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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Newbie Here
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Wed, 05-23-2007 - 12:40am
Hi my name is Tina and i havent posted here yet but i posted on the other board antidepressant medication and got guided in this direction.I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety.I was taking 40mg paxil and now ive been on 50mg for the past two days.For some reason at night and in the morning i just feel like crap!! My main concern is that im having a hard time breathing and have bad thoughts that just wont go away so thats why i dont want to fall asleep but i get so tired it makes me sick to my stomache.When i wake up it the morning i feel very lazy and have panic attacks dreading about the day.I dont have a appetite what so ever and i eat once a day and its a very small portion.Ive been getting these really bad headaches that even when i chew it hurts.Its like a sharp pain in my brain.Does anyone else get these symptoms?? What can help me get through this??

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-08-2007
Wed, 05-23-2007 - 9:30am
hi tina,
just to let you know you will get lots of help on this board. i do feel a lot of those symptoms as well. ive been going through lately hard times breathing and almost everyday i wake up in the morning worrying about how my day is going to go. these are terrible things to think and they dont make you feel that great. ive gotten advice from some people on here...keep busy during the day! try SUPER hard not to think about panic attacks, when you find yourself doing it, revert to something else like reading or knitting or cooking or even playing video games which helps me for some reason! and also deep belly breathing! ive only been trying it for the last week but it does seem to help a little! you can find out how in the coping and tricks area. and also getting air helps me! i hope this helps a little! if not other people im sure will post!!
manda
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Wed, 05-23-2007 - 2:30pm

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Hi! It's a pleasure to have you here. I know that this must be a rough for you. I am sorry): What you're experiencing many of us can relate too. Anxiety presents itself in more ways than Carter has little liver pills;) You are NOT alone.


Many times it's hard for us to accept that these feelings are part of anxiety & not some serious medical condition. You have no control over it. You have control over how you will allow these things to effect you. There is no shame in asking your dr. to give you a good check-up. Sometimes that was the only thing that relieved my mind when I had so many sensations. The *tuggy* or *ragged* breathing is a very difficult feeling to contend with. Please take a look @ the *coping tips & tricks* folder below. The belly breathing, daily meditation, relaxation exercises & just general *de-stressing* has helped me to cope with anxiety/panic. The meds will do so much until you find the coping techniques that work for you. You WILL get better.


My anxiety has been bad in the evenings. I feared going to bed. I began a quiet routine. No upsets. No dramatic tv shows. I drink a cup of chamomile tea. Burn an aromatherapy candle such as relaxing lavendar. Also, lavendar body wash & a warm soak in the tub helps. Eat some crackers for nausea. Frequent small meals of light foods are best. Allow yourself a specified time of focusing on the feelings & thoughts. Then, distract yourself with a good book, a relaxing music cd or crafts. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress & anxiety. Try a walk early in the day or a work-out with one of the fitness shows on tv.


We care about you. Don't be a stranger. GL & GBU! (((hugs))) jan

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Wed, 05-23-2007 - 4:27pm

Tina, since it's only been a couple of days, there is a chance that things will change for the better. When I started Lexapro, the 1st 3 days were the worse for me.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2007
Wed, 05-23-2007 - 6:06pm

Hi Tina,

I just started Lexapro and was so nauseated (sp?) this morning. I tried a little Ginger Ale, but even the bubbles hurt. Pepto Bismol seemed to help coat my stomach, I also eat yogurt. I wasn't able too eat much yesterday, feeling anxious plus the new med, but I think that makes it worse for me. No food, so stomach hurt worse. Oh, forgot, mac and cheese helped. I'm trying really mild things.

Jan, I wrote your ideas down for relaxing. I also play Sudoku at night, last night DH asked, "So if I see you playing Sudoku, can I assumed you're stressed out?" I said, not always...

Hope you feel better soon. Oh yeah, I had headaches too, and I'm working on giving up caffeine!
Lu

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2003
Thu, 05-24-2007 - 12:16am
I suffered from panic attacks and went through what you were describing last summer. One of the things about depression and anxiety is that for me the mornings always seem to be the worst. The bad headaches sound to me like maybe you might be grinding your teeth(?) I know that I do and when I had been stressed out they were much worse. I think the best thing to do is to tell your doctor that you are still having the panic attacks and problems sleeping. It will most likely take some time for the increased dose to take effect. When I went through that they put me on Clonpin which really helped. I think the thing about panic attacks is when they are fresh in your mind, you can suggest yourself into them. For me, the only thing that would make it stop was to be on some sort of sedative for a while so that my mind would forget what they feel like (if that makes any sense). Keep in mind that the sedatives are meant to be a temporary solution and are really there to supress the attacks. Eventually I no longer needed the sedatives and the increased dose eventually kicked in. If that doesn't work, there are always different medicines. I am on Effexor and have been for 5 years. Barring extreme circumstances that might enduce a panic attack, it works pretty well for me. Question though, was there some sort of event that tripped this off?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2003
Thu, 05-24-2007 - 12:25am
Oh one other thing and this is going to sound strange (or maybe not) For whatever reason when I have had a panic attack something cold always made me feel better. Sometimes I would take a cold compress and put it on my forehead. Another thing (again going to sound strange) but lying on the bathroom floor helped me. Something about the coolness of it was calming to me and it also helped with nausea and headaches. Another thing that I also find helpful is to have a person to call who understands what you're going through, particularly during a panic attack. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you "You're going to be fine, this will pass etc."

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Thu, 05-24-2007 - 1:18am
yes there was something that tripped all of this off.I had went to my dr complaning about head pressure and not feeling like myself and all these symptoms so she decided to put me on paxil 40mg and effexor 37.5 for the first week then higher the effexor to 75mg and lower the paxil to 20mg.I started taking it and felt that it was to much so i went back on the lower dose of effexor and stayed on the 20mg paxil.Then one night all of a sudden i started thinking about suicide because of the way i felt then it brought on a horrible panic attacks which i was throwing up constantly,diahrea,dizzy,felt like my eyes wanted to roll in the back of my head like my body just wanted to give out.I thought i was going to die.I too am on clonezapam and it wasnt helping so i went to the hospital and they did nothing for me.Ever since that happend i havent been feeling like myself and i dont like it because i havent been to work and its affecting my job.I have been on medication since i was 15 and now im 22.I have used effexor in the past when i was youner and got up to 250mg then got switched back to paxil.Everything was going great for me until this happend and now its like you have to try to dig yourself out of a deep hole which takes time.I dont like to take the clonezapam but when i have to i do.Every night i try to go to sleep i feel so sick!!I hate feeling like this and i dont think my dr knows what shes doing!! So i came on here to seek some help and see what other people go through
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Thu, 05-24-2007 - 1:22am
I too find it helpful that being somewhere cold helps and my dads fiance has gone through this before too and she tries to help me through it.When i get panic attacks i go crazy like mental.Do you ever get that feeling like your head hurts so much that your brain just wants to explode??? i get that all the time its not like a headache its more pressure on the brain like something needs to get realesed off of it.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2003
Thu, 05-24-2007 - 6:19am
I don't know that it expresses itself in the exact same way but sometimes it feels almost like I have a fever. I think also maybe the coldness gives me a sense of being back in reality or something, feel more grounded.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Thu, 05-24-2007 - 8:13am

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Nice to see you, Mookie;) We appreciate your support! GL & GBU! (((hugs))) jan

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