What Is Normal?

[Grizzly]

Bad few days. Seems like everything is enraging. Silly little things. Plus I seem to be doubling down on the panic attacks the past few days. I'm called out to work last night and I loose concentration on the task at hand. Then storms came and I had an attack. Apparently I blacked out from hyperventilating. Cause I wasn't in the same place as I remember.

The panic attacks have NEVER been like this. I haven't had a beer for a few weeks now. Only other common denominator is the meds I am on. I told VA about this and they told me I needed to stick with it.

My meditation seems to help me keep focus but I need to be cognitive enough to stop what I'm doing and do it. I'm not sure what to do about this. I am very on edge from external noises and stimuli right now. I'm very worried about something. But I don't know what exactly.

Why? How could this be withdrawal from a 3 beer a week program. Could it be the Paxil?

 

[dutchiedelta]

Sorry you're going through this Grizzly. No real advice cos it's different for each of us.
Going off beer might have something to do with it. Even non PTSD people feel rotten when they stop drinking.
You being very worried, you did say things were not too peachy at home didn't you?
Add the world news and enough to be edgy.
Yes it's scary and utter crap to feel this way.

All I have to offer is sympathy, understanding and a listening ear. And having you know you're not on your own in this.
It still sounds like a cluster f*ck but hang in there. Vent, scream or whatever. Just hoping you leave the beer alone.

 

[JarHed]

Sometimes there isn't anything specific about what causes a panic attack. I get them out of the blue as well. You might want to research your meds as sometimes they can have certain side effects.

Passing out is bad, like I have to tell you. I get the racing heart beat and hyperventilating also. The only suggestion that I could make is this; when it starts it's like a train, goes slow but steady, with time and fuel it goes faster and faster till it gets to a point where it's almost impossible to stop. So, when it's just starting I don't try to figure out the why's and wherefores. I look for a place to sit or lie down if possible. Then I try to breath in regular breaths, even and deep but not too deep. Try not to let you mind feed that energy, try to think of something calming; a beach, a forest, you get the idea. It may take some practice but this scenario has helped me countless times. I guess what I'm saying is you have to develop a strategy for dealing with it. Hope this was of some help.

Jar

 

[Grizzly]

Thanks. The breathing exercises are working. I just need to practice I guess. The damn things are happening at very bad times. Usually when I'm working or driving. Then afterwards I'm exhausted. Like I ran a marathon.

The VA said it would take time for the meds to work. I'm scared the meds are causing it.

 

[OldDoorGunner]

Hey Grizzly, you may want to download the file I posted here Link Removed
Link Removed

It's good info on ssri's

J R

 

[JarHed]

I know that paxil is used to treat depression and as it is with all of those type of meds they do take time to work.

An anxiety attack is exhausting. I usually feel like that and kinda' beat up too. Keep practicing the breathing exercises, like everything it just take some time and persistence. And, of course, it's Murphy's law that these things always happen at the worse times. Had one in a crowded elevator once. Couldn't avoid the elevator. I just sometimes tell myself; 'I'm not going to die', although sometimes it feels like that. Total loss of control, perhaps that's what's so scary for me. Hang in there Bro.

 

[woodsie]

I remember getting depakote for anxiety and the shit made me want to jump off a bridge 4hrs after taking it. Good lord that shit was terrible. It was a whole different kind of crazy after taking that shit. So I quit it right then and there. Currently I take a half of olanzipine and the occasional ambien to sleep. The olanzipine works wonders for me and acts fast if I am in a tight spot. Also no nightmares or sweats.

I hope you get a handle on it brother.

 

[Friday]

Thanks. The breathing exercises are working. I just need to practice I guess. The damn things are happening at very bad times. Usually when I'm working or driving. Then afterwards I'm exhausted. Like I ran a marathon..

I jokingly call my panic attacks "The lazy man's exercise routine".

Heart rate 120+ for more than 20 minutes? Check.
Muscles in constant motion? Check
(hey, I don't even have to try! Just sit here and off they go on their own. Outstanding.)
Sweating? Check.
Breathing hard? Check.

I tried to inform my body that I'd rather be having sex, running a damn marathon, or you know...anything else... But my body is apparently UBER lazy. No, no, no. It informed me. This chair here (in front of MIL, Boss, Girl Scouts at the door, oncoming traffic in a stick shift, what have you) works just fine. Just sit back, relax, and watch us freak the f*ck out.

Apparently it's mostly cardiovascular. Because as a weightless routine, it totally sucks.

 

[dutchiedelta]

You could be on to something there Friday!
I take Atenolol at night to slow my heart down. Instead of a whir to individually heard beats :)
Muscles tensed? Outstanding, it's a blimmin workout.
That's the way to think about it.

 

[Sleeping Dragon]

The tough part in all of this is that the condition feeds on itself. The tension, anxiety and hyper-vigalence cause chemical changes that push the cognatiive process aside. The chemical changes cause more tension, anxiety and so on and so on.

Breaking the cycle is a real bitch. Meditation, excersice, cagnative reasoning, meds., trigger recognition and much more can help a great deal. But, ya can't meditate traveling 70 mph on the freeway.

But, ya can take the first exit and find a safe place to pull over. You can tell those around you that you need time to sort things out. You can leave the mall or theater, and find a better place. And yes, you can tell your boss you'll get back to business as soon as you can. But, right now they'll have to depend on someone else.

Can those actions cause more problems? DAMN RIGHT THEY CAN. But, continuing to fight without breaking that cycle will only make things worse. It took me years to admit that the civilian world held lots of traps that I had to avoid. I quit a high paying job, got away from coaching, and left politics behind because my life style was killing me. Until I made those changes I had no chance to deal with the baggage I picked up in the killing fields.

SD