Drug-induced panic attack resulted in EXTREME anxiety?!


Question: Drug-induced panic attack resulted in EXTREME anxiety!?
Two nights ago I made a terrible decision: I took three Trazodone sleeping pills and a Flexeril muscle relaxer!. No, I wasn't trying to kill myself - I just wanted to rid myself of insomnia and Restless Legs Syndrome!.

Well, let's just say that cocktail of medications did NOT agree with my body!. I began to panic - full on panic!. My pupils became extremely dilated, I collapsed onto the floor, and started screaming at the top of my lungs!. My mother ran in to see what was wrong and found me curled up in fetal position, mumbling about the "geometric shapes" and how I was sure I was dying!. I felt so displaced and terrified, like I was having a bad trip on LSD or something!. I screamed at her to call 911, but she simply held me and put me to bed!.

I haven't been the same since!.

For the last two days, I've been convincing myself that I'm losing my mind!. Sometimes I feel like I'm on some sort of psychedelic drug, other times I feel like I'm in a dream!. It's like I'm stuck in some sort of strange, unreal reality!. In the last couple days I've also suffered from numerous panic attacks, I'm constantly anxious, and I have extreme separation anxiety!. I'm not interested in my usual hobbies and all I do is lay in bed and pray for this all to be over!.

WHAT is going on!? I just found out today that I have strep throat (although I don't have any of the symptoms) and low thyroid, so perhaps these things could be contributing to my problems!? I feel like I'm on the brink of an extreme mental breakdown and that I could easily be committed to a psychiatric ward!. And yes, I do have an appointment to talk to a professional!.

Thank you for your help! I'm really desperate!Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
This was not actually a proper panic attack!. This bears far more similarity to being in the spectrum of Serotonin Syndrome!.

Let me explain!. You took two drugs!. Trazodone, which is active in the serotonin system via unknown means, and cyclobenzaprine, which is an exceptionally potent tricyclic drug with some serious serotonin action!. The two in combination have been known to cause this when used together!. More importantly, cyclobenzaprine is known to not play nice with other serotonin acting drugs, and you took a significant dose of another one!.

The screaming,extreme mydriasis, collapse and hallucinations are all characteristics of serotonin syndrome, particularly below the incapacitating threshold!. But particularly the hallucinations and delirium are not something you see with panic attacks!. I'm willing to bet that the experience was outright painful too!.

Of course, this is no substitute for a medical evaluation, this is just my opinion, based on your description!. I have no idea what actually happened!. Your account matches up more or less exactly with low level cases, including one from a friend of mine with a history of recreational drug use - he did it on purpose to see what it was like!.

Yeah, you need to see a professional, a psychiatrist, one with a lot of experience!. Maybe a neurologist too!.

Just my opinion, but this is not anywhere near normal for a panic attack!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

please see a Dr I suffered from that for years your not crazy or losing your mind also get the book fears anxiety and phobias it will help you Always remember anxiety is uncomfortable but it wont kill you i really thought I was going to dieWww@Answer-Health@Com

panic attacks can be extremely disturbing!. you describe being in a disassociative fugue state perfectly!. please see a psychologist as soon as possible!. there are effective treatments for your problem!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I gave a thumbs up to the person who answered above me!. I will tell you though that you have had a couple very good suggestions here!. One, you need to get the focus off of YOU!. Try really hard to do something that will get your mind off yourself!.
Two, tell your doctor about the combination of meds

I have had panic attacks and bad experiences to some medications while trying to find a med that would work for me!. I had hallucinations and more sever panic attacks using Zanax (sp) Might just be a combination from the meds you took, but glad you're getting it checked out!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

The only advice I can give you is my own!.
What works for me is to stop focusing on MYSELF!.
STOP worrying about ME!.
GO OUT and find other things to worry about!. Get pissed with friends, get drunk with enemies, jump into automobiles with weird people who show you that you are not as mad as you'd like to be!.!.!.
THe more you look outside, the less you'll stress about the unimportant inside!.
Hope this helps!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

The same thing happened to me about 6 years ago but it happened when I smoked weed and had a lot to drink!. I had done both before but I guess I overdid it that time!. I begged my friends to take me to a hospital but they just told me that I was tripping out and eventually I went to sleep!. Although I didn't get another panic attack (which was less severe) until about a year ago, I had a lot of the same feelings of going crazy you're having!. That lasted for about 2 years after my first panic attack!. I did get on some type of medication a doctor prescribed for me while I was abroad which helped but made me sleep a lot!.!.!.!.make sure that if you get medication, you gradually try to wean yourself off it because staying on it for too long will eventually defeat the purpose!. You may end up becoming addicted or not having the medication work as well over time!. I think the best way to take control of yourself once again is to let time pass!. My sister has panic attacks too and she says that after she has one, it takes DAYS for her body to get back to normal!. Since the feelings and things your body (& mind) go through during an attack is so out of the norm, your body needs time to readjust!. Also, try to relieve your stress by running or doing some type of vigorous exercise!. I've also tried meditation which helped over time as well as a book called "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" which is great but you have to commit to doing it and it's a pretty thick book (but worth it)!. Also, I forgot to mention that along with my anxiety came a lot of dizziness a feeling of lightheadness but it will gradually go away!. IT'S OK TO BE SCARED, JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING CRAZY and that these feelings will go away, specially if you do the workbook and try as many relaxation techniques as you can!. Good-luck!!! =)Www@Answer-Health@Com

This happened to me too after I had a horrible anxiety attack!. I couldn't explain it, but you just explained how I felt perfectly!.

