Over 24 hour panic attack - desparate

[heavenly]

Hey guys, I am desperate.

My panic attack started 9.30am yesterday (Friday) morning, and still hasn't stopped. I have had the odd anxiety attack over the years, due to things happening in my life, and I am looking into seeing an NLP councillor. But in the past month, I have developed possible IBS, and am having to see a bowel specialist soon, so that has got me worked up. And yesterday, as soon as I got to work, I felt terrible, and hot and short of breath. Got sent home, felt awful all day and evening, I'm constantly shaking, hardly slept last night, heart racing, and am up early (for me) this morning and still feel awful. I have Diazepam from a couple of years ago, 2mg tablets, took a couple yesterday but they did nothing, I suppose because they are out of date. I can't wait til Monday to see the doctor, I can't feel like this for the next 2 days, shall I ring NHS Direct? I need to not feel like this otherwise I won't even be able to go to work on Monday, let alone see a Councillor, and both are very important.

Sorry, I'm desperate, I would rather be put to sleep and not wake up than feel like this anymore. My partner has been great but he is at a loss, he wants to help but doesn't know what to do. And neither do I.

Is it usual to feel like this for over 24 hours when you are in a safe enviroment? That is what scares me, I have always felt safe at home.

[trish1955]

sorry you are feeling so bad i to get like this even in my home its heart brakeing i no i ave sufferd so many years but it lifts from time to time and its like your on the circal the more you try to find somthing to stop it the more alert you are of it so wich way do you go i read so many things on here telling us to let it happen dont fight it just let it come and it will subside i no it makes sence to do this but when your body is so tense its scarey to do but if you think you can do it i ave read it as helped so many others to overcome there panic and anxiety wish i could as soon as i am over anxiousee and i feel the panic riseing off i go into fight and flight mode to a point i am wore out hope you find away of calming down lv trish xx

[heavenly]

sorry you are feeling so bad i to get like this even in my home its heart brakeing i no i ave sufferd so many years but it lifts from time to time and its like your on the circal the more you try to find somthing to stop it the more alert you are of it so wich way do you go i read so many things on here telling us to let it happen dont fight it just let it come and it will subside i no it makes sence to do this but when your body is so tense its scarey to do but if you think you can do it i ave read it as helped so many others to overcome there panic and anxiety wish i could as soon as i am over anxiousee and i feel the panic riseing off i go into fight and flight mode to a point i am wore out hope you find away of calming down lv trish xx

Thank you so much for replying. A lovely nurse from NHS Direct rang me, she doesn't want to subscribe me anything at the mo. Told me I wasn't going mad, its just a blip, things from my past have caught up with me and my body is reacting. Told me to go out for a long walk, as I need to get the stress hormones out of my body. Told me to make myself really tired so I would sleep tonight. I don't know if any of this is going to work but I will give it a go. She said if I don't feel better after the weekend, then go to my doctors. I still wish I could have been prescribed something though, I wanted an immediate help, 24 hours and still going strong is a long time to feel like you are losing your mind.

[Kerry B]

I really feel for you its likes living in hell I know exacately how your are feeling I have been the same as you and without my medication I would the same. I also suffer with Crohns Disease and when I get worked up the first place I have to visit is the toilet. Have you tried having a hot bath with Lavander Essential Oils in, I find this really helps me to relax, you need to distract you mind from yourselve (easier said than done) I know, maybe watch a film and talk to other on this site its been a life saver for me. Hope you feel calmer soon xx

[Kelley]

Hey there.
Don't be so hard on yourself. Your panic will continue for as long as you allow it to upset you. What you may not realise is why this is happening in your 'safe place' is because you are feeling unsafe inside your own body, it doesn't matter 'where' you are if you can't even settle and feel safe inside your own skin! Accept that this is where you are at the moment, allow all the sensations to come and move through your body and know that it will always pass. Give yourself time for recovery.

