Anxiety Attacks

[Holly In RI]

I have not ever been a sufferer of anxiety or panic attacks until recently. Sometimes i feel like I just want to cry, and cannot even control myself:(

Are these a direct connection to diabetes? I know I have been stressed with work lately, so I am sure that is contributing, which in turn is making my level high, which is making me have these anxiety attacks...

I do not go back to my neurologist until the 26th, and to my regular doctor on the 29th. We are going on vacation Sunday, and i am sure being away will really allow me to relax and be carefree.

Is there any kind of testing that needs to be done to prescribe anxiety meds, and who would do it? The doctor or the neuro?

I also am still feeling so uneducated too. I go into panic mode whenever its time to eat...this just SUCKS:banghead:

[BriOnH]

Anxiety and depression are common with anyone whith a chronic disease. Use meds as an absolute last resort. I highly reccomend cognitive behavior therapy. If you absolutely reach your wits end and need medication make sure your dr follows the standard and appropiate action of trying tricyclics as a first line of defense before SSRI's / SNRI's.

I feel your pain and sorry to read this has been happening :( .

[labob]

Of course you feel anxious. But the good news is that you can educate yourself and get to the point where meals do not seem quite so overwhelming.

The first and most important tool is your monitor. Nothing will let you know how much of what you can eat and when without going over target than your monitor. You might feel like your life has turned into one big science experiment for the first few months after diagnosis, but nothing will get you smarter faster than testing.

The next tool is reading. The ADA's Complete Guide to Diabetes is helpful, but the book I found most useful after being diagnoses was Gretchen Becker's The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes. I recommend ordering a copy from Amazon.com (you'll probably want to read it several times, because it really goes over all of the basics and offers common sense advice), but you might also check your public library while you're waiting for your order from Amazon.

This site is another great resource. Diabetes seems a little less scary when you learn about how other people cope. I remember reading a post from someone who confessed that the first time she went to the grocery store after being diagnosed, she was so overwhelmed that she actually started crying. I didn't break down in tears, but I spent a really, really long time reading labels for quite a while as I was adjusting to my diagnosis. Now I can zip through the grocery store in no time flat, just like before.

No one's going to say that diabetes is fun. But you can do things to control your disease as much as possible. Take the meds that you need to keep your glucose levels in check, watch your diet, exercise, monitor your blood sugar levels again and again and again, and you'll get the hang of it.

Let us know how you're doing.

[KickStart101]

Gee Holly, I'm sorry to hear that you have
having a rough time of it.

I had my first panic attack when they were
preparing me for cataract surgery in 2005.

Then my first anxiety attack about 6 mths.
later. I was looking out the window drinking
a glass of water when I started feeling weird,
and had other symptoms for no reason.

I checked my sugar and it was fine. Felt like I
was losing it which made me decide to call the
Ambulance since I really didn't know what was
going on. Hubby had said he was going to shop
for something but thankfully had decided not to
so he took me.

The ER Dr. did all the tests and said I had an
anxiety attack. I asked if this could cause a
heart attack or death and he said, "No". Not
sure if that is true since I didn't look into it.

He said if it happened again(it hasn't kow)to put
a cold cloth on my forehead and lie down 'til it
goes away. That suits me fine since I'm on
enough drugs already for other conditions.

He said if they become frequent I would probably
need meds. for it. I hopefully won't need them.

Anyone can get panic/anxiety attacks. I met a
Lady in the Mall and she started telling me about
her frequent attacks. She is on one of the stronger
drugs since the weaker ones didn't work for her. The
one other condition she has is Asthma.

I wish you much Luck and I hope that you feel better
soon. Have Fun on your vacation. :)

[princesslinda]

Hi Holly:
So sorry to hear you're having such a rough time right now. Hopefully, things will level out for you and you'll be feeling better soon.

I think many of us have had the times of anxiety when dealing with diabetes. For me, all the changes I had to make seemed overwhelming. I was so scared, I could hardly breathe at first. It has lessed a great deal over the past few months. This forum has certainly been a godsend for me--the support is invaluable.

LABob gave you some great advice! The Gretchen Becker book was excellent, I still refer back to it on occasion. It made things seem less earthshattering and more doable....and it is doable, it's just a big change, and that's always difficult.

There's certainly no shame in seeking help for your anxiety if you can't control it. When I went to my doc just before being diagnosed, I was having what I thought were panic attacks, waking up with my heart racing, feeling so anxious, chest pain, insomnia...I asked for something to help me "level out." He gave me a short-term prescription for Xanax and told me my symptoms were most likely related to uncontrolled diabetes (which REALLY stressed me out even more). I took the pills for a couple of nights...didn't seem to really help my anxiety, but did help me sleep. After my labs came back showing diabetes, I started my diabetic meds and life style changes, and the anxiety lessened significantly. I found I didn't need the pills, just had to figure out how to manage all these changes. I still get anxious, but I don't have the fear I used to have....thanks to all my forum friends!

You hang in there. You're not alone!

