hot flashes or GAD?

OK, so just after Thanksgiving I had my first full blown panic attack. It was horrible and now I understand too well being afraid to have another one. I started on ativan and was already on prozac, so hopefully on the right track.

My question is this: For a long time I have been having "hot flashes" that cause my heart to pound, I get dizzy and can't think straight. Also haven't been able to relax my muscles, and twitch alot. Hormones, diabetes/thyroid workups, etc. didn't do anything. I'm wondering if they might have been mini-panic attacks (several a day) or GAD? The only thing that doesn't fit is that, for the small ones, I didn't feel specific fear, just stress that I attributed to having the episodes in the first place.

Could I have been having this for a long time? Would that change how it's treated? I've had depression for life.

BTW, Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays! LGO
mtnannie

I used to have a panic disorder and yes, what you describe certainly do sound like sort of "mini" panic attacks. Pounding heart, dizziness, can't think straight. I used to call it being disoriented, "head detaches from body" meaning I couldn't make my body do what I wanted it to do, only to say that i felt out of control of my reflexes.

The only other thing that occurrs to me is, do you possibly think that any of this is any type of siezure disorder? Did any of your doctors think that was a possibility? I doubt it, myself, but just wanted too throw it out there.

The ativan should help a lot. Please, be aware that ativan is one of the most addictive benzodiazapams out there. So follow your doctor's recommendations strictly. It will work very well for you. I did take it for quite a while and had no trouble stopping it because I never took more than I was supposed to. If I remember correctly (this was twenty years ago) I believe I took .5mg at a time. Maybe twice a day at most. But really not sure. I do remember breaking the tabs in half.

Best of luck to you. I hope you feel better soon.

PS: Oh, and anxiety frequently accompanies depression.

Vickie - Thanks for your post. I guess I just never thought that what was going on were mini-panic attacks, but it sure makes sense now. Wish that it had occured to my doc.... When I talk with him about this I'll also ask about a seizure disorder, like you suggested, just in case. How long have you had panic attacks? Did you get better over time? This is all just so new to me and so I don't even know what to ask. I'll read more of the posts on this forum. Now that I have had a full-blown panic attack I keep almost panicking afraid of having another one.... You helped me.
mtnannie

So glad I could help a little. My panic disorder occurred over twenty years ago. I've been at this game for a very long time. I won't go into the specifics of how mine came about or what cured it but I will say that there are some simple things for you to think about in regard to panic disorder.....

First, it's common so don't be embarrassed and it frequently accompanies depression. Also, it is common to fear having another one, especially in the same location where you may have had one previously. You can get over it but it takes time to work through what's behind it. Panic is basically intense fear and is the old "fight or flight" response taking our body over. In my case, it turned out that what caused my panic episodes to begin was something I was thinking about while doing something entirely unrelated to what was frightening me. Translation: I was driving on the highway and my mind was thinking about something that was worrying me and suddenly I panicked and from that moment on, I couldn't drive on the highway because I associated highway driving with the panic episode. After putting up with the panic disorder for a very long time, I got sick and tired of it limiting me. So I made up my mind to beat it. I forced myself to learn to drive on the highway without being afraid. It took a lot of work picking apart the nature of the disorder and deciding upon simply bulldozing through it. But it worked. I was determined not to live my life that way.

However. I want you to take good care of yourself today. You need to do what you need to do for yourself right now, a step at a time. Everyone's challenges change day to day. Mine do. I've been at this for many, many years and I still have my challenges. I'm 57 and have only been correctly diagnosed for 5 years. It doesn't always go smoothly, day to day.

Hang in there and work with your doc to the best care for yourself.