Panic attack

I'm looking for some help here... I've been searching for a place where I actually fit in, but I haven't had any luck yet. I'm new to this group, so please bear with me 🙂 Basically, I was diagnosed with panic attacks five months ago. I was prescribed some antidepressants, but I didn't take them because I foolishly thought I could just power through this on my own... Unfortunately, that clearly wasn't the case. I can't even step outside normally without feeling this intense brain fog or dizziness, which then triggers this overwhelming terror—this crushing fear that I’m going to die, or pass out right there in front of everyone. I feel truly desperate... if anyone knows how to handle this, please help!

Just take it from the top and this time, actually listen to what your doctor says. There’s an emergency room right there that everyone keeps recommending; if I remember correctly, you don't even need a referral to get seen. They'll get you something to help, you can talk things through with someone, and I think they even handle follow-up appointments too.

I honestly just can't wrap my head around it!
It feels so counterintuitive to go see a doctor about a health issue and then completely ignore the treatment plan they lay out for you.
Do people really think that actually taking their prescribed medication is some kind of sign of weakness?

Karen Hall40 said:Please help... I'm trying to find where I fit in here, but nothing's working... I'm new, so bear with me 🙂 Basically, I was diagnosed with panic attacks five months ago. They gave me antidepressants, but I didn't take them because I thought I could just handle this on my own... Unfortunately, I can't... I can't even go outside normally without everything getting blurry or spinning, and then the fear kicks in... This horrible fear that I'm going to die, or pass out, or that everyone will see me... I'm honestly desperate... if you know how to help, please!

I feel you, but you really should have taken those meds. Panic attacks are often caused by trauma, genetics, or just a mix of both.
Some people deal with attacks so intense they end up housebound.
The best way to get help is through things that ease the symptoms and prevent them from happening.
Taking medication doesn't mean you're crazy or weak.
If you need medicine, taking it is just a way to get control over your life again.
When you feel one coming on, try to distract yourself, breathe deep, and just stop thinking about it as much as possible.
I know a thing or two about this, so feel free to ask anything. hang in there.🙂

Cognitive behavioral therapy was my lifeline. I was on medication, sure, but it was the psychotherapy that actually pulled me through. Having a top-tier psychiatrist helped, and I eventually started connecting the dots and doing the work myself, but none of that would have happened without the therapy sessions.
I’d highly recommend looking into it. Good luck. 👍

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dealt with this constant chest pain... I must have had a hundred EKGs done, and they never found a single thing wrong. Then, when I was sixteen, I ended up in the emergency room because the pain was so intense I literally couldn't breathe... They gave me some little green pill, and about two hours later, things settled down. Looking back, it was probably Xanax or something similar. During my pregnancy, my blood pressure spiked, so I had to take medication, and between that and the constant pain, I was constantly ending up in the emergency room... Everything seemed fine after I gave birth, until just a few months ago... I woke up one morning with this excruciating chest pain and shallow breathing—I could barely take a full breath without it hurting. Once again, it was an emergency room visit... My husband had to drive me... They gave me a combination of meds, and my pulse was hitting 115... Things calmed down physically, but then the panic attacks started. Now, I'm terrified to even step outside with my little one; I'm scared to do anything because I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. So, I went to my doctor... all the tests came back perfectly normal, so then I saw a psychiatrist... She didn't even listen to me for ten minutes before just prescribing antidepressants. I haven't taken them yet, but here I am... I can't even leave the house because of the fear... it's terrifying... sometimes I take a little bit of Xanax, but it doesn't even help. I have an appointment with a different psychiatrist on March 1st, so I'll let you know how it goes... Sorry for venting to you all, but I've become such a burden to my husband because he has to handle all the shopping now👎and I feel so guilty; I feel terrible that I'm unable to do basic things because of this cursed, horrible fear.

It honestly baffles me how everyone seems to claim their psychiatrist went straight to prescribing antidepressants... In my view, one should probably start by trying an anxiolytic, such as Xanax, before even considering antidepressants.

The thing is, antidepressants don't offer instant relief; you have to wait a few weeks just to feel a shift. Anxiolytics, on the other hand, provide immediate results, which is why they are utilized for treating anxiety and panic attacks... The only catch, of course, is the risk of dependency...

Personally, I would opt for a combination of anxiolytics and psychotherapy right out of the gate, leaving antidepressants as a last resort.

Just go get a full cardiac workup done. It’ll probably show your heart is totally fine, which might actually help you chill out. Plus, maybe that pain is just coming from your spine or something.

Jason Fisher78 said:Go get a full cardiac workup. Once a doctor confirms your heart is actually fine, you’ll probably feel a massive weight lift off your shoulders. It’s entirely possible the pain is actually stemming from your spine.

