Anxiety Attack Symptoms?

[fishermanwife]

(Not sure where to post this sorry)

Has anyone had anxiety attacks, what does it feel like? My chest and throat tightens up and makes me involuntarily swallow. Google pulled up anxiety and reflux. Dr didn't believe me so didn't do anything. Is there anything I can do in the meantime before I find another Dr.?

[sassenach]

Nervous sweating, keyed up feelings, there are many ways anxiety and panic attacks can manifest, a sense of doom, frustrations and anger that is not normal for you. It can mimic heart attack symptoms to a degree as well, as the tension freezes up the diaphragm, etc, muscles and such at times depending on how its affecting you. Racing or fixed thoughts on things unpleasant. Anxiety can affect your digestion thats for sure, but most doctors are not very knowledgeable about MH stuff.

Can you drink some sweet dreams tea or chamomile or lemon balm tea when you feel like that again and see if that helps, take a moment and sit still and relax with the tea for a while and see if that eases that feeling you are getting? If that helps then you don't need further attention. If it does not, then consider seeing your local Mental Health clinic for an interview for anxiety since your doctor seems pretty uninformed or willing to ask some pretty standard questions. But also don't let anyone assume the worst and make you believe its worse than it is.

If you have someone in your vicinity that works with reiki and energy work, massage , that is probably the most helpful, because energy healing can work on just about anything in a most complete fashion unlike a single substance someone wants you to consume. , if you have no objections to that.

[fishermanwife]

Thank you, never been a hot tea drinker but will try anything at this point. I do have a lot of stress right now but nothing I can do just a waiting game. I will look for a message therapist in my current town had one before that was good just cant drive that far, will look into the others not sure what is here. Thank you so much.

[The WE2's]

I can tell you...they're scarey! When my first husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor I had my first one...while he was still in the hospital. The neurosurgeon put his arm around my shoulder and said "let's take a walk" and we walked the hospital corridor while he explained what he thought I was experiencing. He gave me a prescription for Xanax and told me it would help...it did (and still does). After taking them for about 3 months I was able to understand what my body was reacting to and why. I didn't have any more for several years, then one day while I was at work (my first husband was still alive and I was caring for him with nurse aides assisting) I suddenly started getting breathless, my left arm hurt plumb down to my fingers, and my chest/throat/neck got tight...I thought for sure I was having a heart attack. Called my DR and they rushed me right into their office for EKG etc. He sat down beside me on the table and said "what are you so upset about?" I told him "wouldn't you be upset if your ticker was giving you trouble?" His response, he patted my hand and said "your ticker is fine...but you're strung out from here to >>>>>". He continued "I know you're under alot of stress caring for >>>>>> at home, and I know there's no end to it real soon, so I'm prescribing Xanax and I want you to take one in the morning, one at noon, two at bed time and I don't want you to open your eyes until you hear your alarm...and when your prescription is empty, come back in and we'll talk." After first husband's passing I ended up needing them for awhile again. When I re-married I didn't encounter them at all except once or twice. Mountain Man didn't understand at first what they were like and tried to help me with relaxation techniques...but when you're in a full fledged attack, relaxation techniques don't work. You'll need help of some sort. The only OTC I ever found that helped me was Valerian Root or Kava. For prescription assistance my preference is Xanax because it non-habit forming and you can go off it gradually without any major withdrawals. Hope this helps!

[fishermanwife]

Yes it does thanks, sometimes it helps a lot just to talk to non judgmental people . I know im under a lot of stress but this strangulation feeling just does not help me any lol. Was texting DH last night and he had asked if I was better and I said no then I didn't notice my phone died poor man almost had a heart attack not being able to reach me he rushed home leaving work, man did I feel bad but loved lol. So since this is happening multiple times a day now instead of few times a week like in beginning I made an appointment for tomorrow at a time when DH can go with me bc nothing sets me off more than a Dr not believing what Im saying.

Have a great day everyone Im going to try and stay calm and not let my brain do any thinking lol.

[Jeepers]

I don't know much about them but I am glad you are seeing a new doctor!

