I feel pretty bad for making a joke on your thread, (every time I hear the term I remember that scene from the ADV dub of Ghost Stories) and I'm sorry.

I don't personally suffer from panic attacks, but I've suffered from bad anxiety and some of my family as well, and can't imagine how this must be for you. I've prayed lots, and though it sometimes seems really bad at times, I always try and trust things will work out to get better, even if for a little while. Also, genuinely proud that you don't want to be dependent on pills to overcome this problem. I hope and pray that everything works out for you.

I've never had panic attacks, but my life has been extremely challenging. An ex-husband who hired others to harm me - permanently and more than once. Police and medical personnel were always involved. That was just one challenge of many. My case is even in the law books. Enough.

I sympathize and know that every part of each day has its "challenges" for you. You have been offered much good advice here. We all support you and care about you. I took up gaming to help me cope. Gaming is not only great fun, but a wonderful distraction.

All this turmoil has created a great deal of stress for you and stress is very wearing and tearing. You are a good and worth-while person. Each new day is a new beginning and you are making progress. My blessings are with you.

Adrenal Fatigue causes the adrenal glands to first become exhausted, and then miscalibrated. They then produce way too much adrenaline, causing the attacks. B vitamins are very important for allowing your adrenal glands to be supported and thus rest. People call them stress vitamins; they allow your body to deal with stress more easily. The most important is the B-12 tablets that you take under the tongue(sublingual tablets they are called) . Also blood sugar spikes cause drops in blood sugar which puts stress on the adrenals. Until you recover eat higher fat and protein foods than you would normally; stay off the carbs and sugars; this will insure a slow constant steam of energy to your system. Stay away from T.V. shows and movies; maybe watch some interviews with your fav heroes on youtube; whatever calms you.. Music needs to be relaxing, if any at all. Drink hot drinks(herbal tea with no caffine), not cold ones. Do something that can help you keep your mind off your condition; Try creative writing, like a novel (not personal thoughts that cause you to think about your condition).

A Smile is a good form of medicine :)
Thanks
Thanks
and YES GOG FORUM is a Fantastic place ... we're like FAMILY here ;)
Thank You
Thank you
This all has been helpful and reassuring ...
I DO feel I am making Progress and ... well, SIMPLY ...
Thank You All

For 40 years I was the cool, calm, collected individual that everyone came to in an emergency.
Been in the IT field as a manager and troubleshooter all that time, lots of stress with no problems.
In January of 2012 I wound up in the emergency room with a panic attack, I was there for 13 days. :(
I still have them, but on an increasingly less frequent basis.

Over the past 2 years I have been on medication and get therapy for the condition, both have helped.
The 3 most important things I've learned are these:

1.) They are NOT my fault, my body/brain are just rebelling for a reason not known to the doctors or myself.
2.) They will NOT kill me!
3.) I can't stop them, I just have to "ride them out" while repeating the 2 things above to myself over and over.

This has been getting easier for me as I no longer fear the attacks themselves.
This allows me to lead a pretty normal life again.
Listen to the doctor and therapist, this IS NOT something weird or unusual, just another bump in the road.

God Bless
Don

PS: I'm really thrilled at all the support here.
"It's not just a gaming site, it's GOG!" ;)

Thanks Don
and YES
GOG people are like Family ... :)

Glad you are doing better .... Its the Fear of when the next one will hit and where you'll be that actually starts the anxiety to climb :/
Like a stinking stupid circle loop on a fast rollercoaster ....
Lots of good vibes here ... Very helpful and supportive

I thank Everyone ...
and PEACE to you all ...........

Wow, reading the OP brings back memories. Meeeemoriess... :)

Seriously though, I had a two month period where I suffered from the same shit. Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness. I was afraid to fall asleep cause I'd wake up gasping for breath. I literally thought at one point I wouldn't wake up at all, and I stayed awake for 3 days straight. I ended up in the emergency room as well, just for a couple hours. At that point, I had to convince myself nothing was wrong, so I blew a couple grand on the necessary cardiovascular and lung tests, xrays, blood tests, the works. Nothing was fucking wrong. Nothing. Within a couple weeks, they went away. It was like some bizarre state my body was in for a while due to anxiety and stress. To this day I almost have a hard time believing the whole thing happened.

Not that I'm an expert, but it sounds reasonable that general stress was a trigger.

What I read up once was that the causes for panic attacks are fairly badly known, but it's connected to faulty serotonin transmitting. It's the same root cause for clinical depression, and they don't know why some people get depression and some get panic attacks. In my family, the serotonin problem comes genetically from my mother's side. My gran was clinically depressed, then my mother, and then me. My brother got the panic attacks. At one point me and my bro were even on the same medication.

