Panic/Anxiety Attacks

hi am new to this can anyone help me. Back in March this year i suffered what is known as a panic attack since then i have had more and more and i was getting to the point where i convinced myself i was having a heart attack.

I have had numerous ECG's and blood tests done and they all came back clear my doctor first prescribed me Propranol which didnt help me at all then he put me on Diazepam which helped me relax so for a few weeks i was panic attack free.

Over the past few days i have been feeling really anxious both at home and at work suffering with tightness in my chest and pains in my chest arms and back so i went back to the doctor and he has advised me have councilling which i am now awaiting an appointment but my anxiety seems to be getting worse today i was sent home because i was just not being myself and my boss as advised me to take a bit of time off work but now am scared of losing my job because its affecting me really bad even though i am now on betablockers to control my anxiety but have not been on them long enough for them to take affect.

Can my boss sack me for having this kind of illness if thats what u want to call it.

Please someone can anyone advise me on what to do as i am really worried about my state of mind and my job.

Many Thanks
Kerry Ann [/b]

Kerryann I don't really know what to say to you but feel like you need some kind of reply.

What is happening to you IS an illness. You probably feel very hopeless right now but you can treat it and overcome it. I would put work to the back of my mind for the next few days and just concentrate on how you plan to help yourself.

Hi Iron Girl

Thanks for your reply yes i do need to try and put work to the back of my mind but i cant help but worry that i may lose my job over this.

I just want t live a normal life like i did before but it seems to be getting worse rather than better i just hope that the councilling sessions help me rather than me having to take medication all the time.

My dads girlfriend reckons i suffer with my nerves because i am 26yrs old and i still sleep with a light on an lock every door behind me even during the day, my heart just races all the time and my breathing as to b controlled using my friend the little brown paper bag. I just want to get back to living my happy life again but how do i do this.

Kerry Ann

Hi Kerry,

Can I ask if you are still on Propananlol and DiazePam?

Diazepam is a sedative drug which is only supposed to be used for very short periods, no longer than 4 weeks. The reason for this is because it is habit forming and the effects can be reduced over time. Check this with your doctor, but it is more a crisis drug rather than long-term prescription.

Your panic attack is likely to have triggered anxious thoughts and feelings, some of which you may not be aware of. The panic attack releases feelings and emotions very intense that you may not have been aware of? As a result you become anxious of having another panic attack.

Try to identify why you had the panic attack in the first place. It is likely to be something that worries you or a situation.

In relation to your job. Well employers have to be very careful nowadays with nervous/mental illness. They can't just sack you, or if they do they open themselves to prosicution. Long-term if you can't go back to work they may feel you should leave due to ill health, but I would imagine this be an agreed decision, not forced. My dad used to work in the employment tribunal so if you want to know further I can find out.

hey jonny thank you so much for your reply everything u just said is completly right i dont take diazepam no more or the propranolol but i am on betablockers now called Buspirone but i have only been on them a few days now so they are not working yet.

If you could find some more information out for me from your dad that would be so good of you i would really appreciate caus i my anxiety gets worse wen i think a bout losing my job.

Hope to hear from u soon
Kerry Ann
xx

Does it scare you to go back to work? because that way you are gonna keep your job right?

beta blockers slower your heart rate which is a consequence of anxiety. They don't really deal with the anxiety itself, although tbh no drug should be relied upon for that effect.

best practice is to keep in contact with your boss. If they are understanding, which as an employer they need to be, then they will understand stress/anxiety from work. Tell him/her how it is and keep them informed. The general viewpoint from many people is that time off from work for stress/nervous/depression is that is unjustified. This is because they have no idea how it feels. Now it is more accepted in employment people are more understanding but it does depend on their experiences.

Set a time frame for going back to work. Start off with a couple of half days, or just 2-3 days a week and slowly get yourself back into it. Don't just set a start date and expect it to be easy! Consult with your boss if this is possible, they should be flexible.

Don't consider losing your job unless it happens. Ask me then, for now your just taking time off for rest. Your job is still there for you.

hi again jonny

Well am not scared to go back to work no i really want to back but my boss wanted me to take the time off so i agreed with her i just got the feeling that they are not wanting me there caus they dont know what to do when i have these attacks.

I have a session booked with a councillor next Wednesday do u think this will help me as i have been told my first appointment wont help me as it takes time to get a one on one appointment with a councillor?

I just wish the chest tightness and pains would go away i am so scared at the moment

XX kerry ann

you know, you don't have to take their advice!

I only work part time on weekends and have found it really tough to go in the past few months. I know that some people around me don't know what I am going through and they don't know how to handle me, but I get on with my job and put a face on being ok. I don't think it should matter that much if they don't know how to deal with it.

It's more important that you can learn to deal with it. May not be perfect, but it gives you greater confidence to be abel to do what you want.

I would only suggest trying breathing techniques to relax your mucles, feel more calm and slower your heart rate. I was sceptical about this but deep breathing slowly for a couple of minutes can really make you more at ease.

hi jonny

I just get so scared being on my own all the time and wenever i try to venture out my hearts starts racing like mad or wen i am laid on the sofa at night i can feel the heart flutters that happen pretty regular which scare the living daylights out of me but i suppose its sumthing thats goin to take time for me to deal with.

I am a dancer so that keeps my mind occupied but wen i get home again it all starts up again.

As for my job i love it at the end of the day and i cant wait to go back but like you said not many people understand what we are goin through i just hope they see my situation and be kind to me

Kerry Ann

xx

I sometimes get a racing heartbeat and whilst I didn't believe I was gonna die from it, I found it very unsettling. It is very annoying to be relaxing on the sofa and then your heart rate escalates through the roof for no apparent reason!

I have grown to just live with it, because it comes and goes without me doing much, although deep breathing can help. Just don't think that you are gonna have a heart attact from it, because that is very unlikely. Like an athelete tries to raise the heart rate, yours happens at more relaxing times. It happens to a lot of people and is nothing to worry about.