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**christyacc** · February 17, 2010, 09:46 AM

panic attacks

I hope you find the cause. I have had only one in my life and it terrified me. It doesn't seem to be al withdrawl though-not after an amaIng 33days af.

**WitsEnd** · February 17, 2010, 10:01 AM

panic attacks

Hi, I was familiar with panic attacks when I was on prozac in the 90s and since then none till using baclofen: I've had about 4-6 while titrating up to 225 (when I had my switch). Haven't had any yet titrating down .. I went for the old-fashioned breathing into a paper bag and remembering I was having a panic attack (which always ironically helps to kill the panic.)
I hope this helps

**Virgil** · February 17, 2010, 10:42 AM

panic attacks

Hi craving,

I can so relate to what you are experiencing - particularly when you said "I feel flooded with feelings that are all negative and I can not think clearly anymore". I have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) so the anxiety is always there. On a subjective scale of 0 - 10 (where 10 is very high), I would rate my 'normal' anxiety as a 3. But, certain triggers can instantly raise this to a 10 for no apparent reason. I use the term 'no apparent reason' cautiously because I suspect the underlying cause is when I feel out-of-control. When I experience either a 9 or 10, I cannot think clearly. You may also want to take a look at:

Panic Disorder (Recurring Panic Attacks) | Health | Patient UK

Have you considered talking with a psychologist or psychiatrist about this? In both these disciplines, it is possible to find alcohol addiction specialists. As you are talking about possible drug interactions, I guess a psychiatrist may be the best choice.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you every success.

V.

**Virgil** · February 17, 2010, 10:59 AM

panic attacks

Hi again craving!

You may recall that I recently started the following thread:

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...tml#post794280

V.

**craving** · February 17, 2010, 10:59 AM

panic attacks

Virgil;807555 wrote:
Have you considered talking with a psychologist or psychiatrist about this? In both these disciplines, it is possible to find alcohol addiction specialists. As you are talking about possible drug interactions, I guess a psychiatrist may be the best choice.

Virgil thanks for your post!
How did you get your panic under control? Have you ever taken Bupropion? Has Baclofen done any changes to your panic attacks?

What is the standard therapy for this? Talking?

I think several people on this forum take Baclofen+Bupropion and have no probblems - I just want to get back to my normal level - but without the alcohol!

**Virgil** · February 17, 2010, 11:30 AM

panic attacks

craving;807559 wrote: Virgil thanks for your post!
How did you get your panic under control? Have you ever taken Bupropion? Has Baclofen done any changes to your panic attacks?

What is the standard therapy for this? Talking?

I think several people on this forum take Baclofen+Bupropion and have no probblems - I just want to get back to my normal level - but without the alcohol!

Me again!

Unfortunately, my panic and anxiety attacks (and low-level anxiety) are not, as yet, under control. They control me - rather than the other way around. I have no recollection of ever having taken Bupropion. Saying it like that may seem strange but I have taken so many different medications over the last 35 years that some have faded from memory. At present, I do not take any psychiatric medications - with the exception of the occasional diazepam.

I am still uncertain if baclofen has increased my overall anxiety level - but I suspect it hasn't.

I don't know that there is a 'standard therapy'. But talking with a psychiatrist would be a starting point. I am currently under the supervision of a psychiatrist who specializes in alcohol addiction (for the baclofen), also an alcohol addiction counsellor and a CBT psychotherapist.

Good luck!

V.

**ThirdMan** · February 17, 2010, 03:43 PM

panic attacks

Craving, you may already know this, but Bupropion is very well known to cause anxiety. In fact, it is not supposed to be prescribed to people with anxiety-related depression for this very reason. I have taken Wellbutrin to quit smoking and def felt the anxiety effects. I used to have horrendous anxiety attacks in college, I'm pretty sure related to my drinking and benzo abuse. They went away for me once I was convinced that's what was happening but for a long time before that I thought it was heart problems. Anyway, between the two variables Baclofen (anti-anxiety-ish) and Wellbutrin (anxiety-causing) and just now adjusting to sobriety... let's just say you got a lot going on anxiety-related. True being 33-days AF wouldn't cause any serious, health threatening alcohol withdrawl symptoms -- but I could see panic resulting from dealing with situations like arguments for the first time sober. And by sober I just mean without drinking regularly at night even. I felt for me like alcohol was administering relief for my anxiety nightly by artificial means, and that when I quit drinking maybe my body didn't have its crutch to rely on as a release. I think in due time your body will balance itself out, but that these things can take time. The important thing for me, as WitsEnd mentioned, was to keep reminding myself that it was just an anxiety attack and not life threatening. Part of the problem is that the situation can become like a chinese finger trap because you start to fear the anxiety attacks and that makes them happen more frequently and spiral out of control when they do happen. It's important to come yourself and try to laugh at your body even for over reacting. I'm not trying to sound blase, this was just part of the actual cure for me. Just my two cents.

**akgirl** · February 17, 2010, 03:44 PM

panic attacks

I had them for the first time about a month ago. Talked to the nice folks at my health store to see if there was something natural. L-Theanine is what they recommended. It sure helped me.

