Panic Attacks Treatment
Posted Under: Disease
Klonopin and Valium(others)are more of a “maintence” drug,they will help the panic stay away and help keep anxiety in check,they are good,but if you have a sudden attack of panic/anxiety then you would NEED a fast acting solution(again like Xanax/Ativan).
Here’s the problem,what you are up against basically…..Most Doctor’s do NOT like to prescribe them,they are HIGHLY abused on the street,and they are very addicting to some people.Your best bet is to NOT ASK FOR THEM unless you have to,in other words….wait and see what he/she offers YOU,then if it’s not one of the Benzo’s I mentioned above….THEN you could say “Well,hey I heard about ‘such and such drug’ might be more helpful to me right now”,and see what he/she says then.
Worst case scenerio,you are going to have to go to a Phsyciatrist and get them.It’s really SAD,b/c the TRUTH is Benzo’s are EXTREMELY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE,it’s only b/c people go out and sell their own prescriptions on the street,or take way more than prescribed,ect,ect that it’s so hard to get them.Benzo’s are actually safer than any SSRI/SNRI.The only real danger is when you go to STOP them…they can cause brain seizures(b/c of the sudden drop of Gaba in your brain/your brain adjusting to not having enough Gaba,ect)
For this reason…they must be stopped SLOWLY,in other words you taper down the dosage over time,now this only applies(in most cases) to people who have taken them longer than like a month,or were on very high doses,ect.
You should only need a very small dose(like .25 Xanax) to stop a panic attack when you first get on them.Please be aware,they CAN be addictive,the main reason IMO is b/c for a person with HIGH anxiety/panic,they make you feel SO MUCH BETTER,that you don’t want to get off them,and with the faster acting ones(Xanax),they start to ware-off in about 4-6 hours,you’ll feel it…so then,you’ll want to take another one,b/c you can feel the “calmness” is gone,so you want it back(even though your not in panic)it begins a cycle of addiction/dependance on the drug itself.
Sooooo,just be very careful….remind yourself ONLY take them when you REALLY need them,if you do that,you will prevent yourself from becoming addicted:-)
Here are a few ideas on how to cope…
Once you’ve finally visited doctor and have been diagnosed with panic attacks you will be offered a course of treatment. In order to make sure the treatment has the best chance of succeeding, YOU need to take control of your life!
1. Participate in Your Treatment
Do not sit back and wait for relief to come by itself! You must remain active and aware of your mind and body’s reactions to treatment. Be ready and willing to ask any and every question and to address every concern you have with your health care provider. Open lines of communication will increase the chance of control and success.
2. Be Patient
While many patients respond within weeks or sometimes even days to treatments for panic attacks, no one responds the same. Furthermore, no known treatments for panic work instantly. Be prepared to spend at least a full two months following your initial course of treatment before you start judging its effectiveness. If you still haven’t experienced the improvement you were seeking, you can always work with your provider to adjust your treatment plan then.
3. Be Alert To Side Effects
If part of your treatment involves medication, you will likely need to be aware and provide a lot of feedback to the doctor until the dose and type of medicine is determined. Make certain your doctor explains to you the side effects you might have to expect. Usually they get easier to tolerate with time but it’s critical that you know what to expect. Your doctor may begin lowering your dosage, or trying alternatives if the side effects are pronounced or cannot be tolerated.
4. Join A Panic Disorder Support Group
If misery loves companionship, then a great source of support, relief and information for those who suffer from panic attacks can be found in the support group. Now I’m NOT a big fan of support groups in that they tend to validate problems instead of focusing on fixing or living with them. I do recognize however that some people find great solace and support in these groups and for those people, please attend and enjoy. Most attendees will be talking about their experiences, their treatments and coping tips.
Just keeping these tips in mind and putting them to use during your treatment may help make you feel much better and increase your chances of treatment being effective.
