Panic

[Meechan45]

Does anyone suffer from anxiety or panic disorder I have only had that since having fibromyalgia,any change to routine and it all starts

[Hidden]

Hi, yes I suffer this to, I try and do my grounding, ie counting and tapping my chest, I don’t know if it’s all about fm, but I had it long before I knew I had fm, but there was trauma in my life, so a bit of both.Try and relax, and if you can take your mind to a beautiful place, not easy, it takes time and effort, but it helps a bit.

Look up cbt or ask your doctor about it, it doesn’t completely help, but it gives you tools on how to cope.

I hope you can relax soon.

[Meechan45 in reply to Hidden]

I've had cbt but didn't help.this is alien to me as I normally a strong person.I feel as if I could cry at times but can't as I'm not a cryer I wish I could

[Hidden in reply to Meechan45]

How I can relate to you, I’m strong, I’m a fighter I will carry on fighting, but you know I said CBT didn’t help me, but when the panic attacks hit and I was on my a$$ and really struggling I tried the techniques and I actually did calm myself, I was desperately seeking a way to breathe a way to get me out of this 💩, we want a permanent fix, an instant fix, it doesn’t work that way, but if you try the techniques over time they will calm you, they will adjust you, do as I did be sceptical just use them as you go on, and all of a sudden hey, you have built your own ability to calm yourself and adapt to your surroundings, it takes time, it’s a horrible situation, but you can do it, trust me. I wanted an instant fix.

[Bluelabelle]

I have anxiety and I get panic attacks as well. CBT never did much for me either, I ended up blaming myself for my thoughts and feelings, but distraction helps me most of the time. My favourite when I’m out and about is telling myself a story. I say to myself in my head "once upon a time there was…" and just go with anything that sounds comforting and reassuring. It’s important to take deep breaths all the way down into your belly, as slow as you can manage at the same time.

Like "once upon a time there was a princess on a ship, she was curled up in her cabin listening to the sound of the waves whooshing around her, peaceful and calm. The background noise of the crew sailing the ship. And the ship was magic so it could never sink. She dreamed about how nice it would be to get home and see her friends again and…" if you see what I mean? I do it in a kind of low, calm way like I’m making up a bedtime story for someone who’s afraid, while taking deep breaths. Thinking about collecting all the panic in my breath and sighing it out softly.

It helps to have a story prepared if you’re just starting that you know off by heart, even a fairytale you like and you can either stay with it or go off in a new, peaceful direction. It helps to include something that makes good breathing sounds, something rhythmic. My favourites are the sea, and the wind, but you don’t need to stress about including them if you can’t think of any. Just "once upon a time there was me making soup in the kitchen and it smelled so wonderful, like…." And take deep slow breaths. And include all the nice details.

I don’t know if this will work for anyone else. But it’s what I do when I’m really freaking out. If I’m somewhere I can’t tell a story because I need to focus I just sort of keep up the same sort of patter like "we’re just going to do this, and then we’re doing the shopping, and that’ll be nice because then were all set for food, and then after those things we can go home and home is great, but first we have to finish this so let’s just…" just kind of talk your way through what you’re doing and try to talk about the good things. And notice things like "oh, look, courgettes are half off right now. I wonder what you can do with courgettes. Maybe I’ll look up some recipes later, that’d be good. And there’s pasta over there, I haven’t made that pasta dish in a while… apple juice is always nice. What else is on the list?” And if you can’t think of any good it’s useful (to me) to think "and this feeling will not last forever and it won’t hurt me, I’ve done this before and I know it’s tricks, it’s just a panic attack, it won’t last forever”

Like I said I don’t know if it’ll work for other people, but it’s worth a go! I really hope it helps. Sorry this is so long (I can’t seem to keep things short!) but changes in plans get me. Like if someone says we’re going to do shopping and then go home and then halfway through the shopping they suggest going for coffee I get really stressed. Even though it’d be nice to go for coffee! Anyway. I hope you find something that helps.

