Hello people. My name is George. I am from Bulgaria.
I am 39 years old.
English is not my mother's language, so sorry if i sound rude or impolite, it's because of my English level.
I have never had a problem with my mental health in my life.
2 years ago i was sick from Coronavirus .
Than i started to have Panic attacks.
My life become horrible.
I visited psychiatric. He gave me clonarex (clonazepam) and one more anti - depressant called cipralex.
He told me that i need to stop clonarex first than the other one ,but i couldn't.
When i tried to stop clonarex my life become hell.My doctor changed the other anti -depressant cipralex first with biflox (fluoxetine) than with Fevarin(Fluvoxamine maleate).
No matter which anti- depressant i used i couldn't stop clonarex.
Without clonazepam my life becomes hell.I successfully reduced it till 1/2 per day ,but i couldn't stop it .
Because of anti depressants i became more heavy (20 kilos up ) and i lost my libido .I visited many doctors and everyone said that i am healthy physically, but my problems are with my mental health.
I don't believe them .
In my opinion that fuckin covid affected some of my organs and that is why i can not live normal way of life.
I can not live in that way .
I need to stop these panic attacks or they will kill me,but i don't know how.
I can not live together with them.
I lost the will to live.
I don't know what to do .
I want back my normal life.
My doctor told me that panic attacks will stop some day ,but i don't believe him anymore. I already live in that way for 2 years.Nothing changes.
I will be very thankful if someone who had similar problems has already won that battle would like to gives me some advice.
Thank you for your time.
Let God bless all of you!
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Jazzpunkbass
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There are millions of us out there who are left with physical and psychological damage from covid. I know I do have a bit of the Covid PTSD because of my long covid now. And if this thing didn't affect people's organs, then why did so many Covid patients need organ transplants. This virus is insidious, and left many millions damaged. It's not temporary for many people like myself, who have been completely altered. I am now immunocompromised and am sick 3 weeks out of 4. I was rarely sick most of my life. It's well established Covid has damage millions permanently, and many now suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc., from the whole lockdown and pandemic experience. And it's not over....it's just that the public is over talking about it....until the next big one that is.
By the way... I love the fretless Fender Jazz Base....do you play?
Thank you for answer! Yes i play bass .I love Fender jazz basses ,but i use to play fretted one.I couldn't play for one year. I had so bad panic attacks .It was impossible to play.
Now i am returning slowly.
You wrote me that many people suffer ,because of pandemic and so on.
I can not understand something.
Is this because of fear of covid (fear of death) or it is because covid damage some organs physically ?
I am OK physically. The only physical symptoms that i have are pain in my throat and red eyes.
My doctor told me that there were people with panic attacks before covid and so on .But I can't believe him anymore. He might lie .He just can not say "You will die " or "that is incurable ",but that is exactly what i think.
I just want to know the Truth.
If i know for sure that is incurable than i won't bother to stop clonarex.
By the way, I used to have a 5 string bass along with a couple of guitars. Never was very good, and did a few high school and college garage band gigs... we were terrible but had fun.
Hi George, I'm not a dr. but I can assure you that panic attacks existed long before Covid arrived. We are all different so what works for some won’t work for others. I managed to cure myself from panic attacks by eventually getting rid of the fear they caused within me. The extreme fear while I was having one and the fear of when it was going to happen again. It was a vicious never ending circle.
Generally speaking a panic attack will not kill you no matter how bad the symptoms are but getting the right help is important. If you look on “YouTube” there’s lots of advice and information to help with panic attacks.
Thank you for your answer. I am not afraid of next panic attack.
It just start with pain in my throat than heart beating .When it comes i feel like i am dying.It is impossible to overcome it without clonarex (clonazepam). It doesn't stop. If i knew that it will pass I can muster my will and endure 1or 2 days,but it doesn't stop.It is senseless to try it again and again,because nothing change. When i stop clonarex my panic attacks starts again .Sometimes not immediately. Once i succeed to live without clonarex for one month, but than it came again.
Yes ,probably panic attack won't kill me, but it can made me to kill myself, because i don't want to live in that way....
Hi George, just to make sure I’m not misunderstanding, you are you saying that your panic attack can continue for 1 or 2 days continuously or they come and go over that time? I totally get the feeling that you’re going to die whilst having an attack, I had to call an ambulance when I had my first panic attack.
As I said we’re all different and medications help many people but sometimes I feel they can do more harm than good especially when taken long term but that is a discussion for you and your dr.
I can only tell you how I cured mine and that was by totally accepting them for what they were, slowly got rid of all the fear whilst I was actually experiencing an attack. I did deep breathing throughout and I talked to the panic. The nearest I’ve seen online to my technique which I made up myself is called the Dare Technique. Obviously it won’t work for everyone and takes a massive leap of faith to stick to it. I really hope that you find something that works for you and possibly a good therapist might help too.
Hi Xene!Thank you for your answer! 1 or 2 days - i mean that period of time without taking clonazepam.
I have tried to stop taking clonazepam many times, but it is impossible .I only torture myself.
I can not stop my panic without that drug.
I am reading all the coments and i see that many people recommend me therapist. .I have not visited therapist yet and maybe i need to try someone.
