Mini panic attacks?

[.Poppy.]

So, these are a thing for me now.

I have panic attacks that are very, very short lived (sometimes I barely notice the actual attack) but coming out of them is HELL. The worst symptom is that I'll feel really shaky, sometimes dizzy, sometimes queasy. I usually end up eating something as that will often help, but it's awful just the same.

Often there is no real trigger. Today I had one at noon, the "trigger" being I saw a friend on the sidewalk I needed to say hi to (I do not have social anxiety). I'd say the nasty after effects went away by 1:30 so I could get some work done, but it's 6:00 now and I don't feel as bad, but still crummy.

I never had these before I started taking Lexapro. I think it's helped me a lot but am wondering if that could play a role?

In the past year since I've been on the meds this has happened maybe 4 times, 5 tops, so it's not SUPER common. I think it started after I'd been taking it about 4-5 months.

Ideas? Is this something to bring up to my doc?

[nat_Tree7rog]

Hey friend,

I've been suffering wiht panic attacks and anxiety for 7-8 years now with varying degrees of success and set backs, so I hope I can offer my experiencer to help you to understand yours.


I have panic attacks that are very, very short lived (sometimes I barely notice the actual attack) but coming out of them is HELL. The worst symptom is that I'll feel really shaky, sometimes dizzy, sometimes queasy. I usually end up eating something as that will often help, but it's awful just the same.

The panic attack itself, even small, is flight or flight, raising your blood pressure and oxyen, increasing your breathing and heartrate, tensing muscles, opening your larynx to breathe more easily and filling your blood with adrenaline amongst other chemicals. When it ends, as you come out it can be physically exhausting and leave you shaking like your in a miniature state of shock. This for me is always the case if I have a panic attack, but I cope better now, and more frequently avoid the attack altogether - so don't be alarmed, this is for meat least typical


Often there is no real trigger. Today I had one at noon, the "trigger" being I saw a friend on the sidewalk I needed to say hi to (I do not have social anxiety). I'd say the nasty after effects went away by 1:30 so I could get some work done, but it's 6:00 now and I don't feel as bad, but still crummy.

This could simply be the 'anticipation' of having to do something e.g. that conversation, for me a lot of anxiety is about future planning and anticipating events I know are coming. I personally try to live more in the moment and be a bit more free willed but you can't always avoid these situations. THe longer you cope with it, the more you will identify your triggers IMO. That said, sometimes it will take you out of nowhere when you had no precursors to look for, keep in mind a big part of that is diet, caffeine intake, smoking, exercise and general health - e.g. if I get cold or flu, my anxiety doubles overnight.

I never had these before I started taking Lexapro. I think it's helped me a lot but am wondering if that could play a role?

Coulnd't possibly comment other than to say that some meds for depression / anxiety I've taken made me worse, others worked wonders, the only way to tell is stick with your doctors guidance, provide honest feedback and he/she will adjust your treatment accordingly. And if you can - try to work with a specialist in anxiety as run of the mill gps are only able to do so much, they have such a wide area to cover and psychiatry is a very specific, very complex, life long project.

In the past year since I've been on the meds this has happened maybe 4 times, 5 tops, so it's not SUPER common. I think it started after I'd been taking it about 4-5 months.

Keep a detailed diary of feelings from sense of dread, to attacks, to excxessive worrying, loss of appetite or sex drive. then, to answer your final question, relate all of this to your doctor, it's all valuable in guaging your response to medication.

Ideas? Is this something to bring up to my doc?


I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you wish I'm happy to help/share more (I can't see anything in the rules that prevents pms of this nature?).

keep your chin up, it's not permanent

---------- Post added at 06:12 ---------- Previous post was at 06:04 ----------

In fact one final point that really needs to be said twice.
Always relate anything you notice or think is of consequence to your Doctor no matter how trivial it may seem, or how personal or awkward.

The goal is to manage or be-rid of the issue, and to get the treatment you need.

The only way this can truly work is if you give your doctor the information that they need to make the right decisions.

BUT

Equally important, do not be afraid to question your doctor about the effects/side effects, read up on what you are taking, understand it as best you can, and use that time to learn more - a good doctor will be glad that you are investing time into understanding your treatment. A bad doctor will disregard your questions as being due to lack of knowledge / training, and I can honestly say I had to leave a supposed expert in ADD because I simply did not feel that he answered my questions to a level of satisfaction I could live with, he even went as far as to be dismissive and a little condescending, that treatment ended 5 days later (Inicdentally once I conferred with my regular psychiatrist about the incident, the man who had recommended this specialist).

There are no stupid questions, and no information offered is wasting their time. (within the bounds of common sense).

[.Poppy.]

@nat_Tree7rog - thank you for your response!

I've started keeping a journal on my phone of any attacks I may have, in case I start to have them more frequently. No more since the one the other day, though.