Some EXTREME Anxiety Experience Here.

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   joween18posted 9 years ago

   Hello there, just wanted share these aweful experience with panic attack. I was going to school when I suddenly feel irritated, then anxious and suddenly my body became numb and I can't move. I started screaming because I think I was dying, I had difficulty breating and the other passenger helped me by massaging my feet and arms. My control came back later and I was rushed to a hospital. The doctor then said it was just a hyperventilation syndrome but I don't believe him. I was put to rest and later, discharged. Hours passed, when I am eating with my parents, I started to feel shaky again. Then suddenly I became really anxious for no apparent reason and then rushed to another hospital. There, the paralysis and numbness happened again, which feared me to death. I literally thinking that I am dying! I started to be hysterical, though I can't move. I also felt my heart stop beating and restarting with an abnormal very fast beat.
   
   The doctor referred me to a much larger hospital, all vital signs are NORMAL, ECG, 2DECHO, ect. but when the doctor takes my CBC, I was later diagnosed with hypokalemia (low potassium), hypocalcemia (low calcium) and an anxiety disorder by a neurologist. I was then taking medication with clonezapam a quarter of a 2mg tablet. The whole experience is really frightening and I think I developed something they agoraphobia where I avoid places that I think an attack can happen... especially riding alone again!

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      arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      don't let the agoraphobia take over your life. get out there ... face your fears and get over it.
      
      medication has so many side effects... take it for a while but please don't depend on it forever. do something about it now before it gets worse. best of luck.

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         psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Clinical anxiety is not the kind of fear you just face and get over.  Suggesting that it is trivializes the experience of someone who just had a full blown panic attack.  It is like telling someone having a stroke to just walk it off.
         
         Symptoms this severe require an actual professional treatment plan done in the office and informed by full medical history and may or may not involve pharmaceuticals. Just like with any serious medical condition. 
         
         The fact the condition relates to the brain does not make it fundamentally different from whether it relates to some other organ.  Sometimes drugs are part of the best possible treatment plan.

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            arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Joween mentioned this...
            
            "I think I developed something they agoraphobia where I avoid places that I think an attack can happen... especially riding alone again!"
            
            It sounds like its a mental game to me and he can overcome it... Maybe he would be better off going to an NLP expert or a hypnotherapist or something on those lines. Sure use the drugs as a back up, but keep finding alternative ways to get it out of the system.
            the main purpose is to not end up relying on tablets all his life for something he could have overcome with very little guidance.

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               joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Yep you are correct about this. I am pretty aware of my anxiety and doing my best to get rid of it. It just go to full throttle this couple of days. Medication is my only option right now.  No words can control my body's electrolyte imbalances right now.
               I will to try to fight my agoraphobia days from now, because I still have the hangover of the last extreme attack. I do not want to have an attack in public places.

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                  arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  yeah i guess you definitely need some time to recover first. once your potassium/calcium deficiencies are sorted and under control you can explore other avenues.
                  please look into NLP and other methods that may help. there are many videos on youtube, its a way to keep your mind busy.  best of luck to you, i'm sure you will overcome it soon.

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               psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               As a psychologist it seems to me like just what the doctor who actually treated this person diagnosed it as and I am not sure how you see symptom that send a person to the ER as anything so trivial.  A panic attack which is a serious symptom of an anxiety disorder which should be dealt with by the person and their medical professionals jointly deciding a treatment plan.  Including drugs during the crisis phase is totally sensible and stopping them suddenly is extremely unwise.

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                  arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  you are right... it is unwise to stop medication suddenly.

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                     joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     I had meds once, 30 tablets of 2mg clonzepam.. but once it was gone out, and for about three days since the last tablet I started to feel the symptoms of anxiety again.... this time, with vengeance. Now I am retaking it again but with small doses as the doctor advised. Hopefully, by March 24, the doctor will tell me what to do and he could suggest some alternative treatments, rather than this medication with slight consequences.

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                        arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        yeah if you're on the tablets then follow the doctors orders as best as you possibly can. Definitely talk to your doc on the 24th about alternate methods and he/she may be able to give you better advice than anyone of us here, and share your progress with us.
                        
                        Just incase you missed the link i posted while speaking to Kathryn. I'm not sure if it will help you at all, but its something to think about.
                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tu9nJmr4Xs
                        
                        I just read your post about drinking milk instead of clonzepam ... lol ... never do that. if you're following the doctors orders - always as best as you possibly can, when the prescribed period is over then try alternates. if you feel the doc's medication isn't working then you can try something else too... but don't stop if its working.

