another panic attack at work - upset

[mandie]

Hi all

Well 5 weeks after having big panic attack at work i had another one at work today. It happened in exactly the same place and around the same time.

This time i managed to go into nurses room and sit myself down and tell her what was happening.

The fear after that was awful, i kept saying to her im gonna die, i must have something serious wrong with me.

She made me breather into paper bag, and i couldnt get my breathing right and ended up feeling more lightheaded and tingling in my body.

Eventually after bout half an hour i started to calm down.

It just under 2 hours since it happened and i still feel very shakey and petrified it will happy again.

I told my nurse i dont want to come back to work anymore, i feel embarased and so scared its gonna happen there again.

I have been feeling so good the past few days, after having a horrible panicky weekend.

I just dont understand why it is happening :weep:

The only good thing was she took my blood pressure after and it was normal. Everytime i see my gp its sky high. That made me feel bit better.

Sorry for going on. i feel so upset.

love mandie x

[Lila]

Sorry that happened Mandie, sounds awful :( Glad you had a nurse there to help you out. You shouldn't feel embarrassed, it's not your fault. I hope the rest of your day goes better. Take good care.

[bottleblond]

Awwwww Mandie

I'm so sorry your feeling like this hun. Please don't stop going to work though because when you start to avoid places and situations you can then start to be phobic about them and increase your anxiety.

Remember you can't die of a panic attack, they won't harm you in any way. I know it's horrible and frightening but you'll be just fine.

Take care

Love Lisa
xxx

[mandie]

Hi Lisa and Lila

Thank you for answering.

Thing is i keep thinking wot if it isnt a panic attack. Wot if it is something serious. My nurse at work (i work at a health centre) told me i should ask my gp to have blood tests.

I said y do u think there is something wrong. She said its always good to have a mini check up.

This scares me now.

Does anyone else have a tingling feeling when having a panic attack? Wot about feeling really light headed like u mite faint? My arms felt so tingly, and so did my head, the nurse it was cause i was hyperventilating

Why cant i accept its a panic attack.

Im feeling all hot and bothered again now :weep:

love mandie x

[Carla08]

Awwww I really feel for you Mandie, because having suffered from panic attacks I know how truly awful and massively upsetting they are as well as being scary at the time. I gave up a really good job cos I had attacks at work and I also gave up going outdoors cos of same problem and I gave up flying too for the same problem. It truly didnt get me anywhere and trying to avoid situations to avoid having the attacks will not help you in any way and will make you become isolated not to mention financially worse off. You may have panic attacks in your next job too. What I did was go to my gp who prescribed me Seroxat but I cldnt take that because of the effects, and I read lots about the subject and I researched the whole subject of panic attacks. I am now considering CBT. I was and still am to a point agaraphobic, I have real anxiety problems, and this leads to panic attacks too. What is helping is, tryign the best you can to find out what cld be the root cause of you feeling the way you do, personal problems in your life etc, having a healthy diet and lifestyle, no caffeine, plenty of sleep,I now am beginning to use natural anti anxiety remedies and I make myself confront situations which I previously avoided in order not to have an attack. That doesnt work. Take it from me. I took a year out of working and nearly lost my house because of that, I became socially isolated and withdrawn, depressed and massively agoraphobic, not to mention suicidal. I made myself go on a 9hr flight on holiday after 4 years of not flying because I had once previously been stretchered off a flight and straight to hospital after having a massive panick attack coming back off my hols. I still dont like flying cos of the attacks but I deal with them by deep breathing, focusing and calming myself down by breaking the panic with as much positive calming thoughts as possible, I even talk to myself through it telling myself to not let it happen and that I am fine and in control of me and what is happening to me and therefore as I can allow myself to have a panic attack I can also allow myself not to have a panic attack. It does eventually work. I usually get more attacks when very stressed so really try and find out what the stress is being caused by if you can.
I am sorry I have rambled on. I really hope you have a better weekend and that you take time to rest and relax.

[mandie]

Hi Carly

Thank you so much for your reply.Its not rambling, and im grateful for you taking time out to reply.

I no i have to face work again, the longer i leave it the worse it will get.

However the dr has signed me off work for a week, i think i do need it.

He has also changed my medication cause my current one doesnt seem to be working anymore.

I am a bit scared to take anything new, would of prefered to come of meds altogehter but i no u cant do that.

Still feel bit out of it tonite, but suppose thats normal after an attack, it really takes it out of you.

love mandie x