[CarlaJ]

I have had anxiety attacks for years now. A few things that help me is listening to some favorite music. I have a couple of cd's I've made myself. Try to control your breathing. Breathe in through your nose, count to 10, exhale through your mouth. This will be hard to do at the beginning of the attack, you will probably only count to 2. But just keeping trying. It gives your mind something else to think about. While hot tea works, so does an ice cold drink. A cold cloth to the back of neck helps. Sleep with lavender under your pillow, it is calming. I don't think that you can get kava in the US, but you can get valerian . However valerian tastes horrible, it tastes like it smells. Xanax and drugs like it are highly addictive, so be careful.

[The WE2's]

One of the reasons these attacks are so scary is that they aren't predictable...I never know when one will start me off. You'd think your body would react while an event is taking place...not so. Sometimes you can be totally relaxed (so you think) and it will come out of nowhere. As for Xanax being being highly addictive, I have to differ. I've had to use it on and off for years and never had one time when I felt withdrawals or anything like it. I've tried just about everything, including massage therapy & sauna baths...but they only help for a short time and are very expensive if you need to have help several times a week etc. Yes, Valerian Root is very unappealing in smell, and if I kept it in my mouth long enough I'm sure it would taste as bad. When I used it, I poured a glass of orange juice, popped the capsules as far back in my mouth as I could and drank the whole glass of juice. Didn't seem to be all that bad for me. All prescription drugs can be abused, but my DR has assured me that using Xanax only when needed, and for a short period of time, that it's quite safe. Guess a difference in doctor's opinions?

[Andrea]

((((fishermanwife)))) I don't know your age, but for me they have increased with menopause. Avoid stress (hahahaha) and eat simple, whole plant based foods - no preservatives, no alcohol, no caffeine, and for me, no dairy. I also drink a lot of chamomile and lemon balm tea and have recently discovered lemon balm tincture. This stuff works great! I bought some capsules but haven't tried those yet. The tincture I use in tea or water. In one case, I actually put the drops under my tongue and they worked really fast. I've used valerian in the past but I think I respond better to the chamomile/lemon balm combination. Deep breathing exercises like Carol suggested also work well.

Take care of yourself!

[Andrea]

Oh, and I forgot to add the exercise will really help you alleviate stress and anxiety as well as doing something fun and productive in the yard, like weeding a patch and putting in flowers.

 

I also just realized that I didn't describe my symptoms to you. I can usually feel my blood pressure rise and my muscles, particularly in my neck, chest and back will not relax. I will actually get muscle spasms from my inability to relax, and when that happens in your chest muscles, it can be scary. During severe episodes, I've actually felt dizzy and sick to my stomach. Now that I'm in menopause, these episodes are usually finished off with an authoritative hot flash. I've also had the throat swell slightly and have had difficulty swallowing, thankfully, these are not as common and may have been related to eating preservative laden foods. If I eat too many preservatives, my body goes into panic attack mode, which in my case, is a chemically induced attack. Because I've just recently discovered my sensitivity to preservatives, it could be that most of my panic attacks in the past weren't really panic attacks but allergic reactions. I really recommend exploring changes in your diet to help counter the attacks. Check out the MS thread in the "Can We Talk" Forum. I listed several articles that link foods and chronic illness - your panic attacks may be influenced by this too. Mine have lessened dramatically since I've started behaving myself in the food department. Hang in there!

[fishermanwife]

oh my yes that's exactly what it feels like I get hot and dizzy(that's when I pull over from driving, this really worries my husband) and then my muscles in my upper chest and back and neck start having spasms and start to have difficulty breathing. This is why im taking Dh to the Dr with me bc I get so upset and cant think of everything. I do have to get back in track with better eating it helps that its starting to warm up here in Ok that always helps me get out of my funks lol. Im not at menopause age yet but am still coming off the Depo bc shot and sure am having a lot of hormonal changes with that, thanks for everything.

[Jeepers]

My sister-in-law ended up in the emergency room once. She swore she was having a heart attack. It turned out it was an anxiety attack. It was kind of good she went in though because she learned to recognize her symptoms and not panic.

