Panic attacks

[[Ru...]]

Does anyone get panic attacks while tapering?

 

If so how often do you have them.

 

Also who has bad anxiety most of the time during g the taper,

 

I barely get any windows if any at all and I just am losing hope that I will ever be ok and that what I am feeling is even wd related.

[[...]]

I got panic/anxiety through wd, acute and up through month 5! I just started month 6! It has greatly diminished over time, bit it has definitely been my worst and one of my last symptoms!

 

[[Ru...]]

Hey GMit, how often did you get them and did they also cause physical symptoms?

 

If so, what physical sx?

 

How did you deal with it?

[[...]]

I had a left side arm/shoulder pain, they lasted through my waves. Waves were constant month 1, a tad less month 2, etc. I had many of the sxs listed.

 

My last panic/anxiety was a couple of weeks ago, lasted an afternoon. After that I was in a wave till a couple of days ago, mostly feeling "blue".

 

In month 5 I had a 14 day window that was wonderful!

 

Let me know if you want to know anything else!

 

[[Ru...]]

Omg gmit, I get the left arm pain, chest pain and shortness or breath with minor heart palps.

 

Mine last a while too.

 

Your first month was one big panic attack?

 

Was the anxiety also almost constant.

 

Mine gets slightly better or worse to a panic state but never gone.

[[...]]

It was almost constant anxiety, leading to often panic...it gets less and less. It's benzo lies! Don't fall for whatever is taunting you, you will get better! I promise!

[[Ru...]]

Wow that is very tough, I am sorry but glad you are getting better.

 

It is benzo lies, just very tough.

 

Was this the same during your taper as well?

 

Big hugs

[[Tr...]]

I don't know if what I feel is a panic attack or anxiety.  My stomach feels willy, I feel an uncomfortable tingling sensation go up my legs to my shoulders.  And, feel like I'm waiting for something bad to happen.  Comes over me out of nowhere - every morning and lasts until night time.  Next day SAME thing.  Really unpleasant feeling.  Hands start to shake, heart starts racing, throat feels tight.  I hate it.

 

Try

[[...]]

I think it was, I honestly don't remember now!! I tapered quickly and all wrong, I just wanted off once my doc told me I was in wd!

 

Trying, sounds like anxiety. I never had panic/anxiety/depression prior to benzos! I definitely got hit getting off them!!

[[Tr...]]

GMIT,

 

It's a horrible feeling.  It's very intense.  An all day kind of thing.  Yuck!!!

 

Try

[[...]]

You jumped last month?

[[Ru...]]

I know try, it is very intense and won't leave for even just a second to give me a break.

 

Could it still be Ativan wd for both of us?

 

And I did have some anxiety before benzos but never depression or panic and not like this.

 

The only time I had really bad anxiety before was another time when I ctd Ativan

 

 

 

[[...]]

It is the Ativan, (I was on Lorazepam the generic for Ativan)!

 

It's very hard, but part of wd! It will ease over time! Biggest thing is to know it's wd!

 

[[Ru...]]

No both try and I did a direct cross from Ativan after 4 years, to myself v and she k.

 

So in essence we both ct the Ativan to another benzo but both of us are suffering greatly.

 

I am really wondering if it is the Ativan wd still for both of us.

 

And yes I was on loraz

[[...]]

It's typical wd in general! Many who taper off of any Benzos go,through this same thing!

 

I'm sorry for you both having to go through this!!

 

[[Ru...]]

Thanks gmit, I guess the up side is we are both a month off Ativan.

 

How long were you on it for?

[[...]]

About 3 years. Looks like a shorter time for you!

[[Ru...]]

No I think I was on it about the same amount of time.

