Vicki,

I can't imagine having panic attacks nearly every day! I have been trying to eat healthy, recognize the signs and am doing better on the 1mg of xanax. Seeing the therapist tonight, supposed to go back to work on Weds. I don't know how that will work. Do you work outside the home? I have a stressful job of customer service at the local power company.

I eat cashews

Vicki,

That was excellent advice you gave Sherri about recognizing the signs of an anxiety attack. Recognizing and then consciously calming the mind down works!

This is something I'm trying to do better at; you're right, it takes time and effort to do so...

Don't give up Sherri; stay with it. Don't let the attacks overcome you--you overcome them with Vicki's suggestions..it will help! Also, if you can, try and take time for yourself--just you--alone. Being calm, just relaxing, can make a difference...

Sherri saw your post about eating cashews so pulled out my book on KITCHEN COUNTER CURES..hers what it said:
NUTS-A Heart Smart Snack
BATTLES: BOLSTERS:
*heart disease *bones
*high blood pressure *weight control
*stroke
In 1992, researchers at Loma Linda University in Ca. poblished a study showing that people who ate a handful of nuts five or more times a week cut heir risk of heart attack in half, compared with folks who never ate them. Nuts in the shell are best...When selecting nuts in shells, *choose nuts that feel heavy for their size.
*Pick those clean, fresh and free of mold.
The advantage of nuts in their shell is that they are unprocessed, unsalted. Unsalted nuts can also be purchased already shelled and bagged.
*Keep nuts in the refrigerator so they don't become rancid.
LETS GO NUTS;
Sprinkle them on cereal, toss em into salad, grab em and go, stash em in your desk drawer, relish em on celery, stir em into yogurt...
SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE A NUT...
Cashews (18 whole nuts)
copper, 30 %
magnesium, 20%
phosperous, 15%
iron, 10%
zinc, 10%
selenium, 6%
If anyone wants to know email me and get the facts on Almonds, Pecans, Pistachio, Walnuts, Macadamias, Peanuts...
Also soyou are aware NUTS are full of the good fats we need to eat. Now if you curl up nightly with a can of nuts your going to pack on the pounds BUT here they mean a handful, one ounce a day and thats a good thing.

I'm reminded by this post to say: please consult with your doctor as to the best drug for you. If you're not getting the desired effect (or a counter-productive effect) please speak to your health care provider about switching dosages or meds.

I'm on 4 days of Ativan for severe pain in my back. I'm dizzy, I keep falling asleep, I'm depressed and I cry a lot. Plus I make zillions of typos, which would say I'm not too focused. I'll be glad when I run out of pills tommorrow because I don't like this stuff.

Gee thanks for all the info Chatty! I love Cashews and was told that they are better for you then peanuts. Trying to catch the onslaught of an attack and have been able to avert all but one in the last week or so. I appreciate the advice of yours too Meredith, The Dr wanted to increase my dosage and I fought that told him I wanted to try to handle it without extra medication. Now it has even been reduced and am feeling pretty good right now. We'll see what my first day back to work brings. Thanks for all of your support and love.

Sherri

Good luck at work Sherri. Klonipin(clonozapan)(not sure of the spelling) is a good med for panic attacks. Read up on the different ones online. Do a google search and compare them.
Louisa

Meredith mentions a good point. I've know some of the sickest people who take more medications that you can shake a stick at.

The medications aren't helping, but they keep taking them because they've been prescribed.

If it's not working, there may be one that will. Be an advocate for yourself.

Sherri, I'm glad you are having less with each passing day. Sometimes our systems need to unlearn certain behaviors in order for us to become healthy again.

Chatty, thanks for the information about nuts. Can you share the information you have on the benefits of almonds?

Meredith, urg...I wish I could wave my magic wand and make you all better. maybe the queen could do that. Aren't you traveling with your jewelry this weekend?

Girls,
Because I'm not familar with a lot of meds, I'm going to ask a dumb question I'm sure but I want to know. I noticed that one person takes Ativan for panic attacks, while another one takes it for back pain. That seems odd to me. Is it because the drug is suppose to relax the body? Please explain for the dummies in here (hoping there's more than just me)

Chocolate - the drug of choice

JJ

jawjaw, I quote from the label on the bottle: "...as needed for anxiety or severe muscle spasm" Lorazepam generic for Ativan" And from the pharmacy insert: "This medicine is a benzodiazepine used to relieve anxiety and cause drowsiness before certain medical procedures. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor." Clear as mud, huh?

I came into the Emergency Room hyperventillating because the pain was so severe, so I guess they thought I was stressed as well.

And I know this, from personal experience: I have yet to take a muscle relaxant that didn't majorly disagree with me, for one reason or another. If given a choice, I will ask not to take this one again.

sherri, I don't work outside the home, and that's mostly because of the daily panic attacks, and because I'm bipolar.

My husband is a really great support system, both financially and emotionally.

Take last night. I wanted to make dinner for him when he came home from work, but I was overwhelmed by all the choices I had of what to make. I was panicked that I couldn't make a decision. He came home. He recognized immediately that something was wrong. He cuddled me, talked to me about this and that.. got my mind calmed down. And then we were able to talk about dinner, I narrowed it down to 3 choices for him and he chose one.

All without the need to pop an Ativan. That's what I mean about recognizing the symptoms and learning to control them without meds. However, all that good couldn't help me when a huge thunderstorm rolled through and I panicked BIG TIME and couldn't get a hold of myself with all the lightning and thunder booming and crashing all around our house. I couldn't get to sleep, the harder I tried, the worse it got. So, for that, I took an Ativan. It took affect just as the storm thundered itself out and I was able to drift off to sleep calmly.