Trauma – PTSD

Question:

Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with panic attacks while driving?? This is where I have most of my problems and I am still avoiding driving as much as possible and then I get pissed off at myself for avoiding things.  My psychologist always told me not to beat myself up about it and act like it’s no big deal but it is!!!! Any suggestions?????? Thanks Alot for all your posts, I am pretty new to the group and have found some of the information very helpful. Kellie — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with panic attacks while ::driving?? This is where I have most of my problems and I am still ::avoiding driving as much as possible and then I get pissed off at ::myself for avoiding things.  My psychologist always told me not to beat ::myself up about it and act like it’s no big deal but it is!!!! :: ::Any suggestions?????? :: ::Thanks Alot for all your posts, I am pretty new to the group and have ::found some of the information very helpful. Dear Kellie, Suggestions? Yes! Tell your psychologist you want proper help in conquering your driving phobia, or get a new psychologist. The best thing you could do for this phobia is to get into cognitive behavioral therapy. You need to slowly desensitize yourself to driving. Start with baby steps…. and lots and lots of practicing. For the first week or two, or at a rate that is comfortable for you, take a short drive, even if it`s around the block. I found it best if I didn`t schedule my practices. I would decide at the last minute and just hop into my car. I was taught to rate my anxiety on a scale of 1 to 10. One being little anxiety and ten being panic. If you reach a number three while desensitizing yourself to driving, it is best to retreat a bit. That may mean heading towards home or pulling over. When the anxiety starts to lower, you can turn around and try again. You want to try and finish a practice on a positive note. Once you are comfortable driving around the block, the next step may be two or three blocks. Then a mile or two, then a five mile trip, so on and so forth.A CBT psychologist would be able to help you set up a desensitization hierarchy for your driving phobia. Some things that helped me and may help you as well……wearing sunglasses, a cell phone, deep breathing exercises, and some items that may offer comfort or a diversion (bottled water, favorite music CD`s, comfort snacks) and the knowledge that you are never trapped and can always turn around and go home when you want. Some people find that using a benzo or beta blocker helps them. That may be something to talk to your doctor about. I also recommend the book, ‘The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook’ by Edmund J. Bourne. Bourne also has a audiotape called ‘Driving Far From Home’. Perhaps you can find it at your library. Don`t hesitate to lean on this group. Knowing people are behind you is comforting. Good luck and wishing you many happy driving miles! Jackie ~*~The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it~*~    ~~ Wendell Berry — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with panic attacks while driving?? This is where I have most of my problems and I am still avoiding driving as much as possible and then I get pissed off at myself for avoiding things.  My psychologist always told me not to beat myself up about it and act like it’s no big deal but it is!!!! Any suggestions?????? Thanks Alot for all your posts, I am pretty new to the group and have found some of the information very helpful. Kellie

Kellie. Yeah. Don’t drive. ) Not. I am driving on the highway for the first time since 1989 – this crippled me because I allowed that to happen – and because I didn’t know what kind of help there was available.. Jackie is right. CBT will help with this. It helped me, and my phobia was a long term one.  I’m not 100% comfortable driving all the time, every time, but I no longer practice avoidance – and sometimes I do it just to make sure I STAY used to doing it.. it’s a process, but the good news is – you know where to get help and what kind.. I didn’t know in 1989 how to handle it other than avoid driving on the highway.. Nip it in the bud, I think.  The quicker, the better. I have read soooo many posts from people here who have PA’s while driving. It’s quite common. You can learn to cope with this. Take care, Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, Kellie, Sorry to read about your driving problems.  I also have a deep phobia of highway and interstate driving.  I’ve had it since 2001 AND my suggestion to you is to nip it in the bud.  I always wish I had just made myself get back on the highway.  I feel so trapped at times that I can’t go places alone. Fight back as much as you can with the driving…best wishes!!! smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with panic attacks while driving?? This is where I have most of my problems and I am still avoiding driving as much as possible and then I get pissed off at myself for avoiding things.  My psychologist always told me not to beat myself up about it and act like it’s no big deal but it is!!!! Any suggestions?????? Thanks Alot for all your posts, I am pretty new to the group and have found some of the information very helpful. Kellie — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with panic attacks while driving?? – Kellie

Hi Kellie: I’m soooo sorry to hear that you are having problems in this area.  I didn’t drive for over 30 years because of my panic disorder.  I DO NOT suggest you wait that long.  In fact, I think the best thing to do is as others here have suggested — take baby steps but do it. I started driving again just recently because my mom who is 83 is losing her ability to drive, so it was either I drive or we can’t get groceries (especially since my honey was out of town).  I asked myself so what is the worst that can happen, well I could have a panic attack and get into a wreck?  No, that’s not the true because you can feel a panic attack coming on and you can pull off the road, in most places. Sit out the attack and get back on the road. I am driving without a problem now — don’t even think about a panic attack hitting me because I know I can just let it happen and then carry on.  I do suggest you start right away so the anticipatory anxiety is not another issue you have to deal with.  I started again by moving the car from in front of the house to the parking area in the back.  Like a round robin type thang.  It worked.  I thot that after all these years, I would have forgotten how to drive — no way. Driving is like riding a bicycle — once you know how you really do not forget. If I can do it after all those years, I know you can too.  Just do it and Good luck! -frizz — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with panic attacks while driving?? This is where I have most of my problems and I am still avoiding driving as much as possible and then I get pissed off at myself for avoiding things.  My psychologist always told me not to beat myself up about it and act like it’s no big deal but it is!!!! Any suggestions?????? Thanks Alot for all your posts, I am pretty new to the group and have found some of the information very helpful. Kellie

I’ve found that constant anxiety is very difficult to deal with, but panic attacks are not.  As soon as you realize that a panic attack will not kill you, just let it wash over you.  Don’t try to stop it.  Just let it happen. If you are driving simply pull over, let it pass, and keep going.  As a matter of fact, if panic attacks were all that dangerous you’d be better out on the road than stuck in the house.  More people, and more opportunities for help, which you won’t need. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal. Any advice? Thanks to all who reply. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal. Any advice? Thanks to all who reply. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

Stevo, hey, welcome! I’m not a doctor, but I was married to a drug addict, and I have fair knowledge about things like this. I don’t believe you are going to go through "withdrawals" from any medication after just taking it for two days.  I know of NO drug that does that, not even heroine. No, is the answer to that AFAIK.  That’s my "professional" opinion, LOL.  The docs can and will answer.. but that’s not even possible, to my knowledge, and I do have knowledge of addiction/ withdrawals. And.. I get the same effect with Xanax on panic.  I see it as "taking the edge" off of my panic.. I don’t completely stop having panic attacks, but they are more manageable on the medication.  I don’t even expect complete deliverance from panic, I’m just grateful that there is medication that can help me deal with it, because roughing it without meds .. is not too fun, easy, and it is nothing I would recommend to anyone. Take care, welcome again. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal. Any advice? Thanks to all who reply.

Hi Stevo, I agree with Sally that you shouldn’t get any side effects after only such a short time on this medication. But if you’re unsure best to check with your doctor and if you can’t get to see one in the meantime there’s no harm in taking half of .25mg (if that’s even possible to cut it that small). I’ve taken klonopin for the past 20 years and it never prevented panic attacks for me. Others will tell you otherwise which shows we are all different. However what it did for me was take the edge of the anxiety which then helped me use the strategies I learnt from Cognitive behavioural therapy. If you want a completely drug free approach and you’ve nipped the panic attacks early, then you may be able to learn to manage panic attacks through CBT therapy. It won’t happen immediately which is why a benzo is usually prescribed to help people through the rough spots. I understand that you don’t wish to become dependant but if you use it as a maintenance med it doesn’t mean you need to take it long term. Tapering off slowly has worked for many people. all the best, Vanessa — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects?

typically no-you will still have some of the drug in your system-but you could have an increased level of anxiety as serum levels fall, this may be misconstrued to "discontinuation syndrome". Klonopin is not typically used prn or as needed, but does its job with a steady state level of drug in your body over time-this is not to say it cannot be used as needed-just that it works better for most who use it chronically-it was primarily designed to replace xanax as a high potency benzo with a long half life so the rollercoaster effects seen with xanax are not present. I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal.

some people have no discontinuation difficulties with benzos and others need to stay with them for life-there is no telling which catagory you may fall in. I can only say that I have seen many less of the later and more of the former Any advice? Thanks to all who reply. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? typically no-you will still have some of the drug in your system-but you could have an increased level of anxiety as serum levels fall, this may be misconstrued to "discontinuation syndrome". Klonopin is not typically used prn or as needed, but does its job with a steady state level of drug in your body over time

<snip Thanks, Margrove. Your post has been most helpful. Thanks too to hianxiety and V~anessa. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

TJ, I am on 5mg now also. How long have you been on valium? I went from 10 to 5 then tried 2.5 and I was not feeling to good either. I wet back up to 5mg. I was on klonopin for 10 years and it stopped working for me or I would still be on it. The klonopin and the xanax detoxes are the worse IMO. I know a girl who takes 4 mgs of klonopin daily. She has tried to detox numerous times over the years but gets deathly ill when she does with small cuts and she eventually goes back on. She told me that the klonopin does not really work anymore as she also takes AD’s for the panic disorder and some other drugs as well. She has to stay on the klonopin just to keep from getting ill. These drugs are a double edge sword. I have nothing against bzd’s. I am on lexapro but unfortunately that is not enough. The lexapro stopped me from having panic attacks but I still endure an incredible amount of GAD…mostly muscle tension in chest / stomach area. The valium gives me more relief from the GAD. Are you trying to get off completely and why? I wish I did not have to take any drugs but my condition is so bad, I don’t see how that will ever be possible. I wish they could just open my skull up and with a laser, destroy a tiny portion of my brain and fix me for good. <LOL Carl

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi guys.  Apologies if I don’t post here for a while – or if my posts make less sense than usual! I’m dealing with some Valium withdrawal right now and I can’t think too well.  I’m not sure how long this will take before I feel better. My pdoc is helping me.  I only need to go from 5mg to 2.5mg, but as ever my hyper-sensitive system is taking it pretty badly.  I dropped straight to 2.5mg and I went through hell yesterday.  I’m back up to 3.75mg today and will stick to that for a week or two before dropping down to 2.5mg again. All of my recent problems with insomnia were caused by the valium at bedtime.  I’m told this is quite rare but watch out for it if you take this drug!  Valium in the morning results in a longer night’s sleep for me My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus, but I still love ASAPM and I hope you are all feeling well!! — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, TJ, Sorry this decrease is so rough on you.  Hang in there and keep reminding yourself it the roughest part will be over soon. smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi guys.  Apologies if I don’t post here for a while – or if my posts make less sense than usual! I’m dealing with some Valium withdrawal right now and I can’t think too well.  I’m not sure how long this will take before I feel better. My pdoc is helping me.  I only need to go from 5mg to 2.5mg, but as ever my hyper-sensitive system is taking it pretty badly.  I dropped straight to 2.5mg and I went through hell yesterday.  I’m back up to 3.75mg today and will stick to that for a week or two before dropping down to 2.5mg again. All of my recent problems with insomnia were caused by the valium at bedtime.  I’m told this is quite rare but watch out for it if you take this drug!  Valium in the morning results in a longer night’s sleep for me My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus, but I still love ASAPM and I hope you are all feeling well!! — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I am new and terrified, as I have been on valium for years and did drop from 10 to 5 and got dx’ed with high Blood P. Now I need to come off of them fast as I was put on methsdone 20mg daily for pain and 5 mg oxycodone every 8 hrs. HELP!

