Very OT: Anxiety Attacks

[Connie Z]

Well... they started a few months before the hurricane, and lately have gotten a lot worse.

 

I've never had them in my life, until this past year. (I'd had a couple of issues with getting an MRI, but that was it.) Matter of fact, I've never had hardly any physical symptoms of anxiety ever (I am a bass player, after all... naturally "laid back.")

 

I've also been having elevated blood pressure since about 1996, which has gotten higher, little by little. This I have attibuted to being "chubby" and also being anemic.

 

Well... I ended up having a series of full-blown attacks which were the most frightening experiences I've ever had. And I've had some frightening experiences!

 

So I ended up in an "urgent care" center the other day, because the anxiety would not go away. My arms and head and torso were tingling and my hands were shaking and I was feeling like I was close to "losing control."

 

Well, it turned out that my blood pressure was very high (180/120). At first the doc said, "you need psychotherapy" and then I said, "I already go to psychotherapy!" And I told her that this was a totally physical sensation and not a psychological sensation. Then she said, "well, high blood pressure can cause anxiety, and your pressure is very high."

 

So she gave me some blood pressure medicine and it made me feel 1000% better. So now I am on a prescription (Atenolol) until I can see my regular (wholistic) doctor who can hopefully help me resolve this. I HATE prescription medicine.

 

I could not drive for several days because the anxiety was so great. Now I am driving again.

 

This has been extremely traumatic, but kinda took a major backseat in relation to everything that's been going on since the hurricane.

 

I know that they usually blame anxiety for causing high blood pressure, but I am fairly certain that it is the other way around, cause I had the high blood pressure first.

 

So I wanted to ask. Has anyone had an experience with high blood pressure causing anxiety? If so, how did you handle it. With high blood pressure medicine, or wholistically, or something else?

 

And let me say, that you have my total SYMPATHY and EMPATHY because this was a life-changing horrible experience.

 

Thanks! ... connie z

 

P.S. My anxiety manifested itself in an unfounded fear of driving on bridges, and of getting stuck in traffic on bridges. I also got stuck on a broken elevator for a few moments, and it hit me. It also hit me when I was driving down a very dark road in the country, and some kind of visual thing happened. I am pretty sure that my existing inner-ear problems play a role in this too.

 

I am normally the type of person who, if stuck on a bridge, would get out and go look over the side, and think "this is pretty cool!"

[zeronyne]

My brother-in-law has out of control blood pressure, and his anxiety attacks were legendary. He was also taking Atenolol, but he recently stopped against the advice of his doctor. It was causing him severe joint pain that immediately went away when he stopped taking it. The attacks haven't returned as far as I know, but then again, he's a mildly flamboyant gay man, so it's sometimes hard to tell.

[Blurb]

I've had luck with acupuncture, but make sure it's a real acupuncturist and not a chiropractor who took a class.

[Rowbee]

Connie, I don't have personal experience of this problem but it sounds terrible. I'm sure everything will sort itself out in time and I wish you all the best.

[jeremy c]

My wife had some good results with EMDR therapy.

 

You've been through a lot of stuff in the past year. EMDR was developed to help post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Laissez le bon temps roulez, Connie!

[jlrush]

Connie,

I'm sorry to hear about your anxiety attacks. If the blood pressure medicine has helped I think it would be good that you continue to take it, at least until you can find an alternative.

But I would like to encourage you to take your blood pressure regularly. You can buy a good kit at your local pharmacy for about $25, the ones like the doctors use.

I have high BP and take meds for it. I had 3 TIA's awhile back, which are like mini strokes. High BP can also cause a full blown stroke or heart attack. Being slightly overweight (like me) and smoking can also contribute. Please be aware that this can be a life-changing problem if left unchecked.

God bless you.

[Yogi]

Connie, I have had similar attacks to yours before. It was something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. In the worst cases, I really felt like I was dying.

 

While my attacks weren't caused by high blood pressure, I went on the same medication you're taking. For me, it didn't make me feel 100% better - it just made it so I could function. I could still feel a low-level "buzz" that was always there, like background noise, but the Atenolol kept my heart rate down.

 

What helped me the most was eliminating caffeine from my diet completely. I was never a coffee drinker, but boy did I suck down the sodas. I still do, just the sugar- and caffeine-free kind. I don't know if you take in any caffeine at all - if so, you need to drop it cold turkey. it wasn't until I was completely caffeine-free that the "buzz" went away and I was able to go off the meds.

