Does anyone suffer from Panic Attacks and would like to share their story?

I think the more people that talk about it the more it will be recognized as a true disorder and not something just in "our heads"!

Let me here what you think.

I have suffered from panic attacks with accompanying physiologic symptoms, for years, I take 4 Xanax a day plus 900mg of Seroquel a day. I often feel like im losing control

People here have probabaly memorized my story, LOL!

But I suffer and am treated for clinical Depression and bi-polar; and panic attacks used to be a major part of that. They will still come out at times of (or after) extreme stress.

We used to think it was a blood sugar problem, because it greatly resembled whatwould happen to my diabetuc mother when she would "crash". Racing pusle, flushed face, sick to my stomach, dilated pupils - and then add in the intense need to escape.

The 2 scenarios bound to set it off more than any other were my church's "meet and greet" time - having to shake hadns with all of those strangers, and gorcery shopping - the thought thast strangers might be looking and talking about me. It was a very paranoid fed thing.

My psychiatrist prescribed Klonipin for immediate attacks, as well as daily meds for the depression and counseling.

I have them very rarely now. I was plagued by a recent round of them due to a violent episode with my son who has Asperger's syndrome. So that's what I mean by stress bringing them out, but for the mosdt part I can deal with them because of the therapy.

I have had varying forms of panic for many years, although thankfully not so much of late. I really, really believe that panic attacks have a function in that your body/mind is trying to get your attention. Something is not right in your life. In my case, it was suppressed grief and as soon as I "got the telegram" they subsided. The worst thing is the fear of the next one -- it's like you are tied up on the train track and u can see the train coming. Breathing into a paper bag is just NOT going to cut it, LOL!

Michelle how are you doing on the Klonipin ? I did well on it but i was abusing it so it was stopped.I tend to abuse all my benzo's

I've also read that the typical panic profile is a perfectionist which totally fits me! And also the fear of shame. That is why we all rush to the washroom and are suddenly "okay" because there is no longer the risk of public 'disgrace.'
I have done SO much reading on this, I could go on and on. I felt very isolated when it first started for me in the eighties and there was no internet support and even the doctor didn't know quite what to do with me. "Feel the Fear and do it anyway" (by Dr. Susan Jeffers) is a great book that really helped me. Even now I sometimes struggle with being away from home during holidays etc.

Quite well. It just gives me that chance to catch my breath - it never gave me a "high" feeling or knocked me out - sonI guess that's why I never worried about dependency.

Now my sleep meds (Seroquel and Ambien) those I cannot do without, so I guess I am dependant on those. But my psych totally knows where I stand with them, and I am not abusing them - I follow directions very specificlly. It's just that I do not sleep without them. But I've spent a large portion of my life not sleeping, so this is nice being able to for once.

BTW, Sue,ut's nice matching a face to all the posts!

I had panic attacks for many years, also nightmares. These were caused by a former relationship, I had did seek counseling years right after but it was not handled properly. So I tucked it away in a small corner of my mind & went on with life, when life was happily moving along the nightmares started then the panic attacks.
I dealt with them the same way by ignoring them as best I could until our children were in school. I was out shopping with our youngest one day and had a very bad attack, and felt that I had left my son & myself vulnerable, and decided to seek help. I saw a
psychiatrist, talked it all out & put it behind me also went on mild anti-depressants for less than 2 years (during the sessions) and am now symptom free for aprox. 8years. What a relief!

I can't sleep with out my Seroquel either, i've been on them for a few years, also the Xanax I've been on since 1974. off n on. i don't do well on the benzo's been on them to long.

Xanax came out in 1973, been a long time