Oh, sometimes heat also will set off a panic attack for me.

I think everyone is differnt and have differnt things that set off panic attacks. However, the bad thing about an anxiety disorder if that sometimes they just come for no reason at all. Your fine one minute laughing and sick the next. You could be suffering from some sort of hormone imbalance causing anxiety attacks too. Also, you may not realize it but I bet you are dwelling on your smoking and trying to quit. You may not think you are but you probably are worrying about it to some degree (was my smoking causing increased anxiety, am I really going to be able to quit, why do I feel worse when I haven't smoked in 4 days) I'm sure all those things are running through your head causing these issues. Cold Turkey quitting may not be the best idea for you. Just like stopping medications cold turkey can make you worse instead of better. Your body has been dependent on it for so long.

I'm not sure what your smoking schedule was like but if you smoked twice a day you should try once a day for a week and see how your anxiety does and then every other day, then every 2 days and so on so forth. Just like how a MD would pull you off meds. If you have to increase your Xanex to every 4-6 hours while you quit that would help too. Then as your smoking tappers off, you can tapper back down on the Xanex. Or use the same rouine with the gum instead of actually smoking.

None of this may work for you but it's just a thought. I've had to taper myself off many meds that has increased my anxiety and it sucks while you are doing it but then you feel better once it's all over. I also have Grave's Disease which causes my anxiety to increase so like I mentioned earlier. It could be some form of hormonal imbalance.

Good Luck and hope you start to feel better soon. :)

BIG HUGS

you may feel your having a panic attack , but it is be cause you are trying to quit smoking, and no caffeine all at the same time, if you take anther xanax you shoud feel ok. that happen to me i have been on xanax for 25 years 1mg. so i hope i could help,if you think your haveing a panic attack just call your doctor good luck

panic attacks just happen and you shouldnt try to figure out what caused each one, just accept them all

I had stopped smoking several times...it caused my anxiety to be much worse!! I tried chantex and it actually helped ease me right thru the nicotine withdrawal....i was scared to death of the possible side effects but had none of them except vivid dreams and slightly nauseous. Whats amazing to me is how ur symptoms of anxiety can change...seems like as soon as you get used to or unafraid of your anxiety symptoms they change on you....crazy!

Personally speaking , second hand smoke makes mine worse . Every time Im outside & I inhale some of it , it kinda boosts up a mini panic attack . I suggest you quit smoking :(

Its a little late for my reply and I am really new to all of this... the panic attacks are not new but they have come and gone in my life sort of like a binge drinker gets drunk. Mine, I think, are
emotionally / psychologically induced. I may have some of the physical triggers as I am a smoker and definitely a coffee drinker. I drink coffee cause I've liked it since grandma started me with a little coffee with my cream and sugar. The smell and the taste are actually soothing to me (the first cup ;-) anyways! ) as it reminds me of the security she brought in my life. I always felt safe with her. I have even used many of my memories of her and places we would go together in guided imagery, in attempts to heal many of my different issues. I have a heart problem where the re-entry valve will get stuck open and my heart will pump rapidly trying to fix the problem. They mis-diagnosed it for 5 yrs thinking I was having panic attacks. They finally caught the problem in the ER once when my lower back pain was out of control and I didn't know why. I found out your pain gets worse when you have no blood pressure in your body ;-) !! Anyways... my heart condition will get triggered from too much coffee and tobacco. Also no sleep will do it.
I must agree with everything 'momtoone' said in their reply too. All of the info here is real accurate., especially the detox info!! You really must allow your body a break, especially if you are already prone to the anxiety attacks!! I wish I had the Xanax to take when it hits me but without being diagnosed in 20 yrs and being a chronic pain patient, I am on heavy doses of narcotics and the danger is there for the mixture to be a scare for doctors to prescribe.

Try all of the natural remedies for anxiety too while you are kicking the caffeine and cigarettes like camomile tea, sleepytime tea, and you can even buy the extract or oils and use them. if you use extracts or oils remember they are usually concentrated and you need to use them sparingly. If you use extracts in the bath, which I have had work exceptionally well, you need to stay in the bath and keep it as warm as you can tolerate for at least 20 minutes. It takes 15 minutes of steeping for the medicinal properties to get into the water. Then 20 minutes for the medicinal properties of the herb to get from the bath water into your bloodstream through your skin.

You are braver than I for I haven't even attempted to quit the cigarettes yet and the coffee will never go away completely. All the best to you and your successful ending to anything in your way of being a healthier person!!!!!!!!!

In Love Light Truth & Service,
Stubborn TerrieAnn