 

Also, it sounds weird, but - one of the things that really helped was just learning about anxiety and the causes of it in general. A doctor at an emergency room actually put it best: You can't die from this, but you can feel like you can. Once I understood that there was nothing exactly wrong with me, it took a load off my mind. I've been off the medicine now for about a year with no ill effects. For a while it seemed I was a little "hyper-sensitive" to anything that I thought might "set me off" again. I was worried about performing live again, since I've always had nerves about that on some level - but I've been none the worse for wear. You CAN get past this, but it may take some time. But I understand how scary it can be - I've been there. Hang in there.

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by 09:

My brother-in-law has out of control blood pressure, and his anxiety attacks were legendary. He was also taking Atenolol, but he recently stopped against the advice of his doctor. It was causing him severe joint pain that immediately went away when he stopped taking it. The attacks haven't returned as far as I know, but then again, he's a mildly flamboyant gay man, so it's sometimes hard to tell.

Hmmmm. I wonder why they gave him Atenolol if he didn't have high blood pressure? What I've read about Atenolol is that it is one of the "beta blockers." Supposedly a beta blocker forces the heart to beat slower.

 

So maybe this anxiety is not so much from high blood pressure, but from rapid heart rate.

 

I know that the medical profession says that you get the rapid heart rate from the anxiety, but I think it is the other way around.

 

Thanks so much for sharing this info 09! The following morning after I took the first pill, I was already noticing pain in my hip area, but I am kind of stuck taking this till I can see my regular doc on the 12th of May.

 

Because of the hurricane, he is mostly working out of town, and is only here on Fridays, and the 12th was the soonest appointment I could get.

 

Thanks again for the info.

 

... Connie

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by Blurb:

I've had luck with acupuncture, but make sure it's a real acupuncturist and not a chiropractor who took a class.

Hi Blurb,

 

I am glad you metioned this, because my regular doctor also practices acupuncture, and I'll ask him about that.

 

My great doc is an wholistic doctor who is also an MD, who has done tons of studies in alternative and complementary medicine. I went through about 30 different doctors over the years to find someone like him, and then hurricane katrina destroyed the whole office and hospital he worked out of. But at least he is here on Fridays!

 

Thanks for the info!

 

... connie z

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by Rowbee:

Connie, I don't have personal experience of this problem but it sounds terrible. I'm sure everything will sort itself out in time and I wish you all the best.

Thanks Rowbee! I appreciate your positive thoughts.

 

... connie z

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by jeremy c:

My wife had some good results with EMDR therapy.

 

You've been through a lot of stuff in the past year. EMDR was developed to help post-traumatic stress disorder.

Glad you mentioned this Jeremy. I have heard about this, and it may be a help for me.

 

I can still tell that even though the physical anxiety symptoms may be subsided, I have an emotional fear of the anxiety starting again.

 

I was able to drive over bridges and overpasses yesterday, but at one point I got stuck in traffic, and started to become fearful of an attack coming on. The attack did not come, but the fear was there

 

The challenge will be finding someone around here how does it! Hopefully my therapist, who I've seen off and on for years, knows how. Although she's also moved because of the hurricane, but only about an hour away. But I have to cross over miles of bridges to get to her! Figures!

 

Thanks again Jeremy!

 

... connie z

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by jlrush:

I would like to encourage you to take your blood pressure regularly. You can buy a good kit at your local pharmacy for about $25, the ones like the doctors use.

I have high BP and take meds for it. I had 3 TIA's awhile back, which are like mini strokes. High BP can also cause a full blown stroke or heart attack. Being slightly overweight (like me) and smoking can also contribute.

Hi jlrush!

 

Thank you for sharing your experience about your BP issues and TIAs. I purchased a nice BP Monitor which even has a little printer, so I can print the readings.

 

Fortunately I stopped smoking about 20 years ago, after being being a light to moderate smoker for about 12 years.

 

I think that this is all also tied into an increase in my blood sugar, and I think that I am insuline resistant, so I think my first line of attack, other then taking the medicine right now, is to really start eating low carb, and lose some weight, and see what effect this has on me.

 

I am sorry that you've had to experience TIAs. I know that those are frightening. I am glad you are on top of it. A relative of mine had tremendously great success by having her carotid artery 'cleaned out' in a new-style procedure. It was surgery, but not anything like the old days. They actually "cleaned out the plaque." They didn't replace the arterly like they used to. It was cool, and she looked much better afterwards, and also her memory got much better, and she smiles and laughs a lot now, and she hardly did that before. She had two mini-strokes (bigger than TIAs but smaller than a true sroke.) She is a normal person now, but we didnt' even realize she wasn't before.

