I've had enough!
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From: Joe.P.Mannion on 15 Apr 2008 00:30 OK, first I want to apologize in advance for bringing you down-- because it will bring you down... OK. Way back last October I started having panic attacks (to be honest I think the word panic is a major understatement) pounding heart, sweat, shaking, fear of imminent death; you know the drill. I would have them every two weeks or so and would shrug them off as "my past drug use coming back to haunt me". After a while (mid November I recall) they started to get worse. Totally insane fear...my heart beat was so fast and the chest pains were so bad that I called 999 (that is EMS or 911 for all you yanks). I got told there and then that I was having these things called panic attacks. OK I said to the Doc "what can we do", he told me that he would write a script for propranalol (Beta blocker) and send me off for an ECG. Fine, I thought to myself. The beta blockers stopped my heart racing but the adrenaline pumping and all the other symptoms remained. What else can I do? The doctor gave me a low dose of Valium (2 mg). Fast-forward two weeks in early December. The benzos worked in the short term totally alleviating my symptoms. But as I went back to get a repeat script I was denied. Doc said no more...That I could get hooked. I can understand this because I know how some drugs can get a grip on you, I myself was hooked on heroin for 6 years. What pissed me of was his reply to one simple question: what other things can we try? His reply? Hold on strap yourselves is for this one because it will anger you so much you may feel the need to hit something... "There is not much else we can do...just try not to panic and I'll see you in 6 months..." Errrrg.... As Christmas aproached my behavior and habits started to get weird...I started drinking...not leaving the house, checking my pulse every minute or so. I started having daily panic attacks...my world got smaller and smaller... Christmas was a disaster, by that time I was necking a bottle of whiskey a day...On boxing day I attempted suicide...I will not go into details other than to say it involved a sharp blade. Anyhow, I was taken away by the police and evaluated by a psycho Doc who said that I was "fine" and let me out the next day... Ladies and Gents this year has not started as well as I had hoped and it is spiraling out of control. I try to take my mind off it but I constantly worry about my next attack. I have stopped drinking...I have been back to the Doc's, who upped my dose of propranolol (40 mg twice daily). I know that pills are not the answer, but the mental health services in this country are overstretched and it is impossible to get an appointment. What can I do? I am at what some may call my "wits end" Thank you for reading and I hope that you can offer some advice. Tapadh leat, Slainte, (thats Irish for thank you and take care) -Joe
From: Vieux Sailor on 15 Apr 2008 00:47 On Apr 15, 12:30 am, Joe.P.Mann...(a)gmail.com wrote: > OK, first I want to apologize in advance for bringing you down-- > because it will bring you down... > > OK. Way back last October I started having panic attacks (to be honest > I think the word panic is a major understatement) pounding heart, > sweat, shaking, fear of imminent death; you know the drill. I would > have them every two weeks or so and would shrug them off as "my past > drug use coming back to haunt me". After a while (mid November I > recall) they started to get worse. Totally insane fear...my heart beat > was so fast and the chest pains were so bad that I called 999 (that is > EMS or 911 for all you yanks). > > I got told there and then that I was having these things called panic > attacks. OK I said to the Doc "what can we do", he told me that he > would write a script for propranalol (Beta blocker) and send me off > for an ECG. Fine, I thought to myself. The beta blockers stopped my > heart racing but the adrenaline pumping and all the other symptoms > remained. What else can I do? The doctor gave me a low dose of Valium > (2 mg). > > Fast-forward two weeks in early December. The benzos worked in the > short term totally alleviating my symptoms. But as I went back to get > a repeat script I was denied. Doc said no more...That I could get > hooked. I can understand this because I know how some drugs can get a > grip on you, I myself was hooked on heroin for 6 years. What pissed me > of was his reply to one simple question: what other things can we try? > > His reply? > > Hold on strap yourselves is for this one because it will anger you so > much you may feel the need to hit something... > > "There is not much else we can do...just try not to panic and I'll see > you in 6 months..." > > Errrrg.... > > As Christmas aproached my behavior and habits started to get weird...I > started drinking...not leaving the house, checking my pulse every > minute or so. I started having daily panic attacks...my world got > smaller and smaller... > Christmas was a disaster, by that time I was necking a bottle of > whiskey a day...On boxing day I attempted suicide...I will not go into > details other than to say it involved a sharp blade. Anyhow, I was > taken away by the police and evaluated by a psycho Doc who said that I > was "fine" and let me out the next day... > > Ladies and Gents this year has not started as well as I had hoped and > it is spiraling out of control. I try to take my mind off it but I > constantly worry about my next attack. I have stopped drinking...I > have been back to the Doc's, who upped my dose of propranolol (40 mg > twice daily). > > I know that pills are not the answer, but the mental health services > in this country are overstretched and it is impossible to get an > appointment. > > What can I do? > > I am at what some may call my "wits end" > > Thank you for reading and I hope that you can offer some advice. > > Tapadh leat, > > Slainte, > > (thats Irish for thank you and take care) > > -Joe Hi Joe, can't believe any doc would do that. Mine is totally opposite and keeps trying out new drugs, some better than others, but this guy is really interested in getting me better. Same story as you, had gone to emergency a couple of times with these attacks but he's the one who recognized it started me on meds right away about two years ago. I would suggest looking around for another doc, it may be difficult where you are but a doc with an attitude like that is not going to help you. keep your head up Joe.
