Are these panic attacks?

[jakesmummy]

I have had panic attacks on and off since i was about 15. The main symptoms ofit that i have is a feeling like i cant fill up my lungs enough and just feelingl trapped also sometimes shaking. They only lasted around 15 minutes than i would gradually calm down. I have never told anyone about it (not even my partner who i have lived with for 6 years - in fact we are getting married in april). I just hate the thought that people will think i am going insane or that i cant cope - especially now thta i have children.

I have been able to control them myslef and it has not really affected my life all that much.

BUT since having my son 3 months ago it has gone spiralling out of my control. I get a pnic attack pretty much everyday and they now last for hours, i feel short of breath and shake uncontrollaby for uo to 2 hours, it has got to the point where i dread every evening as this is when i normally get them.

It doesnt help that when i was pregnant this last time i had preeclampsia and i am still on 3 different drugs to control my blood pressure - i know find it difficult to tell myself that it is JUST a panic attack because i have almost convinced myself that it is because of my blood pressure or a side effect of the drugs i am taking - which of course just adds to the panic, i dont feel like i want to go out now in case i have a panic out and i dont feel like i can plan anything.

I suppose what i am trying to ask is

1. can these longer episodes of shortness of breath and shaking still be panic attacks?
2. can panic attacks just affect your whole day and could they be a sign of something else - perhaps postnatal depression?
3. can being anxious like this cause your blood pressure to remain high if so how do i mention this to my doctor without seeming crazy?

thankyou
sophie

[jitters]

1. Yes, Likely triggered by the issue of you blood pressure playing on your mind. Some people only have one panic attack a day or a month others have 20 a day which seem to meld into one giant attack.

2. Oh I think I just answered that, it is common for depression and anxiety to go hand in hand so this could be the reason for you feeling dpressed. The birth of a child is a very stressful experiance and caused my anxiety to spiral out of control for the first time.

3. You must tell your doctor, especially as panic attacks effect your blood pressure and therefore could affect your condition. Simply tell him or her you have suffered with anxiety for somtime and that you have always coped ok but that recently the attacks are having more of an impact on your life.

Try to think when the attacks started to get worse. Was it on the birth of your child or before, did the attacks coincide with the arrival of you blood pressure issue. It is possible anxiety is the cause of your continued blood pressure issues. I hope you feel better soon.

Any questions or if you just need to vent we are here. :)

Stay Strong.

Duncan

[juliana]

After you have a baby, your hormones can wreak havoc with your entire system. Regardless of what's causing your high blood pressure and/or anxiety, you should talk to your doctor about it.

I have days where I'm in an anxiety state all day long. It's not just one major panic attack; it's nearly constant. That heightened anxiety can definitely affect your blood pressure. I once went for a colonoscopy and the doctor was alarmed by how high my blood pressure was. He was very concerned because I had no history of high blood pressure. I suggested to him that perhaps the reason for my high blood pressure was the fact he was about to put a camera up my ass. Duh!!!

It's always worth getting these things checked out by a doctor, though. I had a mild heart attack while I was at work last summer. I just assumed it was a severe panic attack and didn't go to the doctor until the next day. She said she wanted to slap me for not calling 911 when it happened. My bloodwork showed I had had an attack, but my EKG results were fine. The doctor figured it must have been a small blood clot so she put me on blood thinners for a while and I haven't had a repeat. I'm glad I went and got it checked out though. We get so used to attributing all these physical effects to anxiety, but sometimes there is something else going on. We need to listen to our bodies and check these things out -- for our physical health and to put our minds at ease.

Best of luck to you. I hope you get some answers and find a way to deal with the things that are bothering you. Congratulations on the new baby!