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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
        
(Message started by: kimmeesue on Apr 12^th, 2005, 4:26pm)

Title: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by kimmeesue on Apr 12^th, 2005, 4:26pm

With increased topamax, melatonin, and fiorinol I haven't had a bad hit since Sat morning, and few shadows or pressure in spite of storms and wind herein the prairie but I feel him lurking and I am starting to panic. Almost an anxiety attack. Never done this before. NOne of hte ususal prophalactic meds do me any good and I don't know if taking the fiorinol before the hit wil help as I have just started it in the past week. But the panic is getting the best of me as I sit here alone. Trying to relax with a cup of herbal tea but nothing seems to work.

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by Marta on Apr 12^th, 2005, 4:41pm

Hi sweetie,

Don't panic, we're all here for you. Have you got anybody to phone who could talk about other things to take your mind off the panic. I fought off a panic attack last night. They are so frightening I know. I kept reading the info on the veraponol(?) which said it's for stopping panic attacks. I read it so many times so that my my brain started to believe it and my heart calmed down. Admittedly I took an imigran (trex) shot to get my brain woozy.

Write back straight away if you need to, I'll be waiting

Marta

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by Margi on Apr 12^th, 2005, 4:53pm

in my 19 years of supportering....I think you're taking the wrong tactic. DON'T try and relax - you're just inviting an attack!! Get up, get busy, do jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk, do anything that will increase your endorphins/adrenaline. It's when you relax that the beast recognizes you as an easy target.

And, for what it's worth? Throw away the fiornal. It's not going to do diddly in cluster abortion or prevention. My hubby tried it. Just made everything worse for him.

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by kimmeesue on Apr 12^th, 2005, 5:00pm

Thanks Marta.
Sometimes I think it's almost better not to have good days...yesterday was blessedly magnificent...because I always seem to "pay for it".
The only person I can talk to about it is my oldest son, a nurse, who is in class right now. My friends are wonderful, my husband is wonderful (bought me a diamond ring Saturday because I was having such a rough time of it) but they just don't get it. And I am feeling sorry for myself which is pointless. The panic was just such a new experience. but has seemed to pass. Unfortunately the demon is lurking ever closer...have a feeling tonight is going to end up in a trip to the hospital which means a loss of tomorrow sleeping off the drugs. AAAHHHHHH!!!!Give me a lobotomy!
Again, thanks for reponding to my pitiful plea.
Wishing you a painfree day and night.Kim

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by Marta on Apr 12^th, 2005, 5:08pm

Hey Kimmeesue,

Forget the lobotomy, just the side of your head that is giving you all that grief! The number of times I wished I had a gun just to blow that side of my head away. Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't.

Just promise me, no rash decisions ok?

All my love and wonderful prayers for many good days ahead.

Marta

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by kimmeesue on Apr 12^th, 2005, 5:25pm

Margi, Like your husband i have many years of dancing with the demon. Just had never experienced the anxiety attack. Was trying to ease that before the beast arrived...knew I had some time...he is usually a punctual if unwanted guest.
As for the fiorinol...I have had shortlived positive results with a number of atypical pharmaceuticals. Opiats of different kinds have worked at different times...have gone the triptan route, O2, you name it, everything works for a while, then poof, nothing...or I develop an allergic reaction. Nothing serves to completely abort a hit but some things make me less sucidal. at this point fiorinal fits in that category. But judging from the level of dripping from my eye, running from my nose and belching ( have you ever heard of anyone having severre indigestoin with clusters? go figure) this is going to be a doozy fiorinol or no. But at least the panic subsided and my husband will have a killer dinner as that is my usual mo ...whirlwind in the kitchen and talk everyones ear off. The er nurses love it when I come in...guess I am quite entertaining ina small town hospital.
Thanks for the input.
This is a great place.
Pain free wishes for your hubby

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by sandie99 on Apr 13^th, 2005, 11:06am

Kimmeesue,

I'm so sorry the beast is giving you such a hard time... [smiley=hug.gif]

I wish I could tell you some magic trick which would stop it... But I can't. So, instead, I'll send you lots of

((((((((vibes))))))))
and prayer for PF days and nights.

