Wiz
24-03-13, 06:01
Hi,
I'm Ian, I'm 39 and originally from the UK but now living in Thailand. My panic attacks started in my early 20's and slowly increased in intensity and frequency until I was basically suffering from it virtually 18hrs a day.
I was originally prescribed a drug called Buspar, and told to take it when I started feeling bad, very bad advice indeed from the doctor I saw. Having had no joy there I went on to Propranolol which had a mildly better effect but still nowhere near what I needed. It wasn't until I was living in Cheshire a few years later that I met a tough doctor. This guy didn't suffer fools gladly, if you had a common cold you were fired out of the door, and funnily enough this is just what I needed. I'm very nervous when it comes to taking medication. It scares me because I feel I might not be in control of myself. I expressed this fear to Dr Rigby Jones, you basically said "Look Ian, if you want to get better, take the f***ing medicine.
He prescribed me what at the time was a brand new drug, Seroxat (Paroxetine) 20mg once a day in the morning. I was so desperate I took them, and almost immediately started feeling better. Normally a drug which increases Serotonin takes a while to kick in, because it has to build up to a level, but I noticed a pretty much immediate effect, unless it was just me telling myself I felt better. I still had attacks, but they were milder, and I really didn't worry about why, or what if, I would have an attack, deal with it, and not worry about it. By this time I had become a virtual agoraphobic, scared to go out in case I got it, never saw any friends etc. Now with the help of this drug I began to move around a little, just short distances at first. I also saw a Community Physciatric Nurse, a chap who would come round one afternoon a week. He asked me to keep a daily record of attacks, and grade them one to ten in severity. Within weeks he could use them to prove to me my attacks were getting less intensive. In the end after 6 months or so, I was out and about again, and almost back to normal, except I still took the medication. I then moved to Scotland, and in an attempt to really prove to myself I was fit and well, went to work on Fishing Trawlers! (Most dangerous job in the UK!!) Not long after this I slowly stopped taking Seroxat, one every other day, one every two days etc until I didn't take them at all. I haven't taken them for over 7 years now, and moved to Thailand in 2006 when my father died. That was a bad time, and whilst I had some nasty attacks used my mind more than pills to overcome it.
Seven years here in Thailand and now working for a US computer company, three months ago I started to get bad again. I was really bad for around a week, and again this last week has been a nightmare. The system here is very different to the UK support and medically wise. You have to pay for everything, from seeing a doctor to paying for your medicine. After trying to find someone in Psychiatry at some of the local hospitals the other day, and to be told a)they didn't have any or b)he would be in on April 26th, the Thai doctor who I had seen decided to prescribe me Seroxat again. I bought them yesterday, cost me nearly 60 quid for a months worth! I really don't want to start taking them again, but do feel bad at the moment and I know they will help. Because I have suffered with this for so many years, when I found this website around an hour ago, I thought I might be able to meet some like minded people and maybe even help some myself which in turn would help myself. Apologies for such a long intro :)
I'm Ian, I'm 39 and originally from the UK but now living in Thailand. My panic attacks started in my early 20's and slowly increased in intensity and frequency until I was basically suffering from it virtually 18hrs a day.
I was originally prescribed a drug called Buspar, and told to take it when I started feeling bad, very bad advice indeed from the doctor I saw. Having had no joy there I went on to Propranolol which had a mildly better effect but still nowhere near what I needed. It wasn't until I was living in Cheshire a few years later that I met a tough doctor. This guy didn't suffer fools gladly, if you had a common cold you were fired out of the door, and funnily enough this is just what I needed. I'm very nervous when it comes to taking medication. It scares me because I feel I might not be in control of myself. I expressed this fear to Dr Rigby Jones, you basically said "Look Ian, if you want to get better, take the f***ing medicine.
He prescribed me what at the time was a brand new drug, Seroxat (Paroxetine) 20mg once a day in the morning. I was so desperate I took them, and almost immediately started feeling better. Normally a drug which increases Serotonin takes a while to kick in, because it has to build up to a level, but I noticed a pretty much immediate effect, unless it was just me telling myself I felt better. I still had attacks, but they were milder, and I really didn't worry about why, or what if, I would have an attack, deal with it, and not worry about it. By this time I had become a virtual agoraphobic, scared to go out in case I got it, never saw any friends etc. Now with the help of this drug I began to move around a little, just short distances at first. I also saw a Community Physciatric Nurse, a chap who would come round one afternoon a week. He asked me to keep a daily record of attacks, and grade them one to ten in severity. Within weeks he could use them to prove to me my attacks were getting less intensive. In the end after 6 months or so, I was out and about again, and almost back to normal, except I still took the medication. I then moved to Scotland, and in an attempt to really prove to myself I was fit and well, went to work on Fishing Trawlers! (Most dangerous job in the UK!!) Not long after this I slowly stopped taking Seroxat, one every other day, one every two days etc until I didn't take them at all. I haven't taken them for over 7 years now, and moved to Thailand in 2006 when my father died. That was a bad time, and whilst I had some nasty attacks used my mind more than pills to overcome it.
Seven years here in Thailand and now working for a US computer company, three months ago I started to get bad again. I was really bad for around a week, and again this last week has been a nightmare. The system here is very different to the UK support and medically wise. You have to pay for everything, from seeing a doctor to paying for your medicine. After trying to find someone in Psychiatry at some of the local hospitals the other day, and to be told a)they didn't have any or b)he would be in on April 26th, the Thai doctor who I had seen decided to prescribe me Seroxat again. I bought them yesterday, cost me nearly 60 quid for a months worth! I really don't want to start taking them again, but do feel bad at the moment and I know they will help. Because I have suffered with this for so many years, when I found this website around an hour ago, I thought I might be able to meet some like minded people and maybe even help some myself which in turn would help myself. Apologies for such a long intro :)