[Katz25]

I've had panic attacks, I always felt like I was going to have a heart attack...heart racing, pounding, couldn't catch my breath, oh man just thinking about them still makes me shake. They would hit me at odd times too, everything could be going just fine and bam it starts. I had to take meds to help...anti-anxiety, actually I still take them sometimes when I'm overwhelmed like lately. The one thing I could do that would help is get my Bible and go sit in the garden (my favorite place at home) and would turn to Psalms and start reading. Reading God's word would help me, and it was always Psalms. Oh my ther are some powerful scriptures there and not one that doesn't touch on something your going thru. Anyway that's my story. Hope it helps, but if they continue you might see a dr. I hope you feel better!

[Andrea]

oh my yes that's exactly what it feels like I get hot and dizzy(that's when I pull over from driving, this really worries my husband) and then my muscles in my upper chest and back and neck start having spasms and start to have difficulty breathing. This is why im taking Dh to the Dr with me bc I get so upset and cant think of everything. I do have to get back in track with better eating it helps that its starting to warm up here in Ok that always helps me get out of my funks lol. Im not at menopause age yet but am still coming off the Depo bc shot and sure am having a lot of hormonal changes with that, thanks for everything.

I had one Depo shot and I was done with that form of BC. I'm lucky I didn't murder anyone while I was on that stuff - horrible mood swings and the darned thing lasted 8 months. Did you have panic attacks before the Depo? If not, you may have found your answer. Hope things are going well for you.

[fishermanwife]

Yes the depo shot is horrible I was on it for two years and thought I was going crazy, horrible mood swings and started to get suicidal its very scary stuff. No I don't remember any problems before I was on Depo shot. I had a Drs apt today and told the lady after I calmed down from an episode(glad she got to see that) that I had been on the shot and last had one in sept. They did blood work today and said they would call tomorrow so here praying for some real help soon.

Edited February 6, 2013 by fishermanwife

[fishermanwife]

Nurse called and said all blood work was fine so they called in scrpt for citalopram and walgreens said would take a while to work so be patient and it would either make me drowsy or not sleep at night and I could pick when to take it as long as same time daily so I think Im going to take at night see what happens bc when I tried taking over the counter med 5htp in the morning it made me have horrible nightmares.

[Jeepers]

[fishermanwife]

thanks for the hug I needed it after reading on the net what people have had to say about this drug also known as celexa Im not sure what to think I guess just pray for the best.

 

Just talked to my sis in law and she took it when her dad passed away and was fine not a lot of side effects and shes a person who doesn't take many meds so that makes me feel a little better.

Edited February 7, 2013 by fishermanwife

[Mello]

There is also a proven link between panic attacks and gluten intolerance.

[out_of_the_ordinary]

 

 

I used ot have anxiety all the time. Sometimes it was worse. I'd get sick to my stomach, be on edge, and finally, was having "choking spells"--I could swallow, food and water would only go down a little ways into my esophogus and then it'd come back up as I couldn't get anything down. That was scary.

 

I was using kava. It's hard to find now. Rescue Remedy flower essences was also helpful.

 

For me, I really had to change the way I thought and the constant worrying. I was the most negative-thinking person. I think some of that came about from other health problems and dealing with years of being ill.

 

I read a couple books on stress and anxiety. From Panic To Power by Lucinda Bassett was the most helpful out of those. DH's boss had the kit with tapes and lent it to me. Helped a little, for a while, but nothing big, for me. There's one part where they have you list every negative thought you have as you go throughtout the day. I know that was to get you to actually see what you're thinking, but honestly, it kinda scared the crap out of me.

 

It wasn't until I read C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters that I really began to see things that were going on, my mind was under attack....and how I had been trying--I knew I needed to change, wanted to change, tried to change, but I was trying to do that on my own, without God. Like Katz said, getting into God' Word helps! I read the Bible. I read the book of Psalms. Joyce Meyer's Battlefield of the Mind helped me alot--much more than any of those anxiety books ever did.

 

I'm still a work in progress. There's still things that cause stress, but it's not like it used to be. I'm not yet where I want to be, but am so very thankful that I'm not where I was.

Edited February 23, 2013 by out_of_the_ordinary

[Jeepers]

I'm still a work in progress. There's still things that cause stress, but it's not like it used to be. I'm not yet where I want to be, but am so very thankful that I'm not where I was.

^SNIP^

 

Aren't we all! :wink (2):