oldpop
Member
- Location
- Inner Space
Man, that's a beach. I find it interesting that panic attacks reach deep inside to ones worst fears. For me it was death and or insanity. Good luck to you.
Panic Attacks
- Thread starter mellowyellow
- Start date
I have had panic attacks since I was a child. Of course, I did not know what was happening, I was just very scared and would get sick.
I am going through a bad spell right now, there happening almost everyday. Mostly when I go to bed, can't go to sleep, just when I am drifting off, wham, instense fear, hot flashes, racing heart, tight chest, can't breathe. It has been horrible.
So, here I am again, get up, turn on the TV and open the laptop for distraction. It passes rather quickly but I still am afraid to go back to bed. I just stay awake until I am going to drop.
I am going through a bad spell right now, there happening almost everyday. Mostly when I go to bed, can't go to sleep, just when I am drifting off, wham, instense fear, hot flashes, racing heart, tight chest, can't breathe. It has been horrible.
So, here I am again, get up, turn on the TV and open the laptop for distraction. It passes rather quickly but I still am afraid to go back to bed. I just stay awake until I am going to drop.
Lewkat
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey, USA
I know all these things. Went through some pretty intense therapy in my 30's. The doctor even took me and about to go to places or be in areas that gave me trouble. Exposure therapy, the doctor was right there, to talk me through an attack. It really helped. I am not having attacks right now when I am running normal errands, traffic or social situations.
This is only happening at home right now, when I try to sleep. I know I won't die from the attack but feel like I might from lack of sleep.
This is only happening at home right now, when I try to sleep. I know I won't die from the attack but feel like I might from lack of sleep.
Em in Ohio
Senior Member
- Location
- OH HI OH
Thanks for the link. I will definitely spend time on the rationalwiki.org site!
JonSR77
Senior Member
In 1982, I was kidnapped and held for a week. And then, after, the goons who kidnapped me remained a looming presence in my life, of death threats.
I developed panic attacks within a year or two.
I was able to get them under control with breathing exercises from Hatha Yoga (pranayama).
That is what saved me.
It was not easy. There is an art to those, a skill to those. Lucky for me, I had been doing mediation and Hatha Yoga before I got kidnapped.
So, I had some skills going into it.
The other thing I can say about panic attacks...is that I had carbon monoxide poisoning in 2003. After that, the panic attacks started up again, maybe worse than they were in 1984. 5 - 10 per day and often extremely serious.
What stopped them was getting on supplemental oxygen. I am on an oxygen concentrator now.
I don't have any specific reference, but my guess would be that some panic attacks are related to oxygen deprivation issues.
So, if folks have panic attacks, they also might want to look into whether they have asthma, apnea or other breathing issues...as well as any emotional issues.
I have both severe asthma and severe apnea.
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Dr. Andrew Weil - on Panic Attacks
Dr. Andrew Weil is an Integrative Medicine MD...
https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/mental-health/panic-attacks-panic-disorder/
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What is Integrative Medicine?
https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/about/definition.html
++++++++++++++
Panic attacks and panic disorder
I developed panic attacks within a year or two.
I was able to get them under control with breathing exercises from Hatha Yoga (pranayama).
That is what saved me.
It was not easy. There is an art to those, a skill to those. Lucky for me, I had been doing mediation and Hatha Yoga before I got kidnapped.
So, I had some skills going into it.
The other thing I can say about panic attacks...is that I had carbon monoxide poisoning in 2003. After that, the panic attacks started up again, maybe worse than they were in 1984. 5 - 10 per day and often extremely serious.
What stopped them was getting on supplemental oxygen. I am on an oxygen concentrator now.
I don't have any specific reference, but my guess would be that some panic attacks are related to oxygen deprivation issues.
So, if folks have panic attacks, they also might want to look into whether they have asthma, apnea or other breathing issues...as well as any emotional issues.
I have both severe asthma and severe apnea.
+++
Dr. Andrew Weil - on Panic Attacks
Dr. Andrew Weil is an Integrative Medicine MD...
https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/mental-health/panic-attacks-panic-disorder/
+++
What is Integrative Medicine?
https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/about/definition.html
++++++++++++++
Panic attacks and panic disorder
by the Mayo Clinic...
