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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Courtney550 05/14/2013

I have a history of panic attacks and generalized anxiety disorder. I went through a bad stretch of attacks about 6 months ago and was prescribed 1 mg Alprazolam (Xanax generic). It works like a charm but I use it very sparingly (up until last night I hadn't had to take it for months).

Lately I've been waking up and having really, really bad panic attacks. I don't have to wake up from a dream, I don't have to wake up from an alarm, I'll just wake up from sleep and within a few seconds I'm hit with a massive surge of adrenaline. This happens 1-3 times per week now.

I feel like the adrenaline rises up throughout my body. My heart starts pounding hard and very fast, I start shivering and trembling on the inside even though I'm not cold, I feel breathless and light-headed, and my hands go completely tingly and numb.

Why is this happening out of the blue? I can't piece together any sort of emotional connection. Maybe it has just become a learned reaction? The racing heart is the scariest thing about it =(.

It also doesn't help that my boyfriend doesn't understand what I'm going through. Sometimes he's supportive and other times he get frustrated and tells me it's all in my head and that my panic attacks are making his life miserable and they keep "waking him up."

No one should ever be told a panic attack is just "all in their head." Who would WANT to bring on a panic attack? If I could control these attacks I sure as heck would!!

deleted_user 05/14/2013

My bipolar medications do this to me literally, not saying you are bipolar but sometimes our body becomes dependent on these drugs and you have to learn how to wean down to a smaller dose. sorry your are going through this!

harry3333 05/15/2013

panic attacks on waking are common, perhaps caused by worries and fears about the new day
some of us do enjoy our panic attacks but most dont

deleted_user 05/15/2013

I am sorry for what you are going through...I think it is normal to have a panic attack after you first wake up. I used to get them like that but they dont seem to come on that way anymore.. If your boyfriend is not able to understand find someone you can talk to ok? These are hard to deal with alone.. I wish you all the best

deleted_user 05/15/2013

I know this sounds far fetched but when you have an attack, drink a lot of water. About two big glasses, but not all at once, do it slowly i'd say within ten minutes or so. This always stops my attacks immediately but its only because the lactic acid builds in my system from eating highly salty foods or anything with Msg. I have noticed that any time I ever have an attack, I am severely dehydrated.

deleted_user 05/16/2013

I used to have this happen to me every night. I think it is just being worried about the day to come. I've been getting them recently also, but as of right now I'm not taking my Xanax at all. Maybe its from withdrawal, but I have no idea. I'm so sorry that your boyfriend feels this way, I was very lucky when I was first diagnosed to be with someone who understood and was supportive. I agree that you should find someone to talk to. It can do a great deal of help. And I'm sure not a lot of people want to bring on a panic attack, but sometimes when I try to make it worse or tell it to go ahead and have at it, it will go away. I hope this helps.

deleted_user 05/18/2013

you have adrenal failure.....that is what causes what you are describing...and xanax cannot fix it....look up Adrenal Exhaustion or adrenal failure and I bet you have most of the symtoms.....you he have to use more salt....and get lots of rest and go to bed before 10 pm and other self help stuff....also try GABA CALM when you get the attacks....it used to stop my in their tracks.....

faxingberlin 06/17/2013

I had one of these attacks over the weekend one morning. Luckily I know what's going on because I was able to snap out of it. I haven't had one in a while but when I do it freaks me out. I have a hard time describing it to other people but it feels like I'm on overdrive and out of it. I keep telling myself that it will pass.. it will pass. and try to do something to get my mind off of it and it eventually dies down. but I feel for you because it wreaks havoc on you. Usually I get the shakes after its all over and I'm exhausted.

I wish I knew what triggered it. I was pretty tired that night. Someone mentioned drinking more water.. I'll have to try that too.

Hang in there. I know its hard when loved ones don't understand. Luckily we have this place to share our stories with folks who understand what you're going through.

Good luck!

nmsu2000 06/17/2013

I used to get them if I was drinking alcohol that evening. It would wake me up in the worst possible way. Needless to say my little panic attack buddy made me quit drinking. Waking up to them is quite common.

deleted_user 06/26/2013

I've had it happen so many times I can't count. Just like nmsu2000 I got them while I was still an active alcoholic. I would wake up with panic attacks on days when I drank and also days when I didn't. The panic attacks upon waking started when I was really young too, way before I ever drank in excess but still drank once in awhile. Since quitting drinking, eating healthy and exercising I no longer have any waking panic attacks.

Ambrosia6 06/28/2013

This used to happen to me all the time. I was very ill for awhile with another condition and was sleeping sooo much, but when I would take a nap during the day, i would wake up in an intense attack. I even tried taking xanax before I lay down, but I guess it had worn off by the time I awoke.

Though this doesn't happen often anymore, it just happened to me yesterday! I hadn't gotten enough sleep, and was feeling anxious about an evening activity I had. I took a nap, and set the alarm for 1 hour because I needed to be up by then to get ready to go. When the alarm went off I immediately went into hyperventilation. Compared to past attacks, this one was mild, I was able to compose myself, get up, and taking xanax did help me calm down enough to get through the evening without much further anxiety.

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