pi_panic
27-07-08, 08:06
Hey everyone,
Great that the board has a introduction panel. Reading (and sharing) stories helps ALOT - especially while I wait for the Xanax to kick in.
;)
I'm currently 33, male, a little bit lazy (more on that) and would like to find a way to meet my minimum life expectancy without this crazy disease killing me first.
I had an unnatural fear of most all things as long as I can remember - even as young as 5 or 6 I remember being afraid of far-fetched things - deer eating me on camping trips, headless-dead-people in the woods (someone told me that), and a fixation on avoiding death at all costs.
As I got older (13, 14) I developed full blown panic disorder along with agoraphobia. A typical day would mean two to three full panic attacks and I was forced to quit school and pretty much spend a year in bed. Along with the panic came palpitations - as everyone on here is aware they both server to boost each other up until you're in a frenzy of fear.. (sigh)
A halter test revealed I had a mild form of fibrillation, but the rest was put down to panic. I saw MANY therapists and psychologists - but back in the day they didn't know what to make of me - some tried to prescribe lithium (thank god I never took it) others prescribed massive amounts of Xanax and other antidepressants.
I learned to deal with it on my own up until I hit my late twenties - the panic cooled down until I would just get them out of the blue, I will often just be sitting watching TV or cleaning house - and HELLO PANIC ATTACK. Talking to a friend always helps and also I've found that keeping a notebook to refer to with things like; you're having a panic attack, relax, ride it out, they always pass.
When I'm having an attack I basically become a BIG BABY, I'll cry, be reduced to a kid, feel like I'm about to die, and generally make a fool of myself. I hate it.. the only perk of panic attacks is that when you recover from one you REALLY appreciate your life and being alive.
In my late 20's I just decide enough is enough - and whenever one comes on I pop a half of xanax - my body is getting too old to take that kind of continued stress. Xanax works great and seems to 'reset' my body (for awhile).
In my 30's I'd say I had 5 or 6 full blown attacks a year - and OF COURSE i have one the night before I get sick with something, and/or if I have to go to a doctors, travel on a plane, go through customs, or deal with anything 'serious'.
Blah blah blah - right?
;)
About 4 months ago I started getting visual migraines for the first time - for those of you who haven't had that particular pleasure - basically you start seeing 'dots' and end up going blind for half an hour before it passes.
My second one did something strange to my head and left me feeling dizzy for about a month solid - it was an AWFUL feeling and took all the fun out of life. I was fine while in bed - but once up and about - about 2 hours into the day I'd feel dizzy and disoriented.
Well having no fun with this new complication I was searching ye old internet and came across an article saying magnesium supplements sometimes work for panic attacks. I went down and picked up some pills - 400mg Magnesium citrate.
One day later the dizziness was gone - I don't mean subdued - I mean flat out GONE.. I didn't notice for about a month (until I got on a plane) but my panic was GONE TOO - after 20 years of constant panic attacks one stupid little pill a day made them go away.
I've been on magnesium for 4 months now and have only had one attack - and that was after a solid week of binge drinking with some friends that came in town.
However I still will have a few palps - these are durn annoying - I don't know the correct lingo - but basically if I'm having sex or just hanging out I'll get them - but if I'm working out I wont. I think the sex is simply due to holding my breath wrong - or who knows what.
Unfortunantly I saw this TV show about people who's hearts go into this bad rhythm and they just fall over dead unless they can have someone shock them with the pads.
I do worry about this, but not sure what I can do about it. Normaly it's just a single skip and it's done with. But twice (in the last year) I've had a series of skips (maybe 4 seconds worth) just long enough to say 'o sh*t and get out of the chair and take two steps to the door' and then it's normal again.
Just had one today - and here I am writing - and found this GREAT board.
When do you think you should go see the doctor? Why do we get palps even tho we're not in panic mode? Is there anything I can do to prevent them?
I'd like to eat better and work out - but the palps make me afraid to work out (who wants to die on a treadmill in sweat-pants)
I live alone in a rural part of the Philippines, so getting medical care is no easy task.
Anyway - that's my story. If you have anxiety and palps - maybe try the magnesium - can't hurt and it's made my life so much better.