I’d suggest dropping to 2.5mg for a week or two then drop to 0mg if possible. Avoid all caffeine, sugar, alcohol and other stimulants.  Stop exercising and take it easy. Avoid spicy food.  Avoid stress.  If  possible, maybe try something sedating if your doc will prescribe it.  I’m cheating and taking a small dose of lexapro this week as it leaves me nearly comatose and offsets the valium withdrawal. So far so good.  Basically avoid anything that stimulates you or makes anxiety worse – these are the worst withdrawal symptoms. — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Mock me not in my suffering I feel your pain, TJ. It must really bum you out. <running, ducking Ian — http://sundry.ws/ It does, but I think the symptoms are bottoming nicely

Cheeky! Deirdre — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Thank you SO MUCH for responding as I have to make a decision today about the methadone and I don’t know if it will work on pain at 10 mg.

Do you mean oxycodone? If you mean methadone, by all means, let your doctors know what’s going on. I feel terrible for you, being in so much pain, but you don’t want to end up in a coma over this. I take it you’re in a small town or something, and have only the one place to go to. That’s also very unfortunate. This is surely a terrible time to be coming off of Valium, at the same time having to deal with unbearable pain and prepare for anaesthesia. The last thing you want, though, is to end up on life support, so *please* tell your doctors exactly what you’re taking. I hope you start to feel better soon. Ian — http://sundry.ws/ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Mock me not in my suffering I feel your pain, TJ. It must really bum you out. <running, ducking Ian — http://sundry.ws/

It does, but I think the symptoms are bottoming nicely — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I am new and terrified, as I have been on valium for years and did drop from 10 to 5 and got dx’ed with high Blood P. Now I need to come off of them fast as I was put on methsdone 20mg daily for pain and 5 mg oxycodone every 8 hrs. HELP!

I would talk to either your doctor or a pharmacist and find out just how fast you can wean off Valium. Perhaps it’s possible to just stop taking it, even though the withdrawal would be tough. Hope you find a quick solution, as that’s a powerful combo of meds. Ian — http://sundry.ws/ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am new and terrified, as I have been on valium for years and did drop from 10 to 5 and got dx’ed with high Blood P. Now I need to come off of them fast as I was put on methsdone 20mg daily for pain and 5 mg oxycodone every 8 hrs. HELP! I would talk to either your doctor or a pharmacist and find out just how fast you can wean off Valium. Perhaps it’s possible to just stop taking it, even though the withdrawal would be tough. Hope you find a quick solution, as that’s a powerful combo of meds. Ian — http://sundry.ws/ Thank You SO MUCH As I have to have Oral Surgery on the 7th and have 9 teeth out with some gum filing and possible sinus coverage. My FEAR is that my Dr., who is against all lesser meds as is that hospitals protocal does not know that I have been on valium as she would not have given me the 5 mg. oxycodone, + 10 mg. methadone twice daily  for Severe Back pain and I have had 2 back surgeries and at least 4 epidurals and a messed up neck and they said they cannot do surgery on that. So will I be safe to just suddenly switch? I have to talk with the oral surgeon in 2 days and I HAVE to tell her, as  this is all going to be done in general surgery under anesthesia and I am Here is the WORSE PART besides the Valium, tryoing from at least 10-12 tabs of 10 mg. hydrocodone that I had to get for the back pain elsewhere as that hospital WILL NEVER GIVE OUT that Amount. If I tell her, I risk the command to come back when I am detoxed, I was afraid to mix the valium with the methedone!

  so I have not taken one 10 mg. pill yet I only have the 5 mg. oxycodone for "breakthrough" pain and that makes me cry harder as I am IN Breakthrough Pain most of the time on 5’s and this back is that of an 80 some year old woman told to me by 3 Rhumatologists? I have known many people who were given 5mg. of pain medication and were as I am going to be thrown out of the signed Treatment Agreement, I wanted so badly to tell her about the VALIUM but would not have been able to get a small treatment agreement. That place is named Pain Paranoia as they are too steryotyped into thinking that we REALLY are not in that much pain. I know my past surgeries and Mri’s and x-rays are not lying and my Rhumatologist cannot give meds as he works for them. We cannot find anywhere in the city and I have called everyone as they will NOT DETOX Valium. I am a former Drug and Alcohol Counselor and look at me now as bad off and worse that my former clients and it all started with pain. Please fo!  rgive the caps I am not screaming, but actually crying as I am!   terrifi ed. I was a good counselor and as my back got so bad I had to quit work as one can’t be on meds and counsel and now I have wasted years fighting the pain. Funny part is that I was First Given Valium and 15 mg percocet to begin this pain fight, the rest is history, dependence to pure addiction. Thank you SO MUCH for responding as I have to make a decision today about the methadone and I don’t know if it will work on pain at 10 mg. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

TJ, I am on 5mg now also. How long have you been on valium? I went from 10 to 5 then tried 2.5 and I was not feeling to good either. I wet back up to 5mg. I was on klonopin for 10 years and it stopped working for me or I would still be on it. The klonopin and the xanax detoxes are the worse IMO. I know a girl who takes 4 mgs of klonopin daily. She has tried to detox numerous times over the years but gets deathly ill when she does with small cuts and she eventually goes back on.

After being on 4mg/klonopin for a couple years and landing in the psych ward, I went up to 6mg/klonopin for about 1.5 years.  A few months ago I went down to 5mgs with little problem.  I tried 4mgs but ended up taking the ativan PRN much more often so I’m back on 5mg/klonopin.  I may try lowering it again in the future.  At first I did try going from 6 to 4 and that was not pleasant. Tony — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, TJ, Sorry this decrease is so rough on you.  Hang in there and keep reminding yourself it the roughest part will be over soon. smiles, Elise

LOL I’m hanging on by my teeth at this stage!  If this rope breaks promise you’ll throw me down another — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

No personal experience with valium other than for some IVF’s I did a few years back but boy, I do feel bad for you.  I"m glad you are getting cut back, that’s probably a good thing and best of luck handling it.  Don’t forget someone is always here!  - Linda — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Dear TJ, Yuckies about the valium withdrawals! I hope the discomfort ends soon. Wean off of valium at a rate that is comfortable for ‘you’. If it`s better for you to go slower and to decrease the dose in very tiny increments, then do so. Here is a very informative link about discontinuing xanax. The info can be applied to most benzos. http://lexington-on-line.com/naf_xanax.html Good luck! Feel better soon. Jackie

Thanks Jackie, this link is very comforting  I got so messed up the other day I thought I might end up in hospital again.  The weird thing about valium withdrawal is you can’t bail out quickly if it gets too bad – you have to take your normal dose for 2-3 days before you feel better again. I guess it has to build up for a few days before there is enough in your blood to make your body happy!  I’m feeling a lot better today I’m glad to say. — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – TJ, I am on 5mg now also. How long have you been on valium? I went from 10 to 5 then tried 2.5 and I was not feeling to good either. I wet back up to 5mg. I was on klonopin for 10 years and it stopped working for me or I would still be on it. The klonopin and the xanax detoxes are the worse IMO. I know a girl who takes 4 mgs of klonopin daily. She has tried to detox numerous times over the years but gets deathly ill when she does with small cuts and she eventually goes back on. She told me that the klonopin does not really work anymore as she also takes AD’s for the panic disorder and some other drugs as well. She has to stay on the klonopin just to keep from getting ill. These drugs are a double edge sword. I have nothing against bzd’s. I am on lexapro but unfortunately that is not enough. The lexapro stopped me from having panic attacks but I still endure an incredible amount of GAD…mostly muscle tension in chest / stomach area. The valium gives me more relief from the GAD. Are you trying to get off completely and why? I wish I did not have to take any drugs but my condition is so bad, I don’t see how that will ever be possible. I wish they could just open my skull up and with a laser, destroy a tiny portion of my brain and fix me for good. <LOL Carl

Hi Carl.  I’ve been on 5mg for about 6 months I think.  I’m not quitting completely – just dropping to 2.5mg.  This should be easy enough but I just tried to do it too fast for my body I fear the day I have to drop it all together! I can see how the Valium would really help with your GAD – it stops me from worrying about stuff too much too.  I think I can get by with 2.5mg though – we will see. — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, TJ, Bite as hard as you can…  Remember your friends at ASAPM are here for you… smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, TJ, Sorry this decrease is so rough on you.  Hang in there and keep reminding yourself it the roughest part will be over soon. smiles, Elise LOL I’m hanging on by my teeth at this stage!  If this rope breaks promise you’ll throw me down another — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::Thanks Jackie, this link is very comforting  I got so messed up the ::other How are you feeling today, TJ? I hope you are doing much better. Jackie ~*~I have signed a pact with life: we will not get in each other’s way~*~    ~~ Janusz Korczak, Ghetto Diary — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

How are you feeling today, TJ? I hope you are doing much better. Jackie

Hi Jackie.  I’m doing ok apart from a dose of the unmentionables, thank you. — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::Hi Jackie.  I’m doing ok apart from a dose of the unmentionables, thank you. A dose of unmentionables? Midol, Correctol or Immodium Jackie ~*~I have signed a pact with life: we will not get in each other’s way~*~    ~~ Janusz Korczak, Ghetto Diary — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Midol, Correctol or Immodium

I’m guessing Immodium. (And I’m guessing Midol is out.) Ian — http://sundry.ws/ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Midol, Correctol or Immodium I’m guessing Immodium. (And I’m guessing Midol is out.) Ian

Mock me not in my suffering – I am a human being yet! — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Mock me not in my suffering

I feel your pain, TJ. It must really bum you out. <running, ducking Ian — http://sundry.ws/ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Mock me not in my suffering I feel your pain, TJ. It must really bum you out. <running, ducking Ian — http://sundry.ws/ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

I am new and terrified, as I have been on valium for years and did drop from 10 to 5 and got dx’ed with high Blood P. Now I need to come off of them fast as I was put on methsdone 20mg daily for pain and 5 mg oxycodone every 8 hrs. HELP! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

<gently snipped ::My pdoc is helping me.  I only need to go from 5mg ::to 2.5mg, but as ever my hyper-sensitive system is taking ::it pretty badly.  I dropped straight to 2.5mg and I went ::through hell yesterday.  I’m back up to 3.75mg today ::and will stick to that for a week or two before dropping ::down to 2.5mg again. Dear TJ, Yuckies about the valium withdrawals! I hope the discomfort ends soon. Wean off of valium at a rate that is comfortable for ‘you’. If it`s better for you to go slower and to decrease the dose in very tiny increments, then do so. Here is a very informative link about discontinuing xanax. The info can be applied to most benzos. http://lexington-on-line.com/naf_xanax.html Good luck! Feel better soon. Jackie ~*~Time heals all wounds, unless you pick at them~*~      ~~Shawn Alexander — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi guys.  Apologies if I don’t post here for a while – or if my posts make less sense than usual! I’m dealing with some Valium withdrawal right now and I can’t think too well.  I’m not sure how long this will take before I feel better. My pdoc is helping me.  I only need to go from 5mg to 2.5mg, but as ever my hyper-sensitive system is taking it pretty badly.  I dropped straight to 2.5mg and I went through hell yesterday.  I’m back up to 3.75mg today and will stick to that for a week or two before dropping down to 2.5mg again. All of my recent problems with insomnia were caused by the valium at bedtime.  I’m told this is quite rare but watch out for it if you take this drug!  Valium in the morning results in a longer night’s sleep for me My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus, but I still love ASAPM and I hope you are all feeling well!!