Best wishes,
Sandie

Title: Re: The Beast is coming...Help...seriously
Post by Bob_Johnson on Apr 13^th, 2005, 11:19am

Report of a study (from MEDSCAPE.COM):"Patients With Anxiety Disorders More Sensitive to Bodily Changes"

Sept 16 - Patients who have anxiety disorders appear to be more sensitive to bodily changes, which in turn suggests that the perception of panic attacks is reflective of central rather than peripheral responses, according to the results of a study published in the September issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

"Physiologic responses of patients with anxiety disorders to everyday events are poorly understood," Dr. Rudolf Hoehn-Saric and colleagues from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, write. They compared self-reports and physiologic recordings in 26 patients with panic disorder, 40 patients with generalized anxiety disorder, and 24 nonanxious controls during daily activities.

The subjects underwent four 6-hour recording sessions during daily activities while wearing an ambulatory monitoring device. The team collected physiologic and subjective data that were recorded every 30 minutes and during subject-signaled periods of increased anxiety, tension, or panic attacks. Primary outcome measures included recordings of heart inter-beat intervals, skin conductance levels, respirations, motion, and ratings of subjective somatic symptoms and tension or anxiety.

Compared with controls, patients with anxiety disorders rated higher on psychic and somatic anxiety symptoms. Patients with anxiety disorders also rated themselves higher on disability scales and on sensitivity to body sensations. Both patients with panic disorder and those with generalized anxiety disorder experienced diminished autonomic flexibility and less precise perception of bodily states.

Patients with panic disorder had a heightened sensitivity to body sensations compared with generalized anxiety disorder patients. Autonomic arousal levels were slightly higher in patients with panic disorder, and this manifested itself in faster heart rates throughout the day.

"These findings suggest that, after having experienced anxiety attacks that are associated with strong bodily changes, patients become sensitized to such changes and may experience physiological symptoms of panic attacks..." [In effect, their bodies are acting as if there was a threatening condition even when this was not the case.]

The investigators note that the diminished autonomic flexibility found in both panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder patients may result from dysfunctional information processing during heightened anxiety that does not discriminate between anxiety-related and neutral stimuli.

"It is important to measure physiological responses and not rely on verbal reports," Dr. Hoehn-Saric added. "A demonstration that physiological responses during anxiety attacks are milder than perceived can be reassuring to patients," he said. "However, the long-term effect of diminished physiological flexibility is unknown."

Arch Gen Psychiatry 2004;61:913-921.
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Imagine a person who is afraid of, for example, dogs and can experience an anxiety attack by thinking about meeting a dog or even seeing a picture of a dog. (Or, replace "dog" with your own feared thing/experience.) The anxiety is NOT being caused by a real life experience, in this situation (the thought or picture). The mental and body reactions which we call "anxiety" are a kind of habit response which are very real in their effects, however. Anxiety produces mind and body reactions which are measurable and have a real impact on how we function (and even on long term health of the body).

The anxiety becomes an automatic response, beyond direct control of will. With this development, the person has experiences (anxiety) which are confusing or misleading--they cannot separate the real life threat from their body's automatic ("I'm in danger!") reactions. When dealing with cluster, for example, the effect of this anxiety reaction (and this is true for depression also) is that the person has increased sensitivity and reduced tolerance for pain; their sense of suffering is elevated and the capacity for effective self-treatment is reduced.

Medication can dampen the experience of anxiety but it does not unlink the reaction from the underlying thoughts or misinterpretation about the situation. ("I'm in danger"; "this will never end"; "I can' bear the pain", etc.) Cognitive therapies have been very effective (especially when combined with short term meds use) in teaching folks how to break this link.