Question:
I have been suffering from Panic Attacks for about 4 years (it started after
my daughter was born). I spent much time in multiple doctors offices doing
tests (EKG, Upper GI, etc). When I told the doctor what I thought was
happening I was told "Think of a Happy Thought". Yeh, right!!! Then I
went to a Psychologist and he started me on Klonopin. I stopped seeing
him though because I knew that there was nothing in my past triggering
these attacks. I had a very difficult time getting off Klonopin but finally
Answer:
I have been suffering from Panic Attacks for about 4 years (it started after
my daughter was born). I spent much time in multiple doctors offices doing
tests (EKG, Upper GI, etc). When I told the doctor what I thought was
happening I was told "Think of a Happy Thought". Yeh, right!!! Then I
went to a Psychologist and he started me on Klonopin. I stopped seeing
him though because I knew that there was nothing in my past triggering
these attacks. I had a very difficult time getting off Klonopin but finally did.
I was on Xanax for about 2 years and I liked it better because I could take
it when I felt I needed it. I am now on Ativan. My doctor says that it is much
faster to work and faster to get out of your body than Xanax. I am doing
OK on it. But it is very frustrating because I do not feel like I am making
any progress. My Panic attacks are not triggered by any particular activity.
I feel as though it is an excess of adrenalin in my body that starts many of
my attacks. Many of them start when I am trying to rest (either sitting on the
couch, resting in bed, or driving in the car after work). The only way
I can get through the days is to know that my medication is in my purse at
all times. That scares me. I would love to be able to quit all medication
one day. Has anyone had similar experiences and had any luck with medication, etc.
I sympathise with you about about the "think happy thoughts"
approach, Kim - likewise therapists who still cling to the
silly notion that panic attacks are 'triggered by past events'.
While true in a few cases (and excepting PTSD), this is a wholly
inappropriate theory for most of us with PD, IMO.
It seems odd that you don't mention treatment with any
antidepressants. Is this because your doctor has never
tried them with you, because you have and they haven't
worked, or because you don't want to take them? They
are pretty much a standard line of attack. I'm
e-mailing the FAQ as that has a good basic grounding
in the subject.
Given that taking benzodiazepines isn't doing the trick,
I'd have thought an antidepressant would have been a good
idea and I'd also have thought that some cognitive behavioural
therapy might be worth a try, too. Though it can often come
across as a "think happy thoughts" approach, there is a lot
more to it than that and many people do find it useful.
