please help me

[KEVKEV]

:wacko: I am 26 years old and have ben told by a few docters taht i am having panic attacks. i have all the symptoms. sweating,dizzy, difficulty in breathing, constant trips to the toilet. ,tight chest. my docter gave diazepan. it worked. but then it ran out. then she said try alternative theray.my attacks are back and worse. i live in spain and speak very little spanish. i don´t know how to climb the next step on the ladder to some more help then an explanation. can i get booked off from work. can i get medicinal treatment long term. who do i go see to achieve this . a local practioner or do go to the pshycologist or phsychiatrist or what give me some advice keeping in mind im dealing with a public helth system where i don´t speak the language very well. i have my wife who is spanish who can help with translation. work wants to know what´s going on because i had to cut and run from a few important job meetings. i teach english at a school. the doctor won´t do much other than say you have panic attacks drink these 1o diazepan and see if it when it hapens. and when it runs out its back into the circle. i probaly posted at the wrong spot to egt this messge read and help so re-direct me if this is the case.

[kellie]

hiya :welcome: to nmp its lovely to have you here :D . you will get lots of support/advice and make some great friends along the way. first and formost plz be rest assured that a panic attack will not cause you to keel over and die, it has never been heard of. ur doctor is the person to put you in the right direction for help and support by either refering you to a counseller or a cbt theropy expert. your doctor can also give you a note for your work place to explain that you are not able to work at the presant time. plz keep posting back anytime you need help ok.
best wishes
take care :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

kellie.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[KEVKEV]

thanks kellie. that helps. thanks for the concern. i have an appointment tomorrow and will see whatshe ays.

[veebee]

Hi there

Sorry to hear you are having panic attacks - they are awful and scary. I've had them in the past and have just started getting horrible anxiety attacks.

I was off work for a while with my anxiety but to be honest I found it made me worse - made me dwell on how I was feeling and I think has made my physical symptoms escalate - going back to work distracted me (although it was very hard to do initially) and helped take my mind off things a bit. I told my bosses what was going on and they have been really good - understanding and kind, and they've backed off a bit on overloading me with work, which was what they used to do! Having said that, everyone is different, so if you feel you need to take time off explain this to the doctor - they are there to help you and help you get better so don't be afraid to tell them what you need. If you need time out, take it. Whatever is best for you. Keep talking to your friends and family too.

I was offered diazepam but was reluctant to take it (thought it would zonk me out) - so got beta blockers instead. They have reduced my symptoms considerably - they don't stop everything but I think they slow the heart down so it just takes the edge off. I don't think they are a long-term solution but I have had them since mid-March. There are good days and bad days but I am now getting more good days.

Having said that, I have found that a good hour at the gym a few times a week is absolutely brilliant for distracting the mind - its really the only time when I can totally clear my head and just concentrate on whatever I'm doing at the time. Try to keep doing all the usual stuff you do - don't let this beat you. It will get easier - promise.

Vic
x

[KEVKEV]

tHANSK VIC I HAVE TAKEN DIAZEPAN. I DIDN´T KNOW ABOUT BET -BLOCKERS BUT SLOWING THE HEART SOUNDS DANGEROUS TO ME. I AM CONSIDERING TO SPEAK TO MY EMPLOYERS. I THINKS IF I CAN GET PAST THE FEAR OF BEING EMBARRESSED BY AND ATTACK AT WORK I COULD DEAL WITH IT BETTER AND PERHAPS IF I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT SINCE I TEACH ENGLISH AND UNDERTSAND VERY LITTLE SPANISH MEETINGS AND PARENTS MEETINGS AND SUCH CAN REALLY MAKE ME NERVOUS. I JUST BASICALLY DON´T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE AT WORK. I AM WORRIED ABOUT TELLING THEM THOUGH. I AM GOING TO TRY FOR SOME KIND OF HELP FROM THE DOCTOR.I HAVE FOUND WALKING HELPS . YOU ARE RIGHT. EXERCISE IS ALWAYS A GOOD AND NATURAL STRESS RELIEF. THANKS FOR THE REPLY

[hunny_as]

sorry about my spelling!

hi ya, i think in the links on the left hand side will tell about the bet-blockers its in medication under remadies, i been on bet-blockers, i dont know if i am right i am not a doctors but they seem to keep you hart rate so it dose not go to high like when i have a p/a it dose not allow my hart rate to go up stopping the addrnaling reling into my body so there for i i dont get some much of a p/a, i still have one but it not as bad as vic says. asi said i am not sure if this is how they work but it what seems to happen to me.

i am sorry your haven to be off work its just such an alfull feling you will get lots help from here and make new friends as well there always nartule remides you can also find them on the left hand side under remides and there are links to places were you can get them from i found rock rose, star of belthlehem and aspin put into a bottle of water (a few drops of each) and siped over the day has helped me as well.

hope i have helped
feel free to pm me
amanda xx

[marie1974]

hi there just to say i totally agree with veebee the gym definately helps and so does walking, i suffered bad anxiety and now i brisk walk 5 times aweek and its made me more motivated, happy, postive, more energy and i lost a stone too, but most of all it halfed my anxiety and now i dont get it half as much.

[Cathy V]

Hi Kev, welcome to the forum. I'm a new mwmber too, been here a few days but just wanted to share my experience of beta-blockers. I moved to germany last summer to live with my new bloke (we're a couple of golden oldies, not loves young dream i might add). before i came here i was really fit, but 3 months after i moved over i started to have really bad headaches and after a couple of weeks of the pain my partner registered me with a doc here. He referred me to a neurologist who said i had migraine (ironically theyve now ruled that out:wacko: ) but they also found that my blood pressure was really high (180 over 110!!) and it had always been normal before, in fact i'd had it checked just before i came over here and it was fine.

But when they thought it was migraine they decided to put me onto a beta-blocker called Propranolol, 80mg, slow release once a day and this would help both conditions. They do slow your heart but its not scary slow, its relaxing slow so don't be put off by that part. They have helped alot with the ectopic beats, which ive had for a number of years off and on, though for me they don't disappear completely as i can still feel them sort of in the background, but its mild enough to make me not think about them too much. Theyve also brought down the blood pressure which can't be bad! there are side effects as with alot of meds, which might be different for each person, but one of the more common ones to this particular betablocker is weight gain and thats made me crazy:mad: as ive put on almost 2st. since last summer without changing diet at all! energy levels can also be affected depending on the dose i guess. Propranol is one of the older beta-blockers and there are some newer ones around that apparently don't cause any problems. I heard about these too late i guess, but i'm going to have a chat with the doc about changing in the next few days. Its worth considering betablockers if your doctor suggests them. They give your system a bit of a break, calms it down. Just maybe try to avoid propranolol:) !!

Regrds, Cathy V x

[chalky]

Hi Kev,

Welcome to the Forum.

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

Stay close,get comfortable and you will find that you are not alone.
Best wishes,
Chalky