 

Thanks again for the info!

 

... connie z

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by Yogi:

What helped me the most was eliminating caffeine from my diet completely. I was never a coffee drinker, but boy did I suck down the sodas. I still do, just the sugar- and caffeine-free kind. I don't know if you take in any caffeine at all - if so, you need to drop it cold turkey. it wasn't until I was completely caffeine-free that the "buzz" went away and I was able to go off the meds.

Hi Yogi!

 

I am very grateful to you for sharing your personal experience with me about this. I've always heard of "anxiety attacks" but had NO IDEA of what they really were.

 

I feel soooooo sorry for all of the people out there who are experiencing it, and for those who have turned phobic, who are trapped in their homes. I can totally understand how it can happen and how quickly it can happen.

 

I am so angry at the health care profession for allowing people to think that this is "all in their minds." I see this as a 100% physically caused condition. It's just finding out what the physical cause is and solving it.

 

And I am so glad you mentioned the caffeine. Everything I've read about anxiety has mentioned caffeine as a problem, and I've already seen a trend in the anxiety attacks that at least some of them occured after I had a large amount of caffeine.

 

The caffeine I consume comes in only a couple of ways:

Iced tea

Coffee

Excedrin Quick Tabs which I take for bad headaches

 

I know that I can reduce the iced tea, and I can dramatically reduce the coffee, but when I get a bad headache, I have to take the Excedrin, cause my headaches are VERY bad sometimes.

 

But, the reason I drink coffee is not because I like it, cause I hate the taste. It is because of my existing brain problems (long story) it does help me think tremendously better, when I have complicated stuff to do at work. Since I work at a computer consulting company, and I also do web design, I have to do complicated stuff pretty often.

 

I am already taking a bunch of nutrients which have greatly improved my cognitive functions, so I can't wait till I see my doc to find out what else I can do to help my brain further so I don't have to consume coffee.

 

Thanks again for your help, and I wish you the best. I hope you never never never have to deal with this again!

 

... connie z

[Fred TBP]

Hi Connie, sorry I'm late. You're not alone here...

 

Quick back-story: diabetes, HBP, neuropathy, a little sleep apnea and eurythmia due to an enlarged ventricle. (makes me want to get out of bed every morning because if I don't I may not get up again... ) Three weeks ago (a few days before April 15th) I had woken up at 2AM with chest pains and some numbness in my left arm. Called my best friend and put him on standby because first I wanted to try sitting down and meditating to lower my stress level. After an hour I took a chance and lay down to go to sleep again. (I did this once before with the same symptoms, but I caution you that if the pain travels past your left elbow then you should call an ambulance ASAP)

 

Next day I went to my cardiologist. EEG, chest x-ray, a co-payment and he said 6 words: "I don't know what caused this." (aren't medical specialists something? ) Stayed home that day, next day I called my accountant and got a tax extension, which made me feel much better.

 

Saturday night I went to a friend's gig and sat with his girlfriend, who happens to be a massage therapist. After telling her about my back and neck pains she worked on my back right there and then (we're all close friends so everybody knew this was therapy) and helped me to release a lot of tension in the process. My back still hurts a little (I've had chronic back pains for about 25 years) but I'm taking her suggestion and am trying to find time for a monthly session with either her or a chiropractor (my drummer's been seeing one for at least the past 10 years and swears this is the way to go)

 

Hey, were all getting older and out of shape, nothing to be ashamed of there and IMHO makes the fact that we can still go out and play a wonderful alternative to just sitting there. But taking care of #1 should always be a priority, (because if you can't take care of yourself then how can you take care of everybody else who needs you?) but remember that there's no shame in dealing with stress and anxiety as medical conditions and getting help for them. I've already helped to bury a few younger friends of mine who failed to heed the warning signs and take action.

 

And, although I have no concrete evidence to prove it, a good, honest, cleansing prayer each day can do wonders to heal the wounded spirit. What I'm getting at here is that I think not all pain is physical; some is mental and some is spiritual as well. Triggering the healing from a spiritual and a mental (I mean meditative or psychological, but in a good way) place has often triggered healing on the physical level, but I'm sure you've seen enough examples of that in your own life. (which is why I believe miracles happen every day even though most of us miss the little ones... )

 

Anyway, whatever plan you choose, please remember that we all want you around here for years to come, OK? Be well!

