the levels in your body and calm yourself down. The military referred to it as 7/11 breathing.

So I have panic attacks. Like a lot. And I work myself up a little too much. I just want to be sure though that I have nothing to worry about. I think I worry because my great grandma was diagnosed with heart disease at a very young age. She was healthy and had that issue naturally. Well, before my panic attacks I usually feel weird in my head. Kind of disoriented. Then my heart starts racing and my chest feels full and numb and hot. Like I just need to open up my chest. I try to calm down but I eventually work myself up no matter what I try to do. I feel like everything is rushing so fast but then again going so slow. I then get an achy warm feeling in my left arm. Which makes me freak out even more. I always swear I'm having a heart attack no matter what anybody tells me. And my fiancé tries to help me but I never can listen. Well I guess I'm posting this because I had a really bad one last night. Well all day I've had a slight pain in the middle/left side of my chest. I've also been suuuuuper tired. And I was wondering this that's kinda like an after symptom of a bad panic attack? I just wanna be sure so I can calm down. It's just very uncomfortable. I was also wondering if the fact that I had to wake up only four hours after that panic attack has something to do with this. Please give some advise or share your own experiences.

Hi Nikoru and welcome!

I am sorry to hear of your anxiety challenges.:(...while panic attacks are miserable...rest assured that you are not going to suffer adverse effects from your experience.

Are you currently working a treatment anxiety plan? If so, what are you working on?

If you need ideas/recommendations on where to start...let us know, and we'll be happy to advise...

...and know you can always come here for support. We understand and care.:)

Scaredy Cat

Hello all. I have stumbled into this site searching for severe crippling anxiety symptoms and cures and also noticed that the posts are fairly recent.

I always had very MILD anxiety my whole life, not even a panic attack just like I said, mild epiosode. Well, that ended in March of this year. I woke up with a screaming noise in my ear (tinnitus) which kicked off this crapstorm I am still enduring into Jan 2016. The first few months were brutal with no sleep, had to be out of work for a few weeks. Naturally was given Xanax and Ambien and Lexapro.

I seemed to be doing okay till about May or June. Thats when my tounge and mouth started to feel "funny". I am determined that it is Burning Mouth Syndrome. Very uncomfortable but I dealt with it. But THEN, around August, I started getting these shakes in my legs, to the point where I could not stand up or walk very far. Since then they have spread to my arms and chest. Seems my voice even fluctuates now with the trembling.

Let me just say that nothing sets this off. I get out off bed and it starts. Taking a shower and driving to work is brutal. Then trying to sit at work for 8 hours is also bad. Can't seem to sit still or EVER relax. At night, I am NEVER tired. EVER. If I didn't take the sleeping meds I think I could stay up for a week.

Just went to ER and everything checks out, Blood, XRAYS, EKG, BP, you name it. So what else is it....bzzzzt - Anxiety. I understand that I have it but I don't think it could make thing THIS FRIGGIN' BAD.

I basically shake all day, only time I don't is lying down in bed which is pretty much all I do when I get home.

I too have lost my wife and family's support as they all say I don't help my self. WHAT CAN I DO? I am on the second shrink, the third counselor, tired EMDR, nothing helps. Not all the drugs, nothing.

I am at my wits end and do think of checking out EVERY DAY. But I have two kids so that brings me back to reality but how LONG am I supposed to endure this.

I can't walk more than 30 mintues without severe shaking. I'm convinced it's something more but no one will take me seriously. Even went to a neurologist which just said....Anxiety. What could make me physically sick from walking? Shaking from standing up? It CAN'T be just anxiety.

If someone has any suggestions or advice, please, please please let me know.

Like I said, I'm not sure  how much longer I can do this.

Thanks...

RDM

Hi everyone. So I had a series of episodes today, out of the blue...So I was taking a walk (trying to exercise), and I was halfway done when all of a sudden, I started getting pings of fear one after another after another, it was increasing my heart rate more and more each time. I started feeling tingly all over. Pretty sure I was hyperventillating. I made a phone call and talked to someone for a while trying to calm down, sat down on a tree stump nearby. I was literally ready to dial 911. I didn't know how many more pings I was going to be able to take. It's been a long long while since I've had an attack like this..Probably 2ish or more years. I am undergoing a bit of stress I suppose. I'm 27, just moved to an office position at work, learning new things (cad drafting), and my father has been getting ill lately, just a week ago one doctor diagnosed him through an EKG as having a heart attack, but they're not for certain still. Well this isn't all. I got back to my apartment, thought I was okay, then I got up to do something and BOOM, wave after wave hits me again, I almost get as bad, if not worse. I made another call, tried to calm down, and now I finally have settled down for the time being. All the after-effects, noodle arms and legs, sore chest when breathing in fully, and extremely tired. This is due mostly to the adrenaline rush. My biggest problem - I'm also a heart-phobic. Really really bad. I don't know how to stop thinking about my blood pressure. It never leaves my mind. I had gone to the ER a few weeks ago due to an illness and they did an EKG. It came back completely normal. I try to convince myself over and over that my heart is okay, but there's some weird subconscious doubt in my mind. I'd love to get rid of it. Anyways, I believe what started the initial anxiety attack was sometimes I get gas that hits my uhh..Vascus nerve?? the nerve that kinda controls your heart, and once in a while it'll feel like my heart skips or palpatates a different way. I'm almost done with enrollment for blue cross blue shield, and I know I just need to hang in there, but it's so hard. Controlling these feelings sometimes is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Baseline anxiety is more manageable, but this spike was impossible. Sorry for the wall of text, guys, but yeah...so debilitating..

Hi Andrew and welcome!

I am sorry to hear of your recent anxiety, symptoms and worries they naturally trigger. We know how difficult this is, so know that you are not alone.

The good news is that there is help for treatment/management of this issue...have hope!

Once you have your insurance up and running, do you plan on seeking therapy? If so, I do encourage you to follow through with this asap. It will bring you much relief!

For now please see our Resources at the top of the main forum page here. It is filled with great self help material that can help with the panic attacks and health anxiety challenges.

Keep posting with us as well...and please consider starting a thread of introduction for yourself at anytime you feel comfortable doing so. (Post New Topic icon upper left toolbar)

Talk soon,

Scaredy Cat

Hello everyone... I was just trying to confirm what I already knew. I get dizzy, light headed, weak, and I shake severely. My fiance thought I was having a seizure one time. I do have a question though. Does anyone else tend to repeat a word or phrase in their head or out loud when they have an attack? Mine is always "I can't". These words won't go away until I calm down. And afterwards I feel empty. I actually just had one. Last question... do any of you have a safety person? I calm down faster if my fiance helps me with my breathing and holds me.