I started having panic attacks out of the blue early summer 2010. I am 46 now. I had had a couple of panic attacks about 3 years ago under a somewhat stressful work situation. They went away and then this past summer, came back with a vengeance. It as so scary. I became almost non functional. They started out just in the car while driving for work, then it was just driving anywhere, then I started getting them out of the blue anywhere, even while just sitting in front of the tv or going to bed. I ultimately was rushed to the hospital 7/29/10, thinking I was having a heart attack after 13 1/2 hrs straight of heart racing, shortness of breath, dizzy spells, nausea. All kinds of tests, obviously nothing wrong with my heart. 30 days of Lexapro- great that I had no panic attacks, but it made me into a zombie. Then 1 week on Cymbalta and I was so scared as I began to feel suicidal. So I stopped taking it. Xanax as needed was the only thing that worked. The only time the Xanax did not help was one time in November getting on a plane (had flown hundreds of times before with no problems, now all of a sudden, even with Xanax, had 2 1/2 hr panic attack the whole flight.)

I still have an occasional panic attack. I carry the Xanax with me and most of the time, can talk myself out of it and just knowing the Xanax is in my purse, sometimes that is enough for me to calm myself down.

I was diagnosed early 2010 with dangerously low Vitamin D levels. I am wondering if there is any correlation to the 2 situations? Someone sent me a link to an article showing that there was. i started taking vitamin D regularly and wonder if this is why the panic attacks are less often and less severe? I "accidentally" forgot to take my vitamins one week, and had a bad panic attack out of the blue one night while going to bed.

I was just wondering if anyone else has this issue or is familiar with this?