what now

Hi brightonxbirdx,

A warm welcome to the Forum.

Your last message didn't get on to the board, must have disappeared in the ether!

So you used to be confident, and a nursery supervisor, but things have become harder since you've started having these unpleasnt feelings.

As you may have noticed from reading the posts on this Forum a lot of people have had similar experiences and have overcome their panic attacks to once again feel calm and confident in those situations.

A good starting point is to have a look at the Panic Attacks Website, which many have found informative and useful.

You want to do something about it, but feel scared to go to the doctor, there are however other places to go for help, that may have an environment that is more comfortable for you. For example, many people have found great benefits from seeing a hypnotherapist who is trained in assisting people overcome panic attacks, so that you can once again feel calm and confident in situations that are now a challenge.

On the website I referred you to above, you can if you wish buy a CD/tape, which of course you could use at home.

Best wishes and let us know how things progress.

thanks for reply...but the problem is i havent been at work for 4 weeks therefore have no money...i live with my mum, and im not claiming benifits ie, dole, sick..etc seems a bit to much hassle at the moment..and i hear hypno therapy is quite expensive....any way i have made an appt at the docs..just hope he is "understanding"and dosent just give me diazapan...also wondering about this pa place in brighton...can i go there?

You family GP should really know everything your family has been through and therefore know the best solution for you. Diazepam is just a short term measure, the real cure takes time, but does work. I know any hope seems futile at this time but you've got to keep at it and you will overcome it. Everything you described in the post above is very stereotypical of the disorder, I even know of one woman who quit a £40,000 a year job for a £12,000 a year job just because it was closer to home. If you haven't already, check out www.panic-attacks.co.uk as it helped me a great deal. Good luck!

well i went to the docs this evening...had a panic attack in the waiting room...like you do!!...(i was the only one there thank god!)and yes he used the line "what do u think is wrong with you?"!!!..signed me a prescription for 40 diazapam..and gave me a handout about stress and depression...when i got to the pharmacist he was basically telling me not to take them and if i do dont take them for more than 3 weeks...?..what is one to do???!!!
got home and feel quite good for a change!..doubt i'll take the pills...just have to wait and see.......to be cont.

CHANGE DOCTERS!! The dude you're seeing now is clearly not fit to be one. I went to the docters today and I was given a new drug called Cipralex, which is DESIGNED for all anxiety disorders and depression. I need to see a psychiatrist aswell, which is fine by me, I'v been telling myself that for years. So, I suggest you change docters, ask him about these pills and what he thinks of counselling etc. Sounds like this docter of yours is a real prick.

PS: You shouldn't take Diazepam for more than 2 weeks, because it is VALIUM and you will become addicted. One thing you don't need right now is going cold turkey on valium. I'd sue the guy.

thanks for reply..i dont think i will take diazapam...its not going to solve anything, the doc said take it easy on alcohol then rams 40 diazapams practically down my neck??...o and and sick note till next week..cheers!..but i will mention the other medicine ciprelex...at my next appt which is on thurs.
Also is there anything herbal or involved with what i eat or what i should be eaten to help less the anxiety
thanks for your replys ...ps my doctor is a bit of a prick your right!!! :lol:

The only thing I know of that those with anxiety should avoid is certain types of artificial sweetner. Large amounts of caffeine probably doesn't help much either, so I'd suggest avoiding coffee and coca cola for a while. Theres a good site which helped me with this during the last month called www.anxietypanic.com, which explains these things much better than I can. Also, run the names Cipralex and Escitalopram through a search engine so that you know what they're all about before asking your docter about them. Good luck.
-Adrian-

P.S There's no immediate danger of becoming addicted to diazepam in the short term so if you feel particuarly anxious then take one. It's only until thursday afterall

went to the docs...and no panic attack in the waiting room!!! the doctor signed me off till the 11th june..and put me on the counselling waiting list which is 5 weeks...not bad really...does anybody now of any others in brighton..would it be free?..also the doc suggested i go on incapacity benefits ..god the stress involved with all that when your trying to deal with anxiety, depression, panic attacks..whatever it is and you have all this on your plate aswell..been to dss, job centre no one has a clue!!..getting there slowley but surley, just cant wait to feel normal again, getting back to work and getting my life back on form.
cant remember your name but i think ur know as dude..are u working?..and how you feeling these days?

Hello,
I'm a student but took a year out of school this year to get my life sorted out. With any luck I'll be back in education at the end of this year. I have a part time job as a cleaner, which paid for my beer and self medication before I decided to get help at last (it's been bothering me since I was 13, I'm now 17). It's still really hard though, the mood swings are the worst I suppose, sometimes I feel as if everything is getting sorted out and other times I feel dangerously low. On the whole I'm plodding on though, I haven't had a panic attack for a while now, I still get spouts of anxiety that make me throw up though.
My problem is that I don't have a social phobia or any kind of phobia that brings on panic attacks. The problem with me is my body (sounds strange I know). I mean, I worry constantly about death and disease and even about taking medication. Everytime I get anxious I go to the emergency room, just because I feel safe when I'm there and it only seems to happen at night. I put this down to my father dying of a heart attack 2 years ago, after putting off facing it and denying it all, I thnk it's finally caught up with me which obviously made me 50 times worse than I already was. Like you, I also have to go to a shrink type person in a few weeks. I also have to have blood tests and urine tests to make sure I'm not eneemic (dont know how to spell that ) which didn't do me any favours and just gave me something else to worry about. My hypochondria got so bad I even had an ECG scan on my heart just to put my mind at rest. I'm very lucky to have such a good docter and nurse taking care of me I suppose. Now I'm just waiting for the cipralex to do it's stuff so I can get better. Depression is a horrible thing, but there are solutions. It's when I told myself it was incurable that I felt my lowest, so just keep telling yourself you'll get better and you will.
-Adrian-