Question:
Hi Nick, I don’t know how much u have read up on this , but here’s a suggestion: When u are paying attention to your heartbeat all of your concious energy is put into your heart so naturally it feels like it is beating harder and then does start to beat harder. try putting all of that thought energy into your big toe — concentrate on it instead ofyour heart, learn some deep breathing exercises and learn how to change the focus of your attention. As long as u are medically fit, and with practice u can learn to desensitise your thoughts about different feelings in your body. I have had pounding, skipped beats and all kinds of strange things happen with my heart since iwas a teenager(43 now) and have taught myself how to change my thoughts when it happens. hope this helps, and of course it is only my suggestion take care ChrisB Now running PowWow (I think)
Response:
Hi Kim: I’m glad Klonopin was able to give you a decent night’s sleep, as well as alleviate a lot of the panic symptoms! When I was suffering badly from PD back in ‘91, and was given Klonopin for the first time, I felt like myself again. I was amazed at its effectiveness. And as you mentioned, there are psychiatrists who actually listen to you, rather than wanting to make a quick buck. Anyway, I’m glad to hear that you’re doing well. Andre
Response:
Just read your post and maybe mine can help. I’ve been having a serious
sleeping disorder and felt that it was a faulty heart valve or that I was getting ready to have an aneurysm maybe because this only happens to me when I lie down ~~~snip~~~ Kim, Thanks for the post. Yes, it did help, and no, it wasn’t too long. My sleeping problem is a result of my anxiety and my waking up during a panic. And, even if I sleep all night, I still feel like crap when I wake up… Again, thanks for the post–all the information I get helps. — Chuck D.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just read your post and maybe mine can help. I’ve been having a serious sleeping disorder and felt that it was a faulty heart valve or that I was getting ready to have an aneurysm maybe because this only happens to me when I lie down. I can feel the inside of my body on the left side begin to go into a tremor and then it goes up to my head and ultimately affects my vision if I don’t catch it soon enough and move. Well, one can imagine the terror this causes when it wakes me up at 3am. I’ve been losing sleep as a result. I went to the doctor yesterday to confirm that all the thyroid tests were done and he assured me that yes, 4 were done and all came back normal. He checked my heart again and assured me that that too was fine. I then asked well, then what is this and will it go away on its own if I learn to relax. He said no, right now that isn’t likely because it is a cumulative effect of stress and has manifested itself this way. Naturally I didn’t believe that. He told me that the only way to get the proper help is from a psychiatrist but that he would give me 10 days worth of xanax to help until I can get an appt. Well, you know the stigma attached with that. Seeing one means I’m "crazy". I wish there weren’t such a stigma.
I seem to be suffering from a very similar problem right now. About a month ago, after complaining of intermittent headaches, my blood pressure was measured. It was a little high for someone of my age (24), so I decided to make some changes. Cut down on beer, start exercising everyday, and stop drinking coffee. The next 10 days was hell. A throbbing headache is to be expected when you quit coffee, but I couldn’t sleep properly for over a week. Every time I lay down to sleep my chest would start trembling. If I actually managed to nod off I would wake up with a jolt in seconds. This would happen dozens of times every hour. Each time I would wake up full of fear and anxiety. I was exhausted but I couldn’t sleep. Even if I nodded of in front of the TV I would wake again in an instant. I thought I had sleep apnea, but probably didn’t. Anyway after a week things began to improve. Recently, in the last week, it has suddenly got worse again. I haven’t drunk coffee (except decaf) for over a month. And I’ve really cut down on alcohol. But now when I lie down to sleep my heart starts thumping loadly. It’s not very fast but, thump, thump, thump…..it keeps me awake and agitated. Like Kim I worry that I have a heart problem. I was born with a murmur so that gives me a good excuse! Anyway, just like before the moment I nod of I wake up again full of fear. This just makes it worse, since I get even more agitated. I’m hoping that this episode will pass like the last one but it seems to be getting worse. I’ve been evaluated and have an appointment at a clinic this week. Does anyone have any tips on how to cope with this until then? I know that if I get drunk it won’t bother me but that doesn’t seem like a very constructive approach! Additionally, does anyone have any experience of mild hypertension which disappeared once their anxiety was brought under control? That would give me some hope that I can actually take action to improve my health. Thanks Nick
Response:
Just read your post and maybe mine can help. I’ve been having a serious sleeping disorder and felt that it was a faulty heart valve or that I was getting ready to have an aneurysm maybe because this only happens to me when I lie down. I can feel the inside of my body on the left side begin to go into a tremor and then it goes up to my head and ultimately affects my vision if I don’t catch it soon enough and move. Well, one can imagine the terror this causes when it wakes me up at 3am. I’ve been losing sleep as a result. I went to the doctor yesterday to confirm that all the thyroid tests were done and he assured me that yes, 4 were done and all came back normal. He checked my heart again and assured me that that too was fine. I then asked well, then what is this and will it go away on its own if I learn to relax. He said no, right now that isn’t likely because it is a cumulative effect of stress and has manifested itself this way. Naturally I didn’t believe that. He told me that the only way to get the proper help is from a psychiatrist but that he would give me 10 days worth of xanax to help until I can get an appt. Well, you know the stigma attached