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021
JonSR77
Senior Member
I wrote a lengthy reply. I have had panic attacks. I was able to overcome them through breathing exercises.
I also mentioned that supplemental oxygen helped me tremendously with panic attacks.
You might want to see if you has asthma, apnea or other breathing difficulties.
I think breathing difficulties may trigger a panic attack? Not sure, but seems it was that way with me.
Better ventilation in a room helps me. A fan running helps me. A ceiling fan especially.
So very very sorry for the difficulties.
I hope you find relief.
I am familiar with that place, at night, when the breathing collapses and all sorts of worries creep in, afraid to go back to sleep.
I hope you find relief.
Do take care...
JonSR77
Senior Member
another thing, just generally...
I get light headed if I don't drink enough water. Water increases blood volume. That increases blood pressure. And that helps fight the panic attacks.
So, I would just check and make sure you are really getting enough hydration daily. You know, all those 8 glasses of water, every day.
If you do tend to be low on hydration, that may make you more vulnerable to these episodes.
And then, into blood sugar episodes. I really have to have a bit of protein, every couple of hours, or I also get light headed.
Sorry it is so difficult.
Take care now.
JonSR77
Senior Member
No, sorry, don't share that info.
It's a PTSD thing. If I start to think about it too much, it can trigger me.
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My niece is 45 and she has had panic attacks ever since she was in junior high school. Her mom or dad had to go to school many, many times to pick her up because she would get uncontrollable panic attacks. I also have picked her up from school on my days off when her mom or dad couldn’t leave their job. To this day, she still has panic attacks and also suffers from acute Agoraphobia.
When she gets an attack, she thinks (and swears) that she is dying. She lives at home because she is afraid to go away from her home where she feels safest. I was at my sister’s house on one occasion and she went into a panic attack. She swore that “This is it. I’m dying. Please call the Priest.” It took us almost an hour before we could calm her. The only psychotic medications she is on is Xanax and Tranxene (Clorazepate).
I feel terrible for her and she has been seen by several different psychiatrists and specialists in panic attacks. The one psychiatrist told me that she suffers from a rare firm of anxiety that there is no cure for. He also said that she will either get better one day or die with this illness. No medication or exercise will relieve her anxiety. I never told her any of this. She is a slim, trim beautiful red headed girl that the guys turn their heads when she walks by. She won’t date anyone, again because of her Agoraphobia. She can’t even work to support herself.
We are at our wits end and she has even contacted the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) and had long discussions with them. They gave my sister a lot of ideas to try, plus sent her a lot of information about anxiety, Agoraphobia and panic attacks, but nothing works, not even a little. Her mom and dad just don’t know what else to do.
When she gets an attack, she thinks (and swears) that she is dying. She lives at home because she is afraid to go away from her home where she feels safest. I was at my sister’s house on one occasion and she went into a panic attack. She swore that “This is it. I’m dying. Please call the Priest.” It took us almost an hour before we could calm her. The only psychotic medications she is on is Xanax and Tranxene (Clorazepate).
I feel terrible for her and she has been seen by several different psychiatrists and specialists in panic attacks. The one psychiatrist told me that she suffers from a rare firm of anxiety that there is no cure for. He also said that she will either get better one day or die with this illness. No medication or exercise will relieve her anxiety. I never told her any of this. She is a slim, trim beautiful red headed girl that the guys turn their heads when she walks by. She won’t date anyone, again because of her Agoraphobia. She can’t even work to support herself.
We are at our wits end and she has even contacted the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) and had long discussions with them. They gave my sister a lot of ideas to try, plus sent her a lot of information about anxiety, Agoraphobia and panic attacks, but nothing works, not even a little. Her mom and dad just don’t know what else to do.
I understand. I don’t have any friends in power that I am aware of. When my wife was growing up, she went to a private boarding school in New York. Her roommate’s parents were going through a ferocious divorce and a custody battle also ensued. Her father had some goons kidnap the roommate and they were going to take her to an airport where daddy was waiting and then her and daddy were going to fly to the Netherlands and live there. Somehow the cops were wise to it, I think the mother figured it out, and he was arrested in the airport and the roommate was taken to her mother.
grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
Just thought it worth reposting the above, though having a panic attack, (or even a series of them), doesn't automatically make us experts does it.I have to admit I doubted these existed when told others suffered from them, (such as one of my brother in laws, connected to alcoholism), until I suffered one myself about ten years ago!
