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Hi fellows,
It has been more than a year since my gf started to experiencing panic attacks. In US doctors gave her some medications, but now in the UK doctors wanted her off so she gradually stop.
She went through some therapy but nothing changed...we've seen 3 doctors in the US and 2 in the UK so far... do you have any advice? I just want her to get better.
Have extensive experience as I used to get them very very bad starting at the age of 15, and its hereditary in my family. An SSRI will attenuate the panic attacks, but the side effects of those medications can be rather unpleasant, such as lethargy, feeling dysphoric, and loss of libido. If she is not getting them on a DAILY basis, and is getting say 4-5 really bad panic attacks per month, then the best course of action would be a benzodiazepine such as Alprazolam or Lorazepam, both have relatively short half lives, and are taken on a strictly AS NEEDED basis. The problem is that they are habit forming, so if she is experiencing panic attacks 2-3 times per week, doctors will look towards using an SSRI/SNRI to attenuate the panic attacks as these medications are usually not habit forming. Especially in the UK, the NHS there has a philosophy of avoiding the use of BZO's except in the most extreme cases, those are the wonders of a Nanny state that treats based on bureaucracy and conjecture instead of the needs of the patient.Quote:
Originally Posted by belva
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go ahead ...I'm hear to try to understand if it is possible for me to do something.
ive been dealing with anxiety for 15 years (or so).. i take no meds.. i have had major panic attacks. some of them so bad i have hyperventilated and caused my hands and face to go numb and my hands actually closed up and i could not open them.. my cheeks tingled and my lips went numb.. (i guess from the hyperventilation). needless to say they freaking suck!
one thing i have learned: the biggest thing with panic attacks is your fear of having one. typically i would sense one was imminent and then id think myself into having one with my own irrational thinking. i would try to resist them.
now i understand what they are and that theyre NOT DANGEROUS and i am able to cope and do not have them anymore. mainly because i dont give a damn about having one! this i believe to be a big factor.
personally my suggestion to you: try to deal with them WITHOUT MEDICATION. you dont want to be a slave to meds.. panic attacks, while scary, will NOT HURT YOU.. some people say: "you dont understand the severity of some peoples' disorders" .. and obviously i do not. BUT i understand the severity of my own, and it was pretty freaking bad for awhile.. i am on the other side and have never taken ANY MEDS for them. my mom, on the other hand, is a slave to medication to the extent she believes she would literally go insane and die if she stopped taking it. while this may be extreme i say "NO THANK YOU" ill take the panic attacks when they come.
id be happy to try to answer any questions u may have :)
Wow. That sounds pretty harsh man. Almost signs of palsy. Good to hear you found a way to handle/deal with them.Quote:
Originally Posted by --->>405<<---
yeh it was.. palsy huh? whys that? u mean cerebral palsy?? the hands drawing up thing was only temporary.. like an hour or so. once breathing returned to normal the numbness went away..Quote:
Originally Posted by austinite
i felt very short of breath and thought i was having a heart attack. when i didnt die i figured out it was a panic attack! boy was the first time terrifying! i thought i was having a heart attack. it took many many times to convince myself they were just anxiety.. very f'd up..
needless to say im not a big fan of going to the doctor! LOL
What do you think I could do? I mean when I'm not with her there is no way for me to reassure her. It's easy for me to say to her: "you already know you are not going to die so just don't give a damn about it" because I never experienced a panic attack. So I don't actually know if I can do something for herQuote:
Originally Posted by --->>405<<---
aside from reassurance there is nothing u can do. i strongly recommend she try to cope without meds. meds are NOT GOOD IMO. people use them as a crutch and they become slaves. it changes your personality and squanders your quality of life IMO. who wants to be a freaking slave zombie!!!?? (not me)..Quote:
Originally Posted by belva
this biggest thing i have found with anxiety is the lack of assurance what u are experiencing is normal and not dangerous and that it will pass. once i was able to believe that, my symptoms subsided and then went away.
u could suggest therapy. talking about it with someone who knows what it is and understands will probably be of great benefit to her as she will relate to someone who has the same experiences and that will show her deep inside it is normal and shes not alone.. reassurance and identifying with others who are stricken with the same IMO would be a great first step! :)
Yeh. If u can do this without meds all the better. Different situation but trying to come off tramadol after years. U literally ache in every single joint. Bone nook n cranny. Guess u numb urself to the world then try get in touch its like trying to purposely put ur hands in fire. If I could turn back time. But its getting there. I only take one in the am. N two b4 bed.
I used to take 4-5 3-4 times a day. N they ain't no weak dose either.
My experiences wth panic attacks r exactly like 405's. I started getting them my junior year in college. I did figure out the worst thing tht can happen is u pass out. You go numb sometimes pass out. U think its a heart attack. Thn u learn u can't die from thm. I was at one point given benzos, Xanax. Stuff works like a charm but in the long term is worse thn panic attacks. Trying to come off benzos might be the worst feeling ever. It's like a non stop panic attack.... Pure nightmare.
He is wht I find works best for panic attacks. I've found the absolute worst ones come after drinking so if possible no booze. If u do drink keep it to no more thn a couple. Eat at least six times a day. If I haven't eaten I get them. I've never had one on a full stomach and I've had way to many. Exercise always helps a ton. Panic attacks happen because of stress. Exercise will help get rid of tht. Always keep something sweet around or a protein bar, banana whatever. Whn I'm in good shape I don't seem to have thm. It's been about 7 months since my last one. Again tht directly coincides wth exercise and change in eating habits.
Good luck wth ths. I can't tell u how much I recomend not using meds. Never let thm get ur girl hooked on those damn things.