Back in about 1975 I did a valium withdrawal cold turkey because I didn’t know any better.  I thought I would die – it was awful. Do this as gradually as you have to. Don’t worry about making sense.  I NEVER do, and people still talk to me. Deirdre — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

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Hi guys.  Apologies if I don’t post here for a while – or if my posts make less sense than usual! I’m dealing with some Valium withdrawal right now and I can’t think too well.  I’m not sure how long this will take before I feel better. My pdoc is helping me.  I only need to go from 5mg to 2.5mg, but as ever my hyper-sensitive system is taking it pretty badly.  I dropped straight to 2.5mg and I went through hell yesterday.  I’m back up to 3.75mg today and will stick to that for a week or two before dropping down to 2.5mg again. All of my recent problems with insomnia were caused by the valium at bedtime.  I’m told this is quite rare but watch out for it if you take this drug!  Valium in the morning results in a longer night’s sleep for me My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus, but I still love ASAPM and I hope you are all feeling well!! — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don’t love Jesus, but I still love ASAPM and I hope you are all feeling well!!

Hey TJ. Hope you kick that Valium soon. I hear it’s a hard drug to get off of. At least your head doesn’t stink. That would suck, as your nose is right there. Thank Jesus for that, at least. Ian — http://sundry.ws/ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

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Question:

hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.  its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future.   hope everyone is doing alright russ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

hey all,   while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT,

well the concept that the brain has a hard time with two powerfuly conflicting thoughts is a part of cognitive functioning but cbt would actually have challenged the what if thought from the get go  and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.

it is palliative but not elogent-challenges to your thinking are more elegant and long lasting its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky!

yes we are-if we can create panic we can create tranquility-if we can feel depressed we can feel joy, we would not know the difference between them if we couldn’t experience either anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future.   hope everyone is doing alright russ  ..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.

what if you did have a panic attack in the chair? a- having panic in the dentist chair b-I must not have panic in the chair how awful it would be and so embarassing c-you feel panicky about panicking d- what if I had one? What would happen? I would certainly feel crummy, my heart would pound, my hands sweat and I would irrationaly feel trapped even though I am not-so what else would happen? Would it truly be awful if I needed a few moments to stretch, compose myself or walk about-would it be awful if I told the doc I feel like throwing up all over him and to install temps in the holes and filll them next week-if I confessd I had a panic disordeer would they think less of me, would I care? Would they be correct that I am less a person? I don’t have to have anxiety in the chair, I may not have any, but if I do, it is a pain in the ass but not the end of my being. I will do what I can to calm myself until this procedure is done and that’s that. Next time make sure the anesthetic doesn’t contain epinephrine, dentists like using that for many reasons but it can increase anxiety for about 5-10 minutes initially until your body metabolizes it I remind my dentist all the time how close the proximity of his balls are to my hands when he works my mouth-he is very very careful! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

i’ve had a bunch of CBT. i think that has really helped alot.  i still have alot of work to do with my panic and anxiety in the face of my current life situations.  i wish i had my self control too! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I’ve never been able to stop a PA. I wish I had your self-control… — Doug

Hey Doug, just keep telling yourself that the PAs cannot kill you or harm you in any way.  Truly accepting this fact as 100% true has cured me of attacks after 4 years.  It really works – but you have to really believe it, not just tell yourself that you believe it.  I think I must have had 20,000 panic attacks before I truly accepted this fact, but I did accept it in the end.  And now I am recovered from them I am glad to say.  :-) — _TJ_ <TJ_IREL at YAHOO dot IE — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

wow, i wasnt aware of that. its good to know.   thnks for the info margro….also thanks for the  clear headed perspective.

Dentists keep epinephrine-free local anesthetics around for people who have heart and stroke problems. The most common epinephrine-free dental anesthetics are named Carbocaine and Citanest. You may also want your dentist to put a big red "NO EPI" stamp on your medical record so you’ll never have to go thru another anesthetic-triggered panic attack in the chair again. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.  its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future. hope everyone is doing alright russ

Whew. So many people afraid of the dentist. I think I finally found something I’m NOT afraid of that a lot of other people are. It has helped me in that I know my dentist personally.  He’s an elder in the church, and I used to attend home group in his home, so I know him well, he knows me and the whole family well.  I think I’d be in the same shape as everyone else if I didn’t know my dentist.  He’s a wonderful guy, even if he did choose that profession, LOL. Actually, my ex husband married a dentist.  I like her very much. She couldn’t have been nicer to my kids when they were growing up.  First time my kids visited after they got married, she called me. She was worried because she kept trying to find a vegetable my sons would eat. I told her potato chips LMAO.  They went through that faze.  I thought that was pretty special that she did that.  Showed me what she is made of. I will say.. what I avoid (if that is possible) is the hygenist.  She’s extremely nice (everyone in my dentist’s office are wonderful). But she always hurts me. I have one tooth that is sensitive.. ONLY when she works on me. NO other time. Last time she cleaned my teeth, I asked her to not even touch that one. She didn’t. Sally (who has had more dental work than all of you combined. You name it, I’ve had it done. If you think dentists are bad, try getting an abcessed tooth.) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I’ve never been able to stop a PA. I wish I had your self-control… — Doug

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hey all,   while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help. its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future. hope everyone is doing alright russ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.  its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future.   hope everyone is doing alright russ

You got through it, and you survived!  <applause You certainly have my sympathy, Russ.  I haven’t been to a dentist in years because of the awful anxiety I go through. Of course, now my teeth are breaking off and falling out in pieces.  There’s a price for everything. Deirdre — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

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My Dental phobia got a lot worse after seeing Marathon Man. Dentists must be sadists at heart… — Doug

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dental phobia is almost universal. Of course, the average person fears the needles and drilling; others are clautrophobic and don’t like to be "pinned down" and have instruments stuffed into their mouth. However, their flight-or-flight response doesn’t go overboard, so they don’t get panic attacks. Folks with panic disorder, or just plain panicky, anxious people who don’t get the full-blown attacks, "overreact" to the common dental phobia. The mind, being excessively anxious, starts to worry about much more than the needles and clautrophobia–they worry about the excessive overreaction itself, and/or get into silly obsessional thinking such as "I’m going to die from this medication" or "the novocaine will not work and I will feel intense pain," but only because an *overly* anxious mind breeds irrational thinking. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

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good stuff. i think i may just tell them that i have PD and may have to  get up for a little while. Hi, Russ, My dentist knows I have a panic disorder.  He’s always conscientious to ask me if I’m doing okay.  This works for me with him knowing. smiles, Elise — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky!

Dental phobia is almost universal. Of course, the average person fears the needles and drilling; others are clautrophobic and don’t like to be "pinned down" and have instruments stuffed into their mouth. However, their flight-or-flight response doesn’t go overboard, so they don’t get panic attacks. Folks with panic disorder, or just plain panicky, anxious people who don’t get the full-blown attacks, "overreact" to the common dental phobia. The mind, being excessively anxious, starts to worry about much more than the needles and clautrophobia–they worry about the excessive overreaction itself, and/or get into silly obsessional thinking such as "I’m going to die from this medication" or "the novocaine will not work and I will feel intense pain," but only because an *overly* anxious mind breeds irrational thinking. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::glad you saw the ruby throat. i’ve been seeing and hearing all sorts of ::warblers out there I`ve been hearing lots of warblers too but the only kind I`ve seen is the ‘black-and-white’ one. I did see a Scarlet Tanager twice this Spring at my pond. Beautiful bird. Jackie ~*~How do I love thee? Hang on  a second …let me Google the ways~*~     ~~ Christine Geary — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I personaly have no problems with you having a PA in a dentist chair ,to me it would be one place on earth that I would think it normal to feel absolute panic.I was so tense one day at the dentist I accidently broke off the arm of my x dentists chair,this may not help much but it is nice to know you are not the only one,clean your teeth better . — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, Russ, Glad you survived the dental appointment and were quick to implement the CBT.  Good job and it is very easy to et that initial thought and have it turn into a PA.  The more we learn to live with panic and anxiety the better off we are in situations like this. smiles, Elise

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.  its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future. hope everyone is doing alright russ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

<gently snipped :: its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. ::the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. ::its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like ::sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a ::reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so ::lucky! :: ::anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt ::on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m ::feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be ::like this in the future.   Dear Russ, I think you did a great job in getting through your panicky time! Kudos to you Next time you go to the dentist, tell him about your panic. You`ll be surprised how many dentists are quite understanding and will work with you. It helps when I tell the dentist I have an anxiety disorder because it takes the pressure off of having to hide my anxiety and physical symptoms. You can also ask the dentist to give you novacaine ‘without’ the epinephrine. Epinephrine is adrenaline and is the last thing a person with anxiety/panic needs. P.S. How are you dealing with this dreary Long Island weather? I got my first hummingbird over the weekend Jackie ~*~How do I love thee? Hang on  a second …let me Google the ways~*~     ~~ Christine Geary — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.  its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future.

Russ, I use to have panic attacks in the dentist’s chair for years before I starting taking a Xanax before going. Now I have no panic attacks at the dentist’s. Chip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

You can also ask the dentist to give you novacaine ‘without’ the epinephrine. Epinephrine is adrenaline and is the last thing a person with anxiety/panic needs.

Does the novacaine work better if the epinephrine is in it?  If not, they what the heck is it in there for?  Is it just to make a dental visit that much worse? Dentists and clowns are scary !!!! Jim — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what

<snip hope everyone is doing alright russ

Good job Russ!!!  The dentist can be a tough one, especially if they have all of that "stuff" on your face.  One certainly cannot go running out of the dentists with a dental dam over their mouth.  That would be a pretty funny sight. Jim — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

You can also ask the dentist to give you novacaine ‘without’ the epinephrine. Epinephrine is adrenaline and is the last thing a person with anxiety/panic needs. Does the novacaine work better if the epinephrine is in it?

it is added to delay systemic absorption of the anesthetic particularily if the drug is a short acting one like procaine, since the space in the nerve trunk that is injected can only hold a relatively small quantity of drug the epi serves to make that quantity of drug pay out more-there are drugs avialble without epi that wear off in an hour, thee are newer drugs that last longer with out epi-but dentists like other doctors fall into habit-this is what they lernt in skool so this is what they use-unles you ask for the good stuff  If not, they what the heck is it in there for?  Is it just to make a dental visit that much worse? Dentists and clowns are scary !!!!

