Panic attacks

[sue943]

I am wondering if the problems that I am having at present could be panic attacks, shortness of breath, trembly, then on Tuesday the feeling that I was going to pass out and sweating. I cannot think of any reason WHY I should get panic attacks, if this is what they are, although it would be good to know if this is my problem, then I can get over it. My GP wanted to be a psychiatrist and did three years of it in hospital, I will have to run it past him to see what he thinks.

Has anyone had panic attacks? I definitely had a major one when I travelled back to Jersey from hospital in the UK, but I knew what it was and why, I was leaving hospital and flying home alone and a person in the next bed bay went into cardiac arrest less than an hour before I left for the airport! What I am experiencing now is not so severe, that one lasted for a couple of hours until I was safely home.

 

[Ross]

Could be, but usually if you have panic attacks, their sudden and only last a short while, minutes actually with no lingering symptoms. At least that's the way it was for me.

 

[Emma]

When Chloe was small and we had a LOT of stress going on - even at times when I felt very calm in myself, panic attacks would just come on without warning. I'd feel like I had to get up and walk round or do something repetitve to calm myself. Heart pounded, head felt light, I felt sicky and like I was going to faint or worse! They are just the most horrible feeling ever! They could last for anything up to about an hour if they were bad and I never properly worked out how to get rid of them but they gradually just went away and I've not had one for years now.

If thats what you have then I really feel for you cos they are terrifying - my freind actually sufferred from them whilst at uni and ended up on beta blockers for them.

Hope you feel much better soon!Love Emma
xxx

 

[geebee]

Sue,

The thing with panic attacks is they can come on even when you don't think of yourself as panicked (sp?). If your life is stressful, they can show up at the least opportune time. They mimic heart attacks, TIAs, asthma attacks, etc. They create very real and frightening symptoms.

Since you have a GP who has some experience with psychiatry, I would definitely talk to him. There are many meds on the market that can help and some of them are very mild.

However, it is very important to rule out any other causes of your symptoms.

Please take care.

 

[sue943]

I looked them up in Google and a couple of sites said about deep breathing, I have been doing this and my shortness of breath seems to be improved. If it panic attacks causing me trouble then it could be a problem if the slightest thing will bring one on - Tuesday I was photocopying so nothing stressful!

 

[Emma]

Sue, thats what happened with mine - I could be as relaxed as I thought possible - watching tv or something and they would come on - scary! There are self help methods you can use though. I found repitition (ie tapping my foot or walking up and down a room briskly - sounds loopy i know but it worked) the most effective one for me - along with deep breathing as you said.

Really hope you get whatever the cause is, sorted out soon
Emma
xxx