Question:
Help!! I am going to mention this to my dr but they have had to give me some
stronger meds for this in the past. I went back on Paxil while pregnany, CR
37.5 mg because I started to have breakthrough minipanic attacks. It helps.
In the past I have had to take Klonopin at minimum 1mg, to abort an attack.
and also when Paxil alone wasn't preventing them.
Klonopin is a no-no while pregnant. So are similar Xanax, Valium...I do not
know why, or what harm would be done if I only needed 1 pill a month, but
the fact that it is no-no'd, makes me not want to touch it at all.
Help---I am going to need some kind of medication I am afraid if I start
having panic attacks again...they are HORRID. Does anyone here know of
anything, ANYthing, I can take or ask my doctor about? I am going to call
the psych who was treating me for the panic disorder along with my OB
because the OB doesn't necessarily know a lot about panic disorder, and he
should know as well if there is anything safe to take. Has anyone else had
to take a med to STOP a panic attack in progress? What?? If I could have
dialed I would have called someone to take me to the ER to see if they could
do *some*thing.......
Answer:
I have tried a whole combination of non-drug things. All help, and I'd
probably have thm more often if I didn.t , but I still have an occasional
rough panic episode :( :(
Diet helps a lot- eliminating caffeine and dairy as much as possible, taking
a multivitamin, keeping blood sugar constant. As does getting regular
adequate sleep, avoiding things I am sensitive to- onions, MSG, artificial
sweeteners, yellow drinks such as Mountain Dew or Mello Yello...also
controlling my allergies helps- trying to cut down on the stuffy nose, using
a hepa air filter, keeping as clean and dust free as possible. Not using
fabric softener or strongly scented detergent....etc. So there is all
that.....then, I have been coached on breathing exercises and meditation,
relaxing techniques, positive thinking...ways to control my body staying
calm.
But they simply just don't always help. I was doing very well since the
first trimester, they were worse actually in the first 2 months of
pregnancy, and I haven't had once since until today.
I'd second that. That helped me a TON. But for me, the key to me was
prevention. Every night, (no excuses!) lay in a darkened room and listen to
a relaxing cd and do visualization, relax your body amd calm your breathing.
I repeat the words "calm, and down" over and over (which helps during an
attack for me too) When I did this every night I had fewer attacks.
I have Panic Disorder too, but thankfully, haven't had an attack
of that magnitude in a *very* long time (probably 2-3 yrs) though I have
terrible anxiety constantly :(
I feel like the doctors will suggest some safe-for-pregnancy, drugs that
tend to be sedating for some people such as Benadryl or Phenergan. I doubt
this would work for me...but am willing to try anything safe.
Yeah, I'd be curious to know too. I feel apprehensive that I take Paxil but
I had no choice. Without Paxil I simply have more panic attacks no matter
what else I control by diet, exercise, breathing, cognition etc. I could
switch SSRIs though-- I am on Paxil due to its being more sedating than some
of the others. But willing to change.
