Looking for advice

[iwillsurvive]

I've been out of work for a month because of panic attacks. I started Lexapro about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I think it's starting to work, but I still get very panicky on a daily basis. Mostly, I have been home with my 3 kids. I seem to be able to go out as long as they are with me. 2 of them are at my mom's over night tonight and I'm already feeling more panicked. It's like I'm missing my security blanket. I am supposed to go back to work this Saturday. I am a physical therapist and I do home care so I drive to people's homes. I just do evaluations so I never see anyone more than once and I never know where I'm going day to day. I had a few panic attacks in patient's homes. One time I went into the bathroom until it was over. Another time I told the patient I needed to take a phone call from the office and went out to the car until it was over. I stopped going to work when I started having panic attacks in the car before even going into the home. It became almost unbearable. I am so afraid of having a panic attack in front of a patient. I am worried if I start to panic, they won't know what is happening and will panic too which will make my panic even worse! Does anyone have any advice for me on how to avoid having a panic attack in this situation or how to get through a panic attack in this kind of situation?

[alankay]

Stay on the Ssri and try to distract yourself by fully engaging your patients with the content of thier issue. In short the busier you are the less anxious you be. In this way I have found work to be very therapeutic. Alankay