Panic attack help
 

Hello again,

It has been 3 months since my concussion now and I feel pretty ok except that I have started to experience the worst panic attacks in my life so far the past week.
I know it is due to stress around helping a friend with her disease, moving away from home, getting back to school and so on.

My biggest problem is that I shake uncontollably and sometimes I vomit during my panic attack. I feel like these attacks are causing a new concussion after each one, which I hope is not the case? :( I try to control my shaking but my head still shakes some and feels very bad afterwards, dizzy and mushy and all beat up, my ears ring like crazy and I feel nauseated etc.

My overall anxiety has been very low, much lower than usual, which is why these attacks are so suprising to me at this point. I never feel them coming they just happen in a second and lasts for about an hour despite all my coping techniques which usually does the job in 5 minutes or less.

Does anyone have any tips for how to handle the shaking or any tips on good anxiety meds that have helped you? I really can't control these panic attacks they are like nothing I have ever experienced, and I have had my share of big anxiety attacks before to compare to.. :( Any tips, thoughts, ideas on what to do? Is this another PCS symptom?

Curcumin has helped with my anxiety. I was having really bad attacks the first month or two after my concussion, but I haven't had one lately. I also shake and vomit from anxiety attacks (which might be a little different than panic attacks? I'm not sure), but I haven't done that in a few months.

When I do get to the point where I am shaking, I have found that taking a hot bath with chamomile bodywash helps. I have no clue why. My doctor told me that limiting carbs and sugar would help prevent attacks, although I don't recall why. I do feel really anxious when I eat any junk food, so it could be true.

If your head shakes, I recommend laying down in bed with a pillow behind your head when at attack starts. Turn off all the lights and do your best to relax. Maybe having a plush pillow beneath your head will help minimize the impact of some of the shaking? I am not a doctor, though, so I couldn't really tell you. Just throwing out ideas.

Thank you for responding!:) I will keep your tips in mind for my next attack. I know curcumin is great in so many ways and I have been wanting to take it, I have just been a little worried about the blood thinning effect it has, maybe that would be bad if there is some bleeding going on in the head or appearing after a new concussion..? If shaking causes a new concussion maybe there could be bleeding involved, I don't know what the risks are so it scares me. What dose of curcumin have you been taking?

Hi lunalu, some general thoughts and some things that have helped me deal with anxiety.

It's unlikely that the attacks/vomiting are causing a new concussion, although the increased pressure is likely exacerbating existing symptoms.

Lowing anxiety in general can help reduce or eliminate the panic attacks. While you mention that you feel as though your general anxiety is low, the fact that you hare having panic attacks seems inconsistent with this assessment.

First make sure you are covering the basics of self care, including full nights sleep, good nutrition; check out the vitamins and supplements thread above in the sticky threads of the forum.

Some things I have found helpful in mitigating anxiety include mindfulness meditation, gentle yoga, and massage therapy.

There is a book out that I found helpful called Hijacked by your Brain by Julian Ford, Ph.D. & Jon Wortman. They suggest an approach they refer to as SOS: Step back, reenter the present moment, pay attention to your body and mind. Orient yourself by focusing on what's important in life, and do a Self check on what you are experiencing right now rating your stress and control levels. I'm not a psychologist but this makes sense to me and seems to work.

Best to you.

An increase in the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain after a concussion can cause anxiety, panic attacks and sensory overload. Increasing the inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, can help counteract this effect. You can try taking a supplement called GABA which has a calming effect similar to Valium.