I’ve recently been getting panic/anxiety attacks. I haven’t been diagnosed by a doctor or therapist yet, as it’s only been a couple weeks that I’ve realized what they are.

They first started when I was smoking marijuana. I realized I was getting these weird symptoms when smoking, so I stopped, about a month or so ago. (I have no inclination to smoke again.)

However, now I’m realizing I’ve been getting minor ones here and there, with seemingly no trigger. Last night was the worst I’ve had without smoking. It started when I was at a restaurant with my fiance and some friends, and it lasted at least an hour, with about five to ten minutes of the worst symptoms, and the time after just feeling shaky and feeling like my heart was fluttery, and I was left with a general feeling of being disconnected from the rest of the world.

I’m looking for suggestions, tips, hints, etc. for dealing with these attacks. What to do when you feel the onset, while they’re happening, coming down completely after, etc. A link to sites with help for this would be highly appreciated.

Also, a major fear I now have is that I’m in Boston visiting family for the holidays, and travelling back to Seattle tomorrow evening, with a 3-hour layover. I had some little minor attacks on the way over, but now that I’ve had this big one, I’m afraid of a repeat should we hit turbulance or have a rough takeoff ot landing or the like. I am travelling with my fiance, so if there’s anything I could coach him in for helping me, he’d be there and willing to help.

For some background info, I have asthma and allergies, take OTC allergy pills, singulair, advair, albuterol, and was just diagnosed with Addison’s Disease and take prednisone (and one other pill, whose name I cannot recall as I type this).

Again, ANY real help would be extremely appreciated!!
For those of you who dislike reading full questions, let me emphasize: I STOPPED smoking marijuana about a month ago!
Thanks!!

Tags: addison, albuterol, allergies, allergy pills, asthma, background info, couple weeks, fear, fiance, holidays, inclination, otc, panic anxiety, prednisone, rest of the world, seattle tomorrow, singulair, smoking marijuana, takeoff, tomorrow evening

This will be sketchy at best to try and keep it short. I have three very young APBT that came to me through rescue. They were dropped at the animal control shelter, the age was lied about and they managed to survive their five days there with a lot of help from rescue and the AC officers.
I know this is not a lot to go on, but the pups have been seen by our vet and we know what is wrong. They were BRUTALLY abused before being dumped. We are in awe they survived the assault. We are resting their digestive tracts and are currently on a bland diet of rice with a little chicken or hamburger after we gradually progressed from IV feedings. Their intestinal tract was THAT severely injured.
They are now thriving at last. I have them in my house as they have been cleared, but still keep them in the "puppy room." The vet cautioned they would be extremely attached to each other and they are. I have to remove one at the time for the treatments they are receiving and while one is gone the others literally whine and howl the entire time. They use the bathroom continuously during this time, and the shammies I use are soaked at the end of the ordeal. We got through this four times a day. I am not complaining, but do want them to feel secure.
My brain is on overload right now with all that has happened in the last couple weeks, so are there any suggestions on helping the three little ones deal with this severe anxiety attack. When I say the next, please remember they are a rescue from animal control. The pups are barely six weeks old.
Thanks in advance.
Curtis, I thought you knew me better. I am not talking about basic seperation anxiety that children suffer. How many abused animals have you dealt with in your few short years?
Oops…my last add got cut off…and Curtis I did not ask how to raise them as I know how to do that. The question was What can ease the anxiety they are feeling for the time being. As for what the fear is coming from, I am assuming they are worried when one goes they may be next and they may be going to get more of the same abuse they have learned is a part of their lives.

Tags: abused animals, animal control shelter, anxiety attack, apbt, awe, bland diet, couple weeks, digestive tracts, few short years, intestinal tract, little chicken, little ones, ordeal, puppy room, seperation anxiety, severe anxiety, six weeks, thanks in advance, vet, whine

I get anxiety attacks when I feel trapped, so I am nervous about a cruise I’m taking in a couple weeks & the plan ride to get there. Does anyone have any tips for handling anxiety attacks while traveling? Medication doesn’t really agree with me, so that’s probably not an option.

Tags: amp, Anxiety Attacks, couple weeks, cruise, medication

I had smoked weed probably ten times untill i got my first panic attack. When i got it, my heart started racing, and i began telling myself it wasnt normal even though it probably was. Then it got worse, i felt like my heart was skipping beats, double beating, and i felt as though my heart was going to explode. I thought i was having a heart attack from the marijuana. I kept rubbing my chest, rocking back and forth… i was freaking out. I woke up my mom, and begged her to bring me to the hostpital. She called 911 and asked if i was having a heart attack and they guessed it was an extreme case of a panic attack. She comforted me for 4 hours before i passed out. I was shaking, my lips were blue, it was literally THE scariest moment of my life. I honestly thought i was going to die. So, afterwards i vowed i would never smoke weed again because of not only how pissed my mom was but what it did to me. But, a couple weeks later i got the same panic attack except not as bad while i was watching tv. It went away after a half hour or so but i continued to have these panic attacks 3 or 4 times a month and i stopped smoking weed. after seeing a councellor i managed to cure the panic attacks and i havent had one for 6 months. So my question is, why did the marijuana give me a panic attack? Will i ever be able to smoke again without reliving another one? Is there anything i can/should do to prevent them? I still have a little anxiety even though i dont have any more panic attacks, will that go away eventually?

Tags: 911, anxiety, councellor, couple weeks, extreme case, half hour, having a heart attack, heart attack, hostpital, lips, marijuana, mom, moment of my life, panic attack, smoking weed, watching tv

I am on Zoloft for anxiety disorder. The side effect was at first a decrease in OCD symptoms and depression for two and a half years. When I went from 50mg to 100mg due to depression, the OCD symptoms seem to increase.

After a recent twenty day stay in the hospital due to pneumonia complications, I have returned home and back to my normal schedule. For almost two weeks I was without Zoloft. Though I was sedated for a bit of that time, I was OCD free for about two-three weeks of awake time. I felt free of OCD finally for the first time in twenty years. After a couple weeks of taking the medication again, my mood seems slightly down and my OCD seems to be back again.

My symptoms aren’t life altering, but they are annoying. I understand that after suffering a traumatic experience heightened OCD is normal, but could Zoloft be irritating my condition?

Does anyone know of similar experiences?

Thank you in advance .

Tags: Anxiety Disorder, awake time, couple weeks, depression, experiences, medication, ocd symptoms, pneumonia, traumatic experience, twenty years, two and a half years, zoloft

I had anxiety attacks when I was much younger, but those were caused by the death of my mother. In the last couple weeks I’ve started having them out of the blue – I’ll be sitting at work sorting emails and suddenly have one. In the last week I’ve also started getting dizzy spells for no appearant reason, too. What could cause these and how do you take care of them? I have an appointment to get into the doctor next Monday….

Tags: Anxiety Attacks, appointment, couple weeks, dizzy spells, out of the blue