Greetings everyone! I am a 39 years old male having panic attacks.

I was diagnose with having panic attacks two months ago. I am having a hard time dealing with it. It comes and goes; I have no control over it.

Today I had a really bad attack at the barbershop in middle of getting a hair cut. I started to take deep breath from my stomach to control my breathing, but it was not helping. Tried every everything to control my thoughts. I could tell a few people, including the barber, was wondering what was wrong with me. I felt so embarrassed. I made some bogus excuse about not eating this morning and was feeling light-headed. I came home and felt like crap because of the attack and having to lie as to what was going on with me at the time. Right now, I am feeling like crap and I so want to take the Lorazepam, but trying to hold out. I have been tapering my dosage for the last 2 weeks. My last dosage was 0.25mg two days ago.

I am new to this forum, so I guess a little history is in order:

I have never had panic attacks before, if any thing normal anxiety when I have to speak in front of groups of people. Ok, I wouldn't say quite "normal", but nothing severe. The reason for my anxiety attacks was due to my stammering. I was taking 0.5 mg of Lorezapam and was taking it when needed. Months will pass sometimes before I even needed to take one.

My panic attacks started after I ran 6 miles. Well, not directly after my run, but a few hours later I started having problem breathing, tingling sensations, soreness in my chess, and an overall feeling of weakness. Basically, I felt like I was going to die.

Later that evening I went to the ER. My family thought I was having a stroke, or an heart attack.

Chess x-ray and CAT scan was done and the doctors did not find anything wrong. They said I was probably dehydrated; did not drink enough fluids. After, 3hrs or so in the ER taking in IV they let me go. I agreed with the docs because that was likely. So I spent the next few days rehydrating. But still felt light-headed, fatigue, and just not my self. At that time I was not taking any prescription drugs or anything just drinking plenty of fluids.

Approximately, a week after that I had another panic attack (at that time we thought it was another problem with my heart) and we went to the ER. Again, another round of chess x-ray and cat scans and nothing came up. Because I was experiencing soreness in my chess they kept me overnight for observations. Early morning another round of tests was done: echo on my heart, ultra sounds on the arteries in my neck, and a stress tests (which I was freaking out about, because I did not want to run). Everything was normal or within normal ranges.

Finally, a spirometry test was done, I was told by the testers that my lungs capacity for intake and exhale of air was great.

To make a long story short, my doctor came to conclusion that I am having panic attacks. So, for the last 2 months I have been taking Lorazepam. For the first couple a weeks I was taking 2mg a day. Since then I have reduced my dosage (I read a lot of material about addiction to Lorazepam); my last dosage was 0.25mg and that was 2 days ago (I have been tapering my dosage).