# panic attacks are killing me (not literally)



## dreamingoflife (Oct 22, 2006)

I am getting so fed up with panic attacks and anxiety. I had sworn off of taking antidepressants at one point on here..well hell probably numerous times lol but the anxiety just gets to be so unbearable that I am willing to jump back in and try to relieve it. So I have been on zoloft for 5 days. I have recently been able to control my anxiety and panic feelings so that they don't blow up and I have done pretty good at it BUT today I had the worst panic attack I have had in i'd say 5 months and it was in the car and I was 30 minutes from home. Luckily my husband was driving so I didn't have to worry about that but it has me feeling so defeated. My husband got mad at me because of how I was acting during it but I honestly cannot control it once it gets to the point of no return. I literally couldn't think logically. It's like an alarm was set off in my head and I went insane or something. I have xanax so I of course took it and within 35-40min I had calmed down drastically but still felt weak and a little on edge.

How do you guys deal with the panic attacks? I am at a loss. I feel like my life is over or something and I am only 23. I have no one to talk to because they don't understand. I am just worried because I have a 3 year old that I have to take care of and I don't feel like I will continue to be that great of a mom being like this. I am pretty much home bound right now because of my anxiety and panic attacks. If I do go out I have to take a xanax (I didn't today because I wanted to see if I could do it, failed miserably as you can tell). I don't want to live my life out of a bottle anymore. I have to plan where and when I am going around my xanax, like I know I can't go somewhere until the pill kicks in and so on. Sorry for the long rant I am just so fed up and aggravated with this anxiety. The dp is bad as well but at this point the anxiety is what is ruling my life. Thanks for reading if you could manage to hang with me on this long post.


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## Guest (Feb 7, 2010)

dreamingoflife said:


> I am getting so fed up with panic attacks and anxiety. I had sworn off of taking antidepressants at one point on here..well hell probably numerous times lol but the anxiety just gets to be so unbearable that I am willing to jump back in and try to relieve it. So I have been on zoloft for 5 days. I have recently been able to control my anxiety and panic feelings so that they don't blow up and I have done pretty good at it BUT today I had the worst panic attack I have had in i'd say 5 months and it was in the car and I was 30 minutes from home. Luckily my husband was driving so I didn't have to worry about that but it has me feeling so defeated. My husband got mad at me because of how I was acting during it but I honestly cannot control it once it gets to the point of no return. I literally couldn't think logically. It's like an alarm was set off in my head and I went insane or something. I have xanax so I of course took it and within 35-40min I had calmed down drastically but still felt weak and a little on edge.
> 
> How do you guys deal with the panic attacks? I am at a loss. I feel like my life is over or something and I am only 23. I have no one to talk to because they don't understand. I am just worried because I have a 3 year old that I have to take care of and I don't feel like I will continue to be that great of a mom being like this. I am pretty much home bound right now because of my anxiety and panic attacks. If I do go out I have to take a xanax (I didn't today because I wanted to see if I could do it, failed miserably as you can tell). I don't want to live my life out of a bottle anymore. I have to plan where and when I am going around my xanax, like I know I can't go somewhere until the pill kicks in and so on. Sorry for the long rant I am just so fed up and aggravated with this anxiety. The dp is bad as well but at this point the anxiety is what is ruling my life. Thanks for reading if you could manage to hang with me on this long post.


I have had panic attacks my entire life. I have gone through periods where they were so bad that I literally couldn't get out of bed. It's hell. I totally understand. What has really helped me with the anxiety that dp causes is Klonopin. It is longer lasting than ativan or xanax and it isn't as sedating. I am on a therapudic dose of .5 mg a day. I usually break my pill into 1/4ths and take 1/4th at a time. Most days I am good with .25 mg through he day but some days I have to take the .5 or more. 
The important thing to remember is to not try and push yourself to some ideal state at this point. If your anxiety is that bad, you absolutely need to be on medication to be able to live. Yes, it sucks but what sucks worse, taking a pill before you go out or writhing in agony when the panic hits? Just try to remember that you are going through something and allow yourself to be ok with taking the anxiety meds. Being your ideal you has to wait for another time. Right now you need to focus on getting the anxiety under control.

Do you know any of the coping skills for panic attacks? Controlled breathing is a huge one. I read that it is physically impossible for you to have a panic attack if you are able to keep your heart rate slow. When you panic, your heart rate and breathing increase and that releases the adrenaline and causes the fight or flight response. When you start to feel like you are going to lose control either lay down or sit back with your eyes closed (or even sit and lean forward so your head is between your knees) and breathe in slowly through your nose and count to 5 as you draw the air in. Hold your breath for 4 counts and then breathe out through your mouth for 5. Remember the key is to count SLOWLY. Just keep your eyes closed and concentrate on breathing and counting. Once you have calmed down enough it is good to repeat to yourself that you are ok. That you are safe and that there is no danger.

