New to the site

[cindyc]

One more question (as if I've not already asked enough).....Do all of you take medication, or have you been able to conquer this without it? Also, what makes the episodes suddenly start?? How can I go from feeling perfectly fine for 44 years, to this? I guess its a matter of acceptance, and I'm getting there, but I'm so confused. Thanks.

Cindy

[Lottie32]

Dear Cindy

1. I do not take medication and seem to be slowly getting better. Medication is neither good nor bad, simply down to the individual. If you can manage without then its one less thing to worry about (coming off the tablets) but if you need it to break the cycle, then all well and good.

2. DIET - LOOSE WEIGHT - FEEL GREAT!
I don't think I've actually lost much weight, but I look like I have. I think this is down to my body ridding itself of toxins, and I am not retaining as much water.

I have been trying the Low GI diet for a couple of weeks and it has certainly made a difference. I am not even doing it "properly" either due to time constraints. Basically, I bought the book Meg recommended and try to ensure that most of the foods I pick are Low GI, and allow myself some Medium GI, with a few high when I'm in a hurry. My version goes something like this:

1. Only ONE cup of tea a day (first thing). The rest of the time I drink Green Tea, or some other herbal tea.
2. Lots and lots of water
3. No fizzy drinks, or other highly processed drinks

Breakfast
Fruit (grapefruit, whatever takes your fancy)
Omelette (use mainly egg whites)
Porridge (traditional oat recipe, not convenience quick porridge)
Toast (rye/multi grain/granary)

Mid morning
Fruit
Dried Fruit/Nuts
Low fat fruit yoghurt

Depending on the day (i.e. weekend or week) I have the following food groups

Chicken, fish, gammon, ham, cheese
Any quantity of fresh vegetables
Wholemeal pasta/brown rice (but smaller portions)
If I'm stuck for time, I still have a sandwich at work, but have a wholemeal or rye bread with plenty of salad, and filled with tuna or chicken.

Ok treats are chocolate (but organic) and plain sponge

Once you get past the fast food/cakes/biscuits/processed food craving, its' quite easy. I haven't had any desire to eat anything like that and my 3pm sugar craving has gone.

Saturday tea was stir fried chicken with mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, courgettes, cashew nuts. The chicken was marinated in a drop of sherry and grated ginger. I had a small portion of brown rice, cooked with peas and sultanas to accompany it and an apple for afters.

There are lots of recipes involving pulses, etc in the book, but other than the fishcakes, I haven't had time to try them out. As I say, I've been selecting low GI foods from the index at the back , and making things to suit my lifestyle.

I went to visit my friend on wednesday, and cooked lunch (she is out of hosital with her new baby). We had wholemeal pitta bread, stuffed with salad, mushrooms, onions and sliced sirloin steak. Yum. They didn't even realise they were following my diet!

The diet does not include a lot of wheat, and as I say, avoids most processed foods.

Since I've been doing it, I don't get ridiculous cravings, feel more alert, have more energy, and generally don't get a bloated stomach all the time.

The only down side is that I have broken out in spots, but I think it's where all the toxins are leaking out from my body!

3. Cindy, don't worry too much about WHY. Unless you have had a bad experience or bereavment etc., most of us can't pin point what started it. You can send yourself mad trying to work out why. Just accept and look forward!

Charlie

[Meg]

There you go Cindy,

I'm not advocating reducing carbs - just changing from simple carbs, white flour etc to complex carbs brown everything , pulses , seeds , lentils etc.

The simple sugars -yes , out with them !

Essentially you are making your GI system work harder and greatly relieveing your endocrine system .



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...

[paul]

hello cindy,just thought id say welcome ,all the best,paul

[stimpy]

Hi Cindy
Very nice to meet you

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

[night walker]

hey guys

there is so much good information in these postings you guys real know your stuff,,,,

cindy i hope things get better for you its so strange that this whole panic thing can come from no where bringing a list of other horrible feelings with it,,,there must be a cause for all these feelings to come on in the first place,,,there is always a cause we just have not found it yet,,,

personaly i think it is caused by the body being under stress,,,stress that sometimes your mind can not feel only your body can feel,,,,,so un knowing to you your body might have been in some kinda stress,,,i,e, from something you have eaten,,something you have seen,,,,some change in your life,,,like child birth or hormone changes,,or any kinda stimulant from sugar to alcohol to the chemical they spray on tomatoes,,or chemicals they spray on wheat,,still no one knows why some people have panic attacks and others dont,,,ok they know what part of the brain is effected and they know what drugs can help but they dont know the cause,,,,

the one thing that is good about this whole panic attack thing is in medical terms the out look is good,,doctors and medical people know that panic attacks do not kill you,,(EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE TIME IT MAKES YOU THINK IT WILL)in my mind i have died so many times that it hurts me to think about it,,,,so now i just do not think about it,,ok i am still dam scared of these attacks and feelings,,,but how can you not be, when your own mind is panicing and feeling so horrible,,never once in my hundreds of attack have i ever fainted or had a heart attack or lost my mind or went crazy the only thing that happens to me is that i panic and i have to go through the feelings of my body getting ready to defend its self,,,,,plus the horrible thoughts that bombarding your mind aterwards ,its like a game of tennis your stood there with your bat and the horrible thought are comming towards you like balls and you have to bat them away untill they stop and this whole thing can leave you so weak,,,and its this weakness is the next thing you have to fight its not easy for any body,,

its so good to have sights like this where the people that have to live with these feelings can talk and try diffrent things,,,,one day i am sure that these simple little changes will lead to a person finding the key,,

for me i am still in the boxing ring fighting!!!! anxiety does not look so big anymore and he does not scare me like he did,,and when he hits its not as hard as it used to be,,,i know his moves now,,,and have learnt dodge them,,,he is finding it hard to beat me now,,,,,,one day i will punch him to the ground and he will not get up[B)]

[stimpy]

Hi Nightwalker,

nice to meet you too!

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

[Izabelle666]

I always seem to get an attack out of nowhere. I've only gotten a trigger related attack when driving to and from Utah my home stae while my hubby was in Iraq. I had a phobia (not clinical)of driving and had just got my license 3 months before the trip.
Other than that I have one whenever, I usually am content and happy, not upset, and then wham it comes.
So I can identify completely with out-of nowhere attacks, I have those kind sthe most.

Izzy

[cindyc]

Thanks to all of you for your kind and concerned responses. It is so comforting to have found a group of people who understand and rally round to help others!

Cindy