with that. Seeing one means I’m "crazy". I wish there weren’t such a stigma. I then went home and called and they had one of the psychiatrists call me back to talk to me and set up an appointment. It was so comforting to talk to this person who actually says yes he will and can help and that I am not crazy. I told him that I am unable to make this go away on my own; it’s like commanding hiccups to stop, impossible. So I set up an appt for Monday. After telling him everything that was wrong and driving me mad, he actually perscribed klonopin to see me through the weekend to help me get a decent night’s sleep and said to try one and if that didn’t work, to try two. And he told me how to adjust that with the xanax to cut down on anxiety during the day so that I won’t be tired, and to take it if I feel particularly stressed (like at work). He said that we would talk about a regimen to follow and other options when I come in. Last night I took this klonopin, one, and stayed up long enough to see what it would do, so that I wouldn’t be afraid of taking it. I felt a little sleepy and finally went to sleep. I want to tell you that this is the first decent sleep I’ve had in months. The wierd feeling wasn’t there. Today after a xanax I don’t feel like there are shocking electrodes attached to my legs anymore and the inside of my body is STILL for a change. I know that this is just the beginning, but for the first time, I actually felt like a human again and that everything IS going to be ok. This is my first experience with a psychiatrist so I’m apprehensive of course. I told him the things I’ve tried and that didn’t help and he actually listened. I told him too that I am paying for this out of my own pocket and need something that WILL help, that I can’t afford to spend a great amount on something that does nothing. I know that this is just the beginning but it’s a start. He actually listened. What a change! It’s like regular doctors seem to say no of course I’m not going to perscribe anything because you are just a junkie wanting to get high. Sometimes when you can’t make these things go away on your own, I’ve realized that there are at least drugs that really can help. I was beginning to wonder that nothing could help and that I was the first and only one in the world having this problem. Owell… I guess that’s enough. Sorry it was so long.. Kim
Response:
I apologize for this long post, but it’s all leading to an important question that I need help with… My name is Chuck, and I have had panic attacks for the past 20+ years. I had my first panic attack when I was about 19 years old. I was simply walking down the street and BAAMM, a feeling of unreality, I thought I was going to pass out-just, a general feeling of losing my mind and panic. Well, you all may know what happen next: I went to see a lot of doctors to no avail–this was about 1972 and I don’t think doctors knew about Panic Disorder yet. I was told that I had "free-floating anxieties" whatever that is. Finally, in 1976 I was put on Valuim (20 mg a day)–it helped, and I continued to take it for the next 12 years. I was still clueless as to what was wrong with me (the docs were clueless too). The Valuim didn’t really do the job for very long, at least not by itself, so I helped it a little with alcohol–big mistake. The alcohol just made my panics worse, not to mention the other effects of excessive drinking. Finally, in 1987, a new doctor at the clinic I had been going to, put me on Xanax and an anti-depressant (I don’t recall the name of this drug) to treat my PA’s (this was the first time anyone called it panic attacks). I was removed from the Valuim–cold turkey–of course I went crazy with drug withdraw, I drank too much, and ended up in a rehab. So, for five years I went to a 12-step program and tried the "facing my fears" stuff. It worked, not very well, but it worked. It worked as long as I didn’t do anything stressful. Which meant my life was very limited. I couldn’t do much. I tried to do things that brought my panics on: driving across bridges, using elevators, driving more than 50 miles from home (alone) so I could learn to deal with my fear and panic. But, like I said, I was limited. I wanted to go back to school, get a good job, have a damm life! Two years ago I thought I ready, so I enrolled in college to finish the degree I started work on back in 1979 (which I didn’t finish due to my panics). In the beginning, everything was going well: I did the paper work, met with the advisors, took pretest, etc. During the first day of classes, sitting in orientation, bang! the worse panic I’d had in years. I didn’t want to give up school again. I went to my doctor (an Internist), I explained to her that I was having panic attacks again and begged her for help. She gave me some Adavan (I’m sure that’s spelled wrong, but I think you know what I mean) and it worked. She gave just enough for when I was in class (1 mg), 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and I could take another 1 mg. at bedtime (my sleep has been screwed-up since the first panic in 1972). She said she would help me until I was done with school. at that point, I needed to get off the pills and go back to facing my fears. Well, I finished school in January. I’m off the meds and my panics are worse than ever. Here comes the question (if you’ve read this far, thank you every much!). Because I was in a rehab, I have been labeled a drunk and a drug addict. So, I can’t talk to my family and friends. What I’d like to say to them is: hey, things have changed, doctors know what they’re doing now, there are medicines that can help me. People will just say I want drugs, I want to drink again (which I don’t, drinking made my panics worse), and I’ll get the old "be a man" shit. I am so sick of panics (hell who isn’t), and I’m very sick of not having a life. If meds will give me that life, I’m willing to try it. Finally, the question: what are your thoughts on the use of drugs for PA’s , do they help you, and , how should I deal with a narrow minded family? Okay, that was more than one question, but you can see my situation is not good. Please help!! I’d like to get a life outside of this nightmare. Post replies or e-mail me. Thanks!!! Chuck
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