GMan

I’m starting to tell my story in music. Maybe someone can relate to this song. https://gideonkiél.hearnow.com/need-you

I’m starting to tell my story in music. Maybe someone can relate to this song. More to come https://gideonkiél.hearnow.com/need-you

I’m starting to tell my story in music. Maybe someone can relate to this song. More to come. https://gideonkiél.hearnow.com/need-you

How long did it take for them to kick in? With the long term meds, did it get worse before it got better?

Gotcha

Which maintenance med helped you?

Did it bring you down from a panic attack?

I’m on the journey of finding the right medication dosage for panic attacks. .25mg of Xanax didn’t really do much. Then I tried .5mg twice daily. It doesn’t seem to help with the attack itself, but it does seem to help with anxiety after an attack. If I felt an attack starting to swell, I took .5mg Xanax. Even with the Xanax in my system, the attack would still come and go. Then the Xanax helps with the anxiety after the attack, but that’s short lived. Just switched and tried .5mg of Ativan. Didn’t really do anything. I didn’t even get drowsy. What dosage has helped you guys with coming down from an actual panic attack?… and to get functional after the attack?

What is your agoraphobia preventing you from doing?

The doctors started me on a low dose of Xanax. I have .25mg tablets, and it says take 1 or 2 up to 2 times daily. It seems that it has helped when anxiety/panic is not as intense. I was able to function more. It doesn’t seem like it helps with an actual attack. I think it might be helping with the panic not turning into waves. I’m looking for something to help with the actual attacks. I read people’s experiences that say that it relaxes their bodies. I don’t think I’m experiencing that effect. Has anyone found that ativan works better? They gave me ativan once in the er, and it seemed to relax my body. They gave it through the IV, so I’m not sure if that made it more effective.

I’ve been struggling more lately with Panic/Anxiety. The waves of panic have been lasting longer, and have been harder to get pass. Even when the most intense fear subsides a little, I’m in a constant feeling of being on the edge if severe panic/fear. It’s like my mind and body stays elevated, even when the fear subsides a little. By the time my body relaxes a little, the wave of intense fear increases. I try to control the second fear, but it doesn’t seem to stop this cycle. Any ideas on how to break this cycle?

Adrenaline from panic/anxiety causes increased heart rates. I’ve had plenty of panic attacks that caused a high heart rate. The thought process that helped me was to understand that the body’s natural response to adrenaline release is an increased heart rate… so in other words, your heart is responding exactly like it’s supposed to when adrenaline releases. Your heart is supposed to react to adrenaline, and normal function is a good thing. I’ve had the snoring that caused me to wake up with panic attacks. My body was responding to those sensations of snoring/apnea with panic. This happened in my sleep so it seemed unfair because I couldn’t deal with it while I’m sleep, then I wake up in a panic. What I did was continued to remind my self, while I was awake, that those sensations are causing panic attacks. And sometimes when I’m laying down to go to sleep, I remind myself that those snoring/apnea sensations are causing panic. I try to engrave those thoughts in my head. Eventually, those thoughts automatically popped in my head when I woke up in a panic, and it helped me relax faster, and sometimes stop the attack from coming. Just as negative thoughts can engrave in your mind causing anxiety and panic, positive reassuring thoughts can engrave in your mind as well. I’ve currently been struggling more lately, but I’m trying to retrain my brain.

Thanks! I’m not sure why it’s been so difficult lately. Usually after an intense attack, my body comes down after a while. Now, it comes in several waves. When I think I may be coming down some, the wave comes again. Every thought, every sensation brings another wave. Eventually, I’ll come down to a point where I can somewhat function. I don’t really know how to deal with this… since panic disorder always manages to find something new to attack with. These waves are like one big panic attack that lasts for over an hour, or 2 or 3. I’m trying to find a doctor to transition to since my insurance changed. Hopefully medicine, or something will work. I’m just not sure if I can deal with the attacks enough to go inside the appointment. At the moment, I can’t really go inside anywhere without the attacks. Even trying to sit outside and enjoy a breeze causes attacks. Not really able to handle the sensation of how warm it is outside, the sun, and feeling like I’m too far from anywhere to lay down. I hope I can find a telehealth doctor that can prescribe something for the panic.

Lately, it’s become harder and harder to climb this daily mountain. With nocturnal attacks disrupting sleep, my day starts at level 10. I have to climb this mountain of panic disorder and anxiety just to be somewhat functional. By the time I get to a point where I can move around a little, it’s bedtime. I dread going to sleep because I have to start all over when I wake up. Rinse, wash, repeat. I’m tired

Oh ok. I took .5mg before sleep. I still dealt with anxiety toward the end of the day, but it definitely helped.

Yea, I probably should’ve had a longer weaning period. How much do you take?

Has anyone dealt with Klonopin withdrawal symptoms? I’ve had severe anxiety since about the 3rd day that I stopped taking it. Neck pain/tension, light sensitivity, weird feelings in my head like someone is touching the nerves in my head, severe anxiety, depersonalization, lower chin/upper throat tightness, insomnia, night panic attacks/terrors. It’s been about 12days now. I was taking .5mg per day, at night.

Thanks!

Thanks

Yea, I'm AD. This whole thing started about 2yrs ago. Just with stress and a few minor symptoms. I went then because I knew the symptoms were related to stress, because of everything that was going on. The military delayed treatment and the stress turned into panic attacks, then depression, then GAD, then full panic disorder. Now over 2yrs later, and I'm still not receiving the proper treatment. I'm considering filing a grievance through tricare.

I tried Zoloft but had bad side effects. Had dizziness that made me unstable, and changes in heart rhythm. The doctor has only given me hydroxyzine for panic attacks, which is not effective for panic. The 'expert' opinion of the nurse practitioner was to just drive, operate heavy machinery at work etc., and continue to take the Zoloft.. despite unstable dizziness and changes in heart rhythm... and refuses to prescribe anything else. Unfortunately, this is what you go through to get mental health treatment in the military. My primary care doc didn't even want to send me to get evaluated for panic disorder. It took 4 appointments and continuing to press the issue before I was referred. She said "everyone has anxiety". of course the evaluation confirmed panic disorder, and GAD. I switched docs for medication control, but the new doc didn't want to change the other docs prescription, although she admitted that she would have probably done something different. I guess professional courtesy trumps the patient's well being... but this is the norm for military healthcare

No matter how many times I read that lightheadedness and foggy mind/vision is a classic symptom of panic disorder, My reaction remains the same. No time to rationalize when it comes on all of a sudden. I'm so tired...

I hear ya... I get anxiety whenever I have appointments as well. Then my blood pressure rises, and the doc talks about BP meds. I get anxiety with medical tests/blood work. It's a cycle for me, fear when it comes to getting the medical tests done, and fear of something being wrong and wanting to get tests done.. but I usually find relief on the other end of the test.

What kind of thoughts do you have in those moments Marc? I usually feel like something is wrong, or like I'm gonna die.. but with few physical symptoms.

"Flash experiences of no real significance"... That's a line to put in the memory bank. Thanks! Definitely something I can remind myself of in times of anxiety.