Nealy 7 weeks now and this week I have had 2 relly bad panic/anxiety attacks. Not the edgy, anxious feeling with not smoking but full blown fight or flight attacks with racing heart, loose bowels, trembling and complete loss of appetite through throught closing. Really horrible thought I was going to pass out. I have had them before although quite a few years ago and was prepared to experience them in the first days of quitting. When no symtoms came just the craving which I could manage by keeping busy, walking etc I thought great.
But had another attack yesterday and really thought if I have a cig it may take the edge off the attack. Didn't though but I do not want to live with anxiety again it is horrible and it also makes you depressed.
I know the doc can give you SSRi's but don't really want to take them. My nice pharmacy man said being a long term smoker who ended up smoking 30 cigs per day, said the receptors?? in my brain where having to adjust and heal from the withdrawal and it was part of the healing process. Does this make sense?
Anyone out there suffering like me, after 7 weeks thought I was over the worst.
Linda
Quit 12 September 07
Smoked for 45 years
Method Cold Turkey
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Please go see your dr.I realise you don't want SSRis so maybe he could give you a couple of simple breathing exercises to do to ease these anxiety attacks? I'm not a medical bod bt I do believe there is often more than one soution to help. Or you could ask at your local health food shop if they have anything. Let us know what happens. Take Care.
I too suffered panic attacks for many years, from 17 - well I haven't had one in about 2 years so 32.
I really hated them I did learn to gain control partially but sometimes I found it too hard. I would definitely talk to your doctor, at the end of the day suppressing anxiety by smoking is really going to make things so much worse in the long run x x x x
It maybe that you need some help with offloading all the worries you have to cope with x x
See this as a start of your journey to discovering yourself again and the new Linda will emerge stronger better and in control
Linda I am so glad you put this post on....I am on day 10 and seem to have been doing ok..This afternoon however I suddenly became very jittery shaky and my heart was pounding away I was actually finding it hard to breath it did eventually go after what seemed like forever and it left me quite lightheaded ...Really scared me as nothing like this has ever happened to me before.. I feel more at ease now after reading your post as it sounds similar to what you have experienced so must be to do with withdrawal symptoms...
Panic attacks are horrible. I feel terrible for you. I have had panic attacks since I was 3 years old. We didn't know exactly what was wrong with me at the age of 3, but i would describe panic attack symptoms and sure enough when I was old enough to truly describe what was feeling it was panic attacks. I unfortunately have no choice but to take medication for it. I am taking Paxil and I know it's a bad drug, but I am unable to get off of them now and the only good thing about it is they do help with the attacks. Talk to your doctor, because I am almost positive they have other solutions out there to help us. You are so right to try not to take medication for it, as the meds are terrible. They made me gain weight, and the side effects can be brutal.
Next time you feel an attack coming on - try to lay down and concentrate on your breathing. Close your eyes and breath deep in and out slowly over and over.
Sometimes relaxing music can tame the attacks too. I hope this helps you!
I have booked in for reflexology tomorrow and a massage the next week. I believe these will help with the anxiety and the toxins. I have got Bach rescue remedy to take for when I feel really anxious and have booked in for the docs today for a checkup. Still haven't smoked.
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