Panic Attacks

First of all you don't mention where you are in the process? are you worried about a diagnosis, been diagnosed, in treatment, finished with tx? All of these steps have stressors and reasons to cause anxiety.

YES, it is and and walking away from a stressor is a great step to relieve it, as is taking a walk if you can and doing some deep breathing exercises. I do both. But I also talked to my doctor and have a prescription for xanax I take only as needed. It was prescribed in July when I was first diagnosed and I still have original bottel. I take 1/2 of the dose and it helpps to stop the racing thoughts and heart and I can continue with activity. I am not used to drugs, try to avoid and if I drink the full dose which is .25 it makes me sleepy. Ok and great if it happens a night it helps me get a good nights sleep, but am able to wake up well in am, no fuzzies. And I have woken up in the middle of the night to tend to a child and have been fine, no fuzzies.

So id your anxiety continues to to yu doctor and explain what is happening and ask for something to help you through when you need it.

Feel better

Vivian

Hi gtgrl - I think panic attacks are very normal. You've had quite a trauma. I started having them about two months post diagnosis, but I didn't know what they were. Definitely not fun.  I thing my demeanor at the time could be described as complete despair. It was very challenging. A combination of antianxiety meds, an antidepressant, and counseling pulled me out. Of course it didn't happen as quickly as I had hoped, but in about three months I was starting to pull out of it. Believe it on not you are not always going to think about breast cancer 24-7. But it takes time. Feel what you need to feel. If I can help in anyway please feel free to private message me.  You don't have to be strong now, just be. Gentle hugs.

My story is a bit different but I hope it may help. I suffered from debilitating panic attacks after some life trauma about 10 years ago. Frankly, the medications only worsened the duration of my disorder. The problem with the antianxiety meds is that the withdrawal effects are increased anxiety. The therapy I found most helpful was to identify the source of my fear and play it out in my mind to the worst possible scenario. After I determined my greatest fear I would then think through how I will handle it should the worst come to pass. Once I come to terms with knowing how I will handle the worst I am able to calm myself. I knew my cancer diagnosis would put me to the test. I've had many sleepless nights and days without an appetite. However, in the end, the same cognitive steps that helped me survive before are helping me once again.

Interestingly, Ziggypop, the night I received my diagnosis and pathology report I had no medical professionals to interpret it for me. In all my brilliance I looked everything up on the internet and misunderstood everything. I concluded I would die shortly. That night I planned out how my family could manage and the other details of my existence. The following day my Onc provided a lot of reassurance and that made a big difference. Everything becomes relative.