And honestly, that’s a very real possibility. I've seen cases where neck tension causes issues with the intercostal muscles or the shoulder girdle, which creates this sensation like you can't quite catch a full breath, coupled with chest pain...

Amanda Ross10 said:It strikes me as odd how everyone claims their psychiatrist went straight to prescribing antidepressants... shouldn't we try an anxiolytic like Normabel or Xanax first, and then move on to antidepressants later?

Isn't it true that antidepressants don't work instantly? It usually takes a few weeks to feel anything, whereas anxiolytics provide immediate relief for anxiety and panic attacks... the only catch is the risk of dependency, right?

Personally, I’d opt for a combination of anxiolytics and psychotherapy at the start, leaving antidepressants as a last resort...

Actually, that's quite risky advice because anxiolytics work so quickly that they only mask the symptoms temporarily rather than actually treating the root cause. They should really only be used during the initial phase of starting an antidepressant to help ease any potential side effects.
If medication is necessary, the standard approach should be antidepressants combined with anxiolytics at the beginning, always paired with mandatory psychotherapy.
Zara, we discuss this quite a bit over at Psychology; if you haven't already, you might find this helpful: 😉

Medication isn't going to fundamentally change your situation; it really just serves to dull the edges of what you're feeling. If you actually want to address the root of things, you'd be much better off looking into Psychology. 🙂

Sandra Green38 said:Meds aren't a magic fix, they just take the edge off. You're better off doing psychotherapy. 🙂

Have you actually tried them yet? Look, I’m not exactly a huge cheerleader for medication, but I can tell you what happened with me. Once I started taking antidepressants, my panic attacks just... vanished. And I wasn't doing any psychotherapy while I was on them (I mean, checking in with a therapist for ten minutes once a month isn't really "therapy," right?). The pills didn't magically solve all my life problems, but they absolutely killed the panic attacks. I don't think we should be so black-and-white about this stuff.

Karen Hall40 said:Ever since I was a kid, I had this chest pain... did like 100 EKGs, and nothing—doctors found absolutely nothing. Then, when I was 16, I ended up in the ER because the pain was so bad I couldn't even breathe... they gave me some little green pill and things settled down after two hours. Looking back, it was probably Normabel or something similar. During my pregnancy, my blood pressure spiked so I had to take Ormidol, and with the constant pain, I kept ending up back in the emergency room... Once I had the baby, everything calmed down. But then, just a few months ago... I woke up with this killer chest pain and couldn't breathe—just shallow gasps because anything deeper hurt too much. Back to the ER again... my husband had to drive me... They gave me Ormidol and Xanax together, pulse was at 115. Things settled after that, but then the panic attacks started hitting. Now I'm terrified to even go outside with my little one; I'm scared to do anything because I think my heart is going to give out. So, I went to the doctor... tests came back fine, then the psychiatrist... She didn't even listen to me for ten minutes before prescribing antidepressants. I haven't taken them, but whatever... I can't even leave the house because of the fear... it's terrifying. Sometimes I take a Normabel, but it doesn't even help. I've got an appointment with a psychiatrist on the 3rd, so I'll let you know how it goes... Sorry for venting, but I've become such a burden to my husband because he has to do all the shopping now👎and I feel terrible about it—I feel so guilty that I can't do basic stuff because of this damn, horrible fear.

Honestly, regardless of any pills acting as a quick fix, I think psychotherapy would help you the most. It sounds like you're constantly ending up in the ER, which suggests there's a recurring issue following you through life.🤷

Brenda Allen said:Have you given them a shot? I’ll be the first to admit I’ve never been much of a proponent when it comes to medication, but if I may share my own little journey, I found that once I started my antidepressants, those sudden panic attacks just... vanished. And honestly, I wasn't even seeing a therapist while I was taking them—not that ten minutes a month counts as actual psychotherapy, mind you. The pills didn't magically fix every single struggle in my life, but they certainly took care of the panic. I suppose there isn't much point in being overly dismissive of them.

I haven't personally tried medication, though I have gone through psychotherapy, and I can say for myself that it made a real difference. Of course, we all react differently, and everyone's path is uniquely their own. 🙂

Karen Hall40 said:Please help... I’ve been looking everywhere for a place where I belong, but I haven't had any luck... I'm new here, so please bear with me 🙂 Basically, I was diagnosed with panic attacks five months ago, and they prescribed antidepressants, but I never actually took them because I foolishly thought I could just power through this on my own... Unfortunately, I just can't... I can't even step outside normally without feeling this fog rolling in, like everything starts getting fuzzy, and then the terror hits... this absolutely horrific fear that I'm going to die, or pass out right there in public where everyone will stare at me... I am truly, deeply desperate... if anyone knows how to help, please!