clown dentists are the worst Jim

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

hi jacky,  thanks for the advice. yeah, the weather is dreary indeed. we are supposed to get a few more days of this. friday’s rain is supposed to be heavy. oh well, things will be beautiful when the sun returns. glad you saw the ruby throat. i’ve been seeing and hearing all sorts of warblers out there russ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

thanks for responding all,    < well the concept that the brain has a hard time with two powerfuly <conflicting thoughts is a part of cognitive functioning but cbt would <actually have challenged the what if thought from the get go the what if thinking is definately still a factor for me. i think it is due to the severity of my past panic attacks. i started having them when i was 12, and i thought i was going crazy and never told anyone about them in fear that i would end up in a mental institution. this was the worst thing i could have done during this critical period of development. i really have fear of panic and its ‘consequences’ hardwired into my brain. <Next time make sure the anesthetic doesn’t contain epinephrine, <dentists like using that for many reasons but it can increase anxiety <for about 5-10 minutes initially until your body metabolizes it wow, i wasnt aware of that. its good to know.   thnks for the info margro….also thanks for the  clear headed perspective. <d- what if I had one? What would happen? I would certainly feel <crummy, my heart would pound, my hands sweat and I would irrationaly <feel trapped even though I am not-so what else would happen? Would it <truly be awful if I needed a few moments to stretch, compose myself or <walk about-would it be awful if I told the doc I feel like throwing up <all over him and to install temps in the holes and filll them next <week-if I confessd I had a panic disordeer would they think less of <me, would I care? good stuff. i think i may just tell them that i have PD and may have to get up for a little while. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hey all,    while getting two cavities filled, i felt like i was right on the verge of having a panic attack.  it started with the thought…..what if i have a panic attack right now, right in the middle of the Dr. drilling my teeth? the thought then escalated into….then i’d have to get up, pull the suction tube and gause out of my mouth, then look like a crazy person running out of the office with holes in my teeth cause the job wasnt done.  by this time the palms started sweating, i started getting shaky and nausious(mispelled)…..it seemed immenent until i started to count backwards from 100 by 3’s which was enough to distract my mind. i learned this in CBT, and also read it a couple of times. the power of distracting the mind can really help.  its amazing to me, how much the mind(thoughts) play a role in panic. the thoughts triggered it, this wasnt some out of the blue occurance. its very similar to the interpretations of physical discomfort (like sally’s post).  panic can come out of the blue, from thoughts, or as a reaction to physical problems.  isnt that wonderful folks!   we are so lucky! anyway, i was really keyed up after getting out of the dentist’s. felt on the verge of panic on and off for the rest of the evening. but i’m feeling alright today. i hope going to the dentist isnt going to be like this in the future. hope everyone is doing alright russ

Hey Russ, I think you handled that situation *VERY* well.  Distraction works… anything that works is great.  I was going suggest what Jackie did. I didn’t know it was epinephrin, but I’ve had novacaine before that threw me into instant panic.  - I always tell the dentist to not give me the novacaine that jump starts my panic. Don’t let one bad experience turn into a phobia…that’s my advice. One bad experience is just that..one… it COULD happen again, yes. But it also MAY NOT happen again.. there is a good chance it won’t. And even if it does, you will not die and the world will not end, and you handled it the last time, and you can handle it again. I think you did very well, Russ.  That is good news and not bad. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

<gently snipped ::What is up with that?  After 3 shots of liquor I finally went to sleep. :: ::What could be causing these?  More importantly how can I prevent them or ::deal with the ‘fear of an attack’ when I begin to feel them coming on?? Dear Carol Ann, Welcome to ASAPM! You mentioned not having a full blown panic attack in many years. What did you do back then when you had a panic attack? I strongly urge you to not self-medicate with someone elses valium, or alcohol. It may seem that alcohol works, but for many people it makes the anxiety worse. It could be one of many reasons why your panic has reared its ugly head. The best thing you could do for yourself is go to the doctor and have a thorough check-up and some basic bloodwork. You want to make sure that nothing physical is causing your symptoms. Some of my worse panic was caused by a thyroid disorder. If nothing physical is found, get yourself to a psych doctor for diagnosis and treatment in the form of meds and/or cognitive behavioral therapy. Panic disorder has a way of getting out of control rather quickly. Nip this in the bud early, it will prevent a lot of grief later. Jackie ~*~I`m an angel! Honest The horns are just there to keep my halo up straight~*~ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, everyone!  I am a 42 year old mother of a two year old. I haven’t had a full blown panic attack in quite a few years. I have had a few ’bouts’ of almost panicking in the past two years. Most recently I had an onset while driving down a deadend street.  I quickly drove out and it was gone. Then, two nites ago I was driving to my father’s country home when it started to get dark outside.  I started to feel an attack coming on, but couldn’t figure out why. Then, after being there a while, I suddenly felt my heart begin to race. I knew it was coming so I asked my father’s wife to get a valium from her mother. I put it in my pocket and drank a Bailey’s.  I was fine after I prayed and talked myself out of it. Then last nite at my own home, I was rethinking about it and suddenly the same thing hit me.  I kept thinking it’s dark outside, I need light. What is up with that?  After 3 shots of liquor I finally went to sleep. What could be causing these?  More importantly how can I prevent them or deal with the ‘fear of an attack’ when I begin to feel them coming on?? — ~Carol Ann —

I would agree with the others and tell you to get help, too.  That said, the best thing you can do with a panic attack is just let it happen and let it wash over you.  You should get a checkup, as even minor problems can cause anxiety, but assuming there is nothing wrong with you, panic attacks are more scary than dangerous. Keep us posted. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi Carol Ann, and welcome. Anticipatory anxiety caused by panic attacks is no picnic. It sounds as if you do have recurring panic disorder. It may or may not be helpful to understand what precipitates them, but it is definitely possible to cut them short and learn how to keep panic at bay. My first recommendation is that you see a psychologist and/or psychiatrist who is experienced in treating panic disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy is extremely helpful in learning how to manage your thoughts in a panic attack and to prevent new ones.  Sometimes you may need an anti-anxiety med to help you if the problem is severe– like Xanax, Ativan, or Klonopin.  A professional can help you decide this.   I sincerely would discourage you from continuing to use alcohol to medicate away your panic. Not only is it dangerous while you’re driving, but in combination with Valium it could cause extreme impairment.  Valium would not be a first-choice anti-anxiety med for panic these days. Also, many experience "rebound panic" after the initial depressant effect of alcohol wears off, making the situation worse. If you can share with us where you live (general area), some people here might be able to recommend therapists and psychiatrists who are reliable and experienced in your form of anxiety. xxoo Anne — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, everyone!  I am a 42 year old mother of a two year old. I haven’t had a full blown panic attack in quite a few years. I have had a few ’bouts’ of almost panicking in the past two years. Most recently I had an onset while driving down a deadend street.  I quickly drove out and it was gone. Then, two nites ago I was driving to my father’s country home when it started to get dark outside.  I started to feel an attack coming on, but couldn’t figure out why. Then, after being there a while, I suddenly felt my heart begin to race.  I knew it was coming so I asked my father’s wife to get a valium from her mother. I put it in my pocket and drank a Bailey’s.  I was fine after I prayed and talked myself out of it. Then last nite at my own home, I was rethinking about it and suddenly the same thing hit me.  I kept thinking it’s dark outside, I need light. What is up with that?  After 3 shots of liquor I finally went to sleep. What could be causing these?  More importantly how can I prevent them or deal with the ‘fear of an attack’ when I begin to feel them coming on??

I’d suggest a full physical examination by a Dr., then off to a psychiatrist.  The worst possible thing is what you are doing… self medicating with alcohol.  If you keep it up, soon when the alcohol wears off, you will have rebound anxiety… worse than it was originally.  From there things can snowball pretty fast.  Many an alcoholic was born by self medicating. Good Luck, Tony — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, everyone!  I am a 42 year old mother of a two year old. I haven’t had a full blown panic attack in quite a few years. I have had a few ’bouts’ of almost panicking in the past two years. Most recently I had an onset while driving down a deadend street.  I quickly drove out and it was gone. Then, two nites ago I was driving to my father’s country home when it started to get dark outside.  I started to feel an attack coming on, but couldn’t figure out why. Then, after being there a while, I suddenly felt my heart begin to race.  I knew it was coming so I asked my father’s wife to get a valium from her mother. I put it in my pocket and drank a Bailey’s.  I was fine after I prayed and talked myself out of it. Then last nite at my own home, I was rethinking about it and suddenly the same thing hit me.  I kept thinking it’s dark outside, I need light. What is up with that?  After 3 shots of liquor I finally went to sleep. What could be causing these?  More importantly how can I prevent them or deal with the ‘fear of an attack’ when I begin to feel them coming on?? — ~Carol Ann

Hi Carol Ann, Welcome to ASAPM.  I agree with Tony.. about the worst thing you can do is drink.  It may alleviate SOME anxiety initially, but the day after you drink, you’ll have anxiety that is even worse.  Then you have to drink again to get rid of it.. it’s a neverending, bad cycle to get into, and I did it myself, so I know. Definitely.. get to a psychiatrist who is qualified to treat you.  Many people with PD have panic while driving, that’s very common. I wouldn’t waste a lot of time trying to figure out WHY you panicked. I get PA’s at the moment I am losing conciousness and falling asleep. My first PA hit me when I was in a class at school. I wasn’t afraid or anything, I was sitting there taking notes, minding my own business and suddenly I went into my first full blown panic attack, for no reason I can think of. Medication prescribed by a psychiatrist is the best way to go for panic.  Good luck, and be careful with the alcohol. It’ll get you before you even know it. Welcome again. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, everyone!  I am a 42 year old mother of a two year old. I haven’t had a full blown panic attack in quite a few years. I have had a few ’bouts’ of almost panicking in the past two years. Most recently I had an onset while driving down a deadend street.  I quickly drove out and it was gone. Then, two nites ago I was driving to my father’s country home when it started to get dark outside.  I started to feel an attack coming on, but couldn’t figure out why. Then, after being there a while, I suddenly felt my heart begin to race.  I knew it was coming so I asked my father’s wife to get a valium from her mother. I put it in my pocket and drank a Bailey’s.  I was fine after I prayed and talked myself out of it. Then last nite at my own home, I was rethinking about it and suddenly the same thing hit me.  I kept thinking it’s dark outside, I need light. What is up with that?  After 3 shots of liquor I finally went to sleep. What could be causing these?  More importantly how can I prevent them or deal with the ‘fear of an attack’ when I begin to feel them coming on?? — ~Carol Ann — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

