help? I don't now what to do

[heidi26]

Hi I have already posted what has happened to me on here and asked if anyone wanted to meet in the Glasgow area. I don't now what to do anymore, my attacks started just over a week ago, and I have had 8 attacks since when my heart races and many more when I get butterfies of a horrible kind and feel like my head is going to explode dizzy etc full of tension. I started a new college course on Saturday and was determind this was not going to stop me from attending, I went everything was going well then I could feel it starting I tried everything to keep my mind of it but I had a panic attack, luckily I got out of the room in time, the tutor and others were great, but it has really done my head in I am supose to be at college on another course tonight and tomorrow, but I am not going as I can't face it. I find my panic is alot worse when I am around people, I went to asda late last night so it would be quite but I could feel it happening again, luckily got my mind of it and all was ok. Back to the doctors this morning and they have put me on diazepam 5mg and citalopram 20mg, I am also taking bach rescue remedy and b-50 vitamin b-complex, the vitamin b as I read on here afew people have recomeneded it and the bach rescue remedy as someone in boots said its good. So quite a cocktail, I hate taking tablets but feel I have no choice as I can't handle what is happening to me, it has ruined the last week of my life, I am supose to be starting my own business in Feb and am now supose to be preparing for it but no chance as I don't even want to leave the house. When the tension starts to get worse in my head I really try to fight it but it doesn't make any difference, I have tried to keep calm even thou its the most scariest thing that has ever happened to me. I don't know what to do, I am going to a stress managment course in a couple of weeks but I am worried that I will find it hard to leave the house to go. Also its a group meeting whihc means I have to be in a room with loads of strangers, which before this happened wouldn't of bothered me in the slightest. Has anyone any ideas or suggestions on what I should do as I can't take much more of this, I feel like I am going crazy, when I walk down the street it feels like its no me walking, my head has all the time got a feeling of pressure build up in it, but it gets to the point that it is really painfull. Please any suggestions would be helpfull. Thanks Heidi.

H Young

[Meg]

Dear Heidi,

What a lot . Lets take a bit at a time.

Firstly meds- Bach Rescue remedy is great. Rock rose on its own is good for terror too. Put a couple of squirts of either in a bottle of water and sip all day. Also 4 drops under tongue when you need an extra boost. You can't have too much and it's not a med so that's fine . Vit B is great and add in a Vit C complex 1000mg too.

Diazepam (valium) is absolutely fine short term. Do not allow yourself to pop an extra one apart from a dire emergency. The citaprolam will take a while to kick in . There are other posts here about that so I won't elaborate.

Regarding college . It's totally Ok to have a panic attack and stay in the room unless you have an urgent need for the loo . Some people do and others don't. You don't have to leave. Apart from perhaps a bit of sweating noone will notice at all although you feel all eyes are on you, they're not..

As for symptoms.
Your heart races - it's uncomfortable but will not hurt you and will slow down with your slower breathing . If this is the worst sympton you could get your GP to give you betablockers which will help enormously.

Horrible butterflies. I called mine - a churny stomach. It's a really yuk scary feeling but again feelings cannot reach out and hurt you, it is only a sensation and will pass.

What is it about being around people ? You will not go crazy and make a fool of yourself . 1 in 5 people have anxiety. Look at everyone in Asda and guess who else might be struggling...

For the pressure in your head - Don't fight the panic attack. Once it's on its way then completely let go - depending where you are - like a Raggedy Ann doll. Flop into a chair, lie down and let it wash over you. It will pass... A panic attack brings tension and you fighting it just increases that tension.

You will soon learn to downgrade panic attack to anxiety by breathing and relaxing and thought changing.

Do not go down the route of actively avoiding things. At least go - knowing you can leave - Not going really makes your healing difficult. Perhaps take someone with you till your confidence returns.

The anxiety course will be a tremendous help and guess what - everyone else in the room will also be feeling scared and anxious and have debated about not going too ! The best thing you can do is to reach out and start talking to someone there as soon as possible.

Breathing - As soon as ypou feel it coming on breathe from your diaphragm, your tummy should rise and fall with your breath as well as your chest. Ensure your out breath is longer than the in one. A count of 4 in – 6 out is great. Use this as soon as you feel panic rising.

Distraction- As soon as you feel the anxiety soaring and you get afraid – do something different. Change your environment, talk to someone, do something active , distract yourself. It’s often enough to dissipate the panic .

Comfort yourself – be totally positive with yourself but do allow yourself to go with it. Keep giving yourself positive messages that this will pass naturally and cannot harm you- breath and distract.

Regular exercise – uses the adrenaline/ noradrenaline and the cortisol that are secreted when panic sets in and enhances endorphine production

Tai’ chi or Yoga – promotes complete relaxation as well as stretching. This has a cumulative effect so try it regularly. The meditation part also helps learn to still the mind and cumulatively is a very effective exercise to learn to use during panic.

Massage- releases the tension that builds up in your tissues. Often with anxiety we store it in major muscle groups apart from the usual chronic shoulders and neck so leg muscles etc can go into spasm. Reaction from the guts is also common, you may find you get wild disturbances.

Unless you’re intolerant , warm milk at night contains tryptosan which promotes sleep and relaxation.

Aromatherapy- lavender, clary sage, vetiver oil baths.

Talking does help but unless it’s an informal chat with friends try to make the talks productive. Think of the m

[mulder]

Where is your stress management course? I`m also in Glasgow but it seems that I can`t get any kind of help from anywhere. My doctor recommended that I go into Parkhead Hospital, but, from what I`ve heard about that place, I really don`t want to do that!

These past few weeks have been my hardest ever. At the moment I`m totaly housebound, but I keep telling myself. I got over this in the past! I`ll get over it again.

I went to group therapy a few years ago in Auchinlee House (Easterhouse) but they don`t do it any more. So, these past few weeks I`ve been trying to find any kind of support that I can (in Glasgow) but as my travelling is becoming a problem again, I seem to be getting nowhere!

[sarah]

Hello Heidi
What you have written sounds like you could have written for me too. I am/was exactly the same. Your thoughts, feelings and even the medication (citalopram and diazepam) and the rescue remedy.
Up until about 3 months ago i was virtually housebound, too scared to go out and really fed up and panicky for no real reason.
Then I was referred to an anxiety management course by my doctor. I was sooooooo scared as it meant i had to leave the house alone. I spent 15mins hiding in the car panicking before I plucked up the courage to just get off my butt and go inside. Once inside there was 6 others who were on the course too.( I have posted my experiences in the forum under 'anxiety management'). It was a 10 week course and for the first 5 weeks i spent most of the time there panicking but i put up with it as I knew I needed help and I couldnt do it on my own.The things you learn there are fab, all about breathing and relaxation techniques and learning why you panic. Knowing everyone else there felt the same was a great help and no one batted an eyelid if anyone had to leave the room. Almost everyone cried at some point (including me) but it was so great to be able to talk to people who understood how i felt.All I can sugest is that you use your rescue remedy, take a bottle of water in with you and maybe something to fiddle with (keys or something) and go with the knowledge that they are there to help you. You will not be the only one!
As for me, im still not 'cured' but i am no longer housebound, I can pop to the shops on my own without too much trouble and im going to Ibiza on monday (if i ever get on the plane). I still get scared out of my mind sometimes but I now know how to control it better.
Hope this helps your fears of the course
Sarah
xx
ps dont 'fight' the panic as it only makes you more anxious, try to breathe instead, breathe in for the count of 2 and out for 3....it helps me, maybe it will help you too.