I also called the ambulance for my first panic attack.The worst think was that i didn't know it was panic attacks. It happened when i was under the covid quarantine ,so i thought that i am going to die from suffocation,because of covid. I couldn't sleep 5 nights. I went from one hospital to another again and again. The doctors checked my saturation and it was 95.They told me that i am allright ,but i felt that i couldn't breathe normally .I spend 5 days like that than some doctor said that i am not for covid department, but for psychiatric. I visited psychiatric, doctor gave me clonarex and i felt better. I was very tired ,but slowly i started to feel better. First i drunk 3 pills per day.
Now,two years later i drink 0.5 per day,but i can not stop it.
If i stop clonazepam the symptoms(panic attack) would come back.
Maybe you should go back to the psychiatrist or even a different psychiatrist. You definitely need to talk to someone medically qualified in detail about the problems you are experiencing and hopefully they could refer you to a good therapist too.
so sorry you are going through this. Panic attacks are a demon. Don’t wish them on no one. Check out YouTube and look for Dr Claire Weekes Hope and Help for your nerves. I listened to a lot of her old work and books. Also I started meditating and little by little added more time. The important thing when you start is to just sit every day for at least five minutes and not skip days so you become used to sitting to do it. Try breathing exercise. Inhale from your nose hold it three seconds exhale slowly from your nose. Do this in sets of six (six times in a row). Hang in there. Lifting you up in prayer. You can get better and you will just believe in yourself.
Dr. Claire Weeks is one of the Best books that have helped me with Panic Attacks. Also, I take a low dose of Ativan, & an Anti-dep. (but, too many side effects). Take a Beta Blocker for Tacacardia (sp?), do diag. breathing exercises. But, I will have to say that though Panic Attacks are nearly gone, if I get ill & am alone, I Panic & haven't been able to stop the Panic there. Plus, if under A lot of stress, get Very anxious. Since my Sig. Other passed away last Nov., I am, of course, more anxious. And, since the Pandemic, I have struggled with more anxiety & fear. I try & do the above suggestions, ( books, therapy, medications, breathing exercises, etc.), and that helps me some. I do have a therapist, and a Grief Counselor, and a Grief Support Group. I wish the best for you. Of course, check with your Primary Care Dr. & a therapist.
Weatherwoman, So glad Dr Weekes work helped you out as well. Condolences for the loss of your significant other. Prayers up to you for comfort and blessings. And panic attacks in those situations are totally expected. Hang in there. 💪🏻
I also started to experience panic attacks during / after COVID. I'm not sure if it was coincidental, caused by stress, isolation during lockdowns or the virus it self. One thing I can say for sure is that the remote working trend has not been great for me. Less and less contact with colleagues is really making work very dull, and life really quite depressing at times. X
Bless your heart. I am so sorry that you are going through this. I can't say that I have experienced the exact same things you have, but Covid still makes me very nervous. I had a mild case of Covid, but the extreme fatigue lingered for almost three months. I am a very active person and it prevented me from exercising, which is one thing I do to relieve anxiety. I was also on an antidepressant for about six months, and things didn't work well for me. I gained weight and had "fog brain". Going off of it was hell for me. You mentioned that you saw a psychiatrist. Have you also seen a psychologist? Where I live, psychiatrists tend to prescribe medications and do not provide therapy. A psychologist can work with you on cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, breathing, and mindfulness. They can provide you with a tools to help combat panic attacks. I would encourage you to find a therapist that can do this. One of the things I have learned over time is that these emotions don't last forever. Nothing lasts forever. Two years may seem like a long time, but there WILL be a light at the end of the tunnel!
Hello, I did not read the comments but I had the same problem as you. Let me begin by telling you that cipralex took around 14 weeks to begin working and I had to adjust the dosage twice.I was taking lexotanil as well. Began reducing slowly and whenever I needed it, or still do, I take half a pill.
I gained 10kg as well but I am on diet now (clean food and reduced calories) plus 3 times crossfit a week and I already lost 5kg in 2 mo ths.
The process is long so you need to be patient.
Don't be scared of panic attacks. They won't kill you. You need to accept them and wait for it to pass. Once you manage to do so, you will notice they are less powerful.
Be assured that all this is treatable but be patient and do not rush the process.
you are not alone. it's the hard times when our mental abilities are put to test and sometimes we win partially and damage our mental health. I have been on Clonazepam for more than 3 months along with an antidepressant Desvenlafaxine. I know tapering Benzos are hard but it's possible. work with your doctor to taper it down once you feel better and focus more on helping others, nature walking, and doing what makes you feel good. The universe never gives you a problem that you cant handle. you got this. Lots of love. Guru
I wonder why clonarex is used also for the treatment of epilepsy, alcoholism and many more .How is that possible?
Have you ever heard about coding alcoholics and detoxification.
Clonarex can not be taken together with alcohol, because it is very dangerous.
I used to drink a lot of beer before to got panic attacks. Sometimes i think that it is possible someone to had given me some poison which brings me panic attacks or someone gives me secretly some pill to stop me from alcohol.
If i understand something like that i Will smash that person. No one deserve panic attacks even the most evil man.
Secretly treatment of alcoholism must be prosecuted.
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