Healthier now, but more panic attacks, what gives??

Hello everyone,

First time poster here. I am glad to have found this online community an open space to discuss anxiety with people who get it.

Up until the last month I would have categorized myself as being low-level anxiety. I had been coping with mild to moderate depression for 10+ years due to a lot of trauma and abuse, without going into too much detail. As I'm sure you know, when you get stuck in certain patterns and ways of doing things, they become your default and before you know it you feel trapped. Or at least I did.

A couple of years ago, I started getting into yoga and meditation. I have always been a pretty healthy eater but I educated myself on organic vs non organic, GMOs, healing leaky gut (linked to depression), etc. These things helped a lot and I began to see a lot of improvements in my physical health. But my energy was still low and I was still having difficulties in managing my negative thinking.

I've been a social drinker my whole adult life. Mainly, anytime there were social situations where alcohol was involved, I partook. To feel more comfortable, because other people were doing it too, whatever. About a month ago, I got a hangover from two glasses of wine, and I finally decided it's not worth it. I'm a writer and I've been trying to write a book and I figured I don't need to be engaged in many social events right now anyway. So I quit drinking completely. At the same time, I gave up all wheat, gluten, dairy, meat and refined sugar - which I wasn't consuming that much anyway, but decided to completely eliminate.

I thought I was being proactive about my health and I felt great! I I had so much energy at first to hit the gym, go to yoga, go to my office job, come home and write, and then sleep well at night. I felt more connected to everyone and everything and I was really feeling the love.

But in the past week I have had two severe panic attacks and another weird experience where it looked like there was a fire in the building across from mine so I ran outside but when I went outside, the fire wasn't there. I went back up to my apartment and was freaked out for the rest of the night. The last panic attack came yesterday and it was brought on by an allergic reaction I received after I got a couple of fillings at the dentist. My body had a reaction to the anesthesia and/or filling right away and I asked what ingredients they used and they didn't know, made me feel like I was being problematic for asking, which caused me great anxiety. I went to the ER last night covered in hives, feeling like my throat was closing, and a rapid heart rate. They didn't know what was wrong but gave me an ePI pen, which I've never had to use before so it makes me nervous!

Now, I am still having strong heart palpitations and my heart feels just very heavy.

I guess I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Either with reactions after dental work, or greater anxiety after quitting alcohol, or anything related. Maybe I have always had this bad of anxiety but I am just more aware of it now. It's just weird that I have basically had 3 bad panic attacks in the past week, when I have only had one other in my life, about 5 years ago. Was I just suppressing my anxiety with alcohol and keeping myself depressed? If so, how do I manage BOTH anxiety and depression and get to an equilibrium without drugs and alcohol?

Any comments, thoughts, help is greatly appreciated. Thank you guys :)

I don't think it was the anesthesia as much as quitting alcohol. You were probably using the alcohol to keep your anxiety suppressed. Now it's time to get some professional help. In your post, you talked about drinking but then at the end you said "without drugs and alcohol". Stay away from drugs! Even people without anxiety issues get into trouble with drugs. They are not good in any way!

I also think you should talk to a nutritionist. Giving up wheat, gluten, dairy and meat doesn't necessarily make you a healthier person. If you don't have an intolerance, these things can be eaten in moderation. You probably gave up a lot of foods that in the past were comforting to you in some way.

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Originally Posted by Anne1221

I don't think it was the anesthesia as much as quitting alcohol. You were probably using the alcohol to keep your anxiety suppressed. Now it's time to get some professional help. In your post, you talked about drinking but then at the end you said "without drugs and alcohol". Stay away from drugs! Even people without anxiety issues get into trouble with drugs. They are not good in any way!

I also think you should talk to a nutritionist. Giving up wheat, gluten, dairy and meat doesn't necessarily make you a healthier person. If you don't have an intolerance, these things can be eaten in moderation. You probably gave up a lot of foods that in the past were comforting to you in some way.

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Thanks for your reply. I agree that the anxiety is raised because I stopped drinking alcohol. But the hives/rash/allergic reaction I'm pretty sure are a reaction to the dental work I had done, since they started right after I had my fillings switched out. (I have since done some research and found that there is BHT and other plastic additives in the actual filling that I am in fact allergic to).

I quit wheat, gluten, and dairy because my body has a sensitivity to these unnatural foods. I gave up meat a long time ago because I care about animals and the environment.

Again, thanks for your reply, but I know my body better than anyone. Be careful about who you refer to get "professional" help, as a lot of medical professionals are trained to delve deep into talking about anxiety, and in my experience talking about anything in great depth only amplifies the experience.

Another thing, when you say drugs are not good in any way, you do realize that what a doctor prescribes you is also a drug? As is caffeine (which I have also stopped consuming btw). There are many strains of weed and cannabis oil that not only cure physical ailments but relieve anxiety and stress as well. Every body is different, I know, and only we can know what is best for our own individual bodies :)

The reason I included the portion about "without drugs and alcohol" is because I am trying to go a natural route with this. I am more wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences to mine after the stopping of coping substances like comfort food, caffeine, drugs, and alcohol. And if so how they got through it naturally.

I should also include that I have been supplementing with Vitamin C, Vitamin d3, Magnesium, Chlorella, spirulina, and NAC Detox Regulators (N-Acetylcysteine, Selenium, and Molybdenum).

You are right - I meant "illegal drugs." ! You do know your body best, so I think you're on the right track. What about exercise? Do you get enough of that? It is so helpful for anxiety.

I agree with Anne. The alcohol suppresses your anxiety and when you finally quit drinking, it's going to come at you in a big wave - instead of many small ones. So be ready to practice on controlling your panic attacks.

First off, get checked by a doc. Get everything ruled out - and this is only for your own sake, so that you don't go around, worrying for nothing. So do that first.

Don't look at panic attacks as a problem. They're unpleasant, but not harmful or dangerous. Do not fear them - because really, there's nothing to fear. If you feel one coming, then accept it with open arms, just go through it and don't make a big deal out of it - easier said than done, but practice on that. You will reach a point where you can control it in just a few seconds. When you can do that, your brain will think: "ah.. f*ck it, I don't have time for another panic attack". This way, you will be able to control panic attacks now, tomorrow, in ten years and forever. At least, this is how I control them :)

About the fire that you saw - did you hallucinate? Did you take any drugs? Were you having a panic attack at the same time? Had you been to the dentist before?

I hallucinated once in my life and that was when I was panicking when smoking weed. Not a fun experience. Now afterward, I laugh at myself though.

It's good you're eating healthy. Maybe you can teach me a little bit about diets lol :)

Good luck! :)

Elias