OT- Panic attacks- Beta Blockers

[njpooldude]

Do any of you suffer from panic attacks and use Beta-blockers? Can anyone give me info on them, good or bad?

Ive been having panic attacks lately when talking to customers.. or even friends i havent seen in a while. Seems like when im " center of attention" my body trembles and i have a hard time breathing.. it BLOWS! Im a social person... but i dont like to be " all eyes on me"

I used to get them when i was younger... but they are coming back now..

Thanks guys

 

[jalsmiley]

make sure you have your heart checked if you end up seeing a dr...heart issues and panic/anxiety attack symptoms often mimic eachother..my bro died because of misdiagnosed..treated for panic attacks(also said same as you, that he would get them when talking to customers) but it wasnt panic attacks it was enlarged ventricle

 

[njpooldude]

wow, no shit.... He only had them when talking to customers? dam man... i need to get looked at then. Thanks man... im really sorry to hear about your bro

 

[Drift Wood]

You had panic attacks when you were younger??? How were they treated then? A beta blocker is of course one option, xanax is really the drug of choice to treat panic disorder. If panic attacks are effecting your ability to work or your quality of life in other domains there is definitely value in seeking professional consultation... Don't suffer needlessly.

 

[jalsmiley]

wow, no shit.... He only had them when talking to customers? dam man... i need to get looked at then. Thanks man... im really sorry to hear about your bro

thanks bro...yeah they were random, but he said he really noticed them the most when speaking to customers...dr put him on xanax and it wasnt till he was dead that it all came together with the autopsy etc...he never had panic attacks til these supposed ones at 30 years old...he was 32 when passed

 

[Big Dave Smith]

I'd talk to a doctor about a benzo if you can handle them without addiction. I get very stressed. Sometimes my stomach gets messed up, lots of acid, so I have to take a prescription antacid like Protonix. My panic attacks feel like somebody is sitting on my chest and I get dizzy. I shut down and get close to really freaking out. My BP is normal and checked regularly, so it's definitely a stress thing.

Check out Clonipan or Xanax from your doctor. If you don't need it, it makes you a bit high... but if you NEED it, it makes you go back to normal.

 

[njpooldude]

thanks guys... When i was younder i didnt treat them.. I just thought i was a pussy who was shy lol

My biggest conceren is the physical symptoms.. the whole body shaking.. LIKE A LITTLLE KID SCARED OF THE DARK.. i know its silly, but they are uncontrolable. Ive read that benzos will help with the mental, not physical
Mentally im fine..... at least i think so LOL. Beta-blockers seem to control the shakes, and tremors... Seems to be a lack of confidence kinda thing from what im reading... who knows!?

 

[DrivingForward]

Ive read that benzos will help with the mental, not physical
Mentally im fine..... at least i think so LOL.

Not entirely accurate my friend. Benzodiazapines treat physical symptoms as well. Many of the benzo's treat physical seizures and are widely prescribed as such. There is a significant reason why Valium was the USA's (and some say the World's) most prescribed drug between 1969 and 1982. Many people had anxiety problems, and Valium was very effective.

Valium was proven to be so effective over the last 40 years, that it is now prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, seizures, muscle spasms, restless legs syndrome, alcohol withdrawal, benzodiazepine withdrawal.

As Diazepam (Generic for Valium) is very effective and very inexpensive, it is listed as a core medicine in the World Health Organization's "Essential Drugs List," which is a list of minimum medical needs for a basic health care system.

I have attached two links below. One is a newspaper article on Valium turning 40. The Other is the Wikipedia page for Diazepam.

**broken link removed**

Diazepam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[KillerStack]

Sounds like beta blockers could very well help you. I have a script for propranolol but it did nothing much for me except make me feel weak and cold. I'm kind of weird, stimulants like caffeine and ephedrine actually make me less anxious, tremors and increased heart beat don't cause increased anxiety in me. Sounds like you're the opposite so give it a try.

As an aside, something I found interesting, is that propranolol also reduces memory imprinting from traumatic events which is why it has been researched as a drug for soldiers in combat so they don't get traumatized and suffer from PTSD later on, etc. So if one were going through a very rough time with panic attacks from hell the drug might reduce the chance of them advancing to debilitating agoraphobia (which is often fear of getting PAs in public) (my theory).

 

[KillerStack]

Ive read that benzos will help with the mental, not physical

The physical sort of meshes in with the mental. After all, there's no mental without a body right? We = body-mind.

Your mental anxiety from being the center of attention causes tremors. The tremors further feed the mental anxiety.