I’ve been having panic attacks since college, about 30 years.  For about the first 8 years I thought I was just becoming insane and I never got a diagnosis of any mental health problem.  Stress maybe, some Freudian whooha about my mother and father.  But, not much help.  Except a relaxation tape and Sinequan. In the beginning it was like they’d never heard of someone with my symptoms, I would be handed some xanax or valium or librium or whatever by the folks on the late shift at student health, nurses that is. I spent some overnights in student health.  Got cursory interviews with a general practitioner in the morning, then I was released.   Later I followed up on a recommendation to see a well known doctor in the guidance and counseling department and he was absolutely certain he could help me when we first met.  Things about me mystified him, my symptoms just didn’t add up. I got yelled at for not getting over "it" after one too many unscheduled visits to him, despite the fact that he told me I should drop by in the early morning if I was having a difficult time. Only, he didn’t really mean for me to interrupt him so often.  He even ridiculed me for having to rush to the restroom to pee during one of our sessions, "why are you always holding on to things," he said.  At that point I was desperate and invented my own therapy, writing my way through bad times and seeking positive thoughts. Later a doctor at the local public hospital offered help using REBT, for no fee, and I turned it down because he spoke well of Dr. "get-over-it". How was I to know? A couple years later I got lucky and was referred to a stress specialist at a sports clinic my regular doctor knew about, to be trained in Progressive Muscle Relaxation.  She was a PhD in Physiology and a research associate of the developer of PMR. That alone eliminated symptoms for three years. (A warning here, every web page or handout I’ve seen on Progressive Relaxation totally butcher’s it, I don’t see how anyone can benefit from the hack job most therapists do on it).  Edmund Jacobsen who developed it wrote a book on his method of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, "You Must Relax" it’s a better place to start.   I went back to grad school and… crazy man again.  Then, got a total jerk psychiatrist, supposedly a follower of Reality Therapy who kept scolding me "I just don’t understand, what’s with you, one day you’re okay, the next you’re calling me at dinner time."  I guess he gave me his number just so I could torture him. Anyway, I went back on doxepin after I decided to spend 5 days in the psych ward making decaf, where they determined they seemed to think I needed more of a social life. But, one guy gave me xeroxes of part of one of Beck’s books.  I could practically feel my anxiety symptoms unwinding just reading them.  They really spoke to me. I took the recommendation of a counselor there and went to an eclectic therapist.  We did Jungian dream-work, Gestalt, behaviour therapy but, he was generally a real nice guy that wanted me to feel less pain and again I was off meds for two years. Then, back to college for a year and back to panic, back to doxepin and I decided to see a "real" psychoanalyst.  The "teacher" of my eclectic therapist, how could I go wrong? Just before I started seeing this Jungian Analyst (formerly a Freudian Analyst) I discovered and started to read Claire Weekes’s books.  In the beginning he encouraged me to try Weekes’s approach, after I told him that I’d been reading about it, and it worked for me, right out of her books, for 2 years. The psychoanalysis was a total mystery to me, though.  Then, he started getting annoyed because, I kept talking about how wonderful Weekes was.  He said, "where would I be without her?" in a sarcastic way.  It really pissed me off, but I didn’t tell him that.   Soon after, he interpreted a dream I’d had, and decided my "feeling side" was coming to the forefront in a psychic-storm (my dream was about a storm), and that I might have a psychotic break like he did 20 years before (okay, now there’s a detail I didn’t know about you doctor, thanks for telling me, now!) He said he’d had the same experience of discovering his feeling side (no doubt helped along by the acid he was taking on a regular basis back then, which he’d previously told me about) so, I had to be careful about "playing" with my new feeling side abilities (good old Jungian type theory).  So, I ran.  But, I owe him thanks for encouraging me to try Weekes’s approach.  If asked about recommending him all I can say is, "well, he doesn’t seem insane and he never threatened me with a gun." Then, I found a new psychiatrist who was CBT oriented with a lot of psychopharmaceuticals knowledge. Put me on Klonopin. I was doing very well.  Reading Burns’s "Feeling Good" book and acting on it.  Then he decied Klonopin’s not good so, let’s try the new SSRI’s and I had to spend weeks with the shakes cutting down from 4-5 mg a day to 0 of Klonopin and taking only Luvox.  Then we switched back to Luvox and Klonopin.  Turned out Luvox wasn’t perfect. Then, I went off the deep end about girls and bars and alcohol (okay, my fault). Then, I lost my job. I moved to another city for another job and quit drinking with Bill’s Friends.  And, now I have a 15-minute psychiatrist who’s had me on Paxil, Paxil/Klonopin, Paxil/Seroquel (hated that) and now Effexor with some clonazepam (not called Klonopin anymore). I only get results from clonazepam or xanax and writing therapy (real simple minded stuff, as in write it down you’ll feel better, not to say CBT doesn’t improve on that) and some from Progressive Relaxation.  But, my current doctor’ll be damned before she’ll let me have only clonazepam.  I have to take an antidepressant.  Preferably, something that’s new on the market (as I’ve discovered). Why are benzodiazepines treated like heroin or cocaine or something?  I can tell you Effexor is just plain bad news to try to cut back on, isn’t that addiction?  If I miss taking it for two days because I run out, I’m in hell.  Physically and mentally.  Might as well have a terrible hangover and drink lot’s of coffee. I’m thinking about learning to synthesize my own tranquilizers and screw the medical establishment.  And my doctor says, oh I’m sure you’d benefit from therapy. First therapist she recommended was handing me my head on a platter. Platitudes about stress and lectures on "Here’s why your thinking is different from other peoples…" and some generalizations about how most people don’t mind being average. Gee thanks, I’d never thought I might be different, EXCEPT I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT I’M SANE AT ALL. My doctor’s totally not there for me.  Out of the blue she’ll decide I need to try something new, medication wise, and give me a recommendation to try some new anti-depressant, or Seroquel, which I guess is off the market now, I’ve got to look into that. The new med is always real expensive because, it’s brand new.  I’m feeling like all doctors work this way. Should I just quit seeing psychiatrists all together and see General Practitioners?  Maybe, I could get my xanax or clonazepam from them and see about therapy at my leisure. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

yeah, i dont understand why DR’s are so benzo phobic. and its true what you said fathers delicate condition…..ssri’s are addictive also. the hypocracy is nauseating. its bad enough to suffer with panic and anxiety without having to wrestle with dr’s red tape. im wishing you the best. keep looking for a dr who isnt afraid of benzos be they pdoc or GP. russ p.s.    it must have been interesting for you to find out that your therapist had a psychotic break with reality on acid!   i guess that could be good or bad depending on the outcome. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been having panic attacks since college, about 30 years.  For about the first 8 years I thought I was just becoming insane and I never got a diagnosis of any mental health problem.  Stress maybe, some Freudian whooha about my mother and father.  But, not much help.  Except a relaxation tape and Sinequan. In the beginning it was like they’d never heard of someone with my symptoms, I would be handed some xanax or valium or librium or whatever by the folks on the late shift at student health, nurses that is. I spent some overnights in student health.  Got cursory interviews with a general practitioner in the morning, then I was released. Later I followed up on a recommendation to see a well known doctor in the guidance and counseling department and he was absolutely certain he could help me when we first met.  Things about me mystified him, my symptoms just didn’t add up. I got yelled at for not getting over "it" after one too many unscheduled visits to him, despite the fact that he told me I should drop by in the early morning if I was having a difficult time. Only, he didn’t really mean for me to interrupt him so often.  He even ridiculed me for having to rush to the restroom to pee during one of our sessions, "why are you always holding on to things," he said.  At that point I was desperate and invented my own therapy, writing my way through bad times and seeking positive thoughts. Later a doctor at the local public hospital offered help using REBT, for no fee, and I turned it down because he spoke well of Dr. "get-over-it". How was I to know? A couple years later I got lucky and was referred to a stress specialist at a sports clinic my regular doctor knew about, to be trained in Progressive Muscle Relaxation.  She was a PhD in Physiology and a research associate of the developer of PMR. That alone eliminated symptoms for three years. (A warning here, every web page or handout I’ve seen on Progressive Relaxation totally butcher’s it, I don’t see how anyone can benefit from the hack job most therapists do on it).  Edmund Jacobsen who developed it wrote a book on his method of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, "You Must Relax" it’s a better place to start. I went back to grad school and… crazy man again.  Then, got a total jerk psychiatrist, supposedly a follower of Reality Therapy who kept scolding me "I just don’t understand, what’s with you, one day you’re okay, the next you’re calling me at dinner time."  I guess he gave me his number just so I could torture him. Anyway, I went back on doxepin after I decided to spend 5 days in the psych ward making decaf, where they determined they seemed to think I needed more of a social life. But, one guy gave me xeroxes of part of one of Beck’s books.  I could practically feel my anxiety symptoms unwinding just reading them.  They really spoke to me. I took the recommendation of a counselor there and went to an eclectic therapist.  We did Jungian dream-work, Gestalt, behaviour therapy but, he was generally a real nice guy that wanted me to feel less pain and again I was off meds for two years. Then, back to college for a year and back to panic, back to doxepin and I decided to see a "real" psychoanalyst.  The "teacher" of my eclectic therapist, how could I go wrong? Just before I started seeing this Jungian Analyst (formerly a Freudian Analyst) I discovered and started to read Claire Weekes’s books.  In the beginning he encouraged me to try Weekes’s approach, after I told him that I’d been reading about it, and it worked for me, right out of her books, for 2 years. The psychoanalysis was a total mystery to me, though.  Then, he started getting annoyed because, I kept talking about how wonderful Weekes was.  He said, "where would I be without her?" in a sarcastic way.  It really pissed me off, but I didn’t tell him that. Soon after, he interpreted a dream I’d had, and decided my "feeling side" was coming to the forefront in a psychic-storm (my dream was about a storm), and that I might have a psychotic break like he did 20 years before (okay, now there’s a detail I didn’t know about you doctor, thanks for telling me, now!) He said he’d had the same experience of discovering his feeling side (no doubt helped along by the acid he was taking on a regular basis back then, which he’d previously told me about) so, I had to be careful about "playing" with my new feeling side abilities (good old Jungian type theory).  So, I ran.  But, I owe him thanks for encouraging me to try Weekes’s approach.  If asked about recommending him all I can say is, "well, he doesn’t seem insane and he never threatened me with a gun." Then, I found a new psychiatrist who was CBT oriented with a lot of psychopharmaceuticals knowledge. Put me on Klonopin. I was doing very well.  Reading Burns’s "Feeling Good" book and acting on it.  Then he decied Klonopin’s not good so, let’s try the new SSRI’s and I had to spend weeks with the shakes cutting down from 4-5 mg a day to 0 of Klonopin and taking only Luvox.  Then we switched back to Luvox and Klonopin.  Turned out Luvox wasn’t perfect. Then, I went off the deep end about girls and bars and alcohol (okay, my fault). Then, I lost my job. I moved to another city for another job and quit drinking with Bill’s Friends.  And, now I have a 15-minute psychiatrist who’s had me on Paxil, Paxil/Klonopin, Paxil/Seroquel (hated that) and now Effexor with some clonazepam (not called Klonopin anymore). I only get results from clonazepam or xanax and writing therapy (real simple minded stuff, as in write it down you’ll feel better, not to say CBT doesn’t improve on that) and some from Progressive Relaxation.  But, my current doctor’ll be damned before she’ll let me have only clonazepam.  I have to take an antidepressant.  Preferably, something that’s new on the market (as I’ve discovered). Why are benzodiazepines treated like heroin or cocaine or something?  I can tell you Effexor is just plain bad news to try to cut back on, isn’t that addiction?  If I miss taking it for two days because I run out, I’m in hell.  Physically and mentally.  Might as well have a terrible hangover and drink lot’s of coffee. I’m thinking about learning to synthesize my own tranquilizers and screw the medical establishment.  And my doctor says, oh I’m sure you’d benefit from therapy. First therapist she recommended was handing me my head on a platter. Platitudes about stress and lectures on "Here’s why your thinking is different from other peoples…" and some generalizations about how most people don’t mind being average. Gee thanks, I’d never thought I might be different, EXCEPT I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT I’M SANE AT ALL. My doctor’s totally not there for me.  Out of the blue she’ll decide I need to try something new, medication wise, and give me a recommendation to try some new anti-depressant, or Seroquel, which I guess is off the market now, I’ve got to look into that. The new med is always real expensive because, it’s brand new.  I’m feeling like all doctors work this way. Should I just quit seeing psychiatrists all together and see General Practitioners?  Maybe, I could get my xanax or clonazepam from them and see about therapy at my leisure.

I had the onset of panic disorder in 1966, so I’ve been through alot of the treatments (or mistreatments) you’ve been though. I’ve been on Klonopin for panic disorder for 19 years, and Zoloft and desipramine for depression for about 10 years. I think the best therapy out there is CBT. I’ve never gone through it (can’t afford to), but I have several books by Burns, Beck, and Ellis. Welcome to ASAP-M! Chip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

Hey everyone!  Thank you so much for the advice this week on the job interview.  I ended up rescheduling it for Friday and am excited to get out there and meet them. Onto the next issue… My boyfriend is very reluctant to understand what I’m going through with the panic attacks and anxiety.  He seems to think that it’s all a case of mind over matter.  I am fighting tooth and nail to communicate with him about it and try to make it more understandable, but it’s not getting me anywhere.  Can anyone give me ideas for breaking through to him?  Are there some good resources out there that he could read in his own time?  I feel very strongly that if he can’t find the willingness to understand what this is all about, the relationship is certainly not going to last. It really is true that when it rains, it pours… isn’t it?  :o) Thanks! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Onto the next issue… My boyfriend is very reluctant to understand what I’m going through with the panic attacks and anxiety.  He seems to think that it’s all a case of mind over matter.  I am fighting tooth and nail to communicate with him about it and try to make it more understandable, but it’s not getting me anywhere.  Can anyone give me ideas for breaking through to him?  Are there some good resources out there that he could read in his own time?  I feel very strongly that if he can’t find the willingness to understand what this is all about, the relationship is certainly not going to last. It really is true that when it rains, it pours… isn’t it?  :o) Thanks!

