# can someone explain panic attacks please



## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

I am wondering what happens to each person when they have a panic attack, physically and emotionally. I want to compare with what's happening to me. I feel like I can't breathe properly, my bowels feel tingly and like they are turning inside out, my heart starts racing and I feel huge fear. I don't even know if this is a panic attack or a reaction to meds started recently, but it sure was scary for about 2 hours last night. I think I need to start this hypnotherapy thing, I'm getting worse NOT BETTER!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Cori, What med have you just started?Here is a link that looked like it could answer some of your questions. Hope it helps.







http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/8382/ BQ


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

Dicetel for 3 days now, also just started prodiem instead of metamucil to see if it was better on the gas. I've only taken one dose of it so far. You answered my post on the other bb about all these drugs, in fact you always answer me, and I really appreciate your time BQ. Thanks for the link!


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

BQ,I just read some of the information on that link, and I feel sooooo relieved. I was scared I was dying last night, and many of the things the site said fit me to a T. Just when I think I have a handle on this IBS thing, some other sort of symptom appears, and makes me feel like I haven't actually got a handle on anything at all. Why do things keep getting worse, and why are these anxiety attacks happening now???????? I don't get it. Now I'm going to be scared of having an anxiety attack again. I feel so out of control.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Cori, I can't find Dicetel on drug checker. What is it supposed to be for or do? Do you know if any of the reactions you are feeling are possible side effects?Cori, Eric can probably explain this loads better. But evidently there is some parts of our(people w/IBS) brains that turns on when it is not needed. Another words we are at times in "Fight or Flight" mode when it isn't necessary.The adrenaline rush can cause all these racing thoughts etc. Why our bodies do this I dunno. But don't think for a second that you are crazy or weird, cause this is common for IBS'ers.The hypno can negate that response, again, how??? I couldn't tell ya at the moment. LOL I can't think of how to say all of this better. LOL







Maybe my thoughts are racing??? LOL "Eric?????" <calling> "Oh Eric!!! Help us out here will ya?????"







Hang in there Cori, he will straighten us out in a bit.







BQ


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

Dicetel(Pinaverium Bromide) is a Gastrointestinal calcium antagonist. My md put me on them to help with bowel spasms, and with the constant pain I'm always in. Hope that explains, and I really appreciate your help and support.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Hi Cori, you can have panic attacks seperate from IBS, but you can also have them with IBS.Here is some info on the fight or flight responce and ibs. http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php...c&f=10&t=000482 When they look at pet scans of IBS patients the acc part of the brain is "turned up" which is in part an emotional and pain processing center.www.webpotential.com/uploadpic Do you think you panic is from your IBS symptoms or just in general?


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

Thank you Eric. Yes, I believe my IBS is what is triggering these panic attacks. I am in constant pain, and have tried many dietary changes over the years. The last 8 months have been horrible, and I alternate between D and C, huge amounts of gas, and a constant lower abdominal ache which never goes away. I am a worrier by nature (unfortunately) and what I'm going through has me worried most of the time. When these anxiety things started, I feel the fear that things are very wrong, and I don't know what to do to make myself feel better. I'm very frustrated, and have finally turned to meds (which I absolutely hate putting into my body). I just want to feel somewhat normal again. I've also been through a lot of stress lately, with a miscarriage, and the passing of my grandma and my father, and this has affected my health too. I just don't know what else to do, and maybe I should try the tapes that I hear about on this BB.


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

I should probably add that when this particular panic attack occurred last night, I awoke after sleeping about 1/2 hour with a sensation in my abdomen like I had a lot of gas. When I moved around and tried to get rid of the feeling, that is when the attack came on. My bm have been almost non existent for the past 4 days, and I can only describe the feeling in my gut as being tingly and full of air, with a few odd pains here and there resembling trapped gas sort of. I worry about what will happen if I have so much gas that isn't moving. Where does it go when it won't come out? I feel like one day I might just explode. Add the feeling of explosion, anxiety, constipation, and nausea....and I feel completely out of control!


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Cori, Mike's hypnotapes should really help you like it has many of us. I also suffered the panic and woke up that way in the early morning hours. The hypnoprogram has stopped my IBS/D and anxiety problems but you must understand it is a 100 day program and takes a little time and effort, you will be glad you got the program and as you've already seen there is help here and folks who care. You also need to start working on reducing your anxiety and stress and some help is mentioned by Eric on the "Need help today" thread by "Sue". Those are suggestions for relaxation and stress reduction on a concious basis and the hypnotapes will address the subconcious mind. Also you can get into a physical exercise/workout routine if you don't already have one. This will help to burn off excess stress causing chemicals that may affect the mental responses. I'm gonna bump up the "anxiety " thread and Eric has given several good links that may also help you! Just go to the "anxiety" thread and read. Good luck, Norb


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

Thank you Norb, for bumping that info. Lots of good reading and education. This is just what I need, and is already making me feel a bit calmer right now. I think I may look into the tapes as I agree that they sound like they could help! It sounds like they've helped many of you. Once again, thank you everyone for the support.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

cori, education is the first and most important step!







This is part of it."Stress and anxiety are thought to be the main factors that make the problem worse. Although abdominal pain may be triggered by emotional stress, the symptoms of IBS usally result from the improper functioning of the intestinal tract. The emotional responce may also set up a vicious cycle: "Stress/emotional upset>physical discomfort> stress/emotional upset" which is characteristic of IBS."ask any questions you want and start reading this entire website. http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/


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## Spider1 (Jan 14, 2002)

Usually what happens with me is I feel trapped, like I am going to be sick to my stomach for the rest of my life, my heart pounds really bad and then I usually have to run to the bathroom with D.


