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Post by cheshire on Jun 1, 2006 17:43:33 GMT
Hi Everyone,
I was wondering today whether there are 'different forms' of panic attack. Maybe this sounds daft, but I sort of just needed to know for sure.
For me, there seem to be different experiences such as:
- as gail describes on another thread, 'sleep panics' - I get these and last night it left me feeling very shaky . It was just as I was dropping off and then 'wham' felt panic stricken, couldn't breathe for a mo and then felt very shaky, but ok again.
- ongoing breathlessness where you feel you want to take a deep breath but also feel you can't when you need to, but eventually do
- panicky feeling where your tummy churns and you get some signals in your head that you feel panicky - aches and pains etc.
- daytime panic attacks rather like the sleep panics but where you feel you are almost shouting at people without meaning to and can't calm down.
Thanks Hopefulxx
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Post by marion on Jun 1, 2006 18:51:08 GMT
Hi Hopeful
For me I can have dreadful anxiety all day over nothing (knotted tummy, feeling sick) and then get acute flashes of anxiety when I think of something worrying.
Then when I'm out or very worked up I get the panic attacks which make my head tingle, make me feel dizzy, knotted tummy, feel sick etc.
I've never really felt breathless with my anxiety or had trouble breathing. For me it's been the knotted tummy more and the feeling like I can be sick from anxiety together with the tingling head and then bad vision.
I guess everyone's fight or flight mode is different and effects them in different ways - maybe your body picks up on what you feel are your weakest areas - for you it could be fear of your breathing going so your mind throws that to the front of your mind and effects this first - for me I guess I'm most worried of fainting or feeling dizzy and being incapable and losing my vision so that's what gets affected for me. I've never been worried about the not being able to breath so never really had problems with that. Does that make sense???
Strange how everyone experiences what is primarily the same thing (sheer panic) in so many different ways.
Love Marion.
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hannah457
Senior Member
i have 4 children. brandon,angel , peter, leland .
Posts: 453
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Post by hannah457 on Jun 1, 2006 21:30:43 GMT
hi hopeful for me my chest is like the tight skin of a drum all day . then the simpleist thinks can set of a full attack were i fight for my breath, go dizzy and feel as if im going to die
hannah
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Post by rach1968 on Oct 25, 2006 11:31:33 GMT
hi I`m visiting the site for the first time. I have a 2 yr old and 10wk old and for the last few weeks have been thinking that I am going to die- waking up in the morning with a racing heart, sweating, feeling sick and dizzy and faint and completely unable to cope. It seems to last all day sometimes and if it does subside I feel weak and trembly. Breathing exercises don`t help a jot. I hate it and would love some advice.
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Post by cheshire on Oct 25, 2006 11:48:40 GMT
Hi Rach, Welcome to the sitexx I can completely identify whith the physical syptoms you describe here - as I had similar: I have a 2 yr old and 10wk old and for the last few weeks have been thinking that I am going to die- waking up in the morning with a racing heart, sweating, feeling sick and dizzy and faint and completely unable to cope. It seems to last all day sometimes and if it does subside I feel weak and trembly. . Have you been diagnosed with PNI or spoken to your GP yet? I know how hard it is to talk about it -but I found I needed all the support I could get. I occasionally take medication (now for PMS) and had intensive psychotherapy - which has all really helped with the recovery. I also found the support here useful, and offloading about things very helpful. Do you have a lot of support at home? Love Hopefulxx
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Post by Winegirl on Oct 25, 2006 11:53:19 GMT
Hi guys.