Sadly, it is pretty much impossible for someone without PA, anxiety, OCD, etc to understand them, not even a pdoc *truly* understands these disorders. I have problems with my wife at times.  Sometimes when I am depressed I am not "there" for my wife and kids the way I should be.  I want to just be in my office and do nothing.  My wife can be frustrated by this at times, which I understand.  It can be a real emotional drain on a couple if the SO is not commited to being there through the ups and downs.  Luckily for me, my wife is commited and tries very hard.  I am not the easiest man to live with : ) As far as getting him to understand?  I don’t think you ever will.  You can only get him to be accepting of it and willing to work through the ups and dowsn.  The last thing you need is a relationship where you fear the person will leave because of your illness. The closest I came to helping my wife understand a PA happened recently when we took a vacation to see here parents in SC.  My wife was driving our mini-van and a dog shot out in front of us.  She slamed the brakes and almost lost control of the car.  She said to me how it scared her, how her heart was racing…  I turned to her and told here that how she feels is similar to a PA.  That adrenaline rush, pounding heart, total fear, Fight or Flight feeling. Maybe take your BF for a car ride, tell him to look out the window and *PRETEND* you lose control of the car when he is not looking and scare him. Immediately afterwards, ask him if his heart is pounding, etc and ask him to describe how he feels.  Then tell him that those feelings are similar to a PA.  Continue and explain to him that in his case the feelings/emotions are totally legitamate since they are in response to dangerouse situation (*PRETEND*).  In the case of someone with PA, they can come out of no where for no apparent reason and can last far too long. Now continue and explain to him that since your *PRETEND* episode of losing control of the car, he became absolutely certain that every time he got any car, he *KNEW* he was going to have another one of those scary PA thingies. Even though he might not have one, he starts to fear having one.  Fearing having one can actually cause one or at least a "mild" one. I really don’t know any other way to even try to explain it to someone.  If you would have met me 11 or more years ago before I had my first PA and tried to tell me that I would get panic/anxiety/depression, I would have no way of knowing what they are really like and how the affect ones life. Best : ) Jim — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Vanessa, How did your husband first respond to going to therapy with you?  This is something I’d love for my bf to do but I first want to find a new therapist.  My current is neo-freudian, which isn’t really helping my anxiety.  I need someone cognitive-behavioral I think. Thanks for your message, the suggestions are great! Best, Katie — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Vanessa, How did your husband first respond to going to therapy with you?  This is something I’d love for my bf to do but I first want to find a new therapist.  My current is neo-freudian, which isn’t really helping my anxiety.  I need someone cognitive-behavioral I think. Thanks for your message, the suggestions are great! Best, Katie

Hi Katie, I asked my husband (my boyfriend at the time) to accompany me to an appointment out of desperation. I was too scared to go alone. I only asked him to come and wait with me until the pdoc called me in as waiting was the hardest part. The pdoc then suggested that it might be helpful to get by hubby to stay for the appointment as my recovery was going to also involve him. Hubby was happy to stay and from that first appointment onwards we both attended sessions together. I don’t know whether therapists generally prefer this or not but in our case it worked a treat as we both got to learn all about cognitive behavioural therapy and we both knew it was not something that was going to work overnight. I found the therapy to be extremely effective long term and have had learnt to manage my condition. I have had a few relapses but I’ve overcome these with some refresher sessions. My therapist is a psychiatrist which seems rare these days but it’s important to find someone who really knows a lot about anxiety and you can get along well with. Vanessa — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Thanks, Vanessa.  I agree about finding the right doc – I need to switch.  I love the idea about your hubby going with you, I truly believe that my BF would be willing to do that.  It’s a great suggestion, thank you! — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey everyone!  Thank you so much for the advice this week on the job interview.  I ended up rescheduling it for Friday and am excited to get out there and meet them. Onto the next issue… My boyfriend is very reluctant to understand what I’m going through with the panic attacks and anxiety.  He seems to think that it’s all a case of mind over matter.  I am fighting tooth and nail to communicate with him about it and try to make it more understandable, but it’s not getting me anywhere.  Can anyone give me ideas for breaking through to him?  Are there some good resources out there that he could read in his own time?  I feel very strongly that if he can’t find the willingness to understand what this is all about, the relationship is certainly not going to last. It really is true that when it rains, it pours… isn’t it?  :o) Thanks!

This just came to me, but you might describe anxiety and panic this way. Anxiety is like having a fear of heights and being up a tall ladder. The feeling is much the same but the cause is different. Panic is like having a fear of heights and being up a tall ladder while someone is trying to push the ladder over. I don’t think that anyone that hasn’t suffered from anxiety and panic can truly understand what is going on in the head of a person that has these afflictions. — Ron P If it doesn’t hurt today, it probably will tomorrow. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Onto the next issue… My boyfriend is very reluctant to understand what I’m going through with the panic attacks and anxiety.  He seems to think that it’s all a case of mind over matter.  I am fighting tooth and nail to communicate with him about it and try to make it more understandable, but it’s not getting me anywhere.  Can anyone give me ideas for breaking through to him?

He’s never going to understand it, cause he’s never had it. Just like you couldn’t understand….say, kidney stones…unless you had them. Explaining something (eg panic disorder) does not equal understanding it. What it seems your boyfriend is lacking is empathy for a person with a problem. And if he doesn’t have that, I don’t see how you can change him. Having empathy for another person is a sign of maturity. Chip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey everyone!  Thank you so much for the advice this week on the job interview.  I ended up rescheduling it for Friday and am excited to get out there and meet them. Onto the next issue… My boyfriend is very reluctant to understand what I’m going through with the panic attacks and anxiety.  He seems to think that it’s all a case of mind over matter.  I am fighting tooth and nail to communicate with him about it and try to make it more understandable, but it’s not getting me anywhere.  Can anyone give me ideas for breaking through to him?  Are there some good resources out there that he could read in his own time?  I feel very strongly that if he can’t find the willingness to understand what this is all about, the relationship is certainly not going to last. It really is true that when it rains, it pours… isn’t it?  :o) Thanks!

Hi Katie, From my experience *support* is more important and beneficial than

understanding. As others have said it is almost impossible for someone who doesn’t suffer this condition to truly understand what it’s like to have panic/anxiety including GP’s, psychologists and psychiatrists. What I found helpful was not to place too much expectation on my husband. He is there as a support, a friend, someone to talk to about the good and the bad times. But I don’t rely on him as I know I have to learn to manage this condition. There have been many times over the years that I’ve blamed him for not understanding but that’s my issue, my frustration and so easy to lash out at the one closest to you. However as your significant other, he can play a vital role in your recovery as you learn to manage your condition. Being supportive is not easy but if he truly wants to help you there are many ways that he can without having to fully understand panic/anxiety. Here a few things my husband has done for me:  - reading more about the condition to better educate himself on it.  - come along to my therapy sessions to learn practical ways to provide support.  - helps me reinforce what has been covered in therapy by reminding me about strategies I can employ.  - having a positive attitude when even I can’t seem to find one.  - distacting my mind when I’m having anticipatory anxiety.  - just being there for me when I’m having a panic attack (talking to me over the phone or offering help in person… even when I tell him there’s nothing he can do). It’s not easy to find a supportive partner but be patient with him as it’s not so easy being a support person. The tables were turned when one of my children developed a phobia of rain… despite my understanding it wasn’t easy to be patient and supportive. Vanessa — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey everyone!  Thank you so much for the advice this week on the job interview.  I ended up rescheduling it for Friday and am excited to get out there and meet them. Onto the next issue… My boyfriend is very reluctant to understand what I’m going through with the panic attacks and anxiety.  He seems to think that it’s all a case of mind over matter.  I am fighting tooth and nail to communicate with him about it and try to make it more understandable, but it’s not getting me anywhere.  Can anyone give me ideas for breaking through to him?  Are there some good resources out there that he could read in his own time?  I feel very strongly that if he can’t find the willingness to understand what this is all about, the relationship is certainly not going to last. It really is true that when it rains, it pours… isn’t it?  :o) Thanks!

Hi Katie, I didn’t welcome you to the group, so I’ll do it now. I’m in the middle of a move, and not posting as regularly as usual. Jackie gave you some good resources, but I’d like to say that I suffer from several things, anxiety and panic being only two of them..and it’s very difficult for people who don’t have a disorder to understand them.  I’ve tried very hard to explain it to my family, but it’s sort of like explaining the color blue to a blind person.  I hope your BF tries to understand.  He may choose not to.  Some people think they already know something and they don’t know at all, LOL. I know a few like that. Just surround yourself with people who do understand (us) and maybe your BF will come around. I hope so. Hope he wants to. Welcome again, and you go girl! on that interview. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

Thanks to all who suggested the benzo.  I’m using ativan as needed and am sure that it’s making a big difference.  I forgot to take it last night and woke up with a PA… so it must be doing something!  Needless to say, I won’t forget again.  :o)  Great suggestions from everyone!

Response:

Thanks, Marie.  I have ativan that I can take with it if there’s too much agitation… let’s hope for the sleepiness!  :o)  It’s great to hear that you didn’t have nausea, because that is certainly the hardest part for me.  Thanks for the encouragement, hopefully it will work out.  I’ll keep you posted.

Response:

Hey all.  I am starting Zoloft (25mg to start) and am totally freaked out about it.  I suffer from panic attacks that have caused agoraphobia from time to time.  I tried Lexapro but had violent nausea and my doc decided it was time to try Zoloft.  Does anyone have tips for how to start this?  Are mornings or evenings better?  What about the nausea? That is BY FAR the worst part for me, so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks!

Try 12.5 as a starting dose for two weeks or so and then up the dose in increments of 12.5 mg. *Start low, go slow* = golden rule for waning on antidepressants for people with anxiety disorders. Also: have benzo *as needed* on the side. Ginger is good for nausea. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

The ginger was a great idea and is working really well, thanks Philip! I’m using caplets and taking them as needed, it’s perfect.  What a gem you are!

Response:

Hey all.  I am starting Zoloft (25mg to start) and am totally freaked out about it.  I suffer from panic attacks that have caused agoraphobia from time to time.  I tried Lexapro but had violent nausea and my doc decided it was time to try Zoloft.  Does anyone have tips for how to start this?  Are mornings or evenings better?  What about the nausea? That is BY FAR the worst part for me, so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I know this advice is not going to make you feel much better, but take it or not I agree with the poster who recommended a benzo for the first few weeks. I had a not so great experience with Zoloft, but know people IRL who sailed right through those first weeks and it works great for them. Guess it depends on your body. I’d say try not to concentrate on the fact that you MAY feel nauseas, anxious, or anything else.  You will increase your chances of feeling it if you really believe you will.  Of course do not ignore real physical symptoms.  Remember- it’s your body! Best of luck!  I hope you are one of the ones this really works for!!!!!

Response:

Hey all.  I am starting Zoloft (25mg to start) and am totally freaked out about it.