Good luck
:l
Ak

**craving** · February 17, 2010, 05:55 PM

panic attacks

ThirdMan;807662 wrote: Craving, you may already know this, but Bupropion is very well known to cause anxiety. In fact, it is not supposed to be prescribed to people with anxiety-related depression for this very reason. I have taken Wellbutrin to quit smoking and def felt the anxiety effects. I used to have horrendous anxiety attacks in college, I'm pretty sure related to my drinking and benzo abuse. They went away for me once I was convinced that's what was happening but for a long time before that I thought it was heart problems. Anyway, between the two variables Baclofen (anti-anxiety-ish) and Wellbutrin (anxiety-causing) and just now adjusting to sobriety... let's just say you got a lot going on anxiety-related. True being 33-days AF wouldn't cause any serious, health threatening alcohol withdrawl symptoms -- but I could see panic resulting from dealing with situations like arguments for the first time sober. And by sober I just mean without drinking regularly at night even. I felt for me like alcohol was administering relief for my anxiety nightly by artificial means, and that when I quit drinking maybe my body didn't have its crutch to rely on as a release. I think in due time your body will balance itself out, but that these things can take time. The important thing for me, as WitsEnd mentioned, was to keep reminding myself that it was just an anxiety attack and not life threatening. Part of the problem is that the situation can become like a chinese finger trap because you start to fear the anxiety attacks and that makes them happen more frequently and spiral out of control when they do happen. It's important to come yourself and try to laugh at your body even for over reacting. I'm not trying to sound blase, this was just part of the actual cure for me. Just my two cents.

Very good post Thirdman!
I honestly did not know that Bupropion can cause anxiety. It just causes me to calm down. I NEVER had problems before with anxiety - it is a new symptom!
You are right - the dealing with problems without alcohol influence is more hard. I can not escape world anymore. Not even for 5 minutes.

I am re-thinking my attitude to tell a doctor regarding all this. I tried to avoid it the last years, as I really did not want anything related to depression or alcohol into my clinical history. The funny thing again is ... it is something that is not caused by taking alcohol!

It is very hard breathing and all suddenly gets black - I see everything totally negative. It is very hard to focus in those moments. Not even watching TV would distract me. I will try to laugh at my body, although when I have one of these attacks it will be hard to move myself at all.

**craving** · February 17, 2010, 06:23 PM

panic attacks

akgirl;807663 wrote: I had them for the first time about a month ago. Talked to the nice folks at my health store to see if there was something natural. L-Theanine is what they recommended. It sure helped me.

Good luck
:l
Ak

akgirl - have you been on Baclofen and that caused you anxiety when starting?

**beatle** · February 17, 2010, 06:51 PM

panic attacks

Craving, what you are describing is exactly how I experienced (still sometimes do) anxiety/panic attacks.

They are out of our control. NO focus, nothing can distract. Inability to move... and real fear.

I am thinking that (as others here have said), considering your history, not having these problems before, this is probably related to what your body is going through physically?

I think many people here have shared their experience regarding Baclofen and anxiety, and I definitely have noticed this effect from baclofen. At first, it was a wonderful relaxer and I slept like a kitten. But at higher doses it did seem to agitate me. I guess it's all about finding a balance. And, as Third Many says, trying (though it's not easy, maybe not possible!) to remember that we have survived these episodes before.

**Cinders** · February 17, 2010, 07:34 PM

panic attacks

I had anxiety attacks many years before I became a heavy drinker and then alcoholic. It is amazing how the body turns on itself. I have had to pull over in heavy traffic just to get one to subside.

During the episode, your brain does tell you that you are experiencing something horrific.

I quit having them and for many years life was great!!

Then I became an alcoholic. Now I have them almost everytime I have a binge and am in detox.

Yet another reason not to drink, in my book.

Baclofen does not seem to help/hurt them at all. There does not seem to be a relationship for me but everyone is different.

Love,
Cindi

**Boss.man** · February 17, 2010, 10:17 PM

panic attacks

I never did Bac.

But in stopping my AL, I definitely dealt with Panic attacks.

It was not just the attacks. My overall level of emotionalism was high. It was "high drama" at the office. A co-worker not only would annoy me, but it would be a crisis that would ruin my day. It wasn't just a bad economy, but a financial disaster of epic proportions.

They subsuded after a couple months, and in retrospect I've decided it's just a process. The "addiction" center of my brain was throwing a tantrum. Since it controls heartbeat, breathing and adrenaline, it knows how to make "me" uncofortable. At the worst my bp was 230/170 with heart at 150 bpm.

CBT helped a lot. Breathing exercises. Hourly meditation (for 30 seconds). Five minute timeouts during the day.

L-Theanine works well. 200mg twice a day, maybe a third time for the night. Cookies. I'm a big fan of complex carbs to maintain even glucose levels. In fact, I think dieting and stopping AL consumption may be mutually harmful. Time to put the diet on hold, because AL cessation is going to make your blood sugar do loops even without withholding normal amounts of food energy. Sleep helped me a lot. Sleep to escape. Sleep to be calm. Taking a LONG hot shower, reading something trite and lite, and then going to bed early. No emails. No late night shows. No prime time shows. No mystery novels. Exercise 5 days a week. Your body won't sleep if your body isn't tired, so you have to make it tired. Sleep is recovery for your muscles and your brain. To do it right, you have to "work out" both your muscles and your brain during the day, so that they NEED the recovery at night. During my AL years I used AL as a sleep aid. When that stopped, my body and my brain had to re-learn how to act during day and night.

Good luck. Hope some ideas will help. It's awful to live through. As Cindi says, one of the very real reason to stay on the brighter side once you get there.

**kimikk** · February 18, 2010, 01:48 AM

panic attacks

Boss.man- what is CBT? I loved your blog and totally get that. The whole scenario is what I have been doing and have done and am doing. BUT trying to stop. my body is all out of whack because of the al putting me to sleep MY biggest problem with the exercise part is that I have a full time job during the day and then a full time job a husband and 3 kids to care for after, and no time to exercise! My brain is overtired and my body needs the exercise but no can do well, I am still working on it gotta find my way!

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