Length of PanicAttacks? Or, wake up with one?

[Meggy]

I have avoided ever even admitting to someone I have panic attacks but I started experiencing them first in my early teens. I'm 57 now. I've gone thru several year periods I don't have any and then periods where I have wave after wave. I do have epilepsy. Many people who do have what is called an aura which is many kinds of very weird sensations or feelings you can have for a minute or two that is a forewarning you're about to seize. One of those auras is called preictal fear, which I've had 4x. It lasts about 3 minutes, then I, thankfully seize and get rid of it because it's so intense it obliterates me for hours.

But since I've never talked to anyone but extremely casually and in big generalities about panic attacks I'm wondering several things to see how I fit in to all this. One is, how long do panic attacks last for others? I've been diagnosed as have "free floating anxiety" too which comes and goes, often why I feel anxious I have no idea. But when I have a panic attack it hits me like something physically wrong with me. I get a gigantic adrenaline feeling burst, like fight or flight syndrome, my heart gallops and I really feel like I'm dying. It's so sudden and overwhelming I keep thinking this has to be something physically going wrong, like hormone shifts but I had that checked, no dice. Those horrid ones last for me about 15 minutes, give or take.

I also wondered if anyone has been awakened having a panic attack. In all the years I've had these I've never experienced until 2 years ago one when I was alseep. I was sound asleep and woke up having a horrid panic attack and that one lasted for maybe an hour. That felt like a real ambush to wake me up like that. I keep thinking how could I have had such panic when I was asleep! I didn't ask either doctor I see because these type of things I tend to get a pat on the back.

I guess my last question is, is this how panic attacks hit others? Like you've been suddenly hit by a wall for unknown reasons? I can be just reading and have one hit.

Meggy

[Wenjoy]

Hi there
Ive had panic attacks for years - they hit me out of the blue and I have no idea except that I know I have hang ups about issue such as my weight and not being good enough which relates back to my strict childhood and never fulfilling my parents expectations of me. I am now doing more exercise, deep breathing and began hypnotherapy last week - I hate having panic - I feel dizzy,breathless,hot and faint and then want to run away from everything. My panic is worse in busy shops, queues, closed rooms like drs dentist etc and I just try to relax and deep breathe - I am 46 and menopausal so hate all this but the thing is - the list of fear places will increase as you cant run away all the time so you just have to stand your ground and talk yourself to relax!! Use this site as its helped me a lot. Good luck. Love wenjoy

[Meggy]

Thanks Wenjoy. This was a little funny but as I read your post and you were saying you get them in closed up shops etc I got this little flash of panic just thinking about it. Then I started thinking how it bothers the heck out of me to go into a store where the racks are real close together. Like here in the USA JC Penny's, a large dept store, has their racks so close you have to move through them sideways. Before I had a total hysterectomy and euphemistically kissed my ovaries away with joy, good by night sweats, drenching hot flashes, I quit going in that store. I couldn't stand it. I'd get halfway through and have to flee out into the mall. Or, for some reason,going in a bathroom stall and just gritting my way through it seems to help too. Then I started thinking I get this feeling I'm about to panic in other small or crowded stores, then it was enclosed malls and always I just get out as fast as I can to avoid a panic attack. So sure you're right I can see now. Avoidance has only lead me to avoid more and more things. When I'm put in an exam room at the doctor's, they always close the door and I always get up and open it again. I have taken two extensive 1:1 sessions of biofeedback which has helped me with a lot of things very successfully but these hit me so hard and fast I've never tried using biofeedback with a panic attack. I just hold on for the ride and pray it ends soon.

Thanks for answering.

Meggy

[Daisybun]

Hi Meggy
I have woken up in the middle of panic so it can happen in the night, actually happened three times one night. racing heart, sweating, nausea. Deep breathing helped a lot.
Take care

Daisybun


'This too will pass'

[JayK]

Yes, indeed I have had nocturnal panic attacks.
Just as you described them.

[clickaway]

Me too, but I've only had them at night on the odd occasion, and they ARE scary! They sometimes take a different form - I had flashing lights once!

A couple of years ago I was generally bad and was trying to wash the dishes (don't have a dishwasher) and my coping skills for housework was so poor, I was forced to run away from the sink and kitchen and into the safety of my lounge. That was like a wall and the force was so strong. It just happened so automatically with the 'real me' having no say in this action. It was the strangest force I have ever encountered.



Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

[bernadette]

hi am bernadette i get night time panics ive have panic attacks for 20 years but only night time panic for 2 years it is just fear it was that bad one night well early hours in the morning i get them they all ways wake me up any way i thourght i went blind in one eye that made me worse but if was just hazzy my eye but i can just about cope with day time panic but as for the night time panic you feel like you are on your own i know wot you mean and got thourgh we all her for you take care bernadette xxxx