Anxiety attacks

[Stormy]

About 10 years ago I showed up at the hospital convinced I was having a massive heart attack and became belligerent when they didn't rush me in. The Doctor calmly told me I'm having an anxiety attack. Today I am being inundated with stressful news and started to feel that kind of insane anxiety. I had a drink of wine and on the way to get a massage. I'm sure it's the anxiety this time and not a heart attack. Hope the massage restores me to some normalcy. Anyone else suffer from anxiety?

[Zapped]

I do.

 

After many years of therapy and lots and lots of Xanax, I eventually found that meditation and mindfulness, especially in the form of describing the thoughts, feelings, etc., being triggered to a trusted friend, to be enormously calming.

 

Massage is great, too!

[+ Avalon]

May of last year when I stood up one evening I was light headed. I called 911 to get an ambulance to take me to the ER. While there I threw up several times. They ignored my light headedness and sent me home via a taxi with a prescription to a 24/7 open pharmacy for the vomiting. A couple of days later I saw the doctor. He said it was anxiety and prescribed Clonazepam. The anniversary of my mother's death is in late June and as the time approaches it affects me. I broke down and cried in the doctor's office. Last year was the 40th anniversary. My father's death does not affect me. I took Clonazepam, regularly for several months. But now only once-in-awhile like this year as the date approached.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonazepam

[BabyBoomer]

Xanax is the go to medication for panic attacks and anxiety. I've used it for years. I also don't drink alcohol.

 

~Boomer~

[+ nycman]

Drugs are not a good long term answer for anxiety and panic attacks.

 

If fact, they’re not a great short term answer either.

 

Dealing with the cause of the anxiety and learning control is crucial.

 

It is also incredibly difficult, elusive, and often requires professional help.

 

To paraphrase Cher....”Face it...if it came in a bottle....we’d all be happy”.

[+ sync]

I do. I'm some how much more at ease these days, probably maturity. For most of my life I was uncomfortable with so much as seeing someone coming towards me on sidewalks, meeting people for the first time, having to randomly interact with people. The ability to complete so many transactions online and the ATM were/are Godsends for me. It began around puberty and became progressively worse. It was only the lingering sedative of alcohol from happy hour to happy hour that enabled me to go into work everyday. After retirement I experience(d) fewer random interactions with people, and my desire for alcohol has gone to just about nil (silver lining). I have dodged most of the more horrific anxiety bullets that many experience. Now, I feel my life is good.

[+ WilliamM]

Drugs are not a good long term answer for anxiety and panic attacks.

 

If fact, they’re not a great short term answer either.

 

Dealing with the cause of the anxiety and learning control is crucial.

 

It is also incredibly difficult, elusive, and often requires professional help.

 

To paraphrase Cher....”Face it...if it came in a bottle....we’d all be happy”.

 

I am lost as to why an occasional xanax is harmful. It is not easy to separate acid reflex from a heart attack.

[rocky]

About 10 years ago I showed up at the hospital convinced I was having a massive heart attack and became belligerent when they didn't rush me in. The Doctor calmly told me I'm having an anxiety attack. Today I am being inundated with stressful news and started to feel that kind of insane anxiety. I had a drink of wine and on the way to get a massage. I'm sure it's the anxiety this time and not a heart attack. Hope the massage restores me to some normalcy. Anyone else suffer from anxiety?

Thank you. For years I've had these issues while driving or at home where I thought I was having some sort of stroke or heart attack. I've had tests, MRI's, brain scans, etc and told well not sure but it could be anxiety. It happens suddenly and scares me. Well I'm also overweight and older so that is an issue.

[Bearofdistinction]

I do.

 

After many years of therapy and lots and lots of Xanax, I eventually found that meditation and mindfulness, especially in the form of describing the thoughts, feelings, etc., being triggered to a trusted friend, to be enormously calming.

 

Massage is great, too!

 

Xanax should be available in cookie form at every grocery or convenience store~

[+ quoththeraven]

About 10 years ago I showed up at the hospital convinced I was having a massive heart attack and became belligerent when they didn't rush me in. The Doctor calmly told me I'm having an anxiety attack. Today I am being inundated with stressful news and started to feel that kind of insane anxiety. I had a drink of wine and on the way to get a massage. I'm sure it's the anxiety this time and not a heart attack. Hope the massage restores me to some normalcy. Anyone else suffer from anxiety?

All the time.

[+ quoththeraven]

Drugs are not a good long term answer for anxiety and panic attacks.

 

If fact, they’re not a great short term answer either.

 

Dealing with the cause of the anxiety and learning control is crucial.

 

It is also incredibly difficult, elusive, and often requires professional help.

 

To paraphrase Cher....”Face it...if it came in a bottle....we’d all be happy”.

It's not just a mental health issue. Some of us are hardwired, either through childhood experience, biology or both, to be anxious. Oftentimes it's the most conscientious, aware people who are like that. And the fact that life isn't fair and is often like an obstacle course doesn't help.

 

It's not so much a matter of identifying the source of the anxiety as learning to cope with it. That still may wreak havoc on the activation of one's nervous system, though, especially the parasympathetic one over which we don't have conscious control. And all that adrenaline has a deleterious effect on one's body.

[+ nycman]

am lost as to why an occasional xanax is harmful.