[Painny]

Yes, my anxiety is over the roof for no reason, I even shake when it gets severe. Other underlying health condition makes this condition worse for me. And the recent traumatic head injury …just broken but still do yoga and occasionally go to gym

[Meechan45]

Thank you all for your replies they are very useful I will try anything to get my life back.I know the fibromyalgia I've got to live with but it's the panic what's dreadful. ❤❤

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hello, yes unfortunately I did not too sure why it started menopause/fibro/Cfs but eventually it was the right medication that stopped it, 5 years on everything is still good, I did have CBT but didn’t help me really, I still think it’s good to take time out and relax doing something like reading a book/film, music etc, do see your doctor it’s important to follow this through and seek help and get back to being yourself, i understand what your going through xxx

[Cat00]

I had the occasional panic attack but at the time I didn't know that that's what they were. Largely a tightening of the chest and a feeling I couldn't get enough air. Later when my migraines became chronic and daily and I was living a wreck of a house we were renovating with no heating etc I suddenly lost all ability to sleep. I was in a lot of pain and then couldn't switch off at all. I didn't sleep for 4 nights and developed what I can only describe as a constant state of panic. I lost 3 stone in a month, got to 5 and half stone and was only able to sleep for an hour here and there. I had to move back in with my parents bc I was too frightened to be left on my own. For a while my parents and husband took shifts through the night bc I was awake half the night and terrified then too. I was considered to be too complex for CBT, I was already part of a mental service but they seemed completely unable to help me. So it was just us trying to find a way through each day. I did what bluelabelle did I chanted things, made up up stories or a sentence I'd written down that had no particular significance and I would walk round the garden saying these things to try and fill the space in my head where the fear would talking instead. Later when I started to have longer gaps between panic I started the buddhist meditation of mindfullness of breathing.

At the time it felt like nothing I did worked and it was all pointless. I took a year or so to reach some sort of equilibrium but now (15 years later) it is these things that help me now, especially the mindfullness of breathing and most critically doing anything that stops the downward spiral of thoughts. If it comes out of the blue I tend to start feeling faint, I often won't know why it's happening I just start breathing out as slow as possible and try and flush the co2 out which can contribute the faintness.

[Caspercat01]

I do like my routine, I think it's a good thing for everyone in life to have if you can. It's not always the case for me, and it can send me into flare ups if Im not careful. I'm actually looking forwards to autumn now, and settling down after such a traumatic year. Find comfort, and don't feel you have to do something you don't want when your anxiety is high. All the best for now, enjoy the day best you can. 🙂

[Bmw640]

Hi MeechanBig hugs 🤗 I’m sorry you suffer with these things too.? Do you do, can you do anything creative? I understand panic, anxiety & feeling down with Fibro. For me it is the loss, grief and impotence every time I get worse (everything keeps tightening further & never releases). But I now have a habit of asking myself what do I want to do? What can I do? Of those small number of options I decide what I’d like to do most. I find creating/crafting of different sorts takes me outside of the stress & worry and takes me to a better place. So does the anticipation of what I have planned even if I have to pace, do a little then come back to it later, tomorrow the day after etc. It gives me a feeling of fulfilment & that banishes the anxiety & distress. and it helps dealing with changes I’m not in control of because I can think of the nice crafty thing waiting for me. Do you think you could benefit in a similar way? I really hope you find what works for you soon. More hugs.

Bm

[Meechan45 in reply to Bmw640]

I pass out when I have panic attack I've been into A&E and also the mental health dept ,on medication but it happens when something happens of my usual routine .I can deal with any situation it's after that they happen

[Bmw640 in reply to Meechan45]

I’m so sorry to hear you struggle like this and I wish I could share some information that may be of use to you for such times. I was taught a good breathing exercise that helps me calm, maybe you could try this. Imagine a picture frame or ideally choose one to look at and you count your way round the square as you breath. So count to 3 slowly down the first side .whilst breaking in as gently as you can, they hold your breath whilst counting to 3 across the bottom, breath into 3 counting up the left side and hold your breath counting across the top. Try to make yourself only think of the frame, counting and breathing etc. It’s well worth trying and has proved an indispensable tool to me. I hope you can try it & make it work for you. There is one other tool a friend who is a counsellor taught me. It’s called power worrying where you choose a time the following day and say I’m going to think about and worry about that subject at this time tomorrow. It works for me some of the time and when it does it really does do what it says on the tin. Hope you can try these. I’m going to try for sleep again, it’s been another all nighter body stopping sleep. Stay safe.Bm

[Jasharper]

Hi panic attacks and cause can be quite complicated and can be a build up of issues that finally cause the panic attacks.I do believe in my opinion it’s mostly caused by the loss of control people are having in there lives. I’m no expert but a sufferer myself it appears logical that is the main driving force. But we are all different.

