I've battled panic attacks my whole life (and I'm 62!) but they were usually short episodes and manageable. Typical attack: it hits, I breath deep, do relaxation techniques, and it's gone within 30 minutes. I take a beta blocker for high blood pressure and Zoloft daily. I also have xanax I can take as needed (but I rarely take it).
Lately though, the panic attacks are so bad -- and so different from my typical episode -- that it feels like I'm having a heart attack. The first bad one was a couple weeks ago and it scared me so much I went to the ER. They checked me all out, no evidence of a heart attack and sent me home. It lasts for hours: blood pressure very high (190/90), heart racing, horrible pressure headache, neck pain, mouth burning, repeated need to pee, sweating, arm pain, etc. I followed up with my family doctor and she simply encouraged me to take the xanax more often.
I had a second one this morning about 8am and had to call in sick to work. I listened to a relaxation audio and took the xanax but it didn't let up until 11am. Now here it is 4pm and the bad headache still lingers and I'm shaken. It felt identical to the first bad attack so I just keep telling myself it couldn't have been my heart.
darn it! I don't need anything else on my plate!! My husband has stage 4 kidney cancer and is so ill. Covid has us isolated but I still have to go out into it for my part time job. I'm so depressed and discouraged. I did not need this on top of everything else!
If you have panic attacks too I'd appreciate hearing how you cope and what you do to get them to pass. I can't keep missing work while I wait it out for hours.
Thanks.