PS: I forgot to mention the meds. I take Accuretic, a combination BP pill & a diuretic, also Coreg, another BP pill. Mine is generally normal to borderline with these meds. Also a pill for diabetes, an aspirin for blood thinning, and a dozen different vitamin supplements. Fortunately I rarely take anything stronger than an occasional ibuprofen or naproxen for back pain. SO for me it's one foot in traditional medicine and one foot in holistic medicine.

[Wally Malone]

Connie, sorry to hear about the problem you're having but it's a good thing you're paying attention to it and trying to do something about it.

 

Hope you don't have any attacks when playing a James Brown tune and the singer says "take it to the bridge".

 

Wally

[jlrush]

quote by Connie Z,

 

I am sorry that you've had to experience TIAs. I know that those are frightening. I am glad you are on top of it. A relative of mine had tremendously great success by having her carotid artery 'cleaned out' in a new-style procedure. It was surgery, but not anything like the old days. They actually "cleaned out the plaque." They didn't replace the arterly like they used to. It was cool, and she looked much better afterwards, and also her memory got much better, and she smiles and laughs a lot now, and she hardly did that before. She had two mini-strokes (bigger than TIAs but smaller than a true sroke.) She is a normal person now, but we didnt' even realize she wasn't before.

 

The TIA's ARE scary. At least the first one was. Getting my BP under control has been key.

I hope you don't have to go through these anxiety attacks again. They sound much scarier than what I went through. I'm glad to hear you have a BP monitor. Stay well.

[chubby]

Man hate to hear about all your health problems. BUT what you said about getting stuck in the elevator happen to me on my first job, go stuck for abot 5 hours on one and boy was it great, I was the only guy on thier with about twenty beautiful collage age ladys When they got us out I TOLD THE FIREFIGHTERS to let us stay. I was just kidding but all the girls were babes.

[bassaddik]

well, i think you know what I am going to say, and i will say it anyway

i pray for a peace beyond understanding in your life. For God's grace and spirit of calm. I rebuke any spirit of trouble that may attack you, in the name sweet name of Jesus, Amen.

Now , i know this is only my view, and i do not mean to offend anyone of different belief, but its is a heartfelt wish.

You are too sweet and positive a person for this, and tonight when i pray again before i retire, you will be there.

Take care of yourself, and don't let me see that blood pressure rising again, i'll kick it's a** !!!

Seriously , Connie.. a hug from Vegas, feel better and say hi to Roger

[Tom Capasso]

Connie,

 

I'm sorry to hear about this. I'm sure you know what you are feeling, but sometimes I wonder if you can always tell which comes first. Jeremy's suggestions probably are as valuable as your doctor's prescription. And I hope your favorite doctor has good answers.

 

Years back, my wife had migrains. Removing caffeine was one aspect of her treatment. Clearly this is an individual thing, because Excedrin Migraine has caffeine. There may be non-caffeine help for the headaches.

 

I'm also saddened that others here have direct or indirect experience with this. This is mitigated by their willingness to share and help. Once again I'm grateful to all for offering their help.

 

Tom

[picker]

Last January, I got on Lysenopril for my B/P, which was running 196/120, and I feel 1000% better. I didn't have anxiety attacks, but I walked around feeling like hell all the time. Just existing was an effort, if that makes any sense. I didn't even realize how bad it was till I stopped feeling like that. Between moderating my B/P, and finding out I was diabetic and getting my blood sugar under control, I feel so much better now I can't even tell you how much. I am told that if I hadn't gotten on top of my health problems, I would not have gone much longer without a stroke, heart attack, or just flat out dying.

This stuff has a way of creeping up on you, and then you're really hurting without knowing why. Keep an eye on your health, folks, without it nothing else is much good.

[LLroomtempJ]

Originally posted by bassaddik:

well, i think you know what I am going to say, and i will say it anyway

i pray for a peace beyond understanding in your life. For God's grace and spirit of calm. I rebuke any spirit of trouble that may attack you, in the name sweet name of Jesus, Amen.

jason

[viejid]

My dad has the same issues you have + diabetes and high cholesterol. And at some point in time he started having panic attacks. They gave diazepan, if i am correct, and after feeling like a zombia for a month, he quit.

 

He made it a point to start eating healthier, working out more often, and when he was getting really stressed out, he would do accupunture. It seemed to worked out fine for him. It seemed to me like a lot of his problems came from not being able to release small bits of anger that ended up accumulating, and stressing him out to the point where things started overwhelming him.