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Spider, feeling trapped or left with no way outta a place or situation is one of the most troublesome anxieties/phobias that can cause the panic response. It is strictly a "perception" reaction. Look around us, others are happy,peaceful, even enthusiastic doing something that is making us churn inside and anxious outside. They are seeing/perceiving the same situation totally different and we can only become one of them again and enjoy life when we cause something to be corrected in our mind. It is not concious because we can say "this is no big deal" but it will not stop! It is only when you reach the subconcious mind with positive replacement thoughts that feeling calm and at peace at all times will become the new habit in our lives. It can be done by faithfully following Mike's tape program, Mike has done the work all we have to do is listen to the tapes and get the therapy into our minds and then reap the benefits. It has worked for me and many others and I hope for many others in the future! Good luck, Norb


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## jane93 (Jan 21, 2000)

I get panic attacks when I thnk my IBS is going to act up at work...I get really hot, shakey and have this unexplainable and irrational fear and need to get out of the building as fast as possible. While Mike's tapes have helped me a lot I find that sometimes my new found confidence (from the tapes) just evaporates into total anxiety and I become a shivering jellyfish.I'm not about to try any meds as this happens fairly infrequently, but it also seems to be when my blood sugar is low because I haven't eaten...because I'm scared I'll get IBS at work and so on. Sometimes I eat lunch sometimes I just can't bring myself to eat at work.


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Jane, I also have a very good book that deals with worry/anxiety and has explanations and exercises to help you. It is named "The Feeling Good Handbook" by David Burns MD. I have many books on the subject but this one will help you help yourself to go along with the Hypnotapes. It may not be the same for everybody but I found a better effect by listening to Mike's tapes at bedtime thru headphones and after finishing I still listen for good sleep or whenever I feel the urge. While I haven't personally had to do it, many people on the hypnotapes try to use the imagery on their tapes(slowing the wheel) etc. to get a diversion and calming effect, maybe that would help for you? Good luck, Norb


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## AZmom1 (Dec 6, 1999)

I was diagnosed with agorophobia and panic disorder 15 years before I was diagnosed with IBS, although in fact it was IBS all the time. It was one of those chicken-egg things. I was treated for panic/anxiety for years. However, although I did hypnotherapy in 1989 for panic attacks, it wasn't until Mike's tapes that my symptoms of D and anxiety went away. Panic attacks are really "fear of fear" or "fear of fearful thoughts or feelings." It can start with a thought, "What was that twinge?" "Am I going to have another attack?" "I wonder what my day will be like today?" A fleeting thought can start the patterns of IBS. It becomes a deeply engrained thought pattern, and the "What ifs..." actually lead to physical symptoms. Your "What ifs..." come true again and again. Do this on a daily basis, you end up with a pattern of IBS. Panic escalates quickly with a variety of physical symptoms that vary from person to person. We with IBS tend to feel it in our gut. You expect the symptoms, and you get what you expect, your subconscious mind thinks this is what you want. You think about it so often, that your subconscious thinks this is what you want!What you have to do is change these thought patterns. Not easy to do. Affirmations don't work. Even hypnotherapy for panic doesn't work. Mike's tapes do work. They are gut specific, and create new thought patterns relating to the digestive system. It takes 100 days because it is not easy to change years of thought patterns. In fact, your subconscious mind fights change. But eventually the patterns change, are replaced with healthy ones, and IBS no longer runs our life.AZ


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## cori2262000 (Jun 16, 2001)

AZ, I have had those panic attacks before too, which stem from being in a public place where there maybe are no washrooms-or it is very crowded. Then I can feel my anxiety building. I start to feel sick, my heart starts skipping beats, and I feel hot. When my heart starts skipping beats, I get even more nervous as I feel like something is going wrong with my heart. I can almost make sense out of these types of attacks, although I wish I could control them. The other night though, when I was woken out of a sleep with one.....that really scared me. I didn't know what was happening. Thank you so much for all your replies, and I have decided to buy Mike's tapes and give them a try. I believe that they will be something that will help me. Having IBS for 25 years will take a long time to retrain myself, but I'm looking forward to the program. All of you have been helped, they just have to help me too........i hope


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## AZmom1 (Dec 6, 1999)

Cori,I did Mike's tapes faithfully for 100 days, then again a few weeks later. It took two full sets of 100 days for me to see change. But I can tell you the change has been dramatic, and has now been almost two years.It's very difficult to stop a panic attack as it spirals out of control. It helps to know what what a panic attack is, then you are not so afraid. Cognitive Behavioral therapy techniques help with that. CBT teaches you to talk yourself through a panic attack. Saying things like, "It's only panic it will go away," "This panic attack can't hurt me" and so forth. Other techniques are to distract yourself and learn to under-react to the physical symptoms. Really, you have to experience the feelings, go through the panic, know that you can make it through the attack, and learn that nothing bad will really happen. Once you make it through you will be very tired. These are very dramatic attacks, and cannot last long. That flight or fight response is meant to be a quick action, so they are like a quick burst of adrenaline, and then they go away. They always do go away, and leave you feeling exhausted.I'm glad you decided to order the tapes. AZ


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## jane93 (Jan 21, 2000)

Thanks Norb..I will check out the book


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