Anyone have panic attacks? What do you do?

[Bev G]

Hi all. I haven't had one (panic attack) in many years, but used to have them regularly. I was just speaking with my dear sister-in-law and one came on, and I couldn't remember if I ever figured out any thing to do about them. Other than my heart racing, I am better now; can breathe OK again (before I even found the brown paper bag!) If any of you have them, what do you do?

Thanks.

Bev

[kpjpmom]

Sweet Bev,
I am so sorry that you are having so much stress in your life! I have had panic attacks since my first diagnosis in 2011. I had never had one until the day I was told I had cancer. Then when I was diagnosed one month later with kidney cancer, they began to happen every day. I had to go on Lexapro and clonazepam(sp). That helped me and I also went to a psychologist for counseling. It was a long process, but they began to subside. That is what helped me. Now if I feel one coming on, I take a clonazepam. I rarely have to take one now. I continue to take Lexapro every day. At first, I berated myself for having to take medication. I was raised that you just "pull up your bootstraps". I found I had nothing left to pull up with after both diagnosis, surgeries, and chemo. I am sorry this is so long. I just feel a kinship with you and all you are going through. I will continue to pray for you.

Big Hugs,
KPJPMOM

[Voxx66]

It's been a while but in my case either deep slow breathing or sometimes the opposite - vigorous physical exercise - helped. And sometimes taking a shower seemed to make it better.

[Bev G]

Sweet Bev,
I am so sorry that you are having so much stress in your life! I have had panic attacks since my first diagnosis in 2011. I had never had one until the day I was told I had cancer. Then when I was diagnosed one month later with kidney cancer, they began to happen every day. I had to go on Lexapro and clonazepam(sp). That helped me and I also went to a psychologist for counseling. It was a long process, but they began to subside. That is what helped me. Now if I feel one coming on, I take a clonazepam. I rarely have to take one now. I continue to take Lexapro every day. At first, I berated myself for having to take medication. I was raised that you just "pull up your bootstraps". I found I had nothing left to pull up with after both diagnosis, surgeries, and chemo. I am sorry this is so long. I just feel a kinship with you and all you are going through. I will continue to pray for you.

Big Hugs,
KPJPMOM

Hi KPJPMom,

Well,thank you for your very sweet reply. I never went on Lexapro until about 5 years before my diagnosis, and the shrink said I should have been on it for decades (probably since my 3 month birthday, the way I see it! LOL). It helped very much. I had also had a life long really severe anxiety disorder. It completely went away the day I was diagnosed with stage IV cancer; I am so backwards. My brother said it was like I had been waiting my whole life for the "other shoe" to drop, and finally it had. I felt like that, too. Well...what else could happen now?!?? I have been, by and large, really mellow since diagnosis. Of course I don't mean every minute of every day, but pretty much I'm sort of like "bring it...", you know?? Well, I guess when the Universe brought Steve's cancer (BTW, I don't mean that for a millisecond!) it sort of has set me back mellowness wise.

I have known plenty of fear in my life, from the time my mother started beating me up as a very, very young child. Then a fair amount of other stuff. But nothing, ever like this. I've dealt well with quite a few things, but this is a whole new category and no body gave me a rule book for this. I have a great deal of faith and have a sense I will, in the long run, get through it, but I hate not knowing what the next couple of months are going to look like, feel like, taste like, if enough oxygen will remain in the air, if the sun will still come up every day...stuff like that.

In the meantime, somewhere around here I have several bottles of Xanax, and I may start taking it occasionally, even though I'm not a big fan. One thing I DO know, I'm really not sleeping at all, and that never helps.

Thank you again. I really appreciate it.

All the best to you!

Bev

[JanC09]

Hi Bev, not sure what books you have read but this one may be of help. The book is called Mindfullness-Based cancer recovery by Linda Carlson. Although I do not have panic attacks I do have often have overwhelming fear at times of scans etc. The book is helpful with stress( which you have so much going on now to cause lots of stress) hopefully it could be helpful for you.
Many virtual hugs
Jan

[Bev G]

It's been a while but in my case either deep slow breathing or sometimes the opposite - vigorous physical exercise - helped. And sometimes taking a shower seemed to make it better.

Thanks, Voxx...yes, showers are great, you're right. So glad you reminded me.

[Bev G]

Hi Bev, not sure what books you have read but this one may be of help. The book is called Mindfullness-Based cancer recovery by Linda Carlson. Although I do not have panic attacks I do have often have overwhelming fear at times of scans etc. The book is helpful with stress( which you have so much going on now to cause lots of stress) hopefully it could be helpful for you.
Many virtual hugs
Jan

Thank you, Jan! I will look for this on Amazon tomorrow and see if I can get it on Kindle--even if I can't get in to it, maybe it will help me fall asleep!! Just kidding, it sounds like it is something that could help a lot. I'm a big fan of most of the mindfullness strategies. Thanks for sharing this information with me!

