My Panic Attack Solution

do you know the cause of this? have you experienced it yourself?
it sends me into panic attacks when i have minimum anxiety.

I personally was diagnosed with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and first put on Zoloft to try and minimize the anxiety. However, while on Zoloft I had between 3-5 panic attacks a week, a steep increase, and was switched to Lexapro which worked better.
If you are having a similar situation in which your medicine seems to be making things worse then immediately talk to your doctor about changing medicines; and don’t be afraid to try new ones! When you find one that works for you it will open many doors.
Good luck!

Did the medication help? Was it a noticeable difference? Do you feel like you aren’t the same person anymore (not in a good way)?

For me the side effects of the medications were worse than the initial ailment.

However, it might not be as bad for you. Discuss it thoroughly with your doctor

Yes, they’ve treated me for 3 years and they either have to step up the dose or change the medication. Benzodiazapines build up a tolerance in your body. There are a bazillion of them. Ask for a different one.

Obviously this is a very important question and it
deserves the best possible answer. There are usually
some variations among the symptoms; and among the
reasons, if any can be identified. Panic attacks can
be treated by a wide variety of meds, sometimes even
most successfully as a "side effect" of a certain med.
So if a sufferer wants the best chance of relief
as soon as possible, and wants to avoid multiple trials
of different drugs which aren’t helpful, the individual
aspects of the attacks should be discussed with a
psychiatrist who is clinically skilled and caring.
Are such doctors hard to find? Yes, they can be.
Don’t start by listings in a phone book. Ask other
health professionals or people who have had similar
problems, as long as you trust them and can respect
their opinions. Your question is much too general
to answer without good medical help. And even though
finding that may be a job in itself, it’s worth
the effort.

I am already on citralopram

Xanax (also known as alprazolam) but be warned, it could destroy your life. It almost did to me. It worked but they are extremely addictive and it can be a slippery slope once you get started on them. If you get them, stick with a low dose and don’t be tempted to take more..that’s where the problems start. You need to get a REPUTABLE doctor to oversee your usage. I had a quack who gave me 160 of them at a time!! I overdosed and almost died on them.

We give drugs out like candy and you should be in some sort of counseling.

Dr. PHil had a show where a woman’s anxiety disorder was easily treated with counseling. Before she was on a list of medications. The Drug companies are trying to convince us all that we need drugs.

People think if they blink twice they need a drug. If your relying totally on drugs to help you, then your not being treated, your being medicated. You need to learn how to handle situations and to better react to things and you need counseling for that. Dont’ rely on a drug to live your life for you.

I have been having severe panic attacks for 2+ weeks now. I am a mom of 2 boys (1 & 2) a fulltime college student and my longtime bf left us 2 weeks ago. I cannot function due to the severity of the attacks. My Dr. prescribed 25mg of Visteril and it DOESN’T work..I need something stronger like XANAX to chill me out when they hit..I am afraid that I WILL go over the edge soon..how do i get the Dr. to give me XANAX? They look at me as if I am drug seeking which I am not I really need the help right now.. I do have a history of mental illness and have previously been medicated for Bipolar and mood disorder. Thanks for any info..
I have taken seroquel which is an antipsychotic medication..I have also taken Lamictil, Remeron, Prozac, Trileptal and Trazadone.

xanax is very habit forming. I too took it for panic attacks and it works well I was lucky to not develop a dependence on it. Talk to your doctor honestly It may be temporary due to a break up. Those are hard but don’t let your studies fall behind. Throw yourself into your classes. There is plenty of time after college to find a boyfriend. There are anti-depressants that work for anxiety also. Good luck honey don’t despare God loves you and has a plan for you.

I’ve been on Lexapro for 6 months now. Side effects are really low if started at a low dose (5mg). The main side effect that bugs me is the weight gain. If I would’ve known that I would gain weight, I could’ve prevented it. I guess it just makes you hungrier since your life feels more in control after taking it. I also have to warn that sexual drive gets really low too. I’ve learned to control that to though. You may have to kind of do trial and error on these medicines. they work differently on everyone. I love it…it changed my life.

I suffer from them and all medication I’ve been on has only made the attacks worse or have had no effect at all. I’m in serious need for another solution to handle these attacks aside from going to the hospital and having them tranquilize me every other night.

Go see a therapist. Learn yoga, tai chi, or a similar art. Try reading self-help books that stress self-control and help you develop it.

I used to have panic attacks too, albeit mild ones, and I know how frustrating it is to relinquish control of your own mind and body, the only two things that are truly your own. Good luck!

a GP or a psychiatrist?

In UK all consultations begin in primary care with the GP. If he feels it appropriate to manage the patient, he will do so. If he feels a more specialist opinion from secondary care is required he will make a referral.

Many doctors will offer alternatives to medication in the case of panic attacks. Psychotherapy is often much more successful and long lasting.