Hello!

[sarap]

Many thanks to all of you for the very helpful information I've found in these message boards.

I've been free of panic attacks for over a year (suffered on-off sine I was about eight). Then, the other evening, the fear came and overwhelmed me............ the cycle begins again.......

It's so nice to find somewhere where people won't tell you to 'pull yourself together' or 'just calm down'.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sara x

[Lottie32]

How old are you now?

I am 33 and have only just begun to get help. I suffered for years from my early teens on and off, and for a very long time just thought that what I was experiencing was normal!!!

How did you get rid of your attacks, or did they just "disappear".

Glad you find the site usefull - I think its great

Charlie

[sarap]

I'm 23 now, and I was relieved to find that other people also felt these panic feelings at a young age too. I thought it was just me....

The attacks went after a combined shot of counselling and anti-depressive medication for a while. The irony was I was depressed because the panic had ruled my life for such a long time. I thought there's got to be more to life than this!

Anyhow, this time I've just been prescribed beta blockers (propranolol 10mg twice a day). Just wondering if anyone else has had success with these?

Thanks for making me feel so welcome!

Sara x

[benoo5]

hi sara,

welcome..propronol,as you rightly say,is a beta blocker,and is given in low dosage just to slow the heart rate,its given in higher dosage to lower high blood pressure.

have a good look around,you will find great advice from the people here,and there very supportive,when your having a bad day.

best wishes...bryan.

[Meg]

Dear Sara,

If it makes you feel any better - over 75% of people with chronic anxiety get depressed.

Meg

[nomorepanic]

Hi Sara

Welcome to the site - sorry for the delayed reply but I seem to be about 2 days behind posts at the moment.

Do you know what started the panics again. I was almost completely free from Feb 2002 - May/June 2003 and mine came back too :-(

Nicola

[sarap]

I think the attacks have restarted as I had this really horrible virus and it really knocked me out and I still don't feel much better - and I've just returned to college. So, a combination of both of those.

Do you know what restarted yours, Nicola?

[nomorepanic]

Hi Sara

Mine was a weird situation. I was put on blood-pressure tablets by the doctor and they gave me bad side-effects - similar to the ones I got with panic - feeling dizzy, sick, lightheaded etc. He then tried another lot and I got really bad breathing problems - I was so short of breathe I was panting after walking upstairs. He then put me on a 3rd lot and they seem ok (well 4 months on they are ok)

The panic started again cos I started to feel unwell all the time - like I used to and that started BIG panic attacks off again. I got all the old feelings and I was so scared cos I felt unwell. It just got worse from there really :-(

I am not too bad now but it is taking me a long time to conquer it all again as I had forgotten how to deal with the attacks! All the practice I had got before went right out the window.

I hope you can get in control of yours soon as well.

Nicola

[uryjm]

Radar,
I'm sorry, but saying that 75% of people who suffer chronic anxiety get depressed is a bit depressing. I can easily understand why it might, but I'd be more interested in why it might not!

Jim

[Meg]

I totally agree with you Jim.

I was horrified when I read these. It's concerning people who are continuously chronic and have continued to close their boundries with no abatement for many years.

Most people who go through ups and downs are not who are being referred to here.



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[benoo5]

jim

as i type this,the latest figures from <the lancet>,are as follows....12% of the uk population,are currently suffering from anxiety...and 30% from depression linked illness.

makes you think matey...bryan.

[Lottie32]

One in four people suffer from an anxiety related disorder. Research has shown this figure to be world wide, and it doesn't seem to be linked to wealth, race etc.

Depression is a "natural" follow on, as a lot of people end up not being able to live life to the full as a result of their problems. SSRI's help to lift both anxiety and depression.

I don't find this fact depressing, it's just part of understanding the illness. Meg is just being truthful and realistic. It's only by understanding our illness fully that we can come to terms with it, and more importantly learn to deal with it so it stops becoming the axis of how we lead our lives, and instead regresses to a small part of how we are. It may always be lurking in the background, but at least we can find ways to keep it there!

Charlie