Anyone have panic attacks? What do you do?

[michelle c]

I'm sorry that you are going through all this Bev. Fear and panic is a terrible thing. I know first hand and it sucks big time. All I can suggest is that you take one day at a time, try not to think too much about the future. It's too hard to try and predict the future. I hope you can get some sleep. It's awful to not be able to sleep when we desperately need it. Thinking of you, I'm in bed because it's Saturday night here. I'm just about to turn my light off and I'm going to do a special prayer for all my colon club family.

Michelle xox

[lorrainem]

Hey Bev,
Your life right now is pretty hectic and non-stop; that's what brought my anxiety to full blown homeboundness. I refused medications for six months but stayed at home for fear of having an attack. Live on the wrong side of a river...that bridge was a major, major trigger.
I succumbed to medication after personal review; and have been on Paxil for well over 15 years. The dosages have been flexible through those years, but never without it. I have Klonopin for rescue and need a small dose every few days, but I only have "warning signs" now; not full blown like I lived with all my life. Silver lining was I learned the benefits of breathing and meditation and especially naps, strategies I still use.
I hope you find the method that helps you, they are horrible and you have bigger fish to fry. Go easy on you, ask for help and put one foot in front of the other.
Best wishes for overcoming this challenge.
Lorraine

[Guinevere]

I got panic attacks after my stepdaughter was killed any time I had to be in public. My doc put me on Xanax and I think I took it for about three months as I slowly came to realize that people weren't staring at me everywhere I went. It just took a while. Hope you found your stash last night and got some sleep!
Hugs ~
Guinevere

[jacekica]

I am sorry, I have no advice, I just read all the answers and hope to hepl myself also. I am so mad, cancer is nasty enough and still we had to go through this panic attacs and fear episodes from time to time, for me time is now, because just recently I found out I am stage IV, and I am almost crazy of fear, attac end usually with histericakl crying, lot of tears, stuffed nose and than so big tiredness .......
It is so hard for you, you have so much pain, cancer and worry besides your own diagnosis - I can just suggest - take a xanax, i just did, reading this thread I phoned and ask if I can take it with matrifen (phentanyl) patch. I think in our sitation we just had to take everything we can to be better - if it is another pill, take it.

[O Stoma Mia]

In case you're interested, there's a book entitled Anticancer that has a couple of chapters dealing with things like fear, anxiety, etc., within the context ot cancer. The general theme of these chapters is that the cancer patient must gain control over such emotions in order to successfully combat cancer and its possible recurrence

Anticancer, by David Servan-Schreiber, MD,PhD

Chapter 9 - The Anticancer Mind pp.146-184

Chapter 10 - Defusing Fear pp185-194
• The Fear of Suffering - The Fear of Nothingness
• The Fear of Being Alone
• The Fear of Being a Burden
• The Fear of Abandoning Your Children
• The Fear of Unfinished Stories

"[In]this revised edition we must pay close attention to the mind-body connection ; especially the negative impact of prolonged feelings of helplessness and despair..."

[Rockovage]

Indica strains of medical marijuana or xanax


Mark

[MitchellVII]

I have had many many panic attacks over my life, especially when my hemoglobin levels had fallen to 7 pre-dx. Anyone who has had one can tell you they aren't pretty.

One of the things that happens during a panic attacks is that you hyperventilate and get too much CO2 in your blood. This is why getting oxygen almost always makes a panic attack much better very quickly. Since most of us don't have an oxygen canister lying around the house, I have found a substitute.

Vick's Inhaler. Yep, that little plastic tube you stick up your nose to help you breath when you have a cold. When I feel a panic attack coming on, I take a few drags on that and guess what, panic attack subsides. You aren't getting oxygen but the sensation is that you are and it fools your brain into relaxing. I have used this many times to great effect and it has prevented countless attacks I knew were coming.

** Another thing which helps is to take a deep breath, hold it for 5 seconds and slowly let it out. This is hard at first but force yourself. By intentionally slowing your breathing you reduce the hyperventilation effect.

[vickitwo]

Bev,
Have you ever tried Ambien or Lunesta for sleep? I did not see anywhere that you mentioned it. Both of those drugs have been helpful for me in the past. Deep breathing exercises have been helpful for me when I feel anxious. I do hope you can find a way to get some restful sleep.

[betsydoglover]

Bev -

I have an old history of panic attacks. I was on Paxil for a couple of years with Xanax for breakthrough. I'm long off Paxil, but I still keep Xanax around. I find that it quickly quells an attack, and even better, just keeping it around and letting me know there is something I can do to help an attack actually results in far fewer panic attacks.