Linda

[johgn]

I agree with Brian about behavior therapy, some simple breathing techniques can be easily learned.

[Injecto]

If you absolutely reach your wits end and need medication make sure your dr follows the standard and appropiate action of trying tricyclics as a first line of defense before SSRI's / SNRI's.


What are trycyclics? I haven't heard of them. Do you have an example or one so I can look them up?

[KritterMom]

Prozac is a wonderful thing.....................:)

[mzizgayle]

It is overwelming, and I am the one who had a hissy fit in the grocery store LOL...well not too bad. Hubby thought I was a little strange

They say we take control, when in reality diabetes still has a control...it controls the way we eat, and think about eating, before if I wanted something, I ate it, it controls the exercise...there are times when i really do not want to, in the past if I didn't, I would just not exercise and not feel guilty.

do hang in there, you will have many good days...

[BriOnH]

What are trycyclics? I haven't heard of them. Do you have an example or one so I can look them up?

Immiprimine is the best first line defense tricyclic imo. I can't stress enough that meds should be used as a last resort. CBT and exercise should be exhausted imho before using drugs. I don't know the exact statistic but the vast majority that start AD's will be on them for the rest of their lives.

[sweetcheeks]

about 5 years ago, i started having anxiety/panic attacks, til this day i cant tell which one is which, but ive had them both

one of them was so bad it caused me to quit my job on the spot, which was the first one i had lol

then i kept having them not all the time but enough that they was bothersom, then now diagnosed with diabetes, i do believe its has a connection at least in myself, knock on wood, ive not had a panic/anxiety attack since may of last year, which was about 5 months before I got diagnosed with diabetes.

However since being diagnosed with diabetes, i have had a few attacks of some sort, but i wouldnt call them PA or AA, I think it was just very bad mood swings from the diabetes lol

Ill be happy and all of the sudden something will tick me off and ill fly off the handle, start crying and feel like its not going to get any better, but ill check my sugar and it will be within a normal range....

I used to take zoloft, but I took myself off it about a year and half before I got diagnosed, I felt I was over medicated.

[BriOnH]

I used to take zoloft, but I took myself off it about a year and half before I got diagnosed, I felt I was over medicated.

Was it easy to come off for you? You were on it for a year and a half?

[sweetcheeks]

i was on it for about a year total, and it didnt bother me to come off of it, i had no problems what so ever

[BriOnH]

i was on it for about a year total, and it didnt bother me to come off of it, i had no problems what so ever

Good good. I don't want to keep plugging it, but at that paxil forum you don't get to read news like this often. Current estimates by GSK are 6 in 10 experience withdrawal and protracted withdrawal symptoms. An independant study said it was closer to 8 in 10.

I have read stories of people coming off of SSRI's and SNRI's no problem, and I envy them. I don't blame anyone for it, but for a lot of people like myself it's quite a torture.

[am1977]

Holly, I'm sorry that you are going through this too. I, too, can relate... I feel like I've always dealt with anxiety/depression during my life, but adding Diabetes to the mix only exacerbated things :(. Recently, it became more and more apparent. Quite frankly, it sucks :eviltongu- but I know I'm far from alone dealing with it...

I would encourage you to talk to others about it, maybe even consider seek therapy. Sometimes just getting out how you feel and venting can make a huge difference. Medication is also an option. I know that many are apprehensive about taking something, but if it can help you, I don't see a reason not to try it.

Hang in there- and remember we're here for you when you need us too :)

[MJB]

It could be the stress from your job.

That was the underlying cause for my (non-diabetic) wife's attacks.

[belyro]

I've had anxiety for a number of years now, and diabetes for MUCH longer. I know some of my anxiety has been related to diabetes, but some has been to other factors...like the job I used to have, for example. I find that the more "in control" I feel of my bloodsugars, the less prone to anxiety I am, but I can still get anxiety attacks when my bloodsugar's fine. (Of course, the anxiety attacks themselves do screw up my bloodsugar as well.) I am taking Effexor in a very low dose and have been for about three years now. As Brian said, though, these meds can sometimes be difficult to come off of. I'm hoping to try soon...but I'm only going to do it in conjunction with other therapy - e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I'm nervous about it, but I'm hoping the low-dose that I take will make it at least a little easier. That said, I'm still glad that I went on it. It helped me through a pretty rough patch in my life.

Good luck!

[onaway77]

Holly, I'm sorry that you are going through this too. I, too, can relate... I feel like I've always dealt with anxiety/depression during my life, but adding Diabetes to the mix only exacerbated things :(. Recently, it became more and more apparent. Quite frankly, it sucks :eviltongu- but I know I'm far from alone dealing with it...

I would encourage you to talk to others about it, maybe even consider seek therapy. Sometimes just getting out how you feel and venting can make a huge difference. Medication is also an option. I know that many are apprehensive about taking something, but if it can help you, I don't see a reason not to try it.

Hang in there- and remember we're here for you when you need us too :)
when a diabetic gets nervous this can make you bg go high... so when i get upset, i go and exercise.....