It's okay, it's just a type of anxiety!. You're not going crazy!. :)

What worked for me was taking effexor xr!. If you don't prefer taking medication (I don't at all, but I couldn't handle how I felt) I would still recommend you see a psychologist!. It's a horrible way to feel and I wish you the best of luck with overcoming it! :)Www@Answer-Health@Com

A previous answer follows: Exercise, but not within 2 hours of bedtime!. Have a warm bath, or shower, an hour before bedtime, then a glass of very warm milk, possibly with Horlicks, or one of the herbal teas, below, and use dimmer lighting!. Put your mind in a position where it wants to shut itself off, and sleep!. See insomnia treatments, in much more detail than can be included here, in section 3, at ezy build, below!. Use one of the relaxation methods, in bed, after lights out, on pages 2, 11, 2!.c, or 2!.i, but they can take some time to learn, (progressive muscular relaxation excepted) so learn and become proficient in their use during the day!.

An alternative is to use the EFT, in section 53, and pages 2!.q, and 2!.o, saying to yourself: "Even though I currently have a sleep disorder, I deeply and completely accept myself!." (or choose your own wording) while you use the acupressure tapping!. Some more; quick, and easy to learn, are at http://www!.umm!.edu/sleep/relax_tech!.htm The progressive muscle relaxation, (most easily learned) guided imagery, and mindfulness breathing are known to be effective!.

Find out which works best for you, in the daylight hours, so you will be prepared, come bedtime!. For many people, a good idea is to develop a set "wind down" routine for the last hour before bedtime, so your subconscious mind learns that it is time to put thinking aside, and prepare for mindfulness, (awareness, without cogitation/purposeful thought) or the EFT, in preparation for sleep, but the idea with mindfulness is to not even think about sleeping: just drift off, naturally, during exercising those techniques!.

Avoid TV, computer, or anything exciting in this hour, although reading a BORING! book is a good idea!. I suggest that you try using the EMDR variant, below, prior to the mindfulness, or the progressive muscular relaxation, but after the EFT, if that method is chosen!. Experiment, to find which combination works best for you!.

In section 3 at ezy build: INSOMNIA: PAGE O - INSOMNIA: A COMPREHENSIVE POST a variant of Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing therapy is shown, which has been used successfully for those people suffering from insomnia, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and anxiety!. It is easily learned, quick to use, yet can be very effective; although it is easy to be dismissive of such a seemingly unusual technique, give it a good tryout, for at least a few weeks, to see if it is effective in your case!. I learned it from a book by a published clinical psychologist, on depression insomnia, and now use it every night, and find it works well!.

No coffee, tea, or other caffeine (see list in section 7) within 6 hrs of bedtime! Try a cup of chamomile herbal tea, an hour before bedtime, and employ many of the techniques in section 3!. Others may prefer Sleepytime, by Celestial Seasonings, Relax, Be Sleepy, or valerian root (valerian "hangovers" possible), from supermarket tea, or health food aisles!. Milk, or cream should not be used with herbal tea!. http://www!.ezy-build!.net!.nz/~shaneris Get up and do something, like read a book, if you can't sleep within 20 mns!. ~~~ Treatment for panic attacks: see section 8, at ezy build; PANIC: COMPREHENSIVE POST first!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

How soon is your appointment-- you really need to tell the professional the drug combo you took!. Most of all, don't make things worse by beating self up over the decision you made!. It's over and done!. You need professional up to get better!. You are not and will not be the last to make a drug combo mistake!. :) Keep your head up!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Negative emotions (like sadness, stress, anger, etc!.) causes your Serotonin production to be low; when your Serotonin level is low, you are more prone to getting Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, etc!.

Medication like Antidepressants (SSRI - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) helps to boost Serotonin level!.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication!. There's this herb called "St John's Wort" - it is said to be more effective than Prozac!. No, it is not for mild depression only and ignore those sayings!. In fact, it does help anxiety and panic-attacks as St John's Wort works like prozac!. Other natural ways will be exercise, diet, more exposure to light, etc!.
If you're unable to take St John's Wort, you can substitute it with Siberian Ginseng or Licorice Herb!.

The problem is that, even if your Serotonin is balanced!.!.!. you have that "learned behavior" in your mind!. You need to break that initial cycle to destroy that learned behavior - Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) does this!. A technique that you can use without CBT will be Distraction!.!.!. There are several other techniques to help cope them!
Ok, to use Distraction: Firstly, try to!.!.!.!.

Extracted from Source!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I would say give it time, take it easy til you see the professional!. Drugs take a little while to pass through your body completely, and it's possible that it could still be affecting you in smaller ways!. I used to take Trazodone, and just HALF a pill could knock me out!. So with 3 plus a muscle relaxant, your body probably sensed that it was way too sedated and sent you into a panic, making you think you were dying so that you'd get help!. Also, keep in mind that you had an extremely traumatic experience!. If you really believed you were dying when it happened-- then of course you're going to be anxious about everything and to want people to be around you to watch over you!. I've also read somewhere that low thyroid can contribute to anxiety, so that definitely could be a possibility!. Again, it's only been 2 days, so really, relax and stay in bed, watch tv, read, etc!. Don't stress out your mind or your body!. Sleeping helps too (if you're able to fall asleep at this point)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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