Kel

[heavenly]

Hey there.
Don't be so hard on yourself. Your panic will continue for as long as you allow it to upset you. What you may not realise is why this is happening in your 'safe place' is because you are feeling unsafe inside your own body, it doesn't matter 'where' you are if you can't even settle and feel safe inside your own skin! Accept that this is where you are at the moment, allow all the sensations to come and move through your body and know that it will always pass. Give yourself time for recovery.

Kel

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.

You are so right with 'your panic will continue for as long as you let it!' Friday and Saturday were the 2 worst days of my life (after my mum dying). I had had brief anxiety attacks over the years, that I could deal with, and take myself out of that situation. But on Friday and Saturday, it was 24/7 relentless and I was in the safety of my home. Never been so terrified in all my life! I felt a tiny bit better Sunday, but still not great, my sis was a rock, rang NHS Direct for me again, and I got an outpatients appointment at the hospital yesterday. Saw a lovely lady who have me 2 days worth of 2mg Diazepam and told me to take 4 a day , I even managed to eat a bit yesterday and I actually slept for longer than 2 hours last night! She told me I must see my GP this morning.

Couldn't get to see my own GP unfortunately, but an seeing another one at 3.50pm today. Hope he is an understanding one! I find I am at my worse when I am alone...thoughts going into over-drive, if you get me, at night-times, when other half goes to sleep, so this morning so far has been a little tough, as my other half had to go to work. So I have arranged to go for a long walk with my sis and nephew soon. Helps to keep me distracted.

I need a long term plan, meds for as long as I need them, but most importantly, counselling, my first session is this Thursday, so at least I am doing what I can but I musn't beat myself up on having to take meds to get through things, its such a stigma, isn't it. So silly, if you need help, you need help!!

Anyway, will take each day as it comes this week, I think my body finally gave up on Friday and said 'enough is enough, you have things over the years you haven't dealt with, you need to deal with them and talk about them'. So, hey, you have to hit rock bottom sometimes, don't you, for things to get better.

I will keep you posted, thanks for the lovely replies. Its so hard, isn't it, people just doing normal stuff and I look at them and think I must be a freak because I couldn't do them at the mo!

Hope everyone has a calm day today.

[mandie]

I think my body finally gave up on Friday and said 'enough is enough, you have things over the years you haven't dealt with, you need to deal with them and talk about them'. So, hey, you have to hit rock bottom sometimes, don't you, for things to get better.
.

I agree with this. I had things going on for years that i tried to push to one side instead of facing them and then one day it all got to much and so the panic attacks came. This is what my counseller also said happened.

I didnt want to take meds either but in the end i thought they wont make me any worse than i already feel. The meds wont take it all away but they certainly can help and with the counselling i had i slowly got there.

Unfortunaltey im back to square one again, but iv done it before and i will again!!

good luck at the doctors

love mandie x

[emm]

You will get there mandie just take it one day at a time hun. x

[heavenly]

I agree with this. I had things going on for years that i tried to push to one side instead of facing them and then one day it all got to much and so the panic attacks came. This is what my counseller also said happened.

I didnt want to take meds either but in the end i thought they wont make me any worse than i already feel. The meds wont take it all away but they certainly can help and with the counselling i had i slowly got there.

Unfortunaltey im back to square one again, but iv done it before and i will again!!

good luck at the doctors

love mandie x

You will get there again, you've done it before. There is no magic wand, as my sis keeps telling me, you don't just get fixed and its perfect, but you will find ways of dealing with it and coping with it, obviously as long as you are facing problems etc...which you obviously are.

Loads of luck with it hun, stay strong. xx

[calm]

heavenly....lets stay strong together....we are not alone we have such great people here and you are one of them xxxxx and you have overcome it before xxxxx

we will beat this blasted thing xxxxxx we will...it cannot last forever as nothing lasts forever does it xxxxx

thinking of you love tracey xxxxx