 

[njpooldude]

awesome.. thanks Stack, and driving forward...

One question.. if valium is a benzo.. how are they used to treat benzo withdrawl? lol..

Thats like me saying, i used oxycottin to kick my oxycottin habbit

just dont wanna be a zombi with my customers... but ill get some low dose valium and try it out.. Ill see my suboxone doctor in 2 or 3 weeks, so maybe ill talk to him first.

Again, thanks for all your guys help.. youve got me shaking with joy...

 

[KillerStack]

awesome.. thanks Stack, and driving forward...

One question.. if valium is a benzo.. how are they used to treat benzo withdrawl? lol..

Maybe you're thinking of tapering schedules. Valium is used to taper off other benzos, so you substitute the Xanax (or whatever) for Valium and then taper off the Valium slowly. Supposedly less painful coming off this way. I believe it has to do with Valium having a long half-life among other things.

I came across this info the other night reading about benzos increasing panic attack frequency. Which they do according to research, with long term use. Often patients using benzos for long periods develop panic attacks for the first time while on the drugs. So they are a bad idea for long term therapy.

 

[Big Dave Smith]

My benzo absolutely helps my physical reactions. That's why I got scared in the first place. I'm used to being mentally abused (not by my parents) in the past. I can handle that. Mine feels like a truck is sitting on my chest and my blood pressure and pulse are soo high that I feel like I can run my head through a brick wall.

Make sure you start at a lower dose. They started me on .5mg tabs at 1-2 tabs when I have issues. I definitely need 2mg. That brings me from "OMG the world is falling on me!" to "Okay... so who's hungry?". One thing for sure, I don't take them everyday. If I take mine 3 days in a row, that 4th day really loses it's effectiveness.

 

[matrix23k]

if you suffering from panic attacks try some SRI (Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) suplements like 5HTP or L-Theanine

 

[Trainwreck80]

10mgs of propranolol is used for performance anxiety, like for musicians and public speakers. If you have trouble with the attention on you, it might help. In my opinion it's better than feeling doped up on downers. However if you have anxiety outside of situations where the attention is on you then they may be better.

 

[njpooldude]

10mgs of propranolol is used for performance anxiety, like for musicians and public speakers. If you have trouble with the attention on you, it might help. In my opinion it's better than feeling doped up on downers. However if you have anxiety outside of situations where the attention is on you then they may be better.

that is EXACTLY my problem.. im fine with any situation. As soon as a customer, or someone asks me a question i dont know off the top of my head or i feel like all eyes are on me, im done... My mind goes blank, heart pounds, tremble... speach is shaky... if i walk away, im fine in 2 minutes.. its very odd...

 

[rocco-x]

Do any of you suffer from panic attacks and use Beta-blockers? Can anyone give me info on them, good or bad?

Ive been having panic attacks lately when talking to customers.. or even friends i havent seen in a while. Seems like when im " center of attention" my body trembles and i have a hard time breathing.. it BLOWS! Im a social person... but i dont like to be " all eyes on me"

I used to get them when i was younger... but they are coming back now..

Thanks guys

nj i'm soooo glad i found this thread.i've always been prone to panic attacks but at times they are really bad.so bad that if someone was to try and touch me to comfort me i know they're going to the hospital.happened twice already.luckily it wasn't with a woman but my boy who took a serious ass whoopin and to this day,i don't recall shit.i need something to bring these under control,nj,it got so bad in these last few weeks i didn't go to the gym,almost like i was agoraphobic.i went last night and some people came up to me to say hi and all i could think of on the inside was "please,please get away from me.i don't want you around me."it wasn't a bad thing,just a nervous panicky feel.i had to pop 3 xanies when i got home and they barely did shit.any help please PM nj.anytime too.i want so desparately to get back to the iron.i was doing soooo good.damn i hate this shit bro.

 

[aphextwin]

Social Anxiety

It really sounds like you have Social Anxiety. I would recommend you seek help and maybe consider an anti-depressant.

If you feel comfortable take a xanax when you feel a panic attack coming on.


I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and can say that I take Zoloft and xanax. I have taken xanax ed for 6 months straight bc my doc feels I really need them.

I have taken xanax 1 to 2 mg a day for months and then quit cold turkey with no withdrawl syptoms.

I hope the best for you.

 

[Moen]

Definitely social anxiety disorder.

 

[railslave]

i was put on celexa for both clinical depression, and anxiety. has done wonders for me so far. i had anxiety so bad when i was younger, id drive to college, and wouldnt even get out of my car.

i have heard that with beta blockers, traffic wouldnt even bother you anymore.