It really is all in your head, and honestly, that is the very first thing you have to wrap your mind around. You aren't going to die, and nothing bad is actually going to happen to you... I spent four years fighting this exact same battle, and to be truthful, I'm still wrestling with it a bit, but I've spent so much time reading up on it, studying the patterns, and observing how it works that I finally understand how to handle it—you just have to lean into it and face it head-on. 🙂

People are actually having a huge debate about this over in the Psychology section, so if you really want the deep dive, I’d highly recommend checking it out there!

I was actually going to say the exact same thing. There’s a massive thread over on the Psychology forum that’s packed with people sharing their own experiences and actual advice.

Here are the links:
Panic Attacks - Mega-thread

Panic attacks right before bed

Dealing with panic attacks and how to stop them

Panic Disorder

Karen Hall40 said:I’m asking for help... I’ve been trying to find where I fit in here, but no luck so far. I'm new to this group, so please bear with me 🙂 Basically, I was diagnosed with panic attacks five months ago. I was prescribed antidepressants, but I didn't take them because I thought I could just power through this on my own... Unfortunately, I can't. I can't even step outside normally without feeling like everything is blurring or spinning, which triggers this intense fear... This terrifying feeling that I'm going to die, or pass out, or that everyone will be staring at me while I collapse. I'm truly desperate... if anyone knows how to help, please!

To me, it feels just like going to the doctor because you're feeling dizzy or weak. You go in, they run

blood tests, and it turns out you're anemic and low on iron. So, the doctor prescribes

iron supplements that you need to take every single day, but instead, you decide to try and fix it all by yourself...

The point is, sometimes you simply cannot do this alone, and you need to follow the medication

that a doctor provides.

Hey everyone..
I’m looking to hear about your personal experiences regarding panic attacks.
Basically, I’ve been dealing with them for about five years now—sometimes they hit hard, other times they’re more of a dull ache. I foolishly thought they’d just fizzle out on their own, but unfortunately, I’ve spiraled to the point where I barely leave my house anymore; I’m just terrified of having an episode while I'm out. The very first time happened while I was driving on the interstate, stuck in a tunnel🙂—it felt like I was literally dying. I had no idea what was happening, and of course, after a trip to the doctor, every single physical test came back perfectly normal. It wasn't until a few days ago that I finally sought out some help from a professional and started therapy. Currently, for the first two days, I’ve been taking 1/4 of a 10 mg Citram and 1/2 of a 0.25 Misar in the morning. Moving forward, the plan is 2/4 of Citram in the morning and 1 full tablet of Misar in the morning until my follow-up appointment in two weeks. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this specific regimen, or perhaps you're still on it? Any side effects I should brace for? Right now, I feel like a walking zombie—if I see a bed, I am absolutely crashing. How long does this phase last? I started this medication specifically so I could finally get my life back and function normally, but honestly, I feel even worse than before. Even when I actually *want* to go outside, I just don't have the strength; I feel completely lifeless.

placidtrucker75 said:Hey everyone...
I really wanted to reach out and ask about your experiences with panic attacks.
See, for the last five years, I've been dealing with these attacks... sometimes they hit hard, other times they're just a little bit much. I kept thinking they would just... disappear on their own? But unfortunately, things have gotten to the point where I don't even leave my house anymore because I'm just terrified an attack will happen while I'm out... The first one happened to me on the highway, right in the middle of a tunnel🙂 I honestly thought I was dying. I had no idea what was happening, and of course, when I finally went to see a doctor, all my physical tests came back perfectly normal... Just a few days ago, I finally reached out for some help with Psychology and started therapy. Right now, I'm on 10 mg Citram—for the first two days, it was 1/4 tablet in the morning—and Misar 0.25 at 1/2 tablet also in the morning. For the next few days, it's 2/4 Citram in the morning and 1 full Misar tablet in the morning until my follow-up appointment in two weeks... I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this specific combo or is still on it? And please, tell me if you had any side effects. Honestly, I feel like a walking zombie right now... if I see a bed, I just want to crawl into it and stay there. How long am I going to feel like this? I started this medication so I could actually get up and start functioning normally again, but I feel even worse... Even when I want to go outside, I just don't have the energy... I feel totally lifeless.

Usually, after about 7 to 10 days on the meds, you'll start feeling a lot better. Then, after 30 to 45 days, you should be about 90% back to your old self, and those panic attacks won't be a thing anymore. That remaining 10%... well, that's where you have to do the work, either on your own or working through psychotherapy with your psychiatrist. All these panic attacks are probably just a part of having a very sensitive nature. You’re going to have to learn how to not let everything get to you so much... how to stop letting the world hit you so hard.

You’re going to be okay. Just please, don't give up on the treatment just because you notice some side effects early on... those signs usually mean the medicine is actually starting to work.

Good luck and bye-bye.