Panic Attacks Support Group

A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than thirty minutes. Symptoms include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, dizziness, hyperventilation, and sensations of choking or smothering. Panic attacks can be very sudden, appear to be unprovoked, and are often...

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Anxiety Disorders
/ Panic Attacks Support Group

I need help. This is consuming my life.

As6428
As6428

Growing up, I’ve always had some form of anxiety, throughout my every day life. I never really knew what it felt like to feel at peace with anything, because in my mind, everything was just this huge mess that couldn’t be fixed. Anyway, about a year ago, to this day, I started having actual panic attacks. Like the overwhelmingly feeling that I’m going to die from a heart attack and convincing myself I’m in a life or death situation. I would have one every couple of days, to having one every couple of hours. Eventually I stopped eating and sleeping and was forced to get some form of treatment, so I went to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with severe panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. I was put on lexapro and propranolol, but ended up having panic attacks to the sensation of the propranolol making my heart beat slower. After a few med adjustments, I actually felt decent. The panic attacks stopped, but I still had my crazy annoying anxiety, which was okay because I can handle being crazy and anxious. After about 7 months of taking my meds, I kind of just stopped because I felt good and I couldnt really afford to keep throwing money away at something that wasn’t really doing anything anymore. Fast forward to right this second, and it’s been five months since I’ve taken my meds and I’m having panic attacks worse than ever before. I’m not sleeping, because I’m scared I’ll die in my sleep. I’m not eating because I’m scared the food will cause some problem with my heart and kill me. Today specifically, I’ve exhausted myself all day by waking up early and working out at the gym, and going straight to work (I’m a waitress) and working all day until about 10pm. When I started to drive home I felt a sense of panic approaching me but tried to just overcome it. I couldn’t listen to music or anything I normally like doing because I was getting too stressed out by everything. When I got home, I felt like I couldn’t breathe even more and forced myself to lay down and sleep. Right when I was about to fall into a deeper sleep, I shot myself awake and just started having a full blown panic attack. I feel like I’m losing my mind and I feel so alone. I feel like people think I’m so stupid when I explain this stuff. Like most of my days and nights now consist of me in the fetal position, either crying or breathing into a paper bag. I really need help and I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to die right now. 

summerbabe88
summerbabe88
I just had a horrible, terrifying panic attack...like I woke up and bam!!!! It hit like an all consuming wave. I had to take a xanax and I'm still calming down. I thought I was going to die! So, you're in good company. Good news is, I didn't die and you won't either. I've been dealing with panic for 10 years. I've had ups and downs but it is a part of me. I take meds but right now they aren't working. So, I urge you to reconsider going back on yours if they helped. Stopping meds cold turkey is bad!! If you taperred off, that's great but it's still rough!! If I were you I would think about going back on the meds and seeking therapy. I am sending you big hugs and I wish we could comfort each other!!
ddk007
ddk007
Hello, I'm pretty much going through the same thing right now. I have suffered from these attacks since high school, but recently they have become worse. I started a new job in September working in a call center and my attacks started when I would see the phone on my desk. It felt like I was being tied down and wouldn't be able to get away. You see I very claustrophobic and when I feel like I can't get away my anxiety skyrockets and I'll have a panic attack. I went to an urgent care center a couple weeks ago, but they could only help so much. I need to find a doctor that can help and give me the right medication. To top it all off right now I have an ear infection and a lot of congestion, so it always feels like I can't breathe. I've only been sleeping a couple of hours a night and I can't even sleep in my bed, I've been sleeping on the couch. I don't know if what I just typed makes any sense, but I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.
katejonesxo
katejonesxo
Hi! Your not alone in this, I’ve been having attacks since I was in school and even though I’ve been going through it for so long each time I feel like I’m going to die I think that’s how all sufferers feel. I have a friend who suffers with bipolar and we’re inspereable, and whenever she stops taking her meds her head goes through the roof and she suffers terribly! So I’ll offer some advice which is to take your meds again, I know there’s a lot of stigma and for me I hate taking meds Myself but if they work for you then I think you should take them.. if you want to come off them again then I suggest slowly taking yourself off them because that may help rather than just stopping all together.
I also suffer from insomnia and I won’t sleep all night then go in for a 12 hour shift and I am so exhausted but still don’t sleep through the night even then which makes me lose my appetite also, what I do is ask whichever friend of mine is working with me that day to make sure I eat through the day even if I don’t want to which is what they make me do and that gives me some more energy and makes me feel a bit better. sending my thoughts to you in this difficult time. You will get though this!