[Jasharper]

Sorry forgot any distraction techniques are best as many post have alreadySuggested. I tap my thumb and fingers this helps me.

But finding the underline cause is best.

We as humans have good coping skills sometime we need some help so take any help you can find.

[Arymretep]

I find that deep breathing helps me a lot to calm down, and I do them in the morning and before bed just to keep me calm.

[Hidden]

Hi yes ever since I got fibromyalgia I get bad panic attacks I feel it creeping up on me then I feel like I can't breath its horrendous x

[Roo1972]

Hello twin 😀 Since my fibromyalgia started I've found panic, anxiety, stress all seem to be interrelated. I'm currently investigating whether there is a myofascial element to my fibro flares (there seems to be) but overall there is definitely a vagus nerve element too which as far as I know is very strongly related to that 'fight or flight', nervous system response so would make sense! Now which way round it is (does the vagus nerve affect my pain/anxiety or is it the pain that 'trips' the vagus nerve reaction) I don't know. What I do know is that for me, meds haven't been the answer - I appreciate they are for many people but if I took meds for the anxiety, pain, low mood, hormone imbalance (on the menopause) along with everything else I take, I'd rattle! In terms of what do I do: stretching and box breathing really help me (clearing my mind - waste of time, my mind is too busy for that and CBT - just got annoyed) along with counselling to talk through why I feel anxious/stress, how can I take back control when I feel like that which I didn't get from CBT (though again I know other people have had really positive experiences with CBT). Someone recently suggested hynotherapy and I'm toying with the idea, really wanted acupuncture to work but whilst if relaxed me sooooo much, it didn't help the pain (which was disappointing)! So, in summary: yes, sounds very familiar and there's lots out there that may help, it's just trial and error finding what works for you.💜

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[Midori]

Hi and Welcome.

I have Fibro and Hypermobility with cPTSD, (bit of a mix!)

When I get triggered, I become panicked, and yes, changes in routine can start it off, like the phone ringing when I'm cooking and have mucky hands. I end up not being able to do anything but cry in frustration, surrounded by the task I was just trying to perform.

It's frustrating as hell!

Cheers, Midori

[Makie-Uppie]

Early on this thing did mess with my head, worst was the uncaring unbelieving attitude of family, friends, the medical profession and the so called social services. This lead me to have periods of serious self doubt. 'I am a I nuts' 'are they really right and I am putting all this on'' am I suffering from Munchhausen's syndrome and just after attention' and the list goes on. Then apart from my kids staying with m half the week+ I was mostly left alone by the system.

Gradually my head screwed back on, this was after a few nasty experiences. I became unafraid to ask questions and wait for answers, if I did not get one I asked and waited. Eventually answers came, inflammatory markers too high, antibodies too high, white blood cell count too high, tests revealed a whole lot of other things, random spasms of muscles I have no voluntary control over, random signals in nerves I have no control over. Stress markers to do with pain way up. Never mind my temperature rocketing for no apparent reason, sweating like a pig for days to the extent that I was drinking litres of water to stay hydrated, twitching like someone had me on strings, and on the list goes.

Then the GP mentioned this. Now if someone asks me what is up with me I tell them I have the F-word, if they get stupid I tell them it's bubonic plague.

I learnt to try everything and anything, barring hard drugs of course and that includes alcohol, doesn't seem to agree with me or most of the people I talk to seem to agree. These things have a depressive effect anyway as you come down, not good for someone having mental health problems anyway.

A few months ago I landed here and have been moaning ever since with odd 'keep your pecker up comment'. I could write a book but refrain from letting my ego get that large, besides this is more fun and probably a darn sight more useful.

I think I have written all this out or something like it before, that's another thing my memory is fried as well.

Hungry now.