Anxiety attacks - need regular plan and crisis plan

[laohaire]

I have realized I am suffering from an anxiety problem that has cropped up in the past month perhaps. It's new, so it's not something I've battled forever. But as of this week I have gotten to the point where I am constantly anxious, I feel butterflies in my stomach, don't want to eat, hard time sleeping, my heart feels a little weird (not pounding but maybe fluttery?) and am generally on edge. I'm irritable and able to see that I'm being irritable. I remember two times in the last couple of days that I burst into tears about almost NOTHING. That's how I am 100% of the time in the last week, not just when I'm actually having an attack.

When I'm having an actual panic attack I feel out of control. I feel fear, panic (duh), can't think straight, I don't know what. I feel like I'm going over the edge. I feel unable to cope. I've had minor panic attacks in the past (it's not chronic but I remember another time in my life when I had some) but this feels far worse. I've actually thought about going to the hospital - and I HATE hospitals.

I'm having trouble coming up with any kind of plan. I don't know what kind of professional to see. I think a psychiatrist but he's only going to want to pump me full of drugs. I'm not categorically opposed to drugs but I want to see someone who sees drugs as only one of several tools, and someone who can talk to me about my specific concerns and even consider supplements or whatever. I think about talking to a psychiatrist about this and feel like it would be like talking to a pediatrician about my concerns about vaccines or a obstetrician about my concerns about a cesarean birth. When you go to someone who specializes in something, that's what they are going to want to do and they are going to blow off your concerns.

My DH suggested a psychologist but I think of psychologists as somebody to talk to and share my feelings with, not somebody who is going to help me put together a full action plan. I know some psychologists out there would be capable of doing that but in my experience, psychologists mostly just listen. (Sigh).

I googled hotlines and sites about anxiety but they all seem to want to sell me something.

I also have to go to the IL's for the holiday weekend. I'm really afraid I'm going to have a huge panic attack there - it seems almost inevitable given how strung up I am. I've been having a full-out attack every day for the past maybe 4-5 days. (Not predictable in terms of time - I will encounter something that triggers what would normally produce a little concern or anxiety or fear but would then be easily resolved and moved on from, but instead I completely freak out).

I don't know what to do if I have a panic attack when I'm there. Hell I don't know what to do when I have one anywhere but being at the ILs will make it a lot worse. I'll have a lot less control and I'll have a lot of family members probably treating me like I'm crazy. (Which I feel like I am, honestly). By "less control" I mean things like, if I were out with my DH and my DD and I had an attack, I could just go home. But if the ILs bring us somewhere I will have to just make do - go sit in the car, hope they are willing to cut the event short, whatever. And that sounds like agony, honestly - I'm unable to cope as it is, and this seems like adding way more stress to it.

Any ideas welcome.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

Go to the walk-in clinic today and get a script for 4 Xanax to tide you over the weekend. When you feel panic starting to hit, take 1 xanax, go sit in your car, breathe into your belly - after 20-30 minutes you should be okay.

Long term - you probably need to do both psychologist (and there are really good ones that specialize in anxiety disorders) and psychiatrist. The medications can help a lot while you are developing coping skills, which take some time.

Also consider a naturopath to look at hormonal issues. Anxiety tends to get worse during perimenopause.

[weezix]

I suffer from anxiety problems and have for years. I honestly don't know what to do about it either and I feel totally out of control at times. When I went through my divorce I went on anti-anxiety medication to help get me through since I had 3 babies at the time. The meds really helped. The first 2 weeks were TERRIBLE and after that the anxiety lifted.

I'm off the pills right now because I'm pregnant and my anxiety is really bad. So bad most days that I just want to sit in my closet and cry.

I've seen a psycologist and I agree...they just listen. I haven't made any progress with actually putting together a "plan." So I'm interested to see what responses you get on this thread.

[spedteacher30]

I had really good success with cognitive behavioral therapy. (it made things temporarily worse, though, to warn you). I was on a cocktail of medications for about 3 years, then off meds entirely for 5 years, and recently went back on a low-dose of medication for management of the chronic condition.

I started with a psychologist who did CBT, and then she referred me to a psychiatrist when it became clear that it was necessary.

[laohaire]

Thanks guys... Hi BellinghamCrunchie! I went ahead and called my PCP's office, I have an appointment in an hour.

Xanax, good point - I actually have one or two sitting around here that my mother once gave me. I've never taken it but I forgot it works for this kind of "emergency."

My DH tried to find Kava Kava supplement but there's none in town, so he came back with St. John's Wort. I've taken 3 so far since yesterday. I am not certain what (if any) effect it's having but right now I feel pretty ok (though still mildly fluttery).

Thanks very much for your replies.

[joyluc]

Good luck with your visit to your ILs. My DS has been having anxiety and it is so hard to figure out how to help him. He is taking a mix of drugs and going to therapy where he learns strategies to deal with the anxiety.

[Mom2M]

I would consider a psychologist. I went to one a few years ago in order to get help with getting organized and getting things under control. It sounds weird but I needed someone to just help me basically make a plan and set up to handle regular days and then added stress and extra things I needed to do.
It worked great and I was able to stop the methods I was using after a while. I do go back to it again when I feel like things are getting out of control again or too stressful.

[laohaire]

Whew! I called my PCP (who I've never seen before) and they got me in that very afternoon. He actually spent 45 minutes with me - I was expecting a breeze in/breeze out 5 minutes with the nurse and 10 with the doctor. He prescribed me two medications, one is short-term only, takes effect very quickly, but is addictive. The other is long term, not addictive, but takes a month to really kick in. I don't remember the names of them, they both start with C. Well, the quick one is quick indeed and is marvelous. I feel just fine - not even abnormally fine, just plain normal.

Best of all, I have my old patience back, which I haven't seen in years. I used to think I was a patient person but then as my health went south so did my mood.

For the short-term drug, I was prescribed to take it 3 times a day, but I know drugs affect me more than most people, and I have found I feel perfectly smooth all day on only one dose.

My nerves were totally shot before, and I think I would have jumped out of my skin when they were setting off M80s in the neighborhood on the 3rd. I found it loud (even uncomfortably so) but my nerves weren't jangling.

So, score one for Western medicine. However, I still have the same feelings about "man, am I going to have to be on drugs the rest of my life?" I just plain don't like them. Plus they are another expense. Plus I have ethical objections. But the bottom line is - I would rather fix the problem than just pop pills. But Western medicine doesn't have a clue.

Doc did order a thyroid workup though, we'll see. But even that is solved by ... drugs.