am i going mad ?? i cant cope with this..

[carter]

Hi all,

ive started having full on panic attacks as of late the worst one was in work and normally i can ride them out but they are so strong as of late.

It like an overwhleming form of fear it causes me to shake and loose beath and i feel like im going nuts ..bad times :(

The docs has signed me off work to put me on the right meds to get me better. However i feel like im am being thrown drugs at me at the min...i was placed on 10mg of propranolol 3x a day but i just spent the week in bed sleeping and couldnt do much else.

The doc then put me on fluuoxetine 20mgs one a day they have lifted my mood im still having attacks... I had a major attack yesterday so much so i could hardly cope...after one good day the day before..im worried im never going to get better and im not going to able to look after my familiy :(

Ive been off work for 3 weeks now and i cant see this getting any better..im going back to the docs tomorrow im just worried im just going to be given new drugs to knock me about....any suggestions...help :(

[BexieB]

Hi Carter

How long are u on the Prozac? It will take some time to reach full theraputic effect. It wouldn't be unusual for the PAs to continue, maybe even get worse, for a good few weeks, while the meds builds up in your system.

Your certainly not going mad. You still have full awareness of your circumstances - that's sanity.

Wishing you peace and solice
Bexie

[gypsywomen]

your not going mad we all think this when anxiety is at a high,,, the tablets should kick in after 3 to 4 weeks ,also propranolol are good for slowing adrenaline down as that is what makes you panic maybe stronger 8mg day release it stays in your bloodstream and calms you ..doctor will say what he thinks ,, once again try to be strong ,,it will get better i was where you are now ,

[carter]

Firstly thank you guys for all of your encouragement.

im on tablet number 8 of fluoxetine today...went docs he gave the same advice got to leave it 3/4 weeks...still a scary thought ...i was like if they dont work...is that another 3/4 weeks on different meds till i get any better or at least able to cope with PA ??

I cant take propranolol as the 10mg 3 times a day i was on, turned me into a walking zombie...

Seems a long road to recovery...and time off work :( i work in a bank so the last thing at the moment i can think of is being in a small room interviewing customers........and having an attack....urrggggghhhhh

I am Staying Positive though i had major attacks all day yesterday one after another and thanks to reading on here i managed to stay claim and went with it...it was horrible but not as intense as when i panic with them.....but managed to recover or at least feel myself by about 11pm on the evening..im normally under the weather for a few days after attacks...

ive changed my diet no more caffeine or alcohol or late nights....im trying to sleep but i keep waking up.bad times...at the moment i have no appetite ..But i just tell myself just chew and eat anyway...even something i normally love just tastes like cardboard....i actively go to the gym anyway but have stopped recently but will be back on that now having read the site...

Any suggestions or advice would be most helpful..

:yesyes:

[jude uk]

You are doing all the right things by staying positive and being pro-active with regard to how you are feeling. Medication takes time to balance out, so don't expect sudden results but allow the medication time to work.

After a major attack we seem to walk about on egg-shells for a while, afraid of another one but that keeps us in a state of fear and alarm. Keep that positve view and with support you will work through this.

[carter]

many thanks its hard staying positive had a massive attack yesterday.so so bad...

the only good thing was i came round quicker than normal..and was back to my old self again...for a short while anyway

woke up this morning and im a bit of a shaky mess but no attack ..so far s good...

tryin to stay positive bit its really hard..seems like theres no light at the end of the tunnel and im takin each day as it comes..

I just wanna be back to work and back to my old self..and be the happy person i used to be...i hate feelin like this

:weep:

[TSJ2004]

Hi I am on the same dose of propranolol, it is a very low doseage. The recommended dose for anxiety is much higher. As soon as a dose is due I know it has worn off and my heart starts to race and i feel breathless. I am due to increase my dose for this reason so maybe you need to return to your doc and explain what is happening to you. I am in a constant state of panic of late too - well get there eventually hun! Stay positive :)

[carter]

its day 14 on prozac i am feeling alittle better but i have anxiety like never before.

The attacks do not seem as severe and i can at least cope with them when im in company.

but this anxiety thing is driving me mad im worried about going to the shops ??? why i have no idea....

went to a family halloween party with the kids...my god it was a struggle ...got through it god knows how...

im gonna leave it two more weeks if this anxiety keeps up i may have to change my meds..

i pefered having ramdom panick attacks..... than feeling in fear all the time..:weep:

anyone else in the same boat ?

it looks like the end of the tunnel is miles away..

[annette1]

Hi Carter

Hang on to hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Sorry to hear things are so bad for you at the moment. You sound just as I did when I was diagnosed a year ago tomorrow. At that time I was having panic attacks just by going out of my door & found it very hard to admit to how I was feeling. I was signed off work & refused meds as advised by my GP thinking I could get myself through this on my own resources, I'd always been fairly tough but this proved to be too much to deal with & my GP advised my to go to therapy in the December. When I met my psychologist I was a jebbering mess, couldn't speak to her & had convinced myself that this was how my life would be from then on. The first thing she said was 'why aren't you on meds, you don't need to be suffering like this' after a few weeks of hard work on her part I started taking Citalopram 20mg, its an SSRi similar to Prozac.

Then like you I felt they were a waste of time, my anxiety became worse causing more panic attacks, headaches, my insomnia worsened & I couldn't see any benefit from them at all. However, after 8 wks the panic attacks suddenly stopped & I haven't had one since. I still get anxious but its no where near what it was, I have just increased my dose to 40mg which has made things much easier as i can now manage my anxiety with deep breathing & self-talk.

Are you having therapy as well, I'm sure that is what has made the biggest difference to the way I think which relieves the anxiety which leads to panic attacks. As i said at the beginning there is light at the end of the tunnel, I'm only just finding mine & its such a relief. After 18mths off work I have just finished my phased return & i'm working full time again.

Try to stick with the meds, they will help it but it takes time & patience on our part to find the right dose & prescription.

I hope that's a help, just a bit of hope for you to hang on to.

Take care, stay strong
Annette