I know how incredibly hard this is to deal with. I had massive anxiety when my dp first started. Once I had a panic attack so bad that it felt like I had a psychotic break. I completely lost it and didn't know who I was or where I was. I almost passed out and ended up in the emergency room. If it helps at all, the anxiety does eventually lessen. I have very minimal anxiety at this point. I mainly stay on the klonopin because it helps me deal with the dr/dp sensations. You might want to ask your doctor to switch you as klonopin has been found to be helpful in dp patients and like I said, it works differently than the faster acting stuff.

Here is some helpful information:
http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/livingwithpd/tp/CopingTips.htm


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## dreamingoflife (Oct 22, 2006)

tinyfairypeople said:


> I have had panic attacks my entire life. I have gone through periods where they were so bad that I literally couldn't get out of bed. It's hell. I totally understand. What has really helped me with the anxiety that dp causes is Klonopin. It is longer lasting than ativan or xanax and it isn't as sedating. I am on a therapudic dose of .5 mg a day. I usually break my pill into 1/4ths and take 1/4th at a time. Most days I am good with .25 mg through he day but some days I have to take the .5 or more.
> The important thing to remember is to not try and push yourself to some ideal state at this point. If your anxiety is that bad, you absolutely need to be on medication to be able to live. Yes, it sucks but what sucks worse, taking a pill before you go out or writhing in agony when the panic hits? Just try to remember that you are going through something and allow yourself to be ok with taking the anxiety meds. Being your ideal you has to wait for another time. Right now you need to focus on getting the anxiety under control.
> 
> Do you know any of the coping skills for panic attacks? Controlled breathing is a huge one. I read that it is physically impossible for you to have a panic attack if you are able to keep your heart rate slow. When you panic, your heart rate and breathing increase and that releases the adrenaline and causes the fight or flight response. When you start to feel like you are going to lose control either lay down or sit back with your eyes closed (or even sit and lean forward so your head is between your knees) and breathe in slowly through your nose and count to 5 as you draw the air in. Hold your breath for 4 counts and then breathe out through your mouth for 5. Remember the key is to count SLOWLY. Just keep your eyes closed and concentrate on breathing and counting. Once you have calmed down enough it is good to repeat to yourself that you are ok. That you are safe and that there is no danger.
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I have a bottle of klonopin that I just recently got filled. I am a little nervous to try it though because it's the type of benzo you need to take everyday for at least 2 weeks to get a benefit from. I just don't want to become dependent on benzos because I know they only mask the problem and can potentially make it worse in the end. Plus the pharmacy gave me the wafer type klnopoin that has to dissolve on the tongue and I am not so sure about doing that? Is it as affective?

I done pretty well today. My mother in law came over and here lately when people come over it freaks me out because I don't want to panic in front of them and I was able to manage staying calm the whole time she was here (without taking a xanax) so I guess I am proud of myself. It's just so insane how simple unimportant things can drive me up the wall these days but other people can do without a thought. Thanks again for the reply and tips. I am going to try and get by the best I can even through this hell. Who said life was going to be easy I guess eh?


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2010)

dreamingoflife said:


> Thanks for the reply. I have a bottle of klonopin that I just recently got filled. I am a little nervous to try it though because it's the type of benzo you need to take everyday for at least 2 weeks to get a benefit from. I just don't want to become dependent on benzos because I know they only mask the problem and can potentially make it worse in the end. Plus the pharmacy gave me the wafer type klnopoin that has to dissolve on the tongue and I am not so sure about doing that? Is it as affective?
> 
> I done pretty well today. My mother in law came over and here lately when people come over it freaks me out because I don't want to panic in front of them and I was able to manage staying calm the whole time she was here (without taking a xanax) so I guess I am proud of myself. It's just so insane how simple unimportant things can drive me up the wall these days but other people can do without a thought. Thanks again for the reply and tips. I am going to try and get by the best I can even through this hell. Who said life was going to be easy I guess eh?


"I am a little nervous to try it though because it's the type of benzo you need to take everyday for at least 2 weeks to get a benefit from."

This is absolutely not true. Who told you this? I IMMEDIATELY felt the effects from Klonopin. I also briefly switched from Klonopin to Ativan and back and the klonopin was just as effective as it ever was. I was also given the waffers at first and the weird thing is that, for me, the wafers seemed like stronger medication than the pill form did. Maybe it is because it disolves so quickly?? Anyways, I say just go ahead and give it a try and like I said before, right now isn't the time to be pushing yourself and worrying about benzo addiction. You are going through panic AND dp. Two major issues and right now is a time to tell yourself that it is ok to do what you need to do to be well. Taking benzos at this point is ok and is what is best for your physical and mental well being. When the time comes and the panic goes away, you can wean yourself off of the benzos. No worries until then.