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      promisemposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I have a suggestion based on decades of dealing with certain people who have had severe mental health issues. First and foremost, take personal responsibility in improving your mental health and rely on medication and professional help only as part of a bigger solution.
      
      Daily cardio exercise reduces stress and anxiety. A healthy diet provides essential nutrients for brain function that may be depleted. Meditation (twice a day, 20 minutes at a time is best) has been thoroughly proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Read, reflect and mindfully look for thoughts or moments that trigger the attack.
      
      If you don't take personal responsibility and make yourself part of the solution, you will find that solving the problem only by relying on professional help will be much harder.
      
      There are good doctors and therapists in the world, and there are some bad ones as well. The bad ones are too quick to write a prescription. If the only answer you are getting is that you go on medication, that answer is completely unacceptable. Among my many experiences is helping someone break their addiction to Xanax because their psychiatrist simply wrote prescriptions for everything.
      
      A comprehensive approach that includes personal responsibility, medication and professional help will get the best results.

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         arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         It's the ones that keep prescribing medication are the types i'm afraid of... sadly there are a little too many of them around.
         
         I completely agree with your excellent advice.

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         joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I think I am radical enough to think of that (no offense intended) but it is easy to say to relax if you are not that person who is suffering. Anxiety disorder is like the sound of a train coming. Once it started to sound, it continues until you cannot hear anything but the sound of the train passing by. It covers you with fear and terror. Literally! Now I am coping to let those thoughts slide and will try to ignore them as much as possible. But there are times that it can easily control my mind.

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            promisemposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Joween, no offense meant in return, but I have been deeply involved in far more serious situations and do not take your condition lightly.
            
            Please understand that I'm not trying to tell you simply to relax but instead be aware of many, many steps you can take on your own. I'm glad you aware of the fact that you can make a difference with your own efforts. It's the first step among many.
            
            I truly wish you better times ahead.

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   Uzochukwu Mikeposted 9 years ago

   Sorry. God can do all things. Take Your drug, pray to God and contact others to help in prayer.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Deleted
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         wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/129377

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            arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            i lost about an hours sleep last night after reading that forum post.

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               Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               I am very sorry. I was too short with the explanation. I didn't mean stop abruptly. I meant eventually it would be good to get off medication altogether. My actual advice is to gradually wean the body of the drug.  Apply positive thinking and the will to get better. Will to be healthy mentally and physically. Will has much to do in improving your actual health as far as what I have experienced in my life.  Of course, I am not a doctor and all of our advice is just our own recommendations based on our own selves and the experiences which have worked for us.
               
               In my view, the more people come on with natural cures the better. I had a concussion and it triggered anxiety for some reason. I really had to work with it. The doctors wanted me to go on this and that medication, but I refused. What worked for ME? To calm down I did this: I laid down and put three large rocks from my yard on my body:  forehead, sternum and stomach. It worked immediately to help me feel grounded.  Try it when you feel anxious for any reason and get back to us if it works! I agree with promisem who explained the value of nutrition, meditation and supplements...  more calcium and magnesium etc. will eventually help. You might see a nutrionist. My doctor told me to take Vitamin B 12 and Vitamin D based on blood work tests. Get plenty of sleep! And don't over work on computers.
               
               Just advice from a person who knows very little about this stuff.

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                  arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  oh then we're on the same page. natural is the way to go for me too... and not to rely on the drugs unless you don't have any other option.
                  
                  the link wilderness posted was quite shocking though. i'm glad that's not what you meant.

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                     Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     Yes, drugs can help us in many situations, especially antibiotics. As far as the baby in that post he should have been given antibiotics. But, if you can avoid even antibiotics, you'll be better off in the long run.  For myself, I do not do antibiotics and heal every ailment naturally. But, I have done much research on natural cures. I especially know how to avoid such ailments as arthritis, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
                     
                     I knew a girl who heard voices in her head. On drugs she felt horrible. She got off the the drugs somehow or other and learned to ignore the voices. She seemed fine to me.

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                        joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        I love to be natural too.. if they are really effective. I once tried to stop taking clonzepam, and decided to drink milk as an alternative. Didn't work... hehe

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                        arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        I had to take a 3 day antibiotic course last year after about 4 years of steering clear of antibiotics. The cut i had was a little too deep and i didn't want the swelling to get worse. the antibiotics must have killed some underlying bugs too because i felt really good after the 3 day course.
                        
                        I hope you've written hubs about avoiding arthritis, high blood pressure and high blood sugar and other home remedies ... if you haven't already written about them then i hope you will (following you after i post this).
                        
                        Ignoring the voices was a wise move. I've also seen a number of similar cases ... its all about your mindset. I've managed to stop my very frequent sleep paralysis issues the same way. I saw a lady speak on ted.com recently who is a doctor but also believes caring for your body is the least important part of your life.
                        
                        If you have time enjoy the clip. Jowee this would be good for you too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tu9nJmr4Xs

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                           Kathryn L Hillposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           I watched the video and loved it. I took these notes:
                           We need to care for body, mind, soul and tune into the divine spark within us that knows the truth. Body is the stone at the top. It's balance/health depends on you discovering what you need and who you are. Allow self to heal from the inside out. Ultimately, we must write our own prescription.
                           
                           Anyone can benefit from being aware of the truths presented here by Lissa, a doctor.
                           
                           (Worth repeating:
                           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tu9nJmr4Xs)
                           Thanks for the clip, arksys, and thanks for the encouragement to write.)

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                              arksysposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              I'm glad you liked it. I look forward to reading your hubs. Take care and God Bless.

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      joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your enlighting message. As a catholic, I believe God can do things about this. But I must also do my part.

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   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   It is a very very very bad idea to stop taking clonazepam suddenly, potentially fatal.
   
   It is very scary to have a sudden, intense anxiety disorder.  I have been there and the stress of coping with what your brain is doing can be very confusing and disorienting. But most of us get through it and either completely resolve or successfully manage the condition. It is a good idea to build a support team to help you, including a doctor who will guide you through a transition from the medicines that help with the crisis to whatever lifestyle, behavioral, psychological and perhaps pharmaceutical tools will help you thrive in the long term.

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      joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Its my fault to not following danger signs of stopping clonezapam. I already have taken 30 pieces of 2mg doses of clonzepam for more than a month. I stopped it without knowing its great consequences, now I am back taking it but only a quarter of a tablet 2x for 3 days, and once on the fourth day and so on, until my next check up in March 24.

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   Aime Fposted 9 years ago

   I'm sorry. My family has a long history of anxiety and I've experienced some pretty major bouts of anxiety myself. There are certain unavoidable situations which I know are "triggers" for me and I dread them for days when I know I'll have to do them. But over time I've learned to manage it as best as I can, mostly with the help of my family members who have been through the same thing.
   
   I have one family member who went through years and years of therapy but ultimately all that helped her was anti-anxiety medication. I'm a big believer in trying to manage things without medication if at all possible, but realistically, it's not always possible. It sounds like you're in the beginning stages of your anxiety so you'll probably have some exploring to do to figure out what works and what doesn't.
   
   And I completely agree with psycheskinner, you need to speak with your doctor before stopping any medication. They should be able to help you explore other options safely, if that's what you choose to do.

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      joween18posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The neurologist said that genetic factors can greatly increase the person on having an anxiety disorder. In my case, my father and mother told me that we have no history, (but I am thinking maybe in last last generation of my family). The neurologist also said that there is a connection between hypokalemia, hypocalcemia and anxiety. That is, potassium and calcium are electrolytes essential for the nerves. If these electrolytes became imbalanced it can greatly affect a person's anxiety disorder.. or it is the cause of the anxiety disorder.

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   joween18posted 9 years ago

   I like to share this to you hubbers, I am in our house right now, can't do anything but use my computer to distract myself from frightening thoughts. I am afraid in having a next attack and hopefully, I can overcome this by the end of this week. But I do have my meds so, I can relax a little bit. Anyway, thanks for me helping me out. I just posted this to relieve the pressure inside my mind.

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      psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi there.
      
      The first few days after an attack are very frightening.  Just hand in there.  It may not seem like it now but things will get better.  Make an appointment with a good specialist doctor or psychiatrist as soon as you can to start getting on top of things, even though it might seem impossible now.  It is okay to just get through it for now doing whatever helps you keep your mind occupied.  If you can think of any family member or friend who might be able to help you get in touch with them and explain what happened.  See if they will come with you to the doctor and maybe help out a bit while things are very hard.  You might be surprised how good people can be.

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   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   Taking personal responsibility means working with experts you trust to develop a treatment plan.  Not stopping your meds because someone online said exercise cures every anxiety disorder that exists. That really is the equivalent as telling someone with who got hit by a bus to jump up and just walk it off without checking first what their injuries are.
   
   When it gets beyond the crisis period then it is time to discuss how to build the best team, make the best treatment plan, and decide for yourself whether that should include pharmaceuticals.  As with any medical issue, drugs may or may not help any given individual.  For each person drugged out unnecessarily there is someone delirious and homeless who refused stabilizing meds. It goes both ways.

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      promisemposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Psycheskinner, if your comment is directed toward my previous post about exercise being one of the many things someone can do to relieve anxiety, I think we have a serious misunderstanding.

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