help please

[FallenAnx]

so Ive been suffering from anxiety/panic disorder since about october of last year... when I first started to suffer from it I was having panic attacks two to three times a week and they were all really really servere, my doctor put me on Ativan and I have been taking that since. Over time i have done extremely well with that and therapy I went through a stent over the past four months with one mild panic attack and was slowly decreasing my doseage of the ativan because i was learning to cope..... over the past week Ive had a MASSIVE relapse, lots of few minor panic attacks I havent been able to calm myself down.... and to top it off Sunday Night I jolted from my sleep to a huge panic attack :oops: i had all the symptoms of having a heart attack and went to ER. I had an ekg done and everything showed up normal so the doctors sent me home....monday was a long day i was very anxious and took 2mg of ativan compare to my normal .5 that i would take... It happened again tonight at 430am ... I was jolted from pleasent dream to my heart racing and feeling the same symptoms..... Ive never before this been woken up by my panic attacks.... Please help I dont want to go to the hospital again just to have them tell me that im just having another panic attack, my meds arent working anymore to calm me down and i feel like Im going to die. Im so scared, im only 20 how can this be happening to me?

bryant

[JimmyB]

Hi Bryant, it doesn't sound like your having a good time at the mo and I don't think that the meds are working for you. I would suggest that you try a different method of recovery:

Cognative Behavioral Therapy
Herbal remedy (St. John's Wort)
Daily Exercise
Lots of fruit and veg (5 a day) and lots of greens
Cut back or eliminate caffine and alcohol
Practice meditation and abdominal breathing exercises
Focus on something you enjoy doing

It ain't easy at all and it will take time but this is what you need to do. I was having panic attacks and I didn't sleep for 5 weeks, I was also jolting awake everytime I drifted off to sleep, its horrible so I know what your going through. I am getting better, panic attacks are gone, I'm sleeping better but I still feel dazed, spaced out and fuzzy headed, I cannot focus properly but I am getting there very slowly.

If you still have problems after trying everything above have you thought about acupuncture or hypnotherapy?

[FallenAnx]

ive been doing cognative behavioral therapy since november, ive been trying to get back into exercise but its been really hard because my first massive panic attack was at the gym and each time i exercise i can feel one kick in. I basically do everything you listed minus the herbal remedy and the vegtables/fruits. Ill throw that into what ive been doing. Does St. John's Wort really help? Im actually trying hypnotherapy this week and my therapist gave me a card for a Doctor who does acuputure in our area so ill make sure to give him a call today. Any other ideas? I still keep getting freaked out its my heart, did you have that issue or have anything that could help me get over that, besides having doctors constantly tell me im fine :tongue:
thanks for response
bryant

[JimmyB]

Never really have that much trouble with my heart. It beats quite hard most of the time. I used to get a jolt from it in the past, this was induced when I was bullied by my supervisor in my last job, if anyone with authority approches me now I just get really paranoid. I know what you mean though - your sub-concious mind is telling you that your heart rate is going to increase and causes an anxiety attack.

[Samantha]

Keep a food diary for 2 weeks. I know it sounds simple but you'll be amazed. Sometimes if I had a late lunch and was too full to eat any dinner (with protein) I'd just fix some popcorn. I'd wake up with some sort of anxiety almost everytime. I never put the two together until I kept my food journal. Write down absolutely everything you put in your mouth along with the time you take it (water included). I think blood sugar fluxuations and dehydration have a ton to do with anxiety.
Hope this helps.
Samantha