Hi - can you please help me with how to handle anxiety attacks? Husband has had 2 heart attacks in past week, 2 emergency stents, 2 hospitalizations. This has been causing overwhelming stress for me and I have had two anxiety attacks.
I got checked out at ER after first one because sx mirror those of heart attack and my heart was fine. But I still need to deal with these anxiety attacks. Last night, I was up half the night with it again.
I emailed my LLMD, but in the interim, what can I do to relieve these on my own? Natural or homeopathic remedies? Something I can have quick access to -- hubby is still in hospital and I don't have much time to deal with my own medical crap.
thank you!!!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
St. John's Wort may help you some. I ended up having to go on Zoloft when all of this happened to my husband.
Take Xanax for a few weeks until the Zoloft kicks in.
It is very hard on the wife when the husband has heart trouble. I will pray for you. Hopefully, everything will calm down now for him. However, my worst time was AFTER my husband's surgery--months after! So, expect this to be a longer-term thing and get on the Zoloft. It was a life-saver to me.
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
My heart goes out to you regarding the panic attacks since sadly, they are common with Lyme, but then you have outside circumstances with your husband that would aggravate them even more.
In reality, the only thing that I found that totally took them away was lyme treatment, BUT that takes time and you want relief NOW.
I know that many go the path of prescription anti anxiety meds, which I did too, but many of us pay the price later when trying to get off them, so I have a hard time telling someone to go that path, knowing what I know now.
As far as herbally, I know that for minor panic attacks, many use Rescue Remedy, but mine usually were more severe and although I would still try that off and on, it was hard to settle them down.
Another thing that I played around with a lot are those youtube videos that focus on meditation and relaxation.
It isn't for when you are in a full blown attack, but I noticed that if I would listen to one before going to sleep, it would often calm my system.
Sadly, it is a lot of experimenting on what works best for you. Hang in there and keep us posted. Good luck to you and hubby.
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
I'm sorry this is happening to you and your husband and hope that everything will turn out OK for him and for you.
Through Amazon or from a health food store, you can buy NAC, N-Acetyl Cysteine. On the customer feedback posts you can read that people take it for different things but most take it for anxiety and depression. It works quickly. I take two or three a day around mealtime and it gives me a feeling of profound peace.
Prescriptions for anxiety didn't help me and made me go through extreme withdrawal symptoms.
NAC causes your body to produce glutathione which then produces more B12 but I suspect there' more to it than that. It's great. I hope to always take.
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
My husband found Relora helpful for anxiety. We got it from Vitacost or a local healthfood store.
Sorry to hear you are both having health challenges.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
Thanks to all. My wonderful LLMD responded quickly and called in Xanax.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Take plenty of magnesium, take an epsom salt bath tonight (don't overdo it), rub mag oil on yourself when you feel stressed, eat healthy foods, do some deep breathing, get plenty of sleep, and PRAY!
That should do it!!
Thank goodness for a good LLMD!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Thanks for telling us. So glad for you.
My pastor said that it is a known fact that it is harder on the wife when a man has a heart attack than it is on the man.
I couldn't believe him when he said it, but after many months of going through this with my husband, I became a believer.
Please work on a long-term solution also. I myself never had any problem getting off Xanax or Zoloft. But, everyone is different.
If I took the Xanax regularly (meaning daily), then I had to take it for 30 days and taper it down to get off it.
If I just took it once in a while, then I didn't have to taper in order to stop it.
If you have never had to take these things, you will learn how your body reacts to it.
I like all Lymetoo suggestions also! Magnesium is so good!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Same here, TF. I try to take Xanax or Ativan "once in a blue moon." Keeps me from having a problem with them.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Earthing will help.
Posted by droid1226 (Member # 34930) on :
Benadryl. It should with symptoms as well.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I'm so sorry for all you're going through.
I agree that earthing will help.
Also Benadryl. It could be histamine levels causing the problem.
Also, have you tried valerian root? It was used for stress before valium was invented.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
Thank you so so much for all the suggestions and support. Seriously, just getting feedback that this is natural and hard is helpful.
I took a good dose of magnesium yesterday. I have also been drinking an herbal tea and perhaps it's a placebo effect but it's soothing.
Haven't had to take an xanax yet but just having it here is reassuring. I was starting to get anxiety over whether I would have another anxiety attack!
I do think this was harder on me emotionally than my husband. He is one cool cucumber. I asked him if he was ever worried during any of this and he said no, he felt ok, and everyone seemed to be taking care of it, so he didn't need to worry.
That is not how my mind works!!!
So what is "earthing"? Sounds intriguing.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Just standing on the ground. I like to walk on the beach, barefoot.
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
I agree about warm Epsom salt baths. There's nothing else that can relieve stress/anxiety/nerve symptoms so fast, at least that's my experience. You absorb quite a bit of magnesium that way. (I didn't know about mag. oil, that's cool!)
There are quite a lot of herbs with a significant soothing effect. We like chamomile tea, you can get that anywhere. Skullcap tea might be harder to find--it is amazing and improves my sleep a lot. When I was having really bad anxiety problems due to Lyme, my herbalist added blue vervain tincture to my protocol and that really seemed to help.
I'm glad that your husband is a cool cucumber, at least you are not fielding his anxiety as well. And I think his attitude will help him heal. I wish you both all the best!
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
I agree about warm Epsom salt baths. There's nothing else that can relieve stress/anxiety/nerve symptoms so fast, at least that's my experience. You absorb quite a bit of magnesium that way. (I didn't know about mag. oil, that's cool!)
There are quite a lot of herbs with a significant soothing effect. We like chamomile tea, you can get that anywhere. Skullcap tea might be harder to find--it is amazing and improves my sleep a lot. When I was having really bad anxiety problems due to Lyme, my herbalist added blue vervain tincture to my protocol and that really seemed to help.
I'm glad that your husband is a cool cucumber, at least you are not fielding his anxiety as well. And I think his attitude will help him heal. I wish you both all the best!
Posted by EdlineHalfhpall (Member # 52598) on :
Your situation is difficult, but you should never give up, I believe in you and your health improvement
Posted by GoacaEblac (Member # 52618) on :
So sad that you and your husband have health issues. However, I can’t recommend just a medicine, so you took it and got addicted to it, or it damaged your physical health later. Because panic attacks never go so quickly, you’ll have to take it some time, enough to get addiction and ignore it, so side effects damage your health in general