If you haven't already and can afford it, I'd recommend getting a check up to make sure your breathing and body are operating normally. You always want to make sure it's not a physical condition. Also you might want to hit up youtube for some relaxing before bed music or relaxation techniques like ASMR. Also try not to think or worry about the next panic attack. If it happens it happens, and it will pass, if it doesn't happen, well hey that's better than fine. I remember reading you were dealing with a lot of personal issues outside of the panic attacks. Those things are real stressful and can easily cause what your are going through in any person. I'm no doctor but I imagine as you get yourself back on track and more settled, your attacks will reduce in frequency and intensity.

Also try finding episodes of Bob Ross's painting show and Carl Sagan's Cosmos. Not only are they informative and educational, I find them extremely relaxing.

First off thanks for reaching out! I have no experience with such things. However I do know what feeling alone and depressed can do to my mind. It can become a cancerous downward spiral. To have the courage to reach out, be vulnerable and share you life and feelings is a trait to be admired! Your example can be seen as heroic, keep it up.

You will have times of peace I am sure, so keep strong and persevere. We will be here to listen and support you like the faceless internet avatars you've come to know....keep smiling ;-)

That was the thing ... First time in the hospital I was told EVERYTHING is fine ... breathing, oxygen level, lungs were clear (for the most part) ... everything ... and was told it was in my mind (causing this) ... made me feel pretty good actually because heck IF it is my mind doing this then I can control it ... They let me go home later that day .... WRONG (I could NOT control it) and relatively soon was Back in the hospital with a 24 hour monitor ... Again; everything was relatively Fine ... again was told my mind was creating these anxiety spikes leading to Panic attacks ... I was sent home the next day ... *this time I started wondering When and where the next attack would hit. BUT I was given some things to do to lessen or stop the attack when it hit ... Deep breathing, holding my breath, focus on Good thoughts ... when the anxiety started creeping up NONE of these things worked ...
THIS TIME they kept me 5 days and the nurses (and dr. on call thank God) agreed that dealing with the Panic was at this point in time MORE IMPORTANT than dealing with the heart problem (as it wasn't the CHF putting me in the hospital it was the Panic Attacks .... Like I told them and they agreed *The heart means NOTHING without the mind*
So, they gave me some meds for the anxiety .....
First couple days I would ride it out and only take the pill (as needed it said) when I felt it starting to spike ... Felt better in like 15 minutes .... Yesterday I said why go through this buildup throughout the day and I took a pill when I woke up (FELT NORMAL ALL DAY!!! .... until about 14 hours later when my brother and his kids were going to bed ... *started creeping up again ... This time when I took the pill it didn't STOP the attack but mellowed it down to where I could at least cope with the feeling ... Took an HOUR before I started to feel really better ....
Should have taken that pill on the 12 hour mark and THAT wouldn't have happened .....
TODAY I am going to take that pill 12 hours apart and continue doing so until I can get some help with this ..... Going to the Clinic tomorrow (waiting for some papers coming in the mail) ...
So, guess I need that crutch to help me walk for awhile ... I am sure this will be fixed and then I won't need those pills but .... Guess I just have to do what I have to do .... I'll get better ... I am sure it will be OK.

But yeah ... everything came up in tests being fine .... It is my mind for whatever reason all of a sudden not able to cope I guess .... DANG the money ... If I end up having to pay for the rest of my life at least I will have a Life I can Live .... :)

Thanks
PEACE
THANK YOU
I've been here with GOG long enough to Know the community is Like Family here .... Strange, maybe, but TRUE ...
The support from this posting is Helpful ... and I appreciate the Help.
**Friends without Boundaries* :)

I THANK YOU ALL

maybe I will play a game today :)

PEACE

OH YEAH ..... I'm Waiting for THAT day to be sure !!
Thanks

I also have an anxiety disorder. I had dry heaves every morning and intestinal cramps all day until I quit my last job a couple of years ago. I am now under 3 medications, 2 in the morning and one or two at night but still experience anxiety attacks almost every day, the only good point is that they don't mess up my digestive system anymore.

I am borderline agoraphobic, I'm mostly ok on roads and in places I know well but otherwise I'm not so good. My doctor recommended that I try taking walks. I tried that yesterday, just a short walk around the block. I was ok on my street but experienced tunnel vision on the one parallel to it. I will continue taking them and expending the area if I get better.

I also panic every time the phone ring or when someone is at the door.

I'll have to ask my doctor if I can take a clonazepam during an attack, right now my prescription is one (0.5 mg) every morning and one at night if needed.

The best part is reading "I will continue" because I'm one of those people with hope. Success is measured by how many times we get back up after falling.

Keep it up!!!