Hugs to you, too!

[ptfly]

I will second the suggestion of clonazepam. From both of us.
Panic attacks are rare for me but my wife has battled them for many years. It is a scary thing.
Best to you and your husband.

[chrissyrice]

Xanax... don't suffer anymore than you already have, Bev.

It helps so much and those racing thoughts can slow down.

Hugs

[CRguy]

If any of you have them, what do you do?

Only ever "nearly" had one, set my brain on autopilot and did some karate hard and fast until I was exhausted ( I was alone so no property or bodily damage was done.) Sat down exhausted, grabbed a beer and cursed heavily at the effin' universe.
Way before CRC, so no coping mechanisms and no "talking it OUTlets" like we all here have now.

Felt very out of control ( for me ) at not being IN control.

In the real world though, NOT CRguy's world at that time ...... I know sublingual lorazepam ( and probably any other favourite-pam ) would work just as well .... if it is quick dissolve ... it is a good thing !

Talking / calling someone is also a very good thing ...... which is why we are all here Bev.

Liam Richard Washington, at your service m'lady !
(( inside joke folks !!! ))

Cheers and Harmony.

[mstults]

I've only had one and it was several years before my diagnosis of cancer. I was at work and got so dizzy I had to hold to the wall to get to my desk. I didn't go to the Dr but thought it must be inner ear problems. I told my primary care Dr about it the next time I saw him. After checking my balance he diagnosed it as panic attack. He gave me a very small dose of Xanax. I take it occasionally when I'm uptight or nervous.

[Bev G]

Thanks, all! CR (or LRW, rather). I'm fairly calm now, but I've done WAY too much crying today. I'm going for the first "-pam" I find tonight. Just have got to get some sleep, I don't think I've gotten more than 8 hours total in the last 4 days, and I am a big time sleeper/napper. So, a little -pam now, and off to find some sort of boring book, and that should do it!


xox

Bev

[janklo]

So sorry Bev. I can only tell you what you Already know. You have no choice but to be strong and get through this. My husband, who has a masters degree in engineering and could explain any scientific thing to you, could not say the words 'my daughter has cancer'. He just couldn't, it choked him up. So I knew when things got really bad, that I would have to remain strong or no one would. I'm a planner, list maker type. So I focused on all the tasks at hand and had to arrange the med flight, the hospice, the funeral, then clearing up all the business/legal stuff. I was the only one who could do it. So I could not allow myself to crack, not one bit. I'm starting to now a little bit because it's all about a year ago.

I went for my mammogram this week and the sight of the chairs in the waiting room gave me a flashback to being at the hospital. I find myself being short with people. I know I just have to get through this part too and I will. We all have to find our way.

You know what I have done over this past year? Rediscovered my love of reading. Got an iPad and I've read 97 'nook books'. Better than gambling or drinking I think.

I hope you can find your way through this current situation. You are just the best on this group and we are all pulling for you.

[David Losh]

I came browsing on the right night I guess, because this is the second topic near, and dear to me.

I've been having panic attacks left and right since diagnosis. I'm in a cancer Support Group which has helped to relieve a lot of anxiety. I fought using my Ambien prescription to sleep except on nights with steroids, but now I rely on them.

OK, I'm in Washington State and marijuana is legal, so I broke down last month, and went to get a prescription. What I ended up choosing were liquid forms with eye droppers to regulate intake. There are different kinds, sativa for day time, more cerebral, indica for evening is much more body involved. Then there are hash drops which are much more potent.

I know this may not be helpful for you, but it certainly was for me. It took some cautious experimentation to get the doses right, because we are all different. It may just be the placebo aspect, and I use it sparingly, but my over all ability to function has improved greatly. I sleep better, I had a dream for the first time in months, and my ability to remain semi calm has returned to almost normal.

The zine, and pam drugs make me edgy. They were a cross between being anxious, and being knocked out. The marijuana let's me regulate more, in my opinion.

I'm very sorry about this for you, for all of us. I also have had crying jags, even in group, which in my world would have never happened. This is a very difficult part of the process, how to continue, how to feel better, how to get to a normal in an extraordinary situation.

Thanks for sharing this topic, because I would have never brought it up. It's just not manly.

[SammyJ]

No advice but have been following your posts the last week or so without being able to reply. Sorry for everything you and Steve are facing right now. I can't imagine him being in better hands, I can imagine what an amazing support you are to him. It is clear that it is taking a huge toll on you, which is natural but I am just sorry you have to go through this, seems like you have had more than your fair share. Sending gentle hugs x