I don't think you should be afraid to take Xanax for the occasional panic attack.

Take care,
Betsy

[dianetavegia]

I was having what my onc termed 'panic attacks' but my gastro said since I am always anxious that he believes I have PTSD from my recurrence. I spoke with my primary who agreed and changed me to Klonopin (generic). I was told to take 1/2 to 1 pill three times a day as needed. Most days I take 1/2 of the .5 mg two, possibly three times a day. Right now, that's not working. My 18 month post liver resection PET/ CT (w/o contrast) is on Oct. 11th and I'm already having 'disease of the day' type concerns. Today I broke down and took a full .5mg.

I absolutely HATE the fear that cancer brings!

BTW..... I'm just shy of 4 years 9 months from original Stage IIIB dx and 1 year 9 months since Stage IVa was dx'd. In Jan. 2009 I was told I had a 68% chance of living 5 years. In April 2012 I was told I have a 72% chance of living 5 years and that was after the liver met was removed.

[Peteswife]

Hallo Bev! You know me well! No introductions here!

But I will rather talk here about it than on facebook. When Peter was sick, I have a lot of panic attacks because of the uncertainties. He handled the money, he handled everything. I didn't know how to do internet banking, because he handled that. And he did that till 2 months before he passed away. I had panic attacks about how am I going to know even who to pay at the end of the month if he is not there. I couldn't take that out of his hands, because till 2 months before he passed away, he still did that, and that gave him still a sense of worthiness. He still can do something. But in my head, I knew he as getting sicker and sicker, and I need to learn stuff. But I couldn't take that away from him, till ... the day that I saw the accounts which we fetch from the postbox, was just lying there. He didn't do it anymore. Then only I realized when the cancer had spread to his meninges, that he battled to read. He couldn't do it anymore. And then I had to learn VERY VERY quickly. Thrown in at the deep end, you will learn. Believe me. Also, when you know that your paperwork is in order, you feel better. Because he had cancer over a period of 9 years, our paperwork was perfect. Different box files. Number 1, was for in case of emergency. All the documents I needed was in there. Number two the properties, number three, the cars, number 4 the children's stuff for universities, bank, etc. Number 5 policies and funeral stuff that weren't in number 1. Number 6 - everything else that was important. Those files were in the study and I knew that and when I came back from the hospital the day that he passed away, I took up file number 1. In case of emergency. And everything I needed was there. From his divorce certificate from a previous marriage, to his pension forms, certified ID's - everything I needed to let the church know, as well as the people who had to finalize the estate.

THe weekend before he went to hospital (long weekend Easter weekend last year - he was so sick, on oxygen, with no energy on full dose steroids, he was laying in bed and I lay with him in the room to be with him. Spending time with him and realizing he was very sick. I started talking to him about when he is not here anymore. He just know and realized there was not much time left. He knew, don't ask me how, but he did. And there and then we organized his funeral together. He told me which funeral services he wanted. How and where he wanted the coffin at the church. He chose what songs he wanted them to play in church. If he wanted a collage of photo's or a power point presentation. Our daughter Michelle teaches computers at school, so he chose that. Also the reason why I took a lot of photo's and specifically every time we went to the oncologist. You could see how he got worse on a monthly basis. When I took him out to the shops just to get him out of the house, not to get depressed he taught me what plastic rope to buy for the weed eater. He taught me how to backwash and rinse the swimming pool. We both knew the end was near and we handled everything gracefully for our kids's part. To keep it softer on them. In retrospect, looking back now I was on autopilot and because I knew everything was in order, I was more at peace and had no panic attacks any more and I could concentrate on him and spend quality time with him till the end. You are not certain of Steve's health, but my advice would be that you see to it that everything else is in order. That would give you a little bit more peace of mind for the future. After he passed away I was still on auto pilot. I did what I had to, finalized the estate etc., but when everything settled, I could not concentrate for long. A year after he passed I could not watch a movie till the end, of read a book. Just because of concentration that still wondered to what had happened to me and him. I survived. 17 months later I am still here, and the kids and I go on, just as we lived before. Because the paperwork was in order. I still work half day at the University, and all money matters are solved. I had to learn how to deal with it, and I had to learn quickly. But I must add, that I was seeing an Endocrinologist, and he tested everything, and he put me on medication and said we can't change my situation, but we can change how I deal with it. And that is very true. Please get something for yourself to calm yourself. You don't have to go through all this panic attacks. Lots of love Bev, you know I have great sympathy for your situation, because I went through it myself. And after all this time, I can say I don't know you, but I love you!

