very very bad night, help
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| Mon, 10-03-2005 - 8:04am |
I had a VERY bad night last night. It started ok, actually I'd gone 2 days with miminal anxiety and no PA's. Then last night when I was getting tired, I noticed my chest felt heavy and that started making me nervous. Then I told my bf I was going to bed and we got into an argument. I immediately began a fullblown attack and he said to deal with it myself since that's what I did last time (last time being Friday night when I was away from home with my family, I had to take an ativan for the first time).
anyhow, I was so upset, I paced FOREVER and every time I thought I had it under control I felt that surge in my chest (a release of adrenalin??) and it would start all over again. Finally I took an ativan (only the 2nd time I've had to do this, 0.5mg) and waited...and waited...and it didn't seem to be working SO I was SO SCARED I called the Telehealth nurses hotline (yah Ontario!!) and she talked me through it and I felt moderately better, my pulse was 112.
anyhow, then after I got off the phone and was "relaxing" my chest all of a sudden felt cold. I don't know how to describe it, but it was like a cold wash went over it and it scared the hell out of me. At that point I RAN upstairs to wake my bf and tell him to bring me to the hospital. He talked to me a bit and helped me breathe and eventually I went to another room and spent the rest of the night TRYING to sleep.
My mind wouldn't stop though, I kept thinking about how out of control I was, how this was the worst I had ever experienced and it was especially upsetting because it just seemed to keep coming in waves...when I thought I was ok, another wave would hit and make me panic.
well, I'm on effexor for 5 days now, 37.5mg until thu, then I'll take 2 capsules a day. I want to see my doctor today and tell him about this, I've never had such a frightening experience....would Xanax be better than ativan?? has this happened to anyone else??
thank you....and I'm still a little scared this morning and I only got a couple hours of sleep :(

Hi,
Well first I have to say how sorry I am that you have to go through this. Panic attacks are the WORST.
You did the best you could and got through. As more time passes it will get easier to work through a panic attack and the medicine will help you so the panic attacks don't get out of hand.
I have to ask if your bf is usually supportive? I know that when I have had p/a my dh held on and never let go. It sounds as though you really need to be supported and no matter what that was a bad time to argue. It could've waited.
Did the adivan seem to work? I am on klonopin and haven't been on anything else. I know that a
hi Heather,
thanks for your reply. Yes, my bf is usually supportive, in fact since this anxiety started spiraling and got worse (as of last week, why, I do not know!) he calls me frequently to check on me. He'll hold me and tell me to breathe with him and that helps or he'll hold me and promise nothing bad will happen. But last night he was frustrated and lost patience.
part of my fear is that he will lose his patience with me, and then it actually happened which is why I think it was extra bad last night. I have an appointment at noon with my doc to talk to him about what other options may be available.
thank you again...do you still get PA's?? do they last briefly or linger?? Mine have never lingered until last night and I hope that is the last time!
hi,
I don't really get full blown p/a's but my worst symptom is the "unreal" feeling and when I get into an " anxiety episode" is can last days for me. I still function as normal but it truly is a bad time for me. The last time
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Do you know why they are trying to to use xanax anymore? I hear it is addicting but they keep leaving me on it and increasing my dosage. I feel like I can't live without it. I really want something else but my pdoc and I are really not clicking and it took me so long to get in with her (insurance problems) that I don't know what to do.
Let me know if there is anything else beside the obvious addicting properties that you have heard about.
Thanks.
Alison
PS - Hope things are going well for you.
im so sorry about your bad night, it sounds like it was an awful experience :( Im just glad you got to call the telenurse, i've certainly done that before and speaking to a nurse is definitely calming. it's too bad your boyfriend told you to deal with it yourself, it sounds like my boyfriend. at least he was nice and patient with your when you woke him up at night, mine usually gets mad at me, so i have to call my mom at like
Alison,
I am not the best one to answer that question but JUdy or Sheri Ann are... from what I understand their is now a generic form of xanax so the drug companies are no longer making any money so they are telling the Dr.'s to give something else. Doesn't make sense because I am on a generic form of klonopin but hey...
I really wouldn't worry about the addicting part... I have been on klonopin for 5 months now. I asked my pdoc about it and he said that as long as you take it as prescribed then you are fine, and as long as you have no history or addiction issues.
I hope Judy or Sheri ANn can answer you better!
Take Care
That was one rough night, gf): I have BTDT many times. As others have said, it will get easier. I know that doesn't count when you want to feel better *now.*
The benzodiazepines all work pretty much the same. It is possible that xanax would work better for you than ativan. All meds affect us individually. It will take some time for the effexor to kick in. Once again, it's a waiting game. But, I think in a month you will notice a big difference in your anxiety.
Did you use the positive thinking? Did you try the belly breathing? This is what gets me through an attack. It takes some work to learn how to do this when you're having feelings & sensations. You need to practice when you are NOT having an attack. Then, you'll be better prepared. That's the best thing we can do is prepare. Have a plan of action ready in the event you get scared again. You are NOT alone. Keep in touch. Good luck! (((hugs))) jan
I want to thank everyone for the encouraging thoughts and wishes. I just got back from my doc, who told me the same thing, the effexor will take some time, esp. since I'm on the smallest dose right now. He upped my ativan to 1mg instead of 0.5 and said if I have problems with it he can switch me to Klonopin. He made it clear this was NOT for long term use :)
I am feeling a bit more at ease now. I keep fighting the anticipatory anxiety and I am sooooooooo TIRED!!! My bf wishes he could come with me to the appointments so he could tell the doctor that I don't know how to SLOW DOWN, which is true....now I wish I could, but every time I slow down now it seems the symptoms come out!
I will practice my deep breathing and positive self-talk. I can definitely see a negative cycle of talking that occurs when I panic so I will work to fix that. I am using a workbook right now which seems very good by Dr. Bourne.
thanks again everyone ((hugs))
Glad you made it to the doctor and really glad you're feeling better. I know we seem to get impatient and want the medications to work NOW not later. Sometimes I think our partners get frustrated because they hate seeing us go through these attacks and they also feel powerless over them. Good luck to you and keep the good thoughts close.
Keitha