From: Vickie on 15 Apr 2008 15:02 On Apr 14, 9:30 pm, Joe.P.Mann...(a)gmail.com wrote: > OK, first I want to apologize in advance for bringing you down-- > because it will bring you down... > > OK. Way back last October I started having panic attacks (to be honest > I think the word panic is a major understatement) pounding heart, > sweat, shaking, fear of imminent death; you know the drill. I would > have them every two weeks or so and would shrug them off as "my past > drug use coming back to haunt me". After a while (mid November I > recall) they started to get worse. Totally insane fear...my heart beat > was so fast and the chest pains were so bad that I called 999 (that is > EMS or 911 for all you yanks). > > I got told there and then that I was having these things called panic > attacks. OK I said to the Doc "what can we do", he told me that he > would write a script for propranalol (Beta blocker) and send me off > for an ECG. Fine, I thought to myself. The beta blockers stopped my > heart racing but the adrenaline pumping and all the other symptoms > remained. What else can I do? The doctor gave me a low dose of Valium > (2 mg). > > Fast-forward two weeks in early December. The benzos worked in the > short term totally alleviating my symptoms. But as I went back to get > a repeat script I was denied. Doc said no more...That I could get > hooked. I can understand this because I know how some drugs can get a > grip on you, I myself was hooked on heroin for 6 years. What pissed me > of was his reply to one simple question: what other things can we try? > > His reply? > > Hold on strap yourselves is for this one because it will anger you so > much you may feel the need to hit something... > > "There is not much else we can do...just try not to panic and I'll see > you in 6 months..." > > Errrrg.... > > As Christmas aproached my behavior and habits started to get weird...I > started drinking...not leaving the house, checking my pulse every > minute or so. I started having daily panic attacks...my world got > smaller and smaller... > Christmas was a disaster, by that time I was necking a bottle of > whiskey a day...On boxing day I attempted suicide...I will not go into > details other than to say it involved a sharp blade. Anyhow, I was > taken away by the police and evaluated by a psycho Doc who said that I > was "fine" and let me out the next day... > > Ladies and Gents this year has not started as well as I had hoped and > it is spiraling out of control. I try to take my mind off it but I > constantly worry about my next attack. I have stopped drinking...I > have been back to the Doc's, who upped my dose of propranolol (40 mg > twice daily). > > I know that pills are not the answer, but the mental health services > in this country are overstretched and it is impossible to get an > appointment. > > What can I do? > > I am at what some may call my "wits end" > > Thank you for reading and I hope that you can offer some advice. > > Tapadh leat, > > Slainte, > > (thats Irish for thank you and take care) > > -Joe That sucks big time Joe. I honestly don't know how you can get through this without the proper meds. I mean you *will* get through it, but the road is going to be so tough, until you get them. Before diagnosed I barely made it out the door. I can understand how desperate you feel. I don't know anything about Ireland's health system. Is there a waiting list that you can at least put your name on? Then you can hold tight to that date. In the meantime, read up on your disorder. Look for techniques to try to help you ride through the attacks. Examples would be deep breathing, walking, distraction. I am not sure if this is so, and I have never had the where-with-all to time myself, but I have heard that acute panic attacks last about 15 mins. Sometimes I tell myself, okay, 15 mins. of this shi** and then it will be over. I try to remind myself that the attack *will* end. I wish you all the best, Vickie
From: Joe.P.Mannion on 15 Apr 2008 17:54 Damn it google is acting crazy today!
From: Anna on 16 Apr 2008 03:54
Joe.P.Mannion(a)googlemail.com schreef: > Damn it google is acting crazy today! We know for a fact that Google is a PAD-er hehe |