 

Bottom line, start doing some type of sport, preferably one where u get to hit something every once in a while

[Connie Z]

Update!

 

You are not gonna believe this, but I think that the attacks were caused by a reaction to Splenda (Sucralose).

 

While doing about a million hours of Googling online to find info about anxiety/panic attacks, I stumbled across posts by people who were having very similar situations. People who had never had anxiety symptoms, and out of the blue, it started happening, for no obvious reason.

 

Well... they linked their symptoms to coinciding with Splenda use, and the problems stopped if they stopped using Splenda.

 

So I wracked my brain to try to remember what I had consumed prior to the attacks, and I could only remember one specific day. I had gone to visit a friend in Mississippi, which was about an hour and a half drive from my home.

 

I drank about 6 cups of coffee throughout that day, to make sure that I would stay awake for the drive home, which was at night. I spent the whole day visiting her.

 

On the drive home, I had an attack. It seemed to be brought on by the visual effect of the very dark road, and my headlights and the trees on both sides of the road.

 

I found that if I put my interior lights on, the anxiety lessened greatly, and I was able to drive home.

 

I emailed my friend today and asked her to read the label on the Hazelnut creamer that we were using in the coffee, and LO AND BEHOLD... sucralose! Sugar was the first ingredient, and sucralose was one of the last.

 

So, I am very happy, because since I didn't use it that often, it is NO problem to stop. I typically use Stevia to sweeten my tea and coffee, which has been great for me for years.

 

I hope this is it. The attacks were crippling my life. I am super sympathetic now to everyone who has any form of anxiety, cause it SUCKS! I know where it was going. Agoraphobia, Claustrophobia, etc. It was happening quickly. No lie.

 

That's all. Wish me luck.

 

Maybe the blood pressure will go down on it's own! That would be great too, cause I hate prescription meds.

 

Thanks everyone for your help and support and prayers and well wishes!

 

... connie z

[Bottomgottem]

Thank you very, very much, Connie.

 

Anxiety related troubles have, in the past year or so, really been affecting my wife. Nothing we have tried seems to have any effect.

 

But she uses Splenda regularly, substituting it for sugar whenever she can. I'll go home and tell her what you found out.

 

I have never heard of Stevia before. Of course, I'm not allowed to do the grocery shopping. Is it widely available?

 

Thank you again and GOOD LUCK.

 

Jay

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by Bottomgottem:

I have never heard of Stevia before. Of course, I'm not allowed to do the grocery shopping. Is it widely available?

 

Thank you again and GOOD LUCK.

 

Jay

Hi Jay,

 

I feel for your wife and for you. My husband has been completely supportive througout this, not doubting my sanity, as many others would have.

 

I get Stevia from my health foods store. The brand I buy is called NOW. Here is a link to an online company. The bottle of Stevia powder lasts a long time, cause you only use a little.

 

Stevia online

 

Good luck on your wife having much less anxiety. Feel free to tell her to call me if she needs more info. Send me a Private Message and I'll send you my phone number.

 

... connie z

[jlrush]

Hi Connie,

I sure hope cutting out the Splenda works for you, and that you can keep your blood pressure in check. I'll be thinking of you and praying for you.

Jim

[Jode]

Wow - I hope it's as simple as that, Connie. And give stevia a try; I'm sure they have it at Whole Foods. Its sweetness is pretty strong, almost like saccharin, but it grows on a tree and is all natural.

[Rocky McDougall]

Connie, I suffered from really bad Anxiety 6 years ago when all the doctors told me I only had 4 months to live. It is real, and it is horrible. I was treated with anti-depression / anti-axiey medicene, (It's the same problem) and it really, really worked. I now know why there are so many drug addicts. I had to use it about a year and then had to get off slowly. Haven't used it in 5 years, but it worked. I don't recommed for anyone to take drugs, but when you need them, Your really need them.

You'll get better, relax, listen to soothing music, like GANSTA RAP or SCREMO ROCK. Just kidding, ever heard of YANI????? Rocky

[TimR]

I still find it crazy that if you market something as a drug it has to go through millions of trails and all the side effects get listed on the labels, but call it a food stuff. Just put anything in it!

[Brocko777]

Jeez.. After reading Rockys post and saw the word YANI, my eye started twitchin', I almost had an anxiety attack right there

Old Pink Floyd or Yes seems to make all better for me.... but then again so does P-Funk and Dream Theater... go figure.

I hope all the anxety suffer-ers find relief the best way they can. Oh, and if my Mom reads this Happy Mothers Day!!