I too get sick, dizzy. I feel like this most of the time but it is definately worse when i leave the house. Also had a couple of episodes where i felt i couldn't breathe. The other night i woke up in bed and had this strange feeling of like adrenalin pmping through body, it was pretty scary but did pass. Have spoken to my HV today who thinks anxiety is quite common and has tried to reassure me that it will go. I am supposed to return to work in 8 weeks and cant see how that is going to happen at the moment. However, I have been seeing a hypnotherapist and I am pretty sure it is helping a bit. She says the more i listen to the tape she gave me of our sessions the better it will get. Also I am back off to my GP tomorrow to discuss coming off the pill. I was told that the pill can sometimes heighten these feelings of sickness/diziness so will give it a try. Will do whatever it takes to beat this thing! A quick tip that my hypnotherapist gave me is that when you are feeling like you cant breathe to imagine breathing in a positive healing colour. You choose the colour that feels calm and healing to you. You then imagine breathing out the negative tension, to which you also add a colour. You then see your body filling with this positive colour and it should help you get a bit of control back. It hasn't been a miracle cure for me but I do feel it helps to calm me down a little. Take care x Winegirl
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Post by rach1968 on Oct 25, 2006 21:13:11 GMT
Dear Hopeful and winegirl- thanks so much for your thoughts. It`s great to know i`m not alone in this mess. I have been to my GP a couple of times- firstly with painful breast( am breastfeeding) and my paranoia that this was due to something serious. I tried really hard to tell her how sick and ill I was feeling but she just said I must be tired and should drink more water! I have become completely obsessed with how ill I feel and that it must be a sign that I am dying and it is ruining my life and making me feel completely out of control and a failure as a mother. However my mum is very very supportive and we feel that I must have PNI as I fit all the descriptors like a glove. I will go to another hopefully sympathetic GP and ask for antidepr as soon as I can as this can be the only way I can survive. i wish I could just start to feep physically better. Thanks again and keep talking to me XX
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Post by winegirl on Oct 26, 2006 13:50:55 GMT
Hi Rach I know where you are coming from with the GP advice! I have been 6 times in 4 months and seen 4 drs who have diagnosed vertigo, virus and migraine and suggested i drink juice! I have been back this morning to see if coming off the pill would help the dizziness and nausea, and the dr told me he doesn't know what is wrong with me, he is not going to give me any meds, he thinks i should stay on the pill and give it a couple more months before going back! I could have strangled him! I explained I had to return to work in 8 weeks and i couldn't feeling like this and he said `hmmm'. Prat. I have had blood tests etc and all came back ok but you would think they would arrange a refferal at least! On the plus side the helath visitor rang to see how my appt went and she has said that she will come out the week after next and see if she has any suggestions. Also I managed to go to the corner shop today, albeit feeling like poo, but managed it and so that has to be a good thing. Let us know how you get on with a different gp and keep your chin up! If you havent already read some of the posts on the positive recovery board, they have helped me realise that this thing will not go on forever! Take Care Winegirl
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Post by rach1968 on Oct 26, 2006 18:51:24 GMT
Hi winegirl - thanks for the reply- idiot doctors - I get so worked up about going - shaking from head to foot thinking they are going tell me something awful and then they just say you must be tired and to leave it for a while as you say. But well done about getting out. I am staying with my mum at the moment as I have no support network at home and it is much better to have someone else there. We actually made it to starbucks today - though I felt so sick, dizy and wobbly legs I couldn`t drink anything. Will go and visit the recovery board now to have a cheer up. Speak soon - take care rach ps can you delay going back to work? sounds to me like the added pressure of this looming so close must be making everything so much worse
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Post by winegirl on Oct 27, 2006 9:33:43 GMT
Hi Rach I was actually supposed to go back last week but have managed to postpone until after xmas. I cannot postpone it again. But it's true that i am constantly worrying about it which cant help! It is a pain when you do manage to make it out but you just cant enjoy yourself because of how you are feeling. Whenever i make it out i spend the whole time desperate to go home again. I was speaking to a lady a few weeks ago who said that she couldn;t go anywhere for the first six months after her first baby was born. She would have panic attacks and get tongue tied. I think alot of these physical symptoms are also related to anxiety, like your adrenalin tap is constantly on and this is what causes many of the symptoms. It is good that you have your mum for support. I dont see anyone until about 7.30 at night when my partner comes home and i am sure that being home with no adult interaction just gives me more time to dwell on how i am feeling making it worse. Hope the recovery board helped last night, i am going to have another nosey on there now before my daughters next feed to cheer myself up! Take care Winegirl x
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sann
New Member
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Post by sann on Nov 30, 2006 21:57:51 GMT
Hi all
not been to the site for a while but can totallt sympathise with the panic atttacks when I was first diagnosed 6 months ago and even before i gave birth, I felt i was taking a panic attack allday every day and was convinced i was going to die. The feeling of not being able to take a deap breath was hideous along with all the other symptoms utter HELL!!! I still get them but they are getting better. I have a great doctor who is sending me for cognitive behaviour therapy. I have heard good reports about this. Has anyone had any experience of this type of treatment or heard about it.
