[SJ6820]

Hey all,

About six months ago I went to the hospital with what I thought was a heart attack. I'm only 24 and I've never had any serious health problems. At the time, I was a few months away from mairrage and a surgery which had been stressing me a bit, but not overwhelmingly. Anyway, I came home from work one day and felt terrible. Then...out of nowhere...my heart let off several massive beats and a feeling of numbness and dizziness swept over me...kind of like I was in a completely different state. Not ever having experienced this, I panicked and went to the ER....by the time I got in the ambulance my limbs were numb and i had a terrible pain in my upper abdominals...I went through a series of tests at the hospital and everything came back normal except that my pottasium was low. This made sense becuase I had worked 12 hours that day and was surely dehydrated and pourly nourished. I believe the final diagnosis was indeed a panic attack. In the days following...the feeling returned....although never that intense. But it would sort of build up during the day and then a few times I would snap into "panic mode"...which if you haven't had it, is like someone flipping a switch and then all of the sudden you're in an awful, indescribable state. To shorten this up I'll get to the point. Eventually I went to a psychiatrist who seemed overwhelmingly convinced that I did infact have panice disorder. My current state is this. I take xanx every day and when I'm on it, I never have symptoms. When it leaves my system after about 10 or 12 hours, I begin to feel dizzy and as time goes on, it seems like my cognitive abilities go more and more downhill, until I get to the point where i feel like I could have an attack. Now ordinarily, this discomfort compells me to take another xanx, and then 20 minutes later, i'm fine again. My concern is that there is never a time when the xanax wheres off and I feel normal. Whether I'm thinking about it or not...when that chemical leaves my system, the symptoms start in. There was one time that I left my prescription out of town and didn't have access to it for 48 hours. By the time I got it, I was in a ridiculously pathetic state. I don't know what would happen if I just stopped taking it, but with work and now grad school, I haven't had the luxury of testing that out. Has anyone else had similar experiences? I would appreciate any and all thoughts on the matter.

Thanks All

[tamara02]

Hi Im Sorry abt your attacks just wanted to let you know ,Dont stop this med,cold turkey talk w/your dr.first and Taper down ,dont please do not stop taking this med,abruptly,Tamm

[mpvt]

Tam is absolutely right,don't cold turkey this med as is can be fatal.You need to see your doctor asap.In my opinion it's not a good thing to be on a benzodiazepine 24\7.There are other ways to deal with panic attacks.I had them in my 20's and they can come out of nowere and scare the hell out of ya.Xanax is to mind alterering and can cause blackouts after prolonged use.There is a docotr Ashton who has a manual on quitting benzo's.She suggests going to valium (diazepam) and then begin a slow detox.Google "The Ashton Manual" and you will get the address.Also make sure that you see someone about the anxiety attacks before you even try getting off the benzo's as they are your only defense to the attacks.I was lucky as I either grew out of them or whatever was bothering me went away.Good luck....Dave

[SJ6820]

Well, ok...I'll taper down then. I have no problem trying that. I'll check out the ashton manual as well. I spent the first 24 years of my life on no meds whatsoever, and I'd like to get back to that ASAP. The anxiety attacks are an odd thing, thats for sure. Thanks for the advice.

SJ

[candrews922]

For panic attacks in particular, Paxil is a good medication. I have been on it since 1998, and have had no real side effects. My labido isn't what it once was, and you don't want to miss doses too often, but other than that you just feel normal again. I carried xanax around with me for awhile, as a security blanket so to speak. I took it if I felt anxious, just because I couldn't deal with that feeling anymore at all. But I had 3 attacks in one day when I was put on the Paxil, and my tolerance for anxiety was about zip for a long while afterwards. These SSRI meds are not like narcotics, but you do have to ween off them when you feel the time is right. I am presently going to be switching to cymbalta, but I am 47, with chronic pain from a messed up back and other ********. Cymbalta is used to treat chronic pain associated with diabetes neuropathy so my doc wants me to try it. I on the other hand would like help with my pain, but I don't want to go back to anxiety land either. I have xanax for now while I undergo the transition, and for a blood pressure problem I was developing, from pain and stress. Anyway. Paxil worked great for me for years and I didn't have to take anything else. It seemed to help my stomach, which I had always had problems with, my female cycle. Overall it really made my whole body more normal. Good luck.

[elizabethmaria]

Hi,
DO NOT GO ON ANY ANTIDEPRESSANTS!!! I don't care what anyone says, but check out the Lexapro Withdrawal forum under 'featured conditions' in this site... Read the research there on what has happened to people, and check out www.antidepressantsfacts.com website (get the spelling correct) in case you are ever tempted....Whatever you do - DON"T do that, it is hell for many people, whether they had a bad reaction or not, going off the meds is horrible... I had a terrible reaction, and with Xanax combined, nearly killed me... --- I have had panic attacks before, but DO not let someone just label you with an 'anxiety disorder' .... things like that happen for a reason.. My panic attack came from an unknown bad reaction to sleeping medication, -- so you need to check out what you were on at the time of the first panic attack - any kind of medication (sleeping meds will do it for some, wow, it can be bad I know.. just over the counter kinds..) even for the last 3-6 months (some 'reactions' to drugs, including especially anxiety, don't show up until 3 months later -- then the patient/doctor, misdiagnosing the problem, will prescribe more meds, when the brain is actually attempting to heal at that time)... as some meds stay in your system a very long time... Going off Xanax will give you panic problems, you have to find out how to taper, but get off right away - Once you are free and clear of any drugs for at least 6 months to a year, then if you have any panic/anxiety problems, check out the multitudes of advice, prayer, etc.. to understand truely what may be going on and work through it properly - otherwise you are setting yourself up for a really awful time!!
I KNOW that panic attacks can be terrible, I fully understand the pain... but one has to understand that the human body doesn't just flip into a panic attack for no reason, and if you were fine for 24 years, something (not a 'life issue most likely, as you have plenty of experience to overcome things by that time) triggered it (though I KNOW it seems like it's in your own head, it's not!) - check all meds taken at that time, and do some research - if any mention 'anxiety' as a side effect, that was probably it -- I never would have thought that sleeping med could produce such a incredible attack, and delayed at the time -- several weeks later even... but now that I have been clear for months, there is no anxiety ever, and I feel completely normal again... But just be careful, as doctors seem to love to prescribe those meds for anything, and they can wreak havoc on your system -- I unfortunately am still having seizures from my drug reaction ... no fun, but learned some good lessons! At least my mind is at peace though and normal again...
Sorry to write so much, but I just want to help, and make sure you don't get off on the wrong path like so many others - (me included for a while) -- I'm just 28, and know that there is stress in life, but we can handle it just fine - just watch those meds!! Research, research, research --- on the adverse effects of Xanax and other drugs, and I'll keep you in my prayers...

lots of love,
Elizabethmarie