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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by DanielJ on March 24, 2004, at 14:07:39
My 16 yr son has Schizophrenia. He is taking Zyprexa in the evenings and Zoloft in morning. Seems to be working well. He says he still has panic attacks though. The way he explained it to the Psy Dr. is he has about one a day. He feels as if he can't take a breath then he keeps swallowing until he can breathe then he is OK. He had one real attack 8 months ago when he felt as if he would die. Has been on medication ever since. Are these others really panic attacks? Has anyone else had this or heard of it?
Posted by nicky847 on March 24, 2004, at 14:39:19
In reply to False Panic Attacks?, posted by DanielJ on March 24, 2004, at 14:07:39
Sounds like a panic attack to me...alot of the symptoms of panic attacks are caused by hyperventilation, which causes an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body..by swallowing your son is not taking in any more oxygen, which would bring his CO2 levels back up and alleviate alot of the panic attacks symptoms..good coping mechanism if you ask me..good for him..
> My 16 yr son has Schizophrenia. He is taking Zyprexa in the evenings and Zoloft in morning. Seems to be working well. He says he still has panic attacks though. The way he explained it to the Psy Dr. is he has about one a day. He feels as if he can't take a breath then he keeps swallowing until he can breathe then he is OK. He had one real attack 8 months ago when he felt as if he would die. Has been on medication ever since. Are these others really panic attacks? Has anyone else had this or heard of it?
Posted by rainyday on March 24, 2004, at 18:28:07
In reply to False Panic Attacks?, posted by DanielJ on March 24, 2004, at 14:07:39
I agree with the previous poster. Anxiety is a separate illness from other mental illnesses, but those symptoms are classic. My personal experience was that over the course of 12 or so years of not being treated for anxiety, the attacks increased in frequency and severity, until EUREKA! I finally decided to be treated for it. Good thing your son recognizes what is happening to him.
Posted by Magdalena on March 24, 2004, at 20:28:33
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks?, posted by rainyday on March 24, 2004, at 18:28:07
can i ask if now that you are being treated, do you find that the treatment is helping?
i just started treatment after 5 years of dealing with it on my own.
thanks:)
Mag
Posted by rainyday on March 25, 2004, at 6:56:10
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks? » rainyday, posted by Magdalena on March 24, 2004, at 20:28:33
> can i ask if now that you are being treated, do you find that the treatment is helping?
>
Well, that is a thorny issue right now. The buspar seemed to help slightly with the anxiety, but gave me relentless headaches. Vistaril, an antihistamine, was also tried, but it made me sleepy and I was still anxious.Now I am on a small amount of xanax. My p-doc is not concerned at this moment about addiction. I am also seeing a therapist for CBT, which at times feels like digging out of an avalanche with a teaspoon.
I used to self-medicate with alcohol, but have ceased that practise. My goal is to get to a point where the grounding exercises and visualization become a habit rather than a learned behaviour. I also stopped drinking caffeine and taking decongestants as they mimic the effect of anxiety.
Every little bit helps. I am in for the long haul but I am glad I chose to get professional help.
keep in touch,
rainyday
Posted by Magdalena on March 25, 2004, at 12:01:12
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks? » Magdalena, posted by rainyday on March 25, 2004, at 6:56:10
i was tottaly like that too, i self medicated for a very long time with alcohol but no one noticed at the time because my boyfriend back then was an alcoholic! now i am on paxil and the anxiety is still here although its only week 3 and it seems that when i drink alcohol now its a weird sorta buzz where i get more anxious at first then it kinda numbs it but i dont get those hyper good rushes anymore:( so that makes me not want to drink as much anymore, if at all. (maybe its a good thing?) but i feel i have no ecsape at all anymore...i dont know whats worse.
thanks for the response;)
Mag
Posted by nicky847 on March 25, 2004, at 12:13:33
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks? » rainyday, posted by Magdalena on March 25, 2004, at 12:01:12
Magdalena-
one of the many things you will discover in dealing with panic/anxiety is that there ARE great escapes outside of drugs or alcohol...it takes time but you do find them..if you are seeing a therapist right now you should ask him/her about working on some relaxation techniques with you...my therapist gave me an hour long relaxation cd that i use once in a while and it is like a bottle of wine without the hangover :)..
nick
> i was tottaly like that too, i self medicated for a very long time with alcohol but no one noticed at the time because my boyfriend back then was an alcoholic! now i am on paxil and the anxiety is still here although its only week 3 and it seems that when i drink alcohol now its a weird sorta buzz where i get more anxious at first then it kinda numbs it but i dont get those hyper good rushes anymore:( so that makes me not want to drink as much anymore, if at all. (maybe its a good thing?) but i feel i have no ecsape at all anymore...i dont know whats worse.
>
> thanks for the response;)
>
> Mag
Posted by Magdalena on March 25, 2004, at 12:25:52
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks?-Magdalena, posted by nicky847 on March 25, 2004, at 12:13:33
i see my very first psychiatrist on the 6th of april, i try not to but i have such high expectations from them...its like its all i have left or something. thanks for your reply, i guess there might be other escapes besides drugs and alcohol..although i have not found them yet, i guess i havnet really been looking in the right places.
:)Mag
Posted by rainyday on March 25, 2004, at 18:38:29
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks?-Magdalena, posted by Magdalena on March 25, 2004, at 12:25:52
Hi. I think I have noticed that you live in Canada. Are you on OHIP or are u under private insurance...
Only reason I ask is that if it is OHIP I would come prepared with a list (of symptoms, questions, concerns) so this overworked physician can make an accurate diagnosis.Of utmost importance is to be HONEST with your provider about other substances you use to self medicate. It is so much easier than lying about it.
Posted by sexylexy on March 25, 2004, at 19:43:22
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks? » Magdalena, posted by rainyday on March 25, 2004, at 6:56:10
Rainy,
Sounds like you've got a ton of anxiety. I am a CBT therapist also on Lexapro for anxiety/depression due to a birth control pill. With my clients I really like using these audio tapes that have to do with relaxation. There are 4 tapes which work on muscle relaxation then move to smaller muscle, then smaller until you are able to relax with just words. You maybe able to get them at a barnes and noble ect. It may make a good combo with the meds. Good luck,
Lexy
Posted by rainyday on March 26, 2004, at 7:15:25
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks? RainyDay, posted by sexylexy on March 25, 2004, at 19:43:22
> Rainy,
> Sounds like you've got a ton of anxiety.Yes, I certainly do. When my antidepressants took a vacation this past week, I fell into a pit that even my anxiety couldn't follow me into. My p-doc had me take xanax which pushed the anxiety aside so at least I just had the depression to deal with immediately. I see my T again next week (she teaches CBT) and we have been working on grounding techniques, using ambient music and natural sounds, creating mantras, all the right things.
My gut feeling right now is that if we get to the root cause of my depression and work on my lack of self worth, the anxiety will be easier to approach. I don't have the confidence in myself right now to use CBT properly, don't believe that I am worth the effort.
Believe it or not, today is a GOOD day.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Rainyday
Posted by nicky847 on March 26, 2004, at 10:42:46
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks?-Magdalena, posted by Magdalena on March 25, 2004, at 12:25:52
Mag-
There are SO many treatment options that you should never feel like any one of them is "all you have left"....the key to recovery is learning to live with the anxiety..not trying to wish it away..the less you fear it the less it limits you..
nick> i see my very first psychiatrist on the 6th of april, i try not to but i have such high expectations from them...its like its all i have left or something. thanks for your reply, i guess there might be other escapes besides drugs and alcohol..although i have not found them yet, i guess i havnet really been looking in the right places.
>
> :)Mag
>
>
Posted by Sebastian on March 26, 2004, at 19:51:46
In reply to False Panic Attacks?, posted by DanielJ on March 24, 2004, at 14:07:39
Sounds like psychotic thoughts. The best thing to do is tell him they are not real. Its good that he can talk about it. Maybe he can learn to understand the thoughts and realize the difference between real things and holucinations. Took me a while to just know the difference. Could be fazes that it happens or in a while they will get under control as he continues medication. I can't say for sure but it may help to take zoloft in the evening also? The effect of zoloft getting into his system during the day may seem strange to him.
Posted by noa on March 27, 2004, at 10:31:48
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks? » DanielJ, posted by Sebastian on March 26, 2004, at 19:51:46
Do these panic attacks happen at a certain time of day by any chance?
Posted by Viridis on March 28, 2004, at 1:16:39
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks?, posted by noa on March 27, 2004, at 10:31:48
Panic disorder is very real, and I doubt that anyone who's had a genuine panic attack would accept the idea that this can be an "imagined" or "false" condition. A panic attack is a serious, uncontrollable response even if the stimulus might seem trivial to some people.
I've done pretty well with meds (benzos are effective; SSRIs etc. were awful). I've had panic attacks and anxiety for as long as I can remember (back to at least 6 years old). My mother, brother, sister, one grandfather, and both grandmothers experience/experienced similar conditions, which suggests a strong genetic component. I should add that I come from a normal, well-adjusted, supportive family with no major traumas or strife, and had a happy childhood (except for the repeated episodes of anxiety/panic).
Even without meds, I do pretty well much of the time. But (until I started the right meds) 3-4 times a year the anxiety took over and it changed my entire personality. I tried various SSRIs etc. and just got worse. The panic attacks stopped about three years ago, when I started taking Klonopin and Xanax. Things aren't perfect ( and subsequently I've added Adderall for ADD, plus Lamictal for mood stabilization), but now I can actually function predictably.
Meds aren't necessarily the only answer. I tried various kinds of therapy with only temporary relief, but my mother (in her 60s) has improved tremendously with cognitive behavioral therapy. She's terrified of meds but the improvement with therapy is dramatic, and seems to last.
My psychiatrist is very open and we talk extensively. He's an intelligent, interesting, compassionate (but very professional) guy who has experienced severe anxiety and depression, has taken many of these meds himself, and tells me so. Like most of the therapists I've seen, he feels that most of my problems really stem from a poor fit of my personality type to my career, which can be extremely stressful.
This doesn't explain why I've had these problems for years (or maybe it does -- I've always pushed myself beyond my limits), but I do see how a life change could make me feel better. In the meantime, my pdoc medicates me for my condition because that's all he can do, even though he and I really believe that I could function without medication (or at least less medication) if I achieved a more balanced life.
I rarely ramble here, but I've just done so. I guess my main points are that panic, anxiety, and depression are very real, probably have a major biological basis, and can be treated with the right meds. Yet, like so many medical conditions, there's also a strong "environmental" component that many of us have to examine more closely. By environment, I mean lifestyle, work habits, drive, induced competition, relationships, and so on.
I'm totally pro-med, but also am starting to see that lifestyle changes may reduce the need for pharmaceutical treatment for some of us. However, if a person is experiencing panic attacks, immediate intervention with meds is crucial, and behavioral changes through therapy etc. may be a more gradual solution.
This is the end of the thread.
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