I used to suffer panic attacks fairly often. More often when I was on prednisone, when all it would take is was something small like misplacing my car keys, or not having any coffee in the house, or the thought of going outside. Even for a while after coming off the steroids I would still get panic attacks from mildly bothersome things like losing my wallet, or a bad stick at dialysis. It's been over two years since I've been on prednisone, though, and a long time since I've had a good, ol' fashioned, hyperventilating panic attack. I didn't miss them.
It seems somethings, though, I'm never going to live without, and panic attacks are one of them. Now they have a brand new trigger. Although much more reasonable and much less random than the old ones, they still suck, and they still strike without warning. Here's the story:
Early this morning I was where I can usually be found at that hour - here in front of my computer. It's pretty cold in this house when I don't have my heater on, so I was wearing a sweater. Under the sweater I had 2 shirts on, so I was a little bundled up, and the sweater was getting a bit snug. I must have been sitting on the bottom of it or something, and when I leaned forward to look at the screen a little better (I didn't have my glasses on) it pulled tightet against my chest. And thst's when I couldn't breath anymore. It was a half-second of pressure on my chest, max, but that was enough. My lungs were burning, and my heart started racing. I was dying all over again, and I couldn't get the thought of my head. Unlike the prednisone induced panic attacks, beneath the terror I was still calm. This was reasonable, I told myself. This made sense. After a few minutes I could shake the ghostly feeling of nurses grips on my arms. I could quietly tell myself I was alright, and my breathing slowed. The chest stops burning, and the eyes close a little. Slumped in my chair, hand on my chest to try and quiet my heart from pounding through my tired ribcage.
Then I tore off my sweatshirt and turned on the heater.
It seems somethings, though, I'm never going to live without, and panic attacks are one of them. Now they have a brand new trigger. Although much more reasonable and much less random than the old ones, they still suck, and they still strike without warning. Here's the story:
Early this morning I was where I can usually be found at that hour - here in front of my computer. It's pretty cold in this house when I don't have my heater on, so I was wearing a sweater. Under the sweater I had 2 shirts on, so I was a little bundled up, and the sweater was getting a bit snug. I must have been sitting on the bottom of it or something, and when I leaned forward to look at the screen a little better (I didn't have my glasses on) it pulled tightet against my chest. And thst's when I couldn't breath anymore. It was a half-second of pressure on my chest, max, but that was enough. My lungs were burning, and my heart started racing. I was dying all over again, and I couldn't get the thought of my head. Unlike the prednisone induced panic attacks, beneath the terror I was still calm. This was reasonable, I told myself. This made sense. After a few minutes I could shake the ghostly feeling of nurses grips on my arms. I could quietly tell myself I was alright, and my breathing slowed. The chest stops burning, and the eyes close a little. Slumped in my chair, hand on my chest to try and quiet my heart from pounding through my tired ribcage.
Then I tore off my sweatshirt and turned on the heater.
Anyway...That's my experience with them. They SUCK! I'm sorry you are experiencing them. Hang in there!