Starting Back From Anxiety Attacks

Training
402

[quote]Djwlfpack wrote:
harlem wrote:
look, just get your ass in the gym. Physically you are fine. It’s PANIC not a friggin heart attack. Drop the meds and focus on what is creating all this anxiety. Yes, it will involve hard work with your shrink. Get to work.

Obviously, you have not taken the time to read through this thread, otherwise you would see that I have been getting my ass in the gym. I did go off medication for a while, but had to go back on it recently. I find no shame in admitting that and if I have to take medication to help me lead a normal life, than so be it.[/quote]

I did, actually. Here’s the thing about panic: the attack is as bad as it gets. Nothing you feared was happening actually happened. Just try to harness the power of this knowledge. It’s not easy, I know.

But your mind is powerful–it’s tricked you into thinking you were dying or otherwise imperiled, right? Panic won’t kill you, but giving into it will derail your life. I admit that meds can help take off the edge, but getting to the heart of the problem will give you lifelong control.

403

Hey Dan - sorry for being so lame and not checking your log - you are doing amazing! I’m glad to hear that your health is good and your workouts are going so well. Sounds like you’re breaking through that rough patch. How’s your diet - are you keeping it clean?

Keep up the awesome progress!

404

[quote]Jinx Me wrote:
Hey Dan - sorry for being so lame and not checking your log - you are doing amazing! I’m glad to hear that your health is good and your workouts are going so well. Sounds like you’re breaking through that rough patch. How’s your diet - are you keeping it clean?

Keep up the awesome progress![/quote]

Jinx,
Thanks for checking in…I know you’ve got an extremely busy schedule. Thanks as always for the kind words.

I’m trying to keep the diet as clean as possible. Right now it’s been easier since I have more free time so I can prepare meals, but starting next week, I’ll be busier with work and out covering sporting events 3-5 days a week, so I’ll have to figure out what to eat ahead of time so I can prepare it and also have to come up with some healthy snack options to take with me to the games.

Overall I’m definitely eating better than I was 6 months ago. I still have my vices, but I try to limit them.

405

[quote]harlem wrote:
Djwlfpack wrote:
harlem wrote:
look, just get your ass in the gym. Physically you are fine. It’s PANIC not a friggin heart attack. Drop the meds and focus on what is creating all this anxiety. Yes, it will involve hard work with your shrink. Get to work.

Obviously, you have not taken the time to read through this thread, otherwise you would see that I have been getting my ass in the gym. I did go off medication for a while, but had to go back on it recently. I find no shame in admitting that and if I have to take medication to help me lead a normal life, than so be it.

I did, actually. Here’s the thing about panic: the attack is as bad as it gets. Nothing you feared was happening actually happened. Just try to harness the power of this knowledge. It’s not easy, I know.

But your mind is powerful–it’s tricked you into thinking you were dying or otherwise imperiled, right? Panic won’t kill you, but giving into it will derail your life. I admit that meds can help take off the edge, but getting to the heart of the problem will give you lifelong control. [/quote]

I agree, the mind is very powerful. I’m working on some of the issues that caused the attacks and the therapy sessions have really helped.

I do plan on trying to get off the medication again…this time I will try a longer tapering off period, as I feel like I cycled off the meds too quickly last time and that contributed to the relapse. I’ve talked with my therapist and we’re devising a different plan this time around.

406

Hey everyone,
Just a quick update to let you all know that I decided to take the rest of the week off. My body needed the rest and I needed the break mentally, as I was feeling a bit rundown from all the lifting, cardio and BJJ classes that I’ve been doing the last 2 months.

Right now I’m trying to decide whether to keep doing the Hammer Down: Strength program, or switching my to a different program that I’ll do 2x a week.

It’s a program I did at the beginning of the year and this is the breakdown:

  1. DB Snatch 3x5
    2A. BB Bench Press 3x6
    2B. Clap push-ups 3x10
  2. Power Clean & Press 3x5
  3. DB Lunges 3x6
  4. Weighted Pull-ups 4x6
  5. DB Swings 3x12

I will still continue with the Hammer Down: Endurance and will also do home boxing workouts when I can and try to get in a BJJ class 1x a week.

So, my schedule for the fall should look like this:

Monday: lift
Tuesday: cardio or BJJ (depending on work schedule)
Wednesday: HD Endurance
Thursday: cardio or BJJ
Friday: lift
Saturday: off
Sunday: HD Endurance

While I really enjoy the HD strength workouts, I think changing up my routine for the next few months will help and then I can return to the HD program.

My work schedule is going to pick up here now that school is back in session, so I’m going to have to make an extra effort to not only train consistently, but eat right as well. In the past I’ve grabbed too many fast food meals while in a rush to get to a ball game…no more of that! This year I’ll either eat my dinner at lunch time and take a wrap or salad with me to the game…or take a protein shake or bar with me to the game and eat when I get home.

Being consistent on my diet is going to be paramount to my overall success this fall…as I try to keep improving in BJJ and improving my endurance as well.

Anxiety-wise I’m doing good…tyring not to let the stress of work bother me (again here’s where exercise helps). Been reading a lot and doing my breathing exercises and those help calm me.

Take care,
Dan

407

I just saw this thread. I suffered from panic attacks for several years on and off. I would become gripped with the fear that I was losing my mind. My heart felt like it was going to burst through my sternum at any moment and I refused to let myself sleep because I didn’t think I was going to wake up again.

At the time I was drinking alot and eating like total shit. My blood sugar would go from over 500 to below 40 back and forth all the time. On one trip to the emergency room early on was when I found out about the blood sugar issue which I ignored and kept drinking and eating junk.

A guy in the building I work in noticed my sweating and shortness of breath and asked me about diabetes in a very tactful and friendly manner. I told him what the doctors told me about my blood sugar and he told me he was diabetic and gave me a fatherly sermon about all the dangers of not getting a grip on my blood sugar. He also brought me in a Freestyle Flash Glucose meter and all the strips and lancets to last for several months.

I started playing around with it and sure enough my glucose was all over the place. I finally decided to do something about it, quit drinking and started reliving the weight training lifestyle I had back in the early nineties. Ultra clean diet, bought some training equipment and set up a gym in the basement.

This was in March of this year. I’ve lost 10 inches off my waist and gained a bunch muscle with more yet to come. I don’t know what this means for anyone else, if anything, but I have not had a single attack since and my blood sugar has been absoloutly normal for a couple months.

I’m giving no advice, but only relaying what happened. In my case I can’t help, but believe it was my horrendous living habits that caused both the Type2 diabetes and my panic attacks. I have done some research and it does appear that many authorities do believe that this type of anxiety problem can, at least some of the time be directly tied to actions of the gastro intestinal tract whch in my case makes sense. Oh well, there’s my 2 cents.

–Tiribulus->

408

Hey everyone,
Just got back from the gym and had a good workout. I needed it after a stressful day at work…nothing like trying to layout 11 pages of copy on a tight deadline! Thankfully, the rest of my week isn’t as crazy as today.

As stated yesterday, I’ve switched up my strength training routine for the next 1-2 months. Here’s what I did today:

  1. DB Snatch 3x5: 55, 65, 70
    2A. BB Bench Press 3x6: 205
    2B. Clap push-ups 3x10: BW
  2. Power Clean & Press 3x5: 135
  3. DB Lunges 3x6: 40
  4. Weighted Pull-ups 4x6: BW + 10 lbs.
  5. DB Swings 3x12: 30

Workout lasted about 40 minutes, which was nice. I plan on relaxing for the rest of day…hopefully I can finish this new Nintendo DS game I bought over the weekend “Trace Memory” It’s not your average game in that you don’t shoot or kill anything…you basically look for clues and solve puzzles to advance in the game. Only downside is that it’s not very long, so hopefully the trade-in value is good, because I should finish it tonight or early this week and will want to get something else.

Take care,
Dan

409

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
I just saw this thread. I suffered from panic attacks for several years on and off. I would become gripped with the fear that I was losing my mind. My heart felt like it was going to burst through my sternum at any moment and I refused to let myself sleep because I didn’t think I was going to wake up again.

At the time I was drinking alot and eating like total shit. My blood sugar would go from over 500 to below 40 back and forth all the time. On one trip to the emergency room early on was when I found out about the blood sugar issue which I ignored and kept drinking and eating junk.

A guy in the building I work in noticed my sweating and shortness of breath and asked me about diabetes in a very tactful and friendly manner. I told him what the doctors told me about my blood sugar and he told me he was diabetic and gave me a fatherly sermon about all the dangers of not getting a grip on my blood sugar. He also brought me in a Freestyle Flash Glucose meter and all the strips and lancets to last for several months.

I started playing around with it and sure enough my glucose was all over the place. I finally decided to do something about it, quit drinking and started reliving the weight training lifestyle I had back in the early nineties. Ultra clean diet, bought some training equipment and set up a gym in the basement.

This was in March of this year. I’ve lost 10 inches off my waist and gained a bunch muscle with more yet to come. I don’t know what this means for anyone else, if anything, but I have not had a single attack since and my blood sugar has been absoloutly normal for a couple months.

I’m giving no advice, but only relaying what happened. In my case I can’t help, but believe it was my horrendous living habits that caused both the Type2 diabetes and my panic attacks. I have done some research and it does appear that many authorities do believe that this type of anxiety problem can, at least some of the time be directly tied to actions of the gastro intestinal tract whch in my case makes sense. Oh well, there’s my 2 cents.

–Tiribulus->[/quote]

Thanks for sharing your story, Tiribulus…I can definitely relate to some of the issues you went through.

Glad to hear you are making progress in terms of getting your anxiety under control and for kicking ass in the gym!

I find I do better when I just take things day-by-day. When I start to look ahead, I get overwhelemed and that causes stress/anxiety.

Again, congrats on your success,
Dan

410

Hey everyone,
Just got finished with my cardio workout…ran 3 miles. I forgot to wear my watch, but judging by the songs on my iPod, I’d say I was around 20-24 minutes. Did 15 minutes of stretching afterwards.

Going to watch my favorite baseball team, the New York Mets, tonight, they’re in town to play the Rockies. It sucks not being able to watch a lot of their games out here in CO, but that will change once the playoffs start.

Tomorrow I’ll be doing an MMA Endurance workout.

Take care,
Dan

411

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
I just saw this thread. I suffered from panic attacks for several years on and off. I would become gripped with the fear that I was losing my mind. My heart felt like it was going to burst through my sternum at any moment and I refused to let myself sleep because I didn’t think I was going to wake up again.

At the time I was drinking alot and eating like total shit. My blood sugar would go from over 500 to below 40 back and forth all the time. On one trip to the emergency room early on was when I found out about the blood sugar issue which I ignored and kept drinking and eating junk.

A guy in the building I work in noticed my sweating and shortness of breath and asked me about diabetes in a very tactful and friendly manner. I told him what the doctors told me about my blood sugar and he told me he was diabetic and gave me a fatherly sermon about all the dangers of not getting a grip on my blood sugar. He also brought me in a Freestyle Flash Glucose meter and all the strips and lancets to last for several months.

I started playing around with it and sure enough my glucose was all over the place. I finally decided to do something about it, quit drinking and started reliving the weight training lifestyle I had back in the early nineties. Ultra clean diet, bought some training equipment and set up a gym in the basement.

This was in March of this year. I’ve lost 10 inches off my waist and gained a bunch muscle with more yet to come. I don’t know what this means for anyone else, if anything, but I have not had a single attack since and my blood sugar has been absoloutly normal for a couple months.

I’m giving no advice, but only relaying what happened. In my case I can’t help, but believe it was my horrendous living habits that caused both the Type2 diabetes and my panic attacks. I have done some research and it does appear that many authorities do believe that this type of anxiety problem can, at least some of the time be directly tied to actions of the gastro intestinal tract whch in my case makes sense. Oh well, there’s my 2 cents.

–Tiribulus->[/quote]

Wow - great story! No doubt that diet and lifestyle are major contributing factors, though of course some people do have some genetic predisposition to things like anxiety, requiring a little more investigation to figure out how best to manage it. Supplementing with high dose nutrients like niacin has been known to be effective for some.

