I had a panic attack at clinical last night...

EricTAMUCC-BSN, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2003

What do you think you should do? What has worked before to decrease the intensity of these attacks?

CarVsTree · Nov 14, 2003

I'm sorry to hear you're having a difficult time.

My only advice is to hold off on nursing school until your daughter is older. I'm sorry if it is not what you want to hear, but I have to wonder where you have any time left for her. I am not a single Mom and although I have compassion for you, I have never walked in your shoes. But, I know it would be too great a sacrifice for my daughter.

I wish you and your daughter well in whatever you decide.

hrjqtpie · Nov 14, 2003

Eric, I've never had an attack like this. The anxiety I've suffered from has gone away with my xanex, but that didn't work at all last night. It was a different feeling than it normally is.

I've thought about holding out until she is older, but I don't think I can. It was a hard decision to make when I made it for the simple fact that I won't get much time with her, and I made that decision after A LOT of thought and consideration. I figure she will need me more as the years go on and it will be better to do it now so I can have that time later with her. She is in good care while I am in school and while I'm working, and I do get to see her 2 nights during the week and on the weekends, plus she's there every morning when I wake up. I guess I just needed to vent.

Euphrosyne7, MSN, RN · Nov 14, 2003

Hi

I suffer from panic disorder and have for the past 8 years. For the first 3 years I struggled against it and didn't take anything but tried breathing exercises, etc. That didn't seem to work too well and I finally gave in and took Serzone for about 2 years which helped tremendously. I finally got to the point where my life was a lot less stressful and then stopped the Serzone for about 2 years or so and was basically panic/anxiety free for the past several years.

Now, I find now that I am in school full time as well as working, I am also having a moments of anxiety with a few panic attacks that seem to be getting more intense and closer together. I have yet to start clinicals but am also worried that I will have a panic attack during clinicals and have been thinking that I might start taking paxil or something else which is supposed to work well with that. I would take Serzone again but I am hearing a lot about liver problems related with it.

If your stress level is up (and it sounds like it is) and if you are predisposed to panic/anxiety then I think the only way to stop it is to either decrease your stress levels or perhaps take some medication for awhile till you get "over the hump".......I would also say that I have tried Xanax and other benzodiazepanes but have found that the Serzone actually worked better and didn't give me that "high" feeling so maybe you might want to talk to your doctor and try Paxil or Zoloft or one of the other SSRI's that are supposed to be effective in decreasing panic.

It sounds as if you have a lot on your plate right now and I wish you luck in overcoming this. Having a panic attack is one of the worse feelings I have ever had and I know what you mean about not being able to concentrate while in the midst of one. I think that you should try to hang in there because this semester is almost over and then maybe speak to your doctor about trying an SSRI during your school break and see how that works for you.

Also when you start to feel like that, you have to try to self talk and keep in mind that it is just a temporary feeling that will pass. Deep breathing is also helpful in calming yourself but it is hard to do ( unless you are practiced at it) while in the middle of having a panic attack.

Please keep me posted and try to keep your stress level down!!

Carla

RNIAM, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2003

I am glad you were able to vent your feelings. Sometimes just saying I am stressed reduces stress. Here are some of the things that have worked for me.

Spend five minutes in the moringin before getting out of bed just deep breathing. Focus on breathing in and out and feel your body relax. Then get up and look at yourself in the mirror and say thses things. I am ready to be prosperous

I deserve to be happy.

I am smart and able to handle what life gives me.

Maybe I have been given anxiety to learn how to overcome it and then share with others how I did it.

The biggest things to remember is this. What makes you think that you can't be a nurse when so many before you have become one? May be a few of those nurses were even less talented than you?

Look at your clinical time as an oportunity for growth.

Say this to yourself. It is ok, not to know everything. Even your clinical instructor has to look up information.

Here is my secret and it works every time. When you feel your anxiety start you need to take a slow deep breath in, hold it for 5 seconds and then slowly blow out. Do this 2 more times. You will be less anxious after each breath. The key is to control your breathing.one last thing that has helped me is the use of lavendar lotion. It is a wondeful scent and it is very relaxing.

