Speaking of Anxiety/Panic Attacks...

[corrie3000]

Thought I'd bring this up. I have them. For a while, I was on lexapro, which was great, but I had to get off it. I always have them. Usually, its about work, but sometimes - particularly when its "that time of the month" - I just get them for the heck of it.

In the past few years, they've gotten better, but at the same time, worse. Rather than not being able to function, I can function (YAY!) BUT I still have them. Interestingly, every time I do the first thing people ask is:

"Have you had a lot of coffee?" (I do drink a LOT of coffe. Not the 1.5 pots a day of my youth, but still...) However, that's not what triggers them. Anyone else have them and have people NOT get why?

[paiger81]

Geez, I was so involved with the Layback thread that I missed yours, sorry!!

Studies(medical & holistic) have shown that TOM can be relevant to panic attacks. Most studies believe that hormones play a role in having your attacks. I encourage you to do some research online about panic attacks. There is a wealth of info out there.:cool:

[corrie3000]

Thanks Paige!

I've done some, but I'd love to do more - you know become that stable non crying individual? All of the time? :P

[paiger81]

I SOOOO know what you are talking about, trust me, it CAN be done. I really suggest exercise. Something about it helps. And I'm a person who used to live by the motto "I don't sweat, it is icky". Diet change has also helped me.

[corrie3000]

I started doign Philates - it does help (my brain, sadly, not my ass.)

[paiger81]

We have a Pilates on a Ball class that is so much fun. I swear you revert back to childhood when you bring in a giant ball.

[GetMeOuttaDC]

"Have you had a lot of coffee?" (I do drink a LOT of coffe. Not the 1.5 pots a day of my youth, but still...) However, that's not what triggers them. Anyone else have them and have people NOT get why?

dear God, I LOATHE people who "don't get why" with panic attacks, depresssion, etc... why do they need to get it? ever notice how fast they come around when it affects them???

[Desiderata]

Originally posted by paiger81
I SOOOO know what you are talking about, trust me, it CAN be done. I really suggest exercise. Something about it helps.


you bring up a good point here paige... wonder if there's some kind of hormone the body produces during exercise that eases some of the anxiety stuff??

[paiger81]

Well, I know I've mentioned seratonin previously and there are links of low seratonin levels to increased TOM cramping and hormone levels and metabolism levels.

I know exercise increases metabolism levels which can increase hormone levels which can lead to less TOM cramping which can lead to increased seratonin levels.

It's all very wierd and intertwining.

[corrie3000]

Kelly, I so hear you. It's annoying. Also? Crying in your office is annoying. Yup. Just did it. WOO!

Paige, I hear you too! We don't have ball classes, so I make due with the rubber bandy things.

[paiger81]

My favorite reply to those "Well just relax" comments are "Well, if I could do that I wouldn't be having panic attacks, now would I?" That was the only reply that got my cousins to be quiet

[corrie3000]

Paige -

Very true. Happily, my parents get it, my friends get it, and my boss totally gets it. Jason, however - doesn't get it. Happily (again) he's never seen me in Full.Panic.Mode. Lets hope he gets it.

[paiger81]

Trust me, you will know when you are in full on panic mode. I've ended up in the emergency room on past full on panic attacks. Attacks will make you violently shaky, almost like a spasm, you can not breath AT ALL, and your heart feels like it is about to explode. What sucked for me is that once I started a panic attack, I'd start panicking that I was having a panic attack.

My family was understanding once I told them what was going on.

[corrie3000]

ahhh...the famous panicing about panicing. I do it often.

Right now, most of mine are anxiety related. Like, "I'm going to lose my job." "I suck so much." and "Why can't I calm down?"

And by "Right now" I mean "Right this second!" I'm trying very hard to concentrate on work, but I'm having a SUPER difficult time doing it. My back hurts, my tummy hurts, my brain is going 40 miles a minute AND I can't stop being scared. EEEK!

[paiger81]

Deep breaths!!! Go into the bathroom at work and take a few minutes. It will be okay.

[corrie3000]

Thanks. I know it will be. Its just VERY frustrating, and I really am coming to understand that I need to get on some sort of anxiety controlling meds again. And start excersising again (tonight!) because it seems silly that I'm crazy about everything when nothing is really wrong.

Happily, I had a long talk with my mom & she said that she had the same problem at my age. :)

[paiger81]

Yeah, once I was diagnosed and my doc mentioned he thought it was probably genetic, I asked my dad<-huge hippie in the days. His response "Why do you think I did all those drugs when I was in my 20's?"

[corrie3000]

Bwha! That's actually funny - my mom wasn't a hippie, but she was like "why do you think I always took 'quiet time' when you were a kid?"

[paiger81]

I've noticed that with my family, we all have trigger incidences. My mom was on Prozac when her great grandmother died(1989) then she went off of it in a few months. My dad never admitted he had panic until I was diagnosed and he admitted the drug concept.