;)
Great that the board has a introduction panel. Reading (and sharing) stories helps ALOT - especially while I wait for the Xanax to kick in.
;)
I'm currently 33, male, a little bit lazy (more on that) and would like to find a way to meet my minimum life expectancy without this crazy disease killing me first.
I had an unnatural fear of most all things as long as I can remember - even as young as 5 or 6 I remember being afraid of far-fetched things - deer eating me on camping trips, headless-dead-people in the woods (someone told me that), and a fixation on avoiding death at all costs.
As I got older (13, 14) I developed full blown panic disorder along with agoraphobia. A typical day would mean two to three full panic attacks and I was forced to quit school and pretty much spend a year in bed. Along with the panic came palpitations - as everyone on here is aware they both server to boost each other up until you're in a frenzy of fear.. (sigh)
A halter test revealed I had a mild form of fibrillation, but the rest was put down to panic. I saw MANY therapists and psychologists - but back in the day they didn't know what to make of me - some tried to prescribe lithium (thank god I never took it) others prescribed massive amounts of Xanax and other antidepressants.
I learned to deal with it on my own up until I hit my late twenties - the panic cooled down until I would just get them out of the blue, I will often just be sitting watching TV or cleaning house - and HELLO PANIC ATTACK. Talking to a friend always helps and also I've found that keeping a notebook to refer to with things like; you're having a panic attack, relax, ride it out, they always pass.
When I'm having an attack I basically become a BIG BABY, I'll cry, be reduced to a kid, feel like I'm about to die, and generally make a fool of myself. I hate it.. the only perk of panic attacks is that when you recover from one you REALLY appreciate your life and being alive.
In my late 20's I just decide enough is enough - and whenever one comes on I pop a half of xanax - my body is getting too old to take that kind of continued stress. Xanax works great and seems to 'reset' my body (for awhile).
In my 30's I'd say I had 5 or 6 full blown attacks a year - and OF COURSE i have one the night before I get sick with something, and/or if I have to go to a doctors, travel on a plane, go through customs, or deal with anything 'serious'.
Blah blah blah - right?
;)
About 4 months ago I started getting visual migraines for the first time - for those of you who haven't had that particular pleasure - basically you start seeing 'dots' and end up going blind for half an hour before it passes.
My second one did something strange to my head and left me feeling dizzy for about a month solid - it was an AWFUL feeling and took all the fun out of life. I was fine while in bed - but once up and about - about 2 hours into the day I'd feel dizzy and disoriented.
Well having no fun with this new complication I was searching ye old internet and came across an article saying magnesium supplements sometimes work for panic attacks. I went down and picked up some pills - 400mg Magnesium citrate.
One day later the dizziness was gone - I don't mean subdued - I mean flat out GONE.. I didn't notice for about a month (until I got on a plane) but my panic was GONE TOO - after 20 years of constant panic attacks one stupid little pill a day made them go away.
I've been on magnesium for 4 months now and have only had one attack - and that was after a solid week of binge drinking with some friends that came in town.
However I still will have a few palps - these are durn annoying - I don't know the correct lingo - but basically if I'm having sex or just hanging out I'll get them - but if I'm working out I wont. I think the sex is simply due to holding my breath wrong - or who knows what.
Unfortunantly I saw this TV show about people who's hearts go into this bad rhythm and they just fall over dead unless they can have someone shock them with the pads.
I do worry about this, but not sure what I can do about it. Normaly it's just a single skip and it's done with. But twice (in the last year) I've had a series of skips (maybe 4 seconds worth) just long enough to say 'o sh*t and get out of the chair and take two steps to the door' and then it's normal again.
Just had one today - and here I am writing - and found this GREAT board.
When do you think you should go see the doctor? Why do we get palps even tho we're not in panic mode? Is there anything I can do to prevent them?
I'd like to eat better and work out - but the palps make me afraid to work out (who wants to die on a treadmill in sweat-pants)
I live alone in a rural part of the Philippines, so getting medical care is no easy task.
Anyway - that's my story. If you have anxiety and palps - maybe try the magnesium - can't hurt and it's made my life so much better.
;)