I understand your concerns. I suffer from panic attacks that have caused agoraphobia from time to time.  I tried Lexapro but had violent nausea and my doc decided it was time to try Zoloft.  Does anyone have tips for how to start this?

I took it for Major Depression and OCD, not Panic Disorder. I had to start according to this schedule: 12.5 mg one week 25 mg one week 37.5 mg one week 50 mg two weeks 67.5 mg one week 75 mg one week 100 mg currently for four days. The only reason my schedule was slow was that for me, Zoloft was *very* stimulating and agitating.  I had a lot of jitters the first few weeks and even at 25 mg thought I was *going* to have a 100 panic attacks, even though I don’t have Panic Disorder. I still feel my arms tingling most days. The stimulation is good for a depressive and severe OCDer, but IMO not a person with Panic Disorder. You may find it sedating or not so stimulating.  If I had Panic Disorder, I would have dropped Zoloft the first week because it is very stimulating for me. I had no nausea. Sleep was choppy at first but now things are getting better. I take it in the mornings. …any words of encouragement

I hope that it does well for you. I hope you don’t find it too stimulating. If I had Panic Disorder without depression, however, I would not opt for Zoloft nor Prozac to be very honest–none in the stimulating class; maybe Paxil or just Xanax. Who knows, Zoloft may make you sleepy! Good luck!

Response:

Hey all.  I am starting Zoloft (25mg to start) and am totally freaked out about it.  I suffer from panic attacks that have caused agoraphobia from time to time.  I tried Lexapro but had violent nausea and my doc decided it was time to try Zoloft.  Does anyone have tips for how to start this?  Are mornings or evenings better?  What about the nausea? That is BY FAR the worst part for me, so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks!

Response:

Question:

Hi Ron, I had a similar panic attack years ago. Paramedics ere called but I was not taken to hospital. Now you have a diagnosis you can treat it effectively. Good to see you. Meryl – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-)

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ron!  How terrifying.  I’m glad you got to the hospital and had everything checked out.  The panic attack *does* sound like heart-attack symptoms; I don’t blame you for being scared. I’m glad you’re OK now.  Crossing my fingers that you don’t have another experience like this one.  8-O xxoo Anne — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, Ron, So glad you didn’t suffer a heart attack.  I’m sure you were scared enough going through this. smiles, Elise – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. <snip What a SCARE!  Glad everything is OK! Tono

I’m glad it’s over and in my favour! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

((((((((((((Ron)))))))))))))) I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this! But YAE….you are OK!!  Everything is OK!! You are in good health, and I’m so happy for you. I hope you can relax and heal the infection and have a new outlook on life! Hugs and love, Gigglz

The darned antibiotic that I’m on upsets the stomach and when that gets going, for some reason the anxiety chimes in with a "me too" attitude and around it goes!  I was given a prescription for Alprazolan (Xanax clone)  .25mg which I had never taken before. That sure helped to "mellow out" the situation. The prescription is given as Take 1 tablet twice daily if needed. I always have problems with the "if needed" part as I tend to not take the medication figuring that the problem will pass if I just give it enough time. Anyway, it is going to work itself out eventually. ((((((((Gigglz))))))))) — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi, Ron, So glad you didn’t suffer a heart attack.  I’m sure you were scared enough going through this. smiles, Elise

Thank you Elise. For the most part the fear was one of resigned helplessness. I am still tired a bit but feeling fine now. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ron!  How terrifying.  I’m glad you got to the hospital and had everything checked out.  The panic attack *does* sound like heart-attack symptoms; I don’t blame you for being scared. I’m glad you’re OK now.  Crossing my fingers that you don’t have another experience like this one.  8-O

The attack was "real enough" that the doctors took a while to actually rule out a heart attack after arriving at the hospital. I’m glad that they were thorough in their examination. It sure takes a load off the mind. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) Ron, I know only too well how it feels to get a "no cancer" report.  I am so very happy you got that news. I had a panic attack once that I didn’t recognize as panic and called the squad too.  My arms and legs went numb and I had that tightness and pressure on my chest.  At least they took you to the hospital and checked you out!  The medics just took my BP and listened to my heart and told me it was panic.  I don’t know how they could say that for sure without an EKG but they did. Anyway…neither you nor I died!! YEAH!! That IS the goal.  I’m so glad that was panic and not a heart attack you had.  You’ve had a rough week.  Take some down time and relax.  Do some fun things.  Try to shake off all that trauma. I’m so glad you are all right. Sally

I’m glad that your experience turned out to be panic and not a heart attack. The docs took a pile of blood from me for blood work upon arrival at the hospital and then in the morning, repeated the whole thing to make extra sure that they "had it right." I’m going to take it easy today and get rested up. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ((((((((((((Ron)))))))))))))) I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this! But YAE….you are OK!!  Everything is OK!! You are in good health, and I’m so happy for you. I hope you can relax and heal the infection and have a new outlook on life! Hugs and love, Gigglz The darned antibiotic that I’m on upsets the stomach and when that gets going, for some reason the anxiety chimes in with a "me too" attitude and around it goes!  I was given a prescription for Alprazolan (Xanax clone)  .25mg which I had never taken before. That sure helped to "mellow out" the situation. The prescription is given as Take 1 tablet twice daily if needed. I always have problems with the "if needed" part as I tend to not take the medication figuring that the problem will pass if I just give it enough time. Anyway, it is going to work itself out eventually. ((((((((Gigglz))))))))) — Ron P

Antibiotics just kill my stomach, Ron.  I hope you feel better real soon. {{{{{Ron}}}}} Di — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of.

Yaay! *RELIEF*! Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah!

The notorious "heart attack"…. it’s very good to know that your heart is fine. (I always felt you were good-hearted). Philip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of.

<snip What a SCARE!  Glad everything is OK! Tono — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-)

Ron, I know only too well how it feels to get a "no cancer" report.  I am so very happy you got that news. I had a panic attack once that I didn’t recognize as panic and called the squad too.  My arms and legs went numb and I had that tightness and pressure on my chest.  At least they took you to the hospital and checked you out!  The medics just took my BP and listened to my heart and told me it was panic.  I don’t know how they could say that for sure without an EKG but they did. Anyway…neither you nor I died!! YEAH!! That IS the goal.  I’m so glad that was panic and not a heart attack you had.  You’ve had a rough week.  Take some down time and relax.  Do some fun things.  Try to shake off all that trauma. I’m so glad you are all right. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Hi Ron, I had a similar panic attack years ago. Paramedics ere called but I was not taken to hospital. Now you have a diagnosis you can treat it effectively. Good to see you. Meryl

True. I certainly don’t want to repeat that. I hope that I have learned from it. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Yaay! *RELIEF*!

That ultrasound is something else I can tell you. It is akin to an attack by a slippery blunt instrument! "Down there" I don’t want to be attacked by anything<:-/ Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! The notorious "heart attack"…. it’s very good to know that your heart is fine. (I always felt you were good-hearted). Philip

Only the good die young, or so it is said….at 59, I’m not young any more<;-{ — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

OMG Ron!  I am so sorry this happened to you.  I had no idea.  I am sure you were very scared.  I know I would be.  Thank goodness you now know you are in fine physical health.  Those panic attacks come in all sorts of sneaky ways.  I would have thought and done the same thing you did and I am glad you did it because it could have been a heart attack.  You never know.  It’s best to get checked out and know for sure.  What an ordeal for you.  I hope you are taking your Xanax and resting right now.  You need to. I am glad you are ok. Vicki

Thank you Vicki. Even though it all worked out well, the doctors told me that if I get another attack like this to take a Xanax at the first sign or as soon as I notice something not right and if it doesn’t get better to call them without delay. Although unpleasant and scary to go through, a lot of good information (for my own peace of mind) was obtained. I am feeling a bit tired so will temper any enthusiasm for activities so as to not dig a hole that I can’t get out of easily<;-) — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I’m glad you’re OK, Ron. I’ve only been to the ER once for a panic attack. And that was about the time my panic disorder started. I felt like something was terribly wrong (impending doom), but I didn’t know what. Soon as the doc put a stethoscope up to my heart, all my anxiety went away. That was strange. He told my mother that my imagination was "too strong"  ;) That was about 1966. Chip

Thanks Chip.  These panic attacks that feel like heart attacks can really give that feeling of "impending doom" can’t they. I’m so glad that you too didn’t have a heart attack. The first time that a doctor checked me out when I thought that I was having a heart attack (1978?), and had an overwhelming sense of "impending doom" just like you described. I had the same reaction that you did. It was stethoscope on, anxiety gone. Don’t we all wish that panic attacks were just "strong imagination." — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Whew, what a relief is right, Ron!  So glad you feel better about your health now.  I’m glad it wasn’t a heart attack.  I hope the med helps you and you feel much better soon.  {{{{{Ron}}}}} Di – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P

OMG Ron!  I am so sorry this happened to you.  I had no idea.  I am sure you were very scared.  I know I would be.  Thank goodness you now know you are in fine physical health.  Those panic attacks come in all sorts of sneaky ways.  I would have thought and done the same thing you did and I am glad you did it because it could have been a heart attack.  You never know.  It’s best to get checked out and know for sure.  What an ordeal for you.  I hope you are taking your Xanax and resting right now.  You need to. I am glad you are ok. Vicki — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P

Thank God you didn’t have a heart attack! I am sure you were scared through the ordeal, however as you said you now know your health and can use the experience for growth . Best, Jim — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ron, *that’s* a panic attack, holy crap. Those are the worst. It only happened to me once, and that was enough. It’s nice that you got some test results back and found out you’re in good health. That must be a load off your mind. Ian — http://sundry.ws — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Thank God you didn’t have a heart attack! I am sure you were scared through the ordeal, however as you said you now know your health and can use the experience for growth . Best, Jim

Right now the relief felt is impossible to describe other than its better than winning the lottery. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Ron, *that’s* a panic attack, holy crap. Those are the worst. It only happened to me once, and that was enough. It’s nice that you got some test results back and found out you’re in good health. That must be a load off your mind. Ian — http://sundry.ws

Ian, it had been a few years since I had had a panic attack of any consequence. The previous attacks were always when I actually at that moment felt very anxious. Then they would just knock me off my feet suddenly. This took so long to develop it had me convinced that it wasn’t a panic attack. It took the doctors an equal amount of time to decide that it wasn’t a heart attack so, I got the "full treatment" and not just a "well it’s a panic attack." The response time of the paramedics was fantastic as was their treatment of me. The treatment that I received from beginning to — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) end was very impressive. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Whew, what a relief is right, Ron!  So glad you feel better about your health now.  I’m glad it wasn’t a heart attack.  I hope the med helps you and you feel much better soon.  {{{{{Ron}}}}} Di

