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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by perras on June 29, 2004, at 11:42:09
Hi,
I've been suffering from panic attacks for about 3 or 4 months. My ears block up, my arms down to my fingers tingle, my head is blocked, I feel nauseated, my chest has pain, my blood preassure spikes...hard, my heart doesn't go really fast but will give off beats or beat really hard. I've had a tough year finding my husband of 20 years in bed with one of his clients, my son-in-law dying in my home while my daughter was/is in treatment for alcoholism (the baby is living with his other grandmother). I was homeless for 4 months. I went from a wealthy woman to a poor one, and my ex won't speak to me or the kids or grandkids since this happened on May 7, 2004...PTSS perhaps? Xanax helps, but I am such a no drug type...any thoughts? Anyone else have the ringing int he ears, the blocked ears, the head feeling blocked? Thanks for any insight! Paris
Posted by partlycloudy on June 29, 2004, at 12:48:51
In reply to panic attacks, posted by perras on June 29, 2004, at 11:42:09
Hello, perras. I suffer from panic attacks as well. Very similar symptoms - blood pounding, blocked ears and head, nausea. I mostly feel like there's an invisible hand around my throat preventing me to swallow. I'd been having the attacks 24/7 until a few months ago.
I was very wary of Xanax too. My p-doc put me on Effexor XR for my depression and it's helped with the anxiety. I do take the xanax for immediate relief. At very low doses my p-doc said the chances of addiction were slim, so now I don't suffer unnecessarily. I recently started EMDR to treat the anxiety, depression and panic, and it's worked well for me.
Are you in therapy at all?
Posted by perras on June 29, 2004, at 12:58:09
In reply to Re: panic attacks » perras, posted by partlycloudy on June 29, 2004, at 12:48:51
Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me. Two therapists and a psychiatrist told me (just before I started the attacks) that I no longer needed to see them. I had a healthy handle on things...so I think I may have been feeling like it would be weak of me to call on one of them. However, I just called my psychiatrist and I will be "squeezed in" tomorrow. The Xanax helps (I just took a 1/2 ml a few hours ago) and I take it almost daily (just the 1/2 ml) unless it is particularly bad...which it has been for 2 days now. I am going to talk to her about taking a low dose of Buspar as I have done much reading about anti-anxiety drugs and it seems to be the one with the least side effects. But...what do I really know about all of this? Thank you so much for sharing...it helps to know I'm not alone!!
Perras
Posted by partlycloudy on June 29, 2004, at 13:11:01
In reply to Re: panic attacks, posted by perras on June 29, 2004, at 12:58:09
Buspar is a good one - it gave me headaches so I couldn't continue taking it.
I was just thinking about being done with therapy. I think that as long as I'm getting panic attacks, there's something lodged in my brain and soul that's not been dealt with or processed. For me, it's all or nothing. No panic, or panic every day. It stopped being situational months ago.
Good luck and let us know how you're doing.
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 30, 2004, at 1:33:50
In reply to Re: panic attacks, posted by perras on June 29, 2004, at 12:58:09
> The Xanax helps (I just took a 1/2 ml a few hours ago) and I take it almost daily (just the 1/2 ml) unless it is particularly bad...which it has been for 2 days now. I am going to talk to her about taking a low dose of Buspar as I have done much reading about anti-anxiety drugs and it seems to be the one with the least side effects.
Sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to redirect follow-ups regarding medication to the main Psycho-Babble board. Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040627/msgs/361860.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by perras on June 30, 2004, at 8:14:16
In reply to Re: panic attacks » perras, posted by partlycloudy on June 29, 2004, at 13:11:01
I think that you are totally correct. It's all or nothing with me as well. I met a wonderful man a year ago, 2 months after I caught my husband with his "woman" and we became fast friends. Now it's much more and we've decided to spend our lives together. Perhaps having something so good is freaking me out. I don't know. I'm waiting for a call from my psychiatrist.
Thank you for your concern!
Perras
This is the end of the thread.
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