I also wanted to let you know that weaning off of klonopin is a LOT easier than weaning off of Ativan and xanax. I went right from taking klonopin to ativan, while I was hospitalized and had no withdraw from the klonopin at all. But when I switched from Ativan back to Klonopin, I still experienced withdrawl from the Ativan, even when I was taking the klonopin.


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2010)

Here is some info about how long it takes for Klonopin to peak in the blood, definitely not 2 weeks.

Pharmacokinetics
Peak blood concentrations of 6.5-13.5 ng/mL were usually reached within 1-2 hours following a single 2 mg oral dose of micronized clonazepam in healthy adults. In some individuals, however, peak blood concentrations were reached at 4-8 hours.[91]


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## dreamingoflife (Oct 22, 2006)

*"This is absolutely not true. Who told you this?"*

My doctor told me that. He said to reach the maximum benefit of the pill that it has to be taken for at least 2 weeks. I just didn't want to take it for that reason, although klonopin seems like a better pill to take than xanax. It's good to know that it doesn't take that long to actually help. He also told me not to mix xanax and klonopin together and that worries me because if the klonopin doesn't work for me as well as xanax and I get a panic attack after taking it, I am pretty much screwed until the klonopin is out of my system a bit.

I do agree with you though about not worrying so much about addiction because I am to the point that I just don't care. I just want this anxiety to go away so my mind can rest a little. I feel on edge most of the day and that is no way for a person to live.


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## Teresa (Nov 23, 2009)

Benzoes... and other kind of "nerve-pills" works instantly... or whitin 1-2 hours...

pills like Zoloft og other antidepressives works after 2-6 weeks... so 5 days is not enough to help you. So have patience... you normally feel a difference after 10-14 dys...


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2010)

Teresa said:


> Benzoes... and other kind of "nerve-pills" works instantly... or whitin 1-2 hours...
> 
> pills like Zoloft og other antidepressives works after 2-6 weeks... so 5 days is not enough to help you. So have patience... you normally feel a difference after 10-14 dys...


Your doctor is wrong. No offense to your doctor but as pp said, benzos are FAST ACTING anxiety medications. You feel immediate effects from them. Unless he was reffering to you using Klonopin in a therapudic manner. Is he saying to take like one in he morning and one at night or something? If so, maybe he was hinting at getting it built up in your blood stream so that it is there constantly. But no, it does not take 2 weeks to get the full benefit from klonopin.

Yes, you shouldn't take a klonopin and a xanax together. But that is because you would be intensifying the sedatives in your system and could have physical health problems like slowed breathing, etc. Yes, the half life of klonopin is longer than xanax but it isn't more than like 6 hours. So if you absolutely needed to go back on xanax, you'd only have to wait like 6 hours.

I also wanted to bring up something you might not realize about Klonopin. That it is also used to treat seizures. Interestingly enough, so is Lamictal and those are the top two drugs shown to HELP dp symptoms. I have been on both and they both do relieve the dp symptoms. So Klonopin is good because in addition to helping with the anxiety, it also helps with dp.


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## jay2008 (Nov 6, 2007)

I just want to back up the talk on Klonopin here. You and I have talked about my experiences with Klonopin before. Klonopin, or the generic clonazepam, is no different from your Xanax that is will work right away. Right away meaning as fast as your body can metabolise it and it can bind to those GABA receptors. It's in the same class of drugs as Xanax, Valium, etc. I'm shocked that your doctor actually thinks this way.

As for interactions - it is a general rule of thumb that you shouldn't mix benzos with each other, alcohol, sleep aids, or anything else that depresses your central nervous system.

You can be dependant on the Xanax just as easily as you can Klonopin. My guess is that if you can handle the side effects of Xanax that Klonopin will work wonders for you. The longer half-life will also allow you to get by with one a day, most likely


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## WANTTOBEBETTER (May 4, 2009)

Good work, tinyfairypeople.
I am thinking about klonopin.
Very good info.
Thanks,
Greg


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## dreamingoflife (Oct 22, 2006)

He was most likely talking in terms of getting it stable in my body in a therapeutic dose. He is also a nurse practitioner that I seen because my regular doctor was on vacation in Hawaii (must be nice).

I have .25 of klonopin which is the lowest dose you can get so I am sure I will have to take 2 to feel anything. That is how it is with my xanax anyway. I am lucky to get any benefit with .5 of xanax.


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