Question:
I was wondering how many people have experienced panic attacks while on
asthma medication and/or depression or mood swings in general.I know
many medications are stimulants and can cause those type of feelings,
but I wonder how many people experience it, and live with it while
taking the medication and how you deal with it.
Answer:
I was wondering about that also. I have GAD (general anxiety disorder)
and have suffered with that many years. I have never been on medication for
it but have learned to deal with it. (and therapy helped too!) But 2 weeks
ago I was diagnosed with asthma and am now on Flovent (steroid) and
Proventil (dilator) and I still have panic attacks. I am depressed a little
too feeling that I am a little more less normal then everyone else. But I am
trying to keep my head up. At least I know what I have and I have to learn
to deal with it as I have learned to deal with my GAD. I believe that
steroids do cause mood swings and that you should take it easy when on this
stuff. The problem is that when you have an asthma attack, you become
panicky because you cant breathe.
The best way to deal with it is to make sure you continue to live life.
Just repeat to yourself that you are the only one that can push yourself to
live life and you have to take care of yourself in order to live. There are
many people that love you... and are willing to help you.
Rescue inhalers like Ventolin can trigger panic attacks and
hyperventilation in those suscetible; certain anti-anxiety drugs
can trigger asthma in those suscetible. Those with both conditions
have to learn how to discern between them; generally a peak flow
meter is a good way; in case of breathing problems, if the peak
flow is normal, it indicates the problem is panic attack.
I get mood swings from pred and albuterol, but not inhaled steroids.
You deal with it by realizing it is happening, and accounting for it
in your reactions.
I take paxil an antidepressant, along with my asthma regiman, theodur,
Flovent 220, combivent(a gift from God) and zyrtex. I have found my asthma
to be much improved since starting the paxil. Have only had to use
prednisone once in the year I've been on the paxil.
i can't speak for many others but certainly i and my asthmatic friends get
moody - for me especially when symptoms are bad, or when it affects
something i really wanted to do like go out for an evening or when i'm thru
to the final stages of a competition, or when it sets my training routine
back weeks etc etc etc
As for panic attacks - it's hard not to when you're drowning on dry land!!
if your medication is causing this then see your physician ASAP
i tend to deal with it very well - i also tend to deal with it very badly -
there are many outside influences and i have a lot of commitments - my
ability to lift myself out of it is directly related to how busy my schedule
is and my level of fatigue.....i think! i try to focus on good things, happy
events and compare my position to those i have seen in much worse
situations - there's always someone worse off than you and perspective is a
very effective anti-depressant for me, just as self-pity is an excellent
countermeasure.
pulmicort for me - messes me up beyond belief, mood swings, skin rashes, hot
'n' cold sweats, disorientation - the works - strange really cos so many
people argue it is one of the 'safest' corticos and i am not really prone to
allergic reactions.
i don't take it - get your physician to prescribe other drugs - he/she has
plenty to choose from - asthma is a sufficient enough depressant on its
own - you don't need to be taking drugs that increase that state, and if
your physician won't change them - change him/her - get a new one they're
ten a penny - and some are quite good.
For those with co-existing asthma and panic disorder, it's
important to distinguish between breathing problems caused
by one or the other; so as to know which drug to take
[Ventolin or a drug for panic attacks]
A peak flow meter can be useful for this; if breathing
problems exist but peak flow is normal it tends to indicate
panic disorder.