Today, I am feeling pretty darned good<:-)  I am going to have to figure out when exactly I need the Xanax and when I don’t as I don’t want to be "on it" all the time. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I’m glad you’re OK, Ron. I’ve only been to the ER once for a panic attack. And that was about the time my panic disorder started. I felt like something was terribly wrong (impending doom), but I didn’t know what. Soon as the doc put a stethoscope up to my heart, all my anxiety went away. That was strange. He told my mother that my imagination was "too strong"  ;) That was about 1966. Chip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ultrasound results showed now hernia, no cancer and only a minor though sore non communicable infection that is being taken care of. Was taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday with suspected heart attack. The hospital doctors ran all the tests, kept me overnight in the ICU and declared that I had had a panic attack and that everything was ok. No heart or lung problems….yeah! Now, if the antibiotic didn’t make me feel like crap, I would be in pretty good shape for the shape that I’m in<;-) This panic attack was completely different from any other that I have had. I had felt under a lot of stress in the weeks leading up to this event but not anything greater this night. It started very slowly while watching tv after supper. An icy chill started in my legs. I got to feeling warm with the aid of a blanket and hot pack, but my feet tingled. I then experience tingling in my hands and had a wicked headache. Then heaviness came across my chest and just sat there like a 10 pound bag of flour. I felt as week as I have ever experienced. It was time to call the doctor. An ambulance was dispatched and I was then treated as having a heart attack. This whole process from onset to calling the doctor was roughly 3 hours. This was quite the "experience" and one that I hope not to repeat but I am the better because of it. I know that I have a good heart, my blood pressure and cholesterol are very good with the aid of medication and my lungs are good as shown in the X-Rays which were taken. There is no "poor me" involved as I feel a whole lot better about my physical self now than I have in quite a while. When I learn when to use the Xanax that the hospital doc prescribed, I should be A ok. Now there are over 200 messages to read…yikes! — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I had my first full blown panic attack on Tuesday at my local beauty shop. I was getting my hair cut and colored and ‘was not too happy about the conditions in the shop in that it was a little warm, very sunny and rather crowded. I got the color on my hair and went to sit in a chair to wait for it to "take" when I started to feel very uncomfortable.  My heart started to race and I got a sharp pain in my jaw which scared me as I never had it before and have heard that sudden, shooting jaw pain can be a sign of a heart attack.  Then the chest pains began (I’ve had these before as i have lifelong GAD and don’t’ take any meds for it) but they were much worse and more intense.  I felt a suffocating feeling in my throat like it was closing up on me. I started to panic and began to walk around the shop to talk myself out of it and only wanted to flee but ‘couldn’t – I had the color on my hair and was trapped like a rat!! I told my stylist that I had to go and was going to leave with the color on my hair -I didn’t care but she said I had to get it washed out.  So she sat me down at a bowl and washed my  hiar.  I started to feel a little better (I thought this was because I knew I was leaving) then I decided "what the hell" and went ahead and had her cut it as it really needed itl. When I went home I was very unnerved by all this and told my husband I wanted to go to the ER (something I’ve never done!) and get it all checked out.  I did and they said all was well after giving me a complete cardiovascular "workup." Went I went to my regular dr. today he told me that some beauty shop chemicals can induce panic attacks so I wanted to tell everyone so you beware and profit from my experience.  I never heard this and ‘consider my self pretty well informed. "Bee"

Hi Bee, When I first started having panic attacks is when I noticed what you described.  I was getting my hair cut and highlighted.  The fumes from the chemicals she was putting on my hair started making me very uncomfortable and I felt panic coming on because, like you, I felt trapped.  Luckily, my hairdresser is a good friend and she knows about my panic and she also has panic disorder so she recognized immediately what was happening.  We got through it together and have several times since.  Sometimes it’s bad and other times it’s not so bad.  I don’t know why that is.  I am glad you are ok and got to finish what you started there. Best of luck, Vicki — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I really think they should post a warning for people with anxiety and/or chemical sensitivities.  Although my stylist was very nice and still "did" my hair, she charged me $90.00!  I don’t know if I will go back there as I don’t think they are actually set up for a beauty shop with the necessary ventilation as it is just an ordinary storefront and I bet the previous business was some sort of retail shop.

There was an incidence in the Scott Tournament of Hearts (our national women’s curling championship) where a player was overcome by the perfume worn by a competitor on another team and had to leave the premises. I believe that she had to have hospital treatment. Tournament officials banned the use of perfumes and other strong scents for the duration of the competition. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::All those same things trigger me also, including the chemicals in a ::beauty shop.  Even outside while driving I can smell it if they just ::treated someones lawn with fertilizer that day. One of my worst migraines ever was after a long drive through some farmland. They had just used fertilizer and pesticides. We were driving with the windows open. I spent the next day in bed. Jackie ~*~It was not . . . that she was unaware of the frayed and ragged edges of life. She would merely iron them out with a firm hand and neatly hem them down~*~ — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I really think they should post a warning for people with anxiety and/or chemical sensitivities.  Although my stylist was very nice and still "did" my hair, she charged me $90.00!  I don’t know if I will go back there as I don’t think they are actually set up for a beauty shop with the necessary ventilation as it is just an ordinary storefront and I bet the previous business was some sort of retail shop. — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

::All those same things trigger me also, including the chemicals in a ::beauty shop.  Even outside while driving I can smell it if they just ::treated someones lawn with fertilizer that day. One of my worst migraines ever was after a long drive through some farmland. They had just used fertilizer and pesticides. We were driving with the windows open. I spent the next day in bed. Jackie

I haven’t had a migraine in quite a while now but the real bad ones were brought on by the sudden release of mental tension. An example of a project being completed and accepted. This kind of situation would cause migraines lasting 3 to 4 days and sometimes longer. As far as scents go in causing migraines, the odours from The Body Shop can be a trigger so when my wife wants to go there, I don’t. — Ron P I’m an EXPERT….a has-been under pressure<;-) — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <gently snipped ::Went I went to my regular dr. today he told me that some beauty shop ::chemicals can induce panic attacks so I wanted to tell everyone so you ::beware and profit from my experience.  I never heard this and ‘consider ::my self pretty well informed. ::"Bee" Dear Bee, Welcome to ASAPM! I`m so sorry what happened to you. At least you have answers and can prevent this from happening again. I am extremely sensitive to chemicals and smells. They can trigger anxiety, migraines and severe dizziness. The fertilizer & pesticide aisles are a big trigger for me….. as are cleaner aisles. Shoe stores and dry cleaners can also set me off. Thank you for sharing your story. Hope you are feeling better now.

All those same things trigger me also, including the chemicals in a beauty shop.  Even outside while driving I can smell it if they just treated someones lawn with fertilizer that day. Tono — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I had my first full blown panic attack on Tuesday at my local beauty shop. I was getting my hair cut and colored and ‘was not too happy about the conditions in the shop in that it was a little warm, very sunny and rather crowded.

I’ve had panic attacks in the barber’s chair, and he hadn’t even put anything in my hair! I felt trapped. People often have their first panic attack in crowds or in warm (hot) weather. And in warm crowded restaurants. Chip — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

<gently snipped ::Went I went to my regular dr. today he told me that some beauty shop ::chemicals can induce panic attacks so I wanted to tell everyone so you ::beware and profit from my experience.  I never heard this and ‘consider ::my self pretty well informed. ::"Bee" Dear Bee, Welcome to ASAPM! I`m so sorry what happened to you. At least you have answers and can prevent this from happening again. I am extremely sensitive to chemicals and smells. They can trigger anxiety, migraines and severe dizziness. The fertilizer & pesticide aisles are a big trigger for me….. as are cleaner aisles. Shoe stores and dry cleaners can also set me off. Thank you for sharing your story. Hope you are feeling better now. Jackie ~*~Be kind, remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle~*~   ~~ T.H. Thompson — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

Thanks so much for telling us this, Bee.  A lot of fumes coming from these salons give me migraines so I’m not surprised.  Hope you feel better later. Hugs, Di

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had my first full blown panic attack on Tuesday at my local beauty shop. I was getting my hair cut and colored and ‘was not too happy about the conditions in the shop in that it was a little warm, very sunny and rather crowded. I got the color on my hair and went to sit in a chair to wait for it to "take" when I started to feel very uncomfortable.  My heart started to race and I got a sharp pain in my jaw which scared me as I never had it before and have heard that sudden, shooting jaw pain can be a sign of a heart attack.  Then the chest pains began (I’ve had these before as i have lifelong GAD and don’t’ take any meds for it) but they were much worse and more intense.  I felt a suffocating feeling in my throat like it was closing up on me. I started to panic and began to walk around the shop to talk myself out of it and only wanted to flee but ‘couldn’t – I had the color on my hair and was trapped like a rat!! I told my stylist that I had to go and was going to leave with the color on my hair -I didn’t care but she said I had to get it washed out.  So she sat me down at a bowl and washed my  hiar.  I started to feel a little better (I thought this was because I knew I was leaving) then I decided "what the hell" and went ahead and had her cut it as it really needed itl. When I went home I was very unnerved by all this and told my husband I wanted to go to the ER (something I’ve never done!) and get it all checked out.  I did and they said all was well after giving me a complete cardiovascular "workup." Went I went to my regular dr. today he told me that some beauty shop chemicals can induce panic attacks so I wanted to tell everyone so you beware and profit from my experience.  I never heard this and ‘consider my self pretty well informed. "Bee"

– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had my first full blown panic attack on Tuesday at my local beauty shop. I was getting my hair cut and colored and ‘was not too happy about the conditions in the shop in that it was a little warm, very sunny and rather crowded. I got the color on my hair and went to sit in a chair to wait for it to "take" when I started to feel very uncomfortable.  My heart started to race and I got a sharp pain in my jaw which scared me as I never had it before and have heard that sudden, shooting jaw pain can be a sign of a heart attack.  Then the chest pains began (I’ve had these before as i have lifelong GAD and don’t’ take any meds for it) but they were much worse and more intense.  I felt a suffocating feeling in my throat like it was closing up on me. I started to panic and began to walk around the shop to talk myself out of it and only wanted to flee but ‘couldn’t – I had the color on my hair and was trapped like a rat!! I told my stylist that I had to go and was going to leave with the color on my hair -I didn’t care but she said I had to get it washed out.  So she sat me down at a bowl and washed my  hiar.  I started to feel a little better (I thought this was because I knew I was leaving) then I decided "what the hell" and went ahead and had her cut it as it really needed itl. When I went home I was very unnerved by all this and told my husband I wanted to go to the ER (something I’ve never done!) and get it all checked out.  I did and they said all was well after giving me a complete cardiovascular "workup." Went I went to my regular dr. today he told me that some beauty shop chemicals can induce panic attacks so I wanted to tell everyone so you beware and profit from my experience.  I never heard this and ‘consider my self pretty well informed. "Bee" —

Did the doctor enlighten you as to which chemicals could induce panic attacks?  Inquiring minds want to know. Jess — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response:

I had my first full blown panic attack on Tuesday at my local beauty shop. I was getting my hair cut and colored and ‘was not too happy about the conditions in the shop in that it was a little warm, very sunny and rather crowded. I got the color on my hair and went to sit in a chair to wait for it to "take" when I started to feel very uncomfortable.  My heart started to race and I got a sharp pain in my jaw which scared me as I never had it before and have heard that sudden, shooting jaw pain can be a sign of a heart attack.  Then the chest pains began (I’ve had these before as i have lifelong GAD and don’t’ take any meds for it) but they were much worse and more intense.  I felt a suffocating feeling in my throat like it was closing up on me. I started to panic and began to walk around the shop to talk myself out of it and only wanted to flee but ‘couldn’t – I had the color on my hair and was trapped like a rat!! I told my stylist that I had to go and was going to leave with the color on my hair -I didn’t care but she said I had to get it washed out.  So she sat me down at a bowl and washed my  hiar.  I started to feel a little better (I thought this was because I knew I was leaving) then I decided "what the hell" and went ahead and had her cut it as it really needed itl. When I went home I was very unnerved by all this and told my husband I wanted to go to the ER (something I’ve never done!) and get it all checked out.  I did and they said all was well after giving me a complete cardiovascular "workup." Went I went to my regular dr. today he told me that some beauty shop chemicals can induce panic attacks so I wanted to tell everyone so you beware and profit from my experience.  I never heard this and ‘consider my self pretty well informed. "Bee" — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm

Response: