Paralyzing panic attacks?

[freeme]

Does anyone else suffer from paralyzing panic attacks? My first (and worst) attack made my entire body go numb and tighten up. I could barely breathe because my chest muscles were so tight, my hands curled into misshapen claws, I couldn't move my arms and had limited movement in my legs. My face completely froze, too, with my lips pursing into an O, sort of like this :ohmy:

I called 911 (thought I was having a heart attack and the numbness was my body shutting down) and the EMTs told me that it was a panic attack, and that the paralysis was because my muscles weren't getting enough.. something (oxygen? carbon dioxide?) and that caused them to tighten/constrict uncontrollably.

Since then, I've had many more panic attacks that presented with the numbness, though now usually it never gets quite that bad. Still, it can be pretty scary and frustrating, because my face still paralyzes into the pursed "O" face and I lose any fine motor control with my hands. One of my biggest anxieties is public humiliation and/or passing out/losing control in public. My partner has a company dinner tomorrow evening that I'm supposed to attend, and I'm already apprehensive about it because I don't want to go all freakazoid and be unable to move my lips!

Does anyone else experience panic attacks like this? If so, what do you do to keep sane? I experience many other anxiety-related symptoms (lightheadedness, dizzy, heart palpitations, etc) but I feel more confident about being able to manage those when they occur. The full-body numbness I find really difficult to control. So far, the only thing that really works is exercising to get my blood pumping and my heart racing, but that's not really a viable option during a formal dinner or in the car ride over.

I guess I just want to know I'm not alone in this, and that there's (hopefully) an easier way of dealing with it. None of the self-help literature I've read has specifically mentioned this symptom, and the normal recommendations (deep, steady breathing, muscle relaxation) seem to put a dent in it once it starts coming on. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated...

[den68]

someone told me when they had attacks as soon as they felt them coming they would excuse them selves lock them self in the toilet and do there exercises to release the energy. I dont do that as i find deep breaths and imaging healing light helps me and iv locked myself in the loo and done that or made the excuse i was going outside for a quick fag and noone thought a thing about it

[Mya]

Hi freeme,

So sorry you are having such bad symptoms. I have not had what you are speaking of, but I do experience a lot of numbness. This is from hyperventilating. It reduces the carbon dioxide in your system giving you all the bad symptoms. I carry a brown paper bag when I have bad attacks, like in public settings. If you can excuse yourself and breath into the bag, it helps to restore the carbon dioxide.

Remember, although frightening, the attacks cannot kill you or hurt you. I recommend talk therapy when you get insurance. I am beginning to see a therapist and I will let you know if there are self help techniques you could do. I do have a book she recommended, called the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund Bourne if you want to puchase it. I believe it was around $12 and so far has been good.

I wish you the best and don't feel alone, you will find much support and advice here. Good luck with your dinner - I know you will be fine once you get in there and begin to enjoy yourself.

[guitarpants]

The hands/wrists curling as well as a lot of the other symptoms are due to hyperventilation, nothing to worry about and it won't hurt you. It was probably due to your fear of the panic attack itself. I've done it myself and it's terrible. It helps if you have someone breathe with you to slow your breathing, or breathe into a paper bag.