I’m not so sure that your one Xanax is any different or more harmful than my one Martini.

 

It’s when I NEED that Martini that I begin to worry.

 

Or as my biggest druggie friend once lectured to me when he found out I took an Ativan to sleep one night.....

 

“DUDE!....don’t EVER take drugs because you NEED them!”

 

In his own screwy way....he was right.

[+ nycman]

It's not just a mental health issue. Some of us are hardwired, either through childhood experience, biology or both, to be anxious. Oftentimes it's the most conscientious, aware people who are like that. And the fact that life isn't fair and is often like an obstacle course doesn't help.

 

It's not so much a matter of identifying the source of the anxiety as learning to cope with it. That still may wreak havoc on the activation of one's nervous system, though, especially the parasympathetic one over which we don't have conscious control. And all that adrenaline has a deleterious effect on one's body.

Very insightful. I agree, it’s the way their “built” for whatever reason. And yes, there are a handful

of people who simply cannot function without medication. If you can’t step outside to go to the

grocery store without having a panic attack...you need help. I still feel that our society is massively

over medicated and believes that the answers to life’s problems comes in a bottle....it doesn’t.

 

The good news is....when the Valcano blows....they'll be the first ones to run and the most likely to live!

[+ WilliamM]

I’m not so sure that your one Xanax is any different or more harmful than my one Martini.

 

It’s when I NEED that Martini that I begin to worry.

 

Or as my biggest druggie friend once lectured to me when he found out I took an Ativan to sleep one night.....

 

“DUDE!....don’t EVER take drugs because you NEED them!”

 

In his own screwy way....he was right.

 

I had a heart attack yearrs ago, and even the doctor initially thought it was acid reflux. I would have drank before seeing a doctor at 9 in the morning - not possible

[+ quoththeraven]

I’m not so sure that your one Xanax is any different or more harmful than my one Martini.

 

It’s when I NEED that Martini that I begin to worry.

 

Or as my biggest druggie friend once lectured to me when he found out I took an Ativan to sleep one night.....

 

“DUDE!....don’t EVER take drugs because you NEED them!”

 

In his own screwy way....he was right.

I take Ativan regularly to sleep. Lack of sleep is a much bigger risk factor than taking small doses of benzodiazepines, at least for me.

 

( "Small" being half a 0.5 mg pill. And I've never suffered side effects from running out of Ativan other than a recurrence of insomnia.)

[+ WilliamM]

I’m not so sure that your one Xanax is any different or more harmful than my one Martini.

 

It’s when I NEED that Martini that I begin to worry.

 

Or as my biggest druggie friend once lectured to me when he found out I took an Ativan to sleep one night.....

 

“DUDE!....don’t EVER take drugs because you NEED them!”

 

In his own screwy way....he was right.

 

Please stop the warnings about one xanax.

[+ nycman]

Please stop the warnings about one xanax.

Feel free to ignore any, and/or all, of my advice....god knows millions do.

 

God knows I often do.

 

And we all know “one”....isn’t the problem.

[+ quoththeraven]

Feel free to ignore any, and/or all, of my advice....god knows millions do.

 

God knows I often do.

 

And we all know “one”....isn’t the problem.

Then why do you keep writing as if it were?

 

There is no "one size fits all" solution to any medical problem. My Ativan use isn't a problem for me because of my body chemistry and lack of whatever gene or neurochemical predisposes one to addiction. For someone else, use of benzodiazepines would be a problem, but they might be able to use melatonin, Halcion, Ambien, Lunesta or other sleep aids that don't work for me.

[+ WilliamM]

Feel free to ignore any, and/or all, of my advice....god knows millions do.

 

God knows I often do.

 

And we all know “one”....isn’t the problem.

 

In my situation, it was really one half of a xanax.

[OneFinger]

Around November 2017 I started having the beginnings of minor panic attacks while driving home on the San Diego freeway (heart palpitations, shallow breathing, and shaking hands). The Dr. prescribed meds that helped but then I started getting the same symptoms while at work. However, driving was still an issue and I didn't feel it was safe for me to continue driving in San Diego.

 

I'm now semi-retired (only work 40 hours per month) and relocated to my condo in Oregon. The panic attacks have subsided and I have no problems driving in Oregon. Since retiring my sleep patterns have dramatically improved and body feels more rested than it did when I lived / worked in San Diego. I have no problems taking meds for anxiety. But, removing the source of stress has been the key to resolving the issues in my case.

[Stormy]

I called my doctors office and asked for a prescription. He won't write a scrip unless I take time away from work for an appointment. Such bull crap! I just don't have the time

[BabyBoomer]

I called my doctors office and asked for a prescription. He won't write a scrip unless I take time away from work for an appointment. Such bull crap! I just don't have the time

 

NO doctor will write a first time script for Xanax without first seeing the patient.

 

~Boomer~

[Deadlift1]

NO doctor will write a first time script for Xanax without first seeing the patient.

 

~Boomer~

absolutely true. Ever since the opioid epidemic began they bring you in and interrogate you

[Stormy]

NO doctor will write a first time script for Xanax without first seeing the patient.

 

~Boomer~

Ok. Good to know. Had no idea

[+ nycman]

Ever since the opioid epidemic began they bring you in and interrogate you

Good doctors always did....now it’s just that the crappy ones do it too.