DSM3KIDZ Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Did your attacks begin before your illness or during your illness? Did you stop having attacks after starting an SSRI? I have been having alot of panic and anticipatory anxiety that I never had before. I always had the normal illness anxieties but not where I get these attacks when I go places.I think alot has to do with my anxiety since it doesn't happen at home (in my comfort zone). If it were more my illness than I think it would happen at home also but I think my illness plays a huge part because when I'm out I am overstimulated very easily as most of us are than the physical sensation of being overwhelmed causes me to catastrophize what I'm physically feeling than my mind takes over and freaks out.I'm feeling really discouraged about this. I have enough standing in the way of my everyday responsibilities with this illness I don't have the energy to deal with panic disorder or whatever it's called.Anyone successfully overcome this? How? I just started zoloft 25mg 3 wks ago but am not seeing any benefit yet and my counselor has been teaching me relaxation techniques for CBT.Does anyone know why this would happen out of nowhere? Is my illness worsening?Also I'm so sick of everyone telling me..........well, it's always something. Can't they think of anything better to say? That hurts my feelings and makes me feel like they don't believe me or think I'm crazy and I'm not........I hope.Need encouragementDayna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylortotmom Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hi, Dayna. This is definitely something to be discussed with your counselor. Zoloft may or may not be the right drug for you but she needs to know you are experiencing increased anxiety attacks away from home. Sometimes, our unconscious fear of having an anxiety attack in public results in us doing just that (self-fulfilling prophecy). Anxiety attacks are extremely common and I'm sure your therapist can help you get a handle on these- I'm sure they are scary. Good luck.Carmen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM3KIDZ Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Thanks Carmen I have been meeting with him weekly so he knows all that is going on. ThanksDayna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gena Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 HI. I can relate to what you're going through. For me, the frequency of the anxiety/attacks did eventually subside. They will come back if I'm in a really bad POTs hole! My anxiety anticipatory panic attacks started happening AFTER I became sick with dysautonomia. I NEVER had any problems with it before.I hope you find a med that works.I take Klonopin at night sometimes before I got to sleep and that seems to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferInOhio Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Hi there. So sorry you are dealing with anxiety attacks in addition to POTS. I began having anxiety attacks about 9 years ago. Way before POTS symptoms. The attacks don't seem to happen any more often now that I have POTS. I'm sorry I don't have any med advice for you. I have never taken any for the attacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aprilmarie52 Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I only have anxiety attackt whey I am experiencing really bad POTS symptoms. I take zoloft, and I can definately tell a difference, but they have not completely gone away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM3KIDZ Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Maybe my pots symptoms are really bad right now causing the increased anxietyDayna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenwclark Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I am easily overstimulated in general, and even more so when I'm having a POTS flare-up. I've also noticed that the more tired I get the harder it is to head off an anxiety attack. So if I push myself to do too much one day, I can still manage the anxiety, but if I push for 3 days in a row I have less control. I haven't had a full-blown anxiety attack since I dropped out of school a year ago, so clearly overdoing it was part of the problem.I find that even with my current limited daily activities, I still need to take a day off now and then. I can kind of feel when the stress is building up in me, and things just get harder and harder to deal with emotionally until I have a day when I can just do what I feel like, instead of having a list of tasks to be done. I realize that can be harder to arrange when you have kids or other people depending on you.I hope you and your therapist can get this sorted out. You may still get help from meds -- your Zoloft dose is very low right now.spike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM3KIDZ Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Maybe I'm just experiencing POTS symptoms and it's not anxiety attacks. Who knows, I guess time will tell.Dayna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.