Anxiety Attacks

[ASD_Geek]

I know that others have posted on anxiety attacks but I was not able to see one in the past few years, so I decided to post here. Last night , I had my third anxiety attack. They happen about once a month or so and so far, they have been in the evenings. Last night I had a lot of coughing due to some bad post-nasal drip and then all of a sudden, it became hard to breathe. My head got foggy and my arms and legs got sweaty and numb. My heart was racing and I was dizzy. It felt like the world was closing in and that I was going to pass out. No matter what I tried to focus on, I kept coming back to a claustrophobic feeling. It was the worst feeling in the world. Since it was nighttime, I went ahead and tried to calm down (focused breathing), said my bedtime prayers, got out a cool gel pack for my forehead and held onto my wife's arm. This helped and I fell asleep in short order.

Today, I am going to the doctor for a semi-annual checkup and am going to mention it to her, hoping for SOMETHING. Maybe she can give me something or possibly refer me to a psychiatrist/psychologist. Anyway, I wanted to post this here for advice and to help others that may be going through similar anxiety.

 

[Judge]

Sounds like a plan to seek professional help. Not all anxiety attacks are necessarily psychological.

 

[ASD_Geek]

Sounds like a plan to seek professional help. Not all anxiety attacks are necessarily psychological.

Thanks. I did not even think about that!

 

[Judge]

Thanks. I did not know that! I had just assumed that they were.

You never know. Best to let a professional assess it all. I had developed Pulmonary Atrial Convulsions. (PACs) another form of irregular heartbeat. Taking medicine (Metroprolol) the PACs subsided two weeks later. It was only more than a decade later that I discovered by accident what the likely culprit was, apart from my actual anxiety. The medication I used in the 80s and 90s to subdue the symptoms of my anxiety! Apparently it was taken off the market in 2005 because it can leave people with such a condition permanently.

I just had PACs the other night, but I get them so infrequently that I don't dwell on it. Of course bear in mind that if you have other kinds of irregular heartbeat issues, they may not be so benign. Pulmonary Ventricular Convulsions (PVCs) can be a very serious matter.

General symptoms of anxiety are one thing...but if it involves your heartbeat you should have it checked. But just having a noticeable irregular heartbeat can cause anxiety in itself and become one vicious cycle. I was for me...

 

[Wireless]

I used to drink of mug of chamomile tea before going to bed which helped.

 

[Butterfly88]

I have anxiety. I hope your doctor takes you seriously.

 

[ASD_Geek]

Well, the doctor put me on 0.5mg of Clonazepam. Unfortunately, the pharmacy was too busy so I have to pick it up tomorrow. Hopefully it helps some.

 

[Butterfly88]

Hope that works for you!

 

[ASD_Geek]

Thank you everyone. I'm going to post what happens here so hopefully it will help others.

 

[wfs]

Well, the doctor put me on 0.5mg of Clonazepam. Unfortunately, the pharmacy was too busy so I have to pick it up tomorrow. Hopefully it helps some.

Clonazepam/Klonapin is a very effective anti-anxiety agent...designed to interrupt the anticipatory aspect of anxiety. It has also been show to be effective with anxiety associated with bi-polar spectrum, which is fairly common in Aspies. Meditation has also proven to be incredibly effective at interrupting anxiety, if practiced regularly. Good luck...anxiety sucks.

 

[Chuck2]

I am taking Clonazepam for my Bipolar anxiety. It helps a great deal. I have been trying to switch to herbal alternatives but have found nothing that works as well.

 

[wfs]

Bi-polar anxiety can respond well to marijuana in many cases. For some people it raises anxiety, and obviously each person needs to determine what medications are useful. Unfortunately it is still a highly regulated drug and illegal in many states. However if you live in a state where they recognize the medical aspects of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), many bi-polar sufferers report that it works more effectively than many pharmaceuticals.

 

[ASD_Geek]

Update #1 - I've been taking 0.5mg of Clonazepam twice a day for the past five days and I have noticed a dramatic decrease in racing thoughts in my head. I have not had any anxiety attacks (thank God) since starting it. So far, so good. I also feel more "evened out" if that makes sense.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Bi-polar anxiety can respond well to marijuana in many cases. For some people it raises anxiety, and obviously each person needs to determine what medications are useful. Unfortunately it is still a highly regulated drug and illegal in many states. However if you live in a state where they recognize the medical aspects of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), many bi-polar sufferers report that it works more effectively than many pharmaceuticals.

I thought it was cannabinol, not THC which is the calming agent in cannabis.

 

[AsperDragon]

Canabinol helps relieve inflammation......and Clonazepam can work well for some, but for me it not only lowered my anxiety but it also lowered what little brain-mouth filter i had....Doctor prescribed it too me to help me lower my anxiety and keep my job.....anxiety...lowered.....check......boss told of the exact level of his idiocy.....check.......suddenly searching for a new job......check.