If you're as sceptical as I was twenty years ago, I couldn't complain therefore, though if it helps I'll try to describe my panic attack as being akin to your mind/brain melting, (with associated pain in your head!). Recovery was protracted too, so definitely no fun at all.
I don't know what to say further except this quizzical statement, "When you are feeling well you almost cannot think of what it felt like to be hopelessly at odds with yourself, whilst at the same time, when you are ill, or feeling somewhat unwell, you almost cannot think of what it is to feel well"!
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JonSR77
Senior Member
I am very very sorry to hear this.
Do not ever give up hope.
There could be something right around the corner that may help.
As I mentioned in my post...I would look into breathing problems like asthma and apnea.
I would look into blood sugar problems.
And I would make sure that she is attending to her general health.
These things could be the cause, but that is not likely. What is more likely is that something like that is a contributing cause or an aggravating cause.
That feeling like you are going to die?
I have had that, and many times. I have to say, from my point of view now...that experience is directly related to some form of oxygen deprivation.
You also might want to check into her physical environment.
Make sure that her home doesn't have high levels of radon, a freeon leak, mold problems or other environmental problems.
And, I might suggest that she at least take an appointment with a more specialized doctor, who might be able to do more investigative tests. Maybe a Holistic MD, an Integrative Medicine MD or an Osteopath.
She’s had every test known to mankind, including the 5-hour glucose tolerance test for hypoglycemia and different sleep tests. During the one sleep test, she couldn’t fall asleep and they had to give her a sleeping pill that caused her to convulse. She almost died.
My wife’s situation was years ago. I haven’t had any further kidnapping situations since. That was the reason they were going to the Netherlands. They wouldn’t have been arrested and sent back to the U.S.
JonSR77
Senior Member
ugh. so sorry.
Convulsing from a medication might suggest a neurological problem.
Also, could be some kind of deep anaphylactic problem?
She might need a super comprehensive level of testing for allergies.
She might be deathly allergic to a very common substance...in food or otherwise...
I am going to give you the names of two very advanced clinics. There is a some chance they might be able to help.
I would email them with details of what she has been experiencing and ask them if they think they might be able to help.
These folks treat victims of chemical injury (like the Ground Zero workers) and other less common problems.
Clymer Clinic in Pennsylvania...
https://drandrewneville.com/
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Environmental Health Center Dallas
https://www.ehcd.com/
++++++++++++++++++++
JonSR77
Senior Member
I am glad all parties are safe. Take care.
oldpop
Member
- Location
- Inner Space
Just knowing what it is can be a big help to me. I have found the single thing that has helps me the most is recognizing the subtle signs of an attack before it becomes full blown and then trying to control my breathing. I rarely have them these days while I am awake. They hit me when I am asleep.
You've described the problem very well. Once you start having panic attacks, you are in constant fear of another one. You never know when it will happen so, wherever you go, you need to know you can get out quickly. This restricts your life more and more until eventually you stop going out. (agoraphobia).
grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
It is a mystifying subject, as I'd guess most folks would assume something upsetting you whilst you were asleep was a bad dream, (but believe me I'm not dismissing what you, or anyone else says nowadays, knowing just how bad it was for me ten or so years ago, and as previously stated, how slow my recovery was!).
oldpop
Member
- Location
- Inner Space
I have been dealing with anxiety/panic attacks since I was in my twenties. I have been having them in my asleep for about two years now. They are very scary. I thought it was my heart as I had a quad bypass in 2007. I saw a cardiologist who did all the test known to man. At least it seemed that way. They all pointed to my heart being fine.
Many of them happen during a nightmarish dream but not always. I have learned to set up in the bed, try to control my breathing, get out of bed and change my thought patterns to something other than the attack. A simple task or even turning on the radio or TV works for me. It is still scary even though I know what it is but knowing what is happening was a big part of getting a grip on it. I have to keep in mind to breathe, that this to shall pass and odds are nothing terrible is going to happen.
JonSR77
Senior Member
I have the same thing...now I see the signals coming on...and start right in with my breathing exercises and other techniques.