[teachpdx]

Hi Bev, sorry to hear you're having such a difficult time. I find Xanax to be helpful for anxiety. I did get anxiety attacks years ago and the xanax helped. Still take it when my anxiety comes back. Pot does help as well. Best of luck and you and your husband are in my prayers. Kristi

[Bev G]

Hi Bev, sorry to hear you're having such a difficult time. I find Xanax to be helpful for anxiety. I did get anxiety attacks years ago and the xanax helped. Still take it when my anxiety comes back. Pot does help as well. Best of luck and you and your husband are in my prayers. Kristi

Thank you! I am very glad to be moving to a sane State where medical marijuana is legal. I certainly won't be using it every day, but am anxious to see if it will help my neuropathy, and know it will help with anxiety (I am an adolescent of the early 70s, LOL).

[Bev G]

Hallo Bev! You know me well! No introductions here!

But I will rather talk here about it than on facebook. When Peter was sick, I have a lot of panic attacks because of the uncertainties. He handled the money, he handled everything. I didn't know how to do internet banking, because he handled that. And he did that till 2 months before he passed away. I had panic attacks about how am I going to know even who to pay at the end of the month if he is not there. I couldn't take that out of his hands, because till 2 months before he passed away, he still did that, and that gave him still a sense of worthiness. He still can do something. But in my head, I knew he as getting sicker and sicker, and I need to learn stuff. But I couldn't take that away from him, till ... the day that I saw the accounts which we fetch from the postbox, was just lying there. He didn't do it anymore. Then only I realized when the cancer had spread to his meninges, that he battled to read. He couldn't do it anymore. And then I had to learn VERY VERY quickly. Thrown in at the deep end, you will learn. Believe me. Also, when you know that your paperwork is in order, you feel better. Because he had cancer over a period of 9 years, our paperwork was perfect. Different box files. Number 1, was for in case of emergency. All the documents I needed was in there. Number two the properties, number three, the cars, number 4 the children's stuff for universities, bank, etc. Number 5 policies and funeral stuff that weren't in number 1. Number 6 - everything else that was important. Those files were in the study and I knew that and when I came back from the hospital the day that he passed away, I took up file number 1. In case of emergency. And everything I needed was there. From his divorce certificate from a previous marriage, to his pension forms, certified ID's - everything I needed to let the church know, as well as the people who had to finalize the estate.

THe weekend before he went to hospital (long weekend Easter weekend last year - he was so sick, on oxygen, with no energy on full dose steroids, he was laying in bed and I lay with him in the room to be with him. Spending time with him and realizing he was very sick. I started talking to him about when he is not here anymore. He just know and realized there was not much time left. He knew, don't ask me how, but he did. And there and then we organized his funeral together. He told me which funeral services he wanted. How and where he wanted the coffin at the church. He chose what songs he wanted them to play in church. If he wanted a collage of photo's or a power point presentation. Our daughter Michelle teaches computers at school, so he chose that. Also the reason why I took a lot of photo's and specifically every time we went to the oncologist. You could see how he got worse on a monthly basis. When I took him out to the shops just to get him out of the house, not to get depressed he taught me what plastic rope to buy for the weed eater. He taught me how to backwash and rinse the swimming pool. We both knew the end was near and we handled everything gracefully for our kids's part. To keep it softer on them. In retrospect, looking back now I was on autopilot and because I knew everything was in order, I was more at peace and had no panic attacks any more and I could concentrate on him and spend quality time with him till the end. You are not certain of Steve's health, but my advice would be that you see to it that everything else is in order. That would give you a little bit more peace of mind for the future. After he passed away I was still on auto pilot. I did what I had to, finalized the estate etc., but when everything settled, I could not concentrate for long. A year after he passed I could not watch a movie till the end, of read a book. Just because of concentration that still wondered to what had happened to me and him. I survived. 17 months later I am still here, and the kids and I go on, just as we lived before. Because the paperwork was in order. I still work half day at the University, and all money matters are solved. I had to learn how to deal with it, and I had to learn quickly. But I must add, that I was seeing an Endocrinologist, and he tested everything, and he put me on medication and said we can't change my situation, but we can change how I deal with it. And that is very true. Please get something for yourself to calm yourself. You don't have to go through all this panic attacks. Lots of love Bev, you know I have great sympathy for your situation, because I went through it myself. And after all this time, I can say I don't know you, but I love you!

Ilse, you are amazing and wonderful. What an awesome friend you have become over the past year! Thank you for explaining some of how you got through. I love you so much. xoxox

[janderson]

Generally I pray intensly and it goes away. I did ask for Ativan the last two times I had bad scan results to calm me down in general. Although I usually only needed them for a few days until reality set in and I was back in full fighting mode.