This question is for anyone else who also has anxiety/panic attacks along with a thyroid condition

[blsdnsvd]

I was a sufferer of panic attacks over 10yrs ago for about 1 year and due to med's and help i recovered and have learned to deal with them.

Since i have had the TT and have been on Synthroid, they have returned. I also have cardio issues (after the TT) that are at times annoying ..such as: Heart palps & skipped beats. Yesterday I felt alittle uncomfortable because I began to have heart palps and felt and heard my heart beating as I laid down and was also very fatigue..so of course I became alittle nervous and went to the doc. Doc says everything that i already knew as to y they can occur and if it gets worse to call my cardiologist. My question is this..What symptoms of anxiety do you show and how often are they noticed???

Thanks Anyone....

[blsdnsvd]

I have only been on Levo...then switched to non-generic "synthroid" 88mcg. I'm doing ok but i have lots of issues from not having a thyroid and i'm honestly wondering if anything would make it better. I have never questioned taking Armour and i'm sure that my doc won't agree because he feels as if my levels are "normal" (although I don't feel that way).

They always say to give the med's time to work but if you feel as if it isn't then you should call the doc and see what he advises.....

Anxiety does feed off of stress and the symptoms will increase dramatically...I've been there and it was horrible.

[jk1947]

I'm 62 and suffered for years after any major surgery with panic disorder that would last up to 3 months. Now, thyroid doc tells me I was hypo back then and stress from surgery made it worse. I had a thyroidectomy in 03 and did good on Armour for 6 years till they had the shortage.  Now, back on the new Armour after trying ERFA and feeling those same feelings that I thought were a thing of the past and I hate it.  I did try synthroid after TT but couldn't tolerate it and doc took me off of all meds. for 30 days and it took 3 months to feel human again. Tsh climbed to 34 with horrible depression and anxiety. I've only been on the new Armour for about 4 weeks and wandering if I should stick it out for another few weeks or call doctor.

[acker]

i developed hypo after overprescription of tablets for hyperthyroidism. i noticed severel anxirety and mild panic behaviours - when i'd never had this before. also i became claustrophobic and developed fear of flying - never had before! it improved when my thyroid levels were balanced again

[blsdnsvd]

OH noooo, anxiety for me is drastic!....
My last labs were about amonth ago and they are posted on one of my threads...

[Smilerdeb]

When were your levels done last?

I only got it back for a week here and there when I was Hypo or Hyper from meds....usual  anxiety, being a sook (teary) and feeling useless.
But once I got labs and increased, I was fine a week later.

Maybe time for labs?

[blsdnsvd]

You are sooo right! I have water and my cell with me especially when i'm driving alone!..It always seems to happen on the highway but i always conquer them....I often yell "Don't start this crap"...and as long as I focus on the radio and have my window rolled down, it disappears..Mind Over Matter is the key but when it's happening it's not easy to focus but it does take time to profess it!!!


I just pray that the palps are from anxiety and nothing else..that's what makes me wonder. The symptoms I had from my past panic attacks that had me basically crippled were: feeling faint (all the time), hot flashes, rapid heart beat, sweating, wobbly knees, shakiness, blurred vision, depression (who wouldn't be after all of that.lol), & agrophobia...It bother's me to even think that half of the symptoms have returned.

Thanks for the advice.

[Smilerdeb]

Fear fuels fear...as you already know.
I have 2 ways of dealing with mine (usually when levels are out of whack).
I put my hand on my stomach...count while breathing in ..1..2...3...holf the breath then slowly breathe out ....1.....2....3...

The other method I use is 3 words (especially if panicky when driving all of a sudden) I tell myself ...BRING IT ON!

If you confront the panic head on instead of 'fearing it' and panicking MORE...the severity of it ...goes and the panic attack dissapates over a matter of minutes.

Most time I just tell myself ...If you are gonna give me a panic attack...BRING IT ON and get it over with! And with a bit of practise doing this......it STOPS.

Mindfulness for Beginners by John Kabat-Zimm is a brilliant cd ...especially the 'distraction' track.
Carry a bottle of cold water......take notice of how many times you turn the lid to take it off, feel the coldness of the bottle in your hands, take a sip of the water, feel the coldness of the water in yr mouth, then swallow the water feeling the coldness as it goes down.
This is DISTRACTION.......and that is brilliant with panic attacks as you are so absorbed about the water and the bottle that you forget about the panic.

You are NOT fighting it...that is the secret.
Feel the Fear and 'allow' yourself to feel the panic feelings all thwe while telling yourself..this will be over soon.

It does take practise and yes it does return...panic disorders can return after many years BUT can be controlled.

Your best way of dealing with it is to yell at yrself saying...BRING IT ON AND GET IT OVER WITH!
You will be surprised at just how fast the panic goes lol.

Dont fear the fear.
You cant die from a panic attack ...believe me xxx

[blsdnsvd]

Thanks for the response and the advice. I thought that I was done with the panic attacks (accept for minor ones), a long time ago and when they started back up again, I felt like "here we go again" and as you know from experience they can be very scary at times...so, I was just wishing that the heart palps was from anxiety and not anything else.

[annamae26]

hi yes i am quite familiar with panic attacks. when i start having them and many times wake up with them i do 3 things. first running has helped me alot and i completely get rid of it when i can run-   if i don t run the panic feeling is my cue to start deep breathing. five quick breaths in and seven out be sure your stomach blows up pretend there is a balloon in your tummy and feel it get big and then deflate as you breathe out. third thing is this- tell yourself to feel the feeling comfort yourself thats its ok to feel it because its just a feeling that will not hurt you and will go away soon. if you can t run try walking becauw getting outside is the best thing you can do.  you can do all three things at once too.   this works for me and i know panic very well for over thirty years now.   God bless.