Feeling panicky after a yoga class - is that even possible?!

[KalmsBaby]

Hey guys

So, been suffering with panic attacks for the past 3 years & after trying CBT & refusing to take prescribed meds as made my anxiety worse, I decided to take up yoga as a last resort in kicking these dreaded attacks as have heard nothing but amazing things & how life changing it is.

I'm a complete newbie to yoga & the first few classes have been absolutely awesome & I've found them really helpful & relaxing up until today...

Got home, made some food, sat down watching Eastenders then BAM! The dreaded panicky feeling rears it's ugly head & now I'm here.

Do any of you do yoga & do you find it helps? Have you found yourself feeling panicky within an hour after the class or am I just doomed? :weep::weep:

[KalmsBaby]

Hey Absol

Thanks for your comments & advice & well done with taking your meds... That's something I seriously struggle with so have stopped altogether now. I was prescribed Propranolol to slow my heart down so would then freak out I took too much & my heart would stop beating all together. Turns out they're not as safe as the docs made out either as the withdrawals from weening myself off them were horrific so that was the end of that! The withdrawals were so bad I'd have severe headaches, dizziness & detachment where it got to the point I would freak out thinking I had a brain tumour & was about to drop dead there & then at my desk at work or my head was literally about to explode.


The last time I took them I ended up in A&E with chest pain thinking my heart was about to stop. I won't be touching them for a while. The only thing I trust now are Kalms as they're herbal. Oh & green tea... Lots of green tea hahaha

My first class was pretty intense (am doing hot yoga) & I did kinda freak at first as was quite overwhelming being in such a hot room but I fought through it & submitted to the fact that it's actually doing me good & have actually been seeing it as my life saver... I look forward to doing my yoga class as it's now a form of medication for me but this evening has kinda thrown me off guard.

You sound like you have your demons under control & I admire that. I'm still working on mine myself & tbh, I wish I'd found this website sooner.

[ankietyjoe]

My first class was pretty intense (am doing hot yoga)


This is probably the least likely form of Yoga to enhance calm, especially for a beginner.

Yoga should really be about calm, simple exercises.

Straining your body in high heat and humidity is going to be perceived by your body as a stressor.

[Bike Rider]

Hi.

Panic down Under pointed me in the direction of an article, when my anxiety took off for no apparent reason.

Intense exercise can trigger anxiety, panic and depression episodes because of the high amount of lactic acid build up. I eased up slightly and all is well.

I mention this to illustrate how strange things can happen to those who have these symptoms, so anything that is different, intense or has you anxious before doing it, can trigger an episode.

Exercising in heat? could definitely start it off I would think.

I take Fluoxetine (Prozac) and it has been a massive help, so much so that I will stay on it. If things get really bad (they haven't for a long time now) I take one Propranolol to calm it down, only thing with these is they take 1.5 hrs to get going.

You most definitely are not doomed, we just have to plan what we are going to do, so as not to cause an episode.