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Post by cheshire on Dec 4, 2006 17:59:31 GMT
Hi Sann
Have you started the CBT yet?
How did it go?
Hopefulx
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Post by rachelk on Jan 4, 2008 19:10:02 GMT
Hi, I am also new to the site and have been diagnosed with PNI (approx 5 weeks ago). My son is four and a half months old. Although I was having lots of PNI symptoms - not sleeping, depressed, black cloud etc. I had never had a panic attack - until Xmas day!!! I have also had another today and a, absolutely terrified. Both happened at home and the symptoms were: 1. Feeling like I was drunk or on drugs; 2. Dizzy; 3. Blurred vision; 4. Heart racing; 5. Feeling like I am on another planet.
Then after a few hours I just feel exhausted.
From your experience: a) are these panic attacks? b) what can I do to manage them? c) do people think they are likely to increase/decrease given that I am on anti-depressants or is this something I might need to deal with in my head?
Cheers
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Post by samantha77 on Jan 4, 2008 19:45:03 GMT
Hi Rachel,
Sorry to hear you have been feeling unwell recently!
In response to your questions: Yes what you have been experiencing is a panic attack, and they are horrible, and frightening!!!
I started with panic attacks when i was pregnant with my daughter and then it carried on when she was born. I still have them now occasionally.
If you are aware that what is happening to you is a panic attack then-that is the first step to managing them!!!
How long have you been on Anti'ds?? as these can aggravate your symptoms at first before they start making you better.
The panic attacks are a symptom of your illness, and they will get better once you start feeling better.
The best tip i can give you is to try and ride them, once you have in your mind that are nothing more than an anxiety, stress and panic response then you will be able to keep on top of them, well try to anyway.
Its hard to say whether they will get better or worse!, however please be reassured they cannot harm you and are brought on by anxiety and the illness.
I felt exhausted to point of not being able to physically move after having about 4 panic attacks every day over a space of about 4 months. Like i said i started having these when i was pregnant and they increased in severity once i had my daughter. I can safely say now though that i am most defiantly in control of them now and it gets alot easier!
You might find that after your medication kicks in these periods of heightened anxiety will ease.
Hope this is a little reassurance...
Take Care and keep in touch
Anythings else we can help you with please ask, if i can help that is, but there is lots of lovely ladies on here full of information!
Sam xx
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Post by winegirl on Jan 4, 2008 20:03:51 GMT
Hi Rachel
I have been suffering with these since the birth of my LO, at one point they would go on all day every day. I was told by an anxiety specialist that they were not full blown panic attcks, but they were the body's reaction to adrenalin and panic so were almost a panic attack. She told me that having a panic attack would be easier as they ony last half an hour or so, whereas these panics that we have can last for hours.
I have had the full blown panic attack too with not breathing etc, and i have to say they are horrendous. All these symptoms you had were your body dealing with all the excess adrenalin caused by the panic.
Mine have pretty much eased off now, it really does get better. When it happens you just have to remind you self that you will be fine and these things happening to you are not going to hurt you.
Sorry, rambled on a bit there!
WG x
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