got rushed to A&E

[Shammy]

This morning I got rushed to A & E with what can only be described as the worst panic attack I have ever had.

My chest was hurting, I was shaking so much you could hear my legs banging against the floor and my limbs had gone numb.

I was so scared to be at hospital I was crying my heart out for about three hours. I felt so embarrassed as a 23 year old but I was at my wits end and was so terrified I was begging them to put me to sleep

I was discharged after 6 hours after all my tests came back fine and I have been prescribed Propanalol to take immediately.

What I am worried about the most is returning to work. Work wont let me return until I am "better" but I have had panic attacks for 12 years now with no relief so does that mean I can never return to work?

My medication wont work "overnight" and I do feel that my job will end.

[Yossino]

What helps is to put a positive spin on everything.

The good thing about "the big one" is you can look back at it and any other attack will seem trivial compared to the worst attack you've had.

It sounds like the people at work actually care about you. I'm sure they're just giving you time to recover from a very stressful hospital visit. Take the time you need. You're not expected to recover from years of anxiety, just from the massive attack.

[HalfJack]

I hear you, I've been there before. Sorry you had to go through that. The medication won't work immediately but it will work soon x
Perhaps try to focus on meditation or something you find relaxing, make the most of your time off to recuperate after your hospital visit.

[Catherine S]

Shammy, when you say your medication won't work overnight, if you're referring to propranolol it will work within half an hour to an hour of taking it. I take it at 40mgs and feel the effects of it more or less straight away. It calms the adrenalin which can be the culprit with panics.

ISB x

[TelBoy]

Hi Shammy

I KNOW what you went through:)) my first time being rushed to A&E was when I was 23 as well:) I was at Charring Cross Hospital Hammersmith.. it was the same as yours and a nightmare.... so rest assure, although we have al had these dreadful experiences ( and I still do from time to time )
remember we are all here to CAM:)) each other, even though when it happens we ALL feel totally alone.:bighug1: I was given the same pills as you... but I only took mine for a week as they do slow you down and also your heart ( as far as I know) so it will be your decision to keep taking them:) After you have had 3 or 4 pills it does calm you down, well it did me anyway...I had about 4 packets of them that I kept for a couple of years, and if I felt something coming on like a panic then I would take one.
however I haven't go those anymore, it is just a case of coping with things and to let yourself know that, you have been there with severe panic, it doesn't get any worse than that... so if you have anymore they wont be ANY worse... but that doesn't help when you eventually have the next one:) I am now in my 50s and I am still here:) just:D

[terror-x]

hi shammy im the same 12 years now ive been going through this but dont be embarrassed about being taken to hospital ive been there more times than some of the people who work there if you feel you need help theirs not much your brain can do when your in a panic as we both know so just remember we are here to help if we can stay positive :)

[Rollorcoastermoods]

Propanalol work rather quickly as little as half an hour a doctor told me this and a duty professional there a beta blocker just to slow things down rather than a ssri witch can take weeks even months to work

[Yossino]

Is the OP okay? She hasn't responded yet... Let us know Shammy how you're doing!

[trish1955]

Bless I have suffered panic zttzckz since I was 12years old am now 58 even though it lifted from time to time it never left and every time it became uncontrollable it was worse han the time before intact I think I feared mor each time like wen I had my first panic attack I thought I was going to die that started the fear of death which S not left me to this day I to ended up at a&e a couple months ago I had one of the worst attacks I say one of the worst to be fair all of them are bad at the time I was begging my son to take me to hospital ad I felt I just couldn't come out this panic it was going on and on I was sure it was my time and being agoraphobic it was hard for me to go to hospital but all test said I was fine but it starting to disbelieve I think there is something wrong so I am nxioyse waiting for ten panic to happen xx

[Mr.Jitters]

Sorry you've been going through the wars! How are you feeling in yourself now?

After such a frightening experience, don't beat yourself up about work so soon. You need rest, and to be good to yourself. My first panic attack was pretty similar, and I went through the same worries. 9 years later, I'm still going, still working, with the right tools, anything is possible. To have put up with this for so long, you're obviously very strong. Please use that strength to kick butt every day, rather than kicking your own! :)

[AuntieMoosie]

Hello Shammy :)

It is the most terrifying experience, to this day, I can still clearly remember my worst one ever, and, like us all, I was petrified.

I find that the best way to try and come to terms with, and deal with these awful things, is to try and draw from the positives of the situation hun.

Try and feel reassured that in that moment, help was there for you, you were taken to hospital, they ran tests and all was well :)

If/when you have a panic attack, just try and think back to this one, remind yourself that however dreadful you felt, you survived without harm, that will make you feel more confident which, in turn, will make the panic attacks far less scary, in fact, you will probably be able to stop it in it's tracks because panic is fear, that's all it is hun, the problem is that the more frightened we become the more we will panic, as fear feeds panic, so if we can tell ourselves that this is just fear, it can't hurt us no matter how bad we feel, we will come out the other end unharmed.

Re the propranolol, as had been said, it works within half an hour of taking it, it does for me, and I've always found it extremely helpful for the main symptoms of panic.

I hope you feel better soon hun and I hope this has helped a wee bit. :hugs: