Panic disorder or PMS? - Panic Disorders Message Board

lavender18 · 04-05-2003, 12:09 PM

I got very severe fear and anxieties (fear of death, fear of suiside and fear of anything related to death) one week before and after my period since last year when I had my first panic attack. I forgot to tell the psychiatrist that this is related to my period too and she diagnosed me as panic disorders. Because I refuse to take medicine(I can manage the anxieties attack well and usually after several days I felt normal) my Dr. is a little bit mad at me but she recommended me to take zoloft only before Period or when those funny feelings onset. Then I just wonder if this is PMS or Panic disorder or my panic disorder gets severe during period? I really hope I can forget those pains and I told myself the fears and obsessive thoughts are ridiculous but sometimes I just can't control myself well!
Thanks for any clues.

Graciecat · 04-05-2003, 06:10 PM

I've had panic attacks on and off for almost 20 years.
My panic always gets worse right before my period.
Then once it comes, I'm fine.
I've never had it happen right after my period, though.

lavender18 · 04-06-2003, 11:12 AM

I guess it's related to period. Wow, 20 years! I'm pretty new to this and sometimes felt so helpless because it came again just when I felt well. How did you cope with it? Sometimes I think I'm overeact and made the things worse.Did that bother your life? I can function quite well but some obsessive thougts and the fears of having attack made me down once for a while.

Graciecat · 04-06-2003, 11:36 AM

This probably won't be of any help to you but, I guess after all this time I've just learned to live with it.
It's part of me and part of the way I am.
I just keep praying everyday that I'll wake up one morning and it'll be gone again.
I had it for 6 years the first time, woke up one morning and it was gone...just like that...I didn't have one hint of an attack for almost 7 years.
Then it came back, out of the blue, for no reason.

It has affected my life in some ways...there are somethings I won't do and some places I won't go.
I take medication that helps me and I KNOW that I could do those things and go those places, but it still scares me...it's like the fear of those things is still in my head and no matter what I do I can't get it out...I have OCD also, so I think that has a lot to do with me not trying to do those things.
But over all I'd say I have a good life, I have a very understanding family and friends and that's helped me more than anything.

lavender18 · 04-06-2003, 12:00 PM

Really thank you. I didn't tell any friends or family members about that and that's one reason sometimes I felt helpless. Because the obsessive feelings, such as fear of death, fear of suicide and fear of harming others, are such ridiculous and no one could understand except my Dr. Unfortunately some of those feelings came out of the panic and some from the websites because they said that many people with anxieties can develop depression and one of the toughest outcomes of depression, if left untreated, is suicidal attempt. It's horrible, isn't it? I always think life is so beautiful and I will live well. But sometimes I just worry that I would get out of control and do some unwanted things. Yeah, my doctor and therapist told me many times that I'm all right but it's tough to get rid of the obsessive feelings.
This year I made great progress and for several months I could get rid of the funny feelings. But when life is stressful or there is stressful situation those feelings came again. But I'm very happy that today I felt pretty good again, after two weeks' fears.