I thought I was going to die!

[Boo]

Hi all!
First of all let me tell you all I am usually the most confident person you could ever meet!.......I am a singer and are use to the stresses of the job.....however...I was washing up before I went to bed a week last sunday.....I hadn't worked that night when all of a sudden I couln't catch my breath, I opened the window and gasped big lung fulls which didn't help, my face went numb and I crawled outside in the rain looking for help.
The doctor came in his volvo followed by the ambulance crew.....I really did think I was going to die there and then on the pavement in the rain.....needless to say I didn't lol!
Anyho.....they did a cardio and h2O reading and said I was having a panic attack but would take me to the hospital to check me out........I was let out at 3am and got a taxi home....still feeling shakey,sweaty palms,face tingles, chest pains and shortness of breath.
The day after I had to drive down to Newquay for a gig and had to stop several times on the way to have a dither or 2 but they seem to get worse. Needless to say I couldn't do the gig and my agent was furious! 8O
I spent a week and a half down there staying with my sister because everytime I planed to drive back the p.a came on real strong again!
I drove back yesterday and it was a nightmare!......which is really wierd cos I love driving my sports car.
I had to stop several times because the p.a's was exausting me.
I am taking calms but don't know if they are helping or not, but I do know that tea or coffee makes it worse so I have avoided my 30 cups a day and have stuck to honey and lemon as i miss my hot drinks.
I'm sorry to go on soooo much but I'm having a p.a NOW! :?
I have been using cannabis to wind down and sleep after a gig but been smoking it day and night for the last 3 years after my split with my wife(helps to forget ).........could this drug have cause it?........needless to say I gave that up too....which I know is a good thing anyway as I needed to get a socal life back.
My mum says I could be going through "the change" and others say it could be my body going into shock through detox, but it sounds like P.A's to me.
I do hope someone can help me as I just want to go to sleep and not wake up again as its the only time I don't feel crap.
From reading the forum it looks like there is no easy quickfix remady for this but I have commitments at work to do.
Any advice will be great!

Thanks

Boo

 

[Boo]

Your physician should be able to prescribe Xanax or Adavan to take for your panic attacks. Works in 15-30 minutes to relieve the attack. Not to be taken too often as they are addictive. This sounds like it was very sudden. If you've been through a bad sitauation or a trauma recently it may be connected. You may wish to see a counselor who could be objective about your situation and have tools to help you cope. I know meditation and breathing excersises help me quite a bit. I take a homeopathic called Nerve Tonic, Nervine Tea could also help.

Thanks for your advice and I will make an appointment to see my G.P in the morning.
Its comforting to find I'm not alone in this struggle........and thanks for your prompt reply, you dont know how much it has helped :wink:
Any responses are welcome........I will keep checking all night.



Boo

 

[dawk]

Boo,

I feel your pain. I had my first panic attack a few days ago and I've been scared ever since. It takes me about an hour to get to work and I'm afraid that I'll get a panic attack during the drive.

I called in sick the past couple of days to avoid the trip. I have an apointment with a Doctor, but not until next Thursday. I begged him to see me sooner but he says he's booked.

I have no advice for you, but I just wanted you to know you aren't alone.

Somehow, we'll get through this.

 

[Boo]

Boo,

I feel your pain. I had my first panic attack a few days ago and I've been scared ever since. It takes me about an hour to get to work and I'm afraid that I'll get a panic attack during the drive.

I called in sick the past couple of days to avoid the trip. I have an apointment with a Doctor, but not until next Thursday. I begged him to see me sooner but he says he's booked.

I have no advice for you, but I just wanted you to know you aren't alone.

Somehow, we'll get through this.

Hi Dawk,
Thanks for your reasurance mate :wink:
I have managed to get an appointment for 10:30 this morning and hope he can fix me.
It even woke me out of a deep sleep at 2:30 this morning and feels unbareable at its peak.

Well, here's hoping.

Boo

 

[Boo]

O.K,
Been to the doc's and he has given me 10mg tabs of Propranolol to be taken 3 times a day and a sicknote for 2 weeks off work as I cannot drive with these tablets. and a re-appointment for 2 weeks time....so all my gigs are cancelled for the time being.
They seem to have taken the edge off my attacks and even let my mum drag me round the supermarket and her favourate charity shops!

I am soooo glad I found this forum and cant thank you enough for being there in my hour of need.......I'm not saying I feel 100% but its better than what I was going through.
Hope you can all feel better soon and I will def stay in touch.

Kind regards

Boo (aka Gary)

 

[Boo]

Here is the update!

First of all Hi

Feeling much better now and even managed to do a gig this week 8)
Doc gave me another 4 weeks off and doubled my tabs which work a treat!
I can tell when I am due my tabs as I get a distinctive metalic taste in my mouth......so everything seems to be under control now.
Thanks again for all your replies and if you ever need to chat then just add me to your msn under [email protected] (i have a really great spam blocker so dont even waste your time spamming me....u....u....spammers!)

Av fun all

Boo(aka Garrie)