[[Pr...]]

my biggest problem is the panic attacks.  Before i found BB's, i had no clue what was happening.  Racing heart, high BP, basically freaking out.  I was dying from a heart attack every night.  But after finding this site, reading the info and learning that it is all because of the pill, i have seemed to calm down some.  There is a sense of release knowing that i am not alone and others like me are out there.  I still struggle with the anxiety feelings.  heart beats fast, light headed and dizzy sometimes, etc.  but i am learning to cope with it and force myself to realize that it is because of the pills.  And especially now that i am tapering off.  I just switched from cutting a 1 mg pill to cutting a .5 mg tab.  That, for some reason, threw my body for a loop.  i am on day 2 of using the .5 mg to cut with.  I still have until the 25th before my next cut.  and i will be cutting by 10%.  I plan to use the time between now and then to learn natural methods to dealing with the anxiety.  I do have to say that i find chamomile tea very helpful.  It does take the edge off for me.  And i hate the taste.  But  i hate the feeling more.  So i drink it.  There is also L-Theanine.  it is also a natural supplement that is great.  However, with my BP pills, i have to be careful that i don't drop my BP too much.  You can try those for now if you would like.  They should help.  And this is coming from a man who as soon as he felt even the most slight increase in his pulse would freak out wondering why is my heart doing this.  Is this going to be it.  Am i having a heart attack now?  Truth is, no you are not. 

 

It is all benzo lies!!!!  Think of something positive, relax, read the Bible or meditate even.  Anything to take your mind off of it.  That is the only way i am making it right now.  And i have a long way to go before i jump.  But i am so looking forward to that. 

 

Good luck.  Keep me posted as we seem to have the same concerns on the subject. 

 

prman

[[Av...]]

I was prescribed Lorazepam (Ativan) for panic attaks. I have never had panic attaks in my life prior to a medical intervention called " vein embolization ." This was not a surgery, but they used a general anesthesia for that.

For sedation they usually use Midazolam (Versed), which is a benzo and is a part of the anesthesia. I believe it caused the panic attaks that I had just two days after the procedure.

During my taper with the Lorazepam, two or three times I was about to have panic attaks, but I already read how to cope with them and practiced what I learned, and it helped. There is a lot of information on the Internet about what we can do when a panic attak is about to start. I usually use the breathing method and trying to stay relaxed as mush as possible. Relaxing music helps a lot as well.

After I switched to Valium I didn't have any signs of panic attaks to come until recently when I reached 2 mgV . It was about 20 days ago, during my night sleep when I started feeling the same unpleasant symptoms of the panic attaks. At this time I didn't have the full blown panic attaks, but all the symptoms without the panic. They lasted for about three days. The same  thing happened again yesterday but starting  the night before that. This time they stoped before bedtime. Prof. Ashton describes this condition very well in the section with the withdrawal symptoms.

Here is a copy of this section:

"Heart and lungs. Palpitations, pounding heart, rapid pulse, flushing, sweating, and breathlessness are usual accompaniments of panic attacks, but may occur without panics. They do not signify heart or lung disease but are simply the expression of an overactive autonomic nervous system. Slow deep breathing and relaxation, as described under panic attacks, can do much to control these symptoms. Do not worry about them: they would be accepted as normal if you were running for a bus, and will do no more harm than if you really were!"

 

[[...]]

Tuesday I went for my allergy shot, had a reaction and was given 40 mg of prednisone! Got home and looked it up to find that it can be a problem for us!

 

Late morning I felt some anxiety come on...it was pretty bad, although nothing compared to what I've had in the past! It was definitely not good...

 

Thank goodness here it is mid afternoon and I can feel it fading!! Whew!

 

Just a note for all of you...DON'T TAKE PREDNISONE if you can avoid it!

 

Hopefully this will help someone know in advance!

 

[[Av...]]

My grandmother used to take Prednisone for her arthritis. This medicine caused to her a lot of anxiety and she didn't take anything else.

[[...]]

Thanks! I started a new thread about this under "Other medications" so that if anyone searches in the future they can get information on this!

 

This was just one dose! When I searched nothing addressed one dose!

 

[[Ch...]]

Paper bags!! paper bags guys, you literally neutralize panic attacks when you use a brown paper sack 

[[Ru...]]

Thank gosh I haven't had one today but the benzo brain games are insane.