Take care I hope these help.:)

hrjqtpie · Nov 14, 2003

Thank you so much for the words of wisdom and assurance I need that things will be ok. I KNOW that this is what I want for my daughter's life as well as mine, and I KNOW that I can handle it. I will try the deep breathing, and have been trying to do positive self talk, but that's hard too (I am getting better at it though! :) ) I will keep you posted at how I'm doing. Thanks again.

B.T.H · Nov 14, 2003

hrjqtpie, you hang in there. Your in the core nursing program already so tough it out. It is hard to go to school with the help of someone else, let alone doing this by yourself. I have a lot of respect for single parents that are willing to sacrifice(suffer really) to improve their situation for the benefit of them and their children. I think you are probably just tired and stressed out, and your clinical experience wast just the catalyst the stress needed to come out. I'm not sure the human body is built to take the stress that we put on it sometimes, and with your schedule of work, school as well as being a single mother.....I don't think its a suprise to find yourself stressed out.

I agree with your reasoning for sacrificing when your child is young and getting this degree out of the way early. The few years you sacrifice will open up avenues to you time wise to spend your with your child later. I would rather do my schooling when my kids are young and be able to spend more time with them later on when they begin to go to school and such. One of the reasons I chose nursing is because of its many avenues of work and scheduling flexibility, which will allow more time with my kids later on.

I hope you can take a few moments once in a while to reflect and see why your doing this and why, as well as just to re-energize yourself (praying, meditating, yoga, a drive in the mountains, etc.). Just use your this last clinical experience as a way to motivate yourself to be better prepared next time. Hang in there and good luck. B.T.H

AmyLiz · Nov 14, 2003

((((hrjqtpie)))) :kiss

I feel for ya. I was a single mother with a rather difficult young daughter once. It was a trying time...and I wasn't even entertaining the idea of going back to school then!

You can do it. You're in the program & I'm sure you're doing just fine. Don't let instructors get to you. Take a few deep breaths & try to relax if you feel yourself tensing up. Let 'em get annoyed if they want. Not like they can kill you or anything.

Dublin37 · Nov 14, 2003

Well hrjqtpie, I really appreciate your honesty here. I sometimes worry about the same thing with myself. I have definitely struggled with panic/anxiety attacks, and know how frozen you felt. I've had paramedics in my bedroom with my 8 yo dd looking on. I had no idea (at the time) that they could be THAT bad. I have struggled with depression anyway, so then I had to try to find a med that would help with both. Right now, I am on Effexor. It's ok.... but I think I need to up the dose. The best med that worked for my anxiety/depression was Paxil, but I also gained 60 pounds on it!! :eek: So you can see why I switched.

Hang in there, do the slow breathing (I do this daily) and try some meds. You are spreading yourself REALLY thin, so be kind and full of grace for yourself. Med's are our friend, really. You won't become an addict! :chuckle

Just know that you've got support here. Try to find some moms in the program that you can vent with too. God bless you, and hang in there! I hear the first year is the worst. (in clinicals that is) :kiss Heather

FutureArmyNurse · Nov 14, 2003

hrjqtpie,

I have the same problem at work, as my job is a very high-responsibility position, and on top of that I am taking my pre-reqs for nursing school.

You've got to learn to talk yourself out of a panic attack. If your 3-year old was injured, or scared, or needed help what do you do? You consode her, right? Well, it may sound corny but you can do the same thing to yourself. Talk to yourself as if you would anyone else who's having an anxiety attack. You can do it, and don't forget that long deep breaths and thinking about things that make you laugh or make you happy really help a lot.

It takes some practice, but I've gotten my panic attacks down to just little blips of adrenaline rush.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Carolanne · Nov 15, 2003

I would suggest going to see your family doctor and describe to him/ her what is going on. I had very similar symptoms last year - getting very uptight, panicky, BP way up, beet red face, heart racing, all kinds of unnerving feelings. I remember having an episode at clinical too when the instructor was badgering me and badgering me because she saw I was getting unwrapped and afterward I had to take my beet red face and go sit down by a fan with a glass of cold water. Anyway, I went to my doctor and gynecologist and turns out it was hormone replaced (perimenopause) with a touch of anxiety laced in, so they put me on low dose birth control pills and Zoloft and I feel wonderful again. To put it in a nut shell, you don't have to live with these symptoms, there is help just a doctor's visit away. Once you're feeling better physically, everything else just seems to fall into place too. Good luck!