FORT Koffee Klatch

[onei0091]

I tend to have coffee only in the mornings and one diet soda in the early afternoon. I quit all stimulating drinks or food around 4pm so that I don't stay up all night (another one of the wonderfull effects of my anxiety) and as long as I can get about 6 hours of sleep in, I'll be ok the next day. If I don't sleep I try not to panic, I just tell myself it's one night, you can handle it, just relax and tomorrow you will sleep good.

(I talk to myself alot can you tell?? )

I do, too, especially when the anxiety comes on. I get heart palpitations when I get anxious, probably because when I get really anxious I breathe shallowly or hold my breath. I have a hard time telling myself that the palpitations are from anxiety and not due to some heart problem (since I've had heart surgery, this one is tricky for me). So oftentimes these palpitations will trigger a panic for me. If I'm at home, I can manage it okay, usually, but if I'm out and it happens it's harder to manage.

I'm surprised you can drink caffeine at all! I cannot, it eggs on an attack. I hate it when I can't sleep too...

[buglover]

I have been telling my husband not to blow up at the youngest daughter (14) when she gets frustrated when shopping or trying on clothes. She's tall, around 5' 7" and has a straight up and down body, not curvey. Alot of the fashion that is out there is for the size 0 club and it is frustrating. I go through it all the time which is why I don't buy clothes very often anymore. He got so mad the other day when looking for a bathing suit with her he nearly lost it. Having me in his life should give him some clues as to what she's going through but the whole I don't have that problem so I don't think it's a problem attitude came out.
He's so worried about her because she cries every night and generally is just very moody. I tell him first of all, she's a teenager..... enough said. Second of all, she's moved away from all of her friends and is starting over in a place she knows no one. The fashion here is different, the people are different... she has to have time to adjust.
When she began to panic about the first day of school, I just looked at him and took over.

I have begun to have him weed out sugary foods and soda pop from the house. It's not necessary and it brings on anxiety. No more snacking, etc. We swim daily and it seems to help alot. He never realized how much food can trigger problems in the body and mind and is now beginning to get the idea. I still have to give him the "look" whenever he feels he's going to get angry with her because she's sad or generally just not happy. He likes everyone to be happy all the time and let's face it, women just aren't that way!

[just1paul]

I still have to give him the "look" whenever he feels he's going to get angry with her because she's sad or generally just not happy. He likes everyone to be happy all the time and let's face it, women just aren't that way!

No one is happy all the time- not even us 50 yr old men.
and here for you to use is THE LOOK (still cracks me up)

[MRD]

I'm glad you've had good luck with being honest with people. I suppose you have to get a feel for that person and how they might respond before telling them. I'm glad my family knows, they have been pretty cool about helping me out when things get really bad. My mom was nice about it but was really confused as to what exactly was wrong with me until a few weeks ago when she mistakenly bought energy drinks instead of Viatmin Water at the store. She was really thirsty, guzzled one down, and felt like she was going to die for about 6 hours. She said she was ready to go into the ER and basically described to me a panic attack. She must've had a bad reaction to the stimulants in the energy drink. Now she kind of gets where I'm coming from when I feel badly.

My husband is really sweet about it too - I'm very thankful for him. He says no one is perfect, everyone has issues and this one is mine. LOL. I'm really hoping that if I work at it I can get better. I certainly don't want to have this be a life-long thing.

I can't do caffiene as it sends me into an attack. I also have hypoglycemia and when I dont' eat: panic attack. Some of it is physical, so you need to listen to your body and eat regularly and eat protien and complex carbs.

I know a lot of people that have these and we all have different things that set them off.

I also take Buspar which has helped immensely. It's an anti-depressant that also works for anxiety. I know several people that also take this. It's a good alternative if you dont' want to take xanax/ativan/klonipin.
I take klonipin and have now for almost 5 years. I still take the same dosage as I did 5 years ago. I am also concerned about getting hooked, but I take 1 mg. at night only. I also will take 1 mg. or 1/2 mg. if I get an attack.

Good luck. It's something that you can deal with, but it often takes some time.

[onei0091]

I can't do caffiene as it sends me into an attack. I also have hypoglycemia and when I dont' eat: panic attack. Some of it is physical, so you need to listen to your body and eat regularly and eat protien and complex carbs.

I know a lot of people that have these and we all have different things that set them off.

I also take Buspar which has helped immensely. It's an anti-depressant that also works for anxiety. I know several people that also take this. It's a good alternative if you dont' want to take xanax/ativan/klonipin.
I take klonipin and have now for almost 5 years. I still take the same dosage as I did 5 years ago. I am also concerned about getting hooked, but I take 1 mg. at night only. I also will take 1 mg. or 1/2 mg. if I get an attack.

Good luck. It's something that you can deal with, but it often takes some time.

My psychiatrist has suggested Buspar, but I have not yet tried it. We had to switch to different anti anxiety meds when I found out I was pregnant for awhile but none of the ones I tried during that time were as effective for me as Xanax. She feels quite confident about buspar, though, and I think she said it's safe to take during pregnancy...? Is it non-addictive? Do you feel it right away, like Xanax, or is it like a lot of antidepressants where it takes a few weeks or so to take effect?

I had some bad experiences with antidepressants - Lexapro, Effexor XR, and Prozac. It made me feel really odd and when I tapered off of them I had horrible withdrawal. Doctors assured me that it wasn't but I have a very sensitive body chemistry and I knew it was the drugs...So I'm scared of those kind of long term drugs but Buspar sounds different.

I need to eat at regular intervals, too, or I can easily trigger a panic attack. Fatigue also does it - if I don't get enough sleep. Lack of exercise is a huge factor too - if I sit around too much my anxiety creeps back.

[burntbrat]

Does anyone have something exciting going on for Labor Day weekend? We're not doing anything. Hooray! I thought maybe we'd go to the movies but there doesn't seem to be anything out that I feel like I must watch. So we're planning on spending the weekend relaxing and soaking up the summer sun. Hurricane Gustaf is all over the news but in my expert (haha) meteorological opinion, it's going to hit way east of us.

[buglover]

No one is happy all the time- not even us 50 yr old men.
and here for you to use is THE LOOK (still cracks me up)

Oh the look! Thanks gabriel! It cracks me up too!

[just1paul]

Nothing for Labor Day.. woo hoo.. It's Harley Davidsons 105th here in Milwaukee and Brady & Farwell where I am is crazy... I took a few pictures one is the tattoo shop on the ground floor of the building I live in, the other is 3 shots of brady St. my ears hurt.

[Amy Lee]

Does anyone have something exciting going on for Labor Day weekend? We're not doing anything. Hooray! I thought maybe we'd go to the movies but there doesn't seem to be anything out that I feel like I must watch. So we're planning on spending the weekend relaxing and soaking up the summer sun. Hurricane Gustaf is all over the news but in my expert (haha) meteorological opinion, it's going to hit way east of us.

You just gave me an idea, im a loser so i've nothing to do. Im going to the movies on monday instead. I dread walking by the park and seeing that by the end of the night, it will be filled with trash.

[just1paul]

Oh my! - After going outside and taking those pictures and coming back in and brushing joey, listening to the muffled noise with the windows closed and the air running for some reason I just thought of the last time there was a lot going on for the 95th anniversary 10 years ago and dear Mona was parked at the windows constantly watching the people and motorcycles go by. I had a sudden moment of extreme sadness and tears, then a smile. I still miss that girl.