Dan - good to hear you’re keeping at it in spite of the busier schedule. Good for you to back off when you start getting overwhelmed too. Keep up the great work in the gym and keep listening to your body. :slight_smile:

412

[quote]Jinx Me wrote:

Wow - great story! No doubt that diet and lifestyle are major contributing factors, though of course some people do have some genetic predisposition to things like anxiety, requiring a little more investigation to figure out how best to manage it. Supplementing with high dose nutrients like niacin has been known to be effective for some.

Dan - good to hear you’re keeping at it in spite of the busier schedule. Good for you to back off when you start getting overwhelmed too. Keep up the great work in the gym and keep listening to your body. :slight_smile:

[/quote]
I have no definite explanation. They just stopped. It certainly wasn’t any great act of will or anything my part. I just realized one day that I couldn’t remember the last time I had an attack.

–Tiribulus->

413

Hey everyone,
Went to the gym early this morning and got in my Hammer Down: Endurance workout. Had good energy through the entire workout, but as usual, was exhausted by the time I finished…which was around 25-30 minutes. Had to change up a couple of the medicine ball exercises due to the racquetball courts being occupied, but otherwise, everything else went fine.

Plan on taking it easy the rest of the day today, as I don’t have to go back to work later this evening, so I’ll enjoy the down time when I can get it.

Take care,
Dan

414

Hey everyone,
Went to the gym early this afternoon and got in my second strength training workout of the week. Had good energy and focus in today’s workout, which was nice, especially since I’ve had a long week at work.

Here’s the stats:

  1. DB Snatch 3x5: 65, 70, 70
    2A. BB Bench Press 3x6: 205
    2B. Clap push-ups 3x10: BW
  2. Power Clean & Press 3x5: 135
  3. DB Lunges 3x6: 40
  4. Weighted Pull-ups 4x6: BW + 10 lbs.
  5. DB Swings 3x12: 30

Not too much of a change from Monday’s workout…I figure it’s safer to increase the weight once a week instead of trying to up the weight each time, as I think that will tend to lead to my using bad form.

Tomorrow I’ll get in a Hammer Down: Endurance workout and then it’s up to the mountains for a high school football game. I’ve got the rest of the weekend off after that, so I’m looking forward to relaxing Sunday and Monday.

Take care,
Dan

415

Hey everyone,
Boy, this week is flying by. Still getting adjusted to the busier work schedule…and I don’t like it! It was a lot more enjoyable to just work a 1/2 day and have all afternoon to myself. Now I work all morning, get a couple hours break and then go back to work to cover games in the late afternoon/evening.

Been job-hunting pretty hard, too. Looking to get back towards the East Coast. Journalism is tough to land a job in these days. It seems for every job posted, 300 people apply. Sports jobs like mine are even tougher to find…getting an interview is like hitting the lottery. All I can do is send out my resume and work samples, and follow-up with an e-mail and hope for the best.

As for my workouts, they’ve been going well. Did a home boxing workout yesterday and today just finished a Hammer Down: Endurance workout.

Got some bad news yesterday. Apparently I’ve hit the max. # of therapy sessions I’m allowed for the year. Of course, they never told me how many I could have to start with, so this came as a total surprise. If I had known I only had so many, I would’ve spaced them out better. Now there’s a 3-month gap before I can go again…I just can’t afford to go w/o insurance.

Good news is that I’ve been slowly weening myself off of the Xanax XR. Trying to go without a pill every 3-4 days for now…then here in a couple of weeks I’ll do every 2-3 days and then every-other-day until I get down to taking one or two a week and then, hopefully, off of it completely.

I think this catches me up on everything. Sorry I haven’t been posting as frequently. My computer time is limited to work and quickly surfing through here and a couple of other sites.

Take care,
Dan

416

Hey everyone,
Just finished another home boxing workout. Workout lasted 30 minutes with just one small rest spot, so I’m pretty spent. Have a football game to go in a few hours, so it’ll be a long night. Tomorrow I have a soccer game at 11 and have to take the dog to the vet at 9, so I’ll either try and workout before the vet trip or after the soccer game.

Got some good news on the therapy situation. My therapist cut me a pretty decent out-of-network deal until my insurance kicks back in, so I’ll at least be able to continue therapy once a month for the next 3 months. I didn’t want to just stop going, so I’m happy I’ll at least be able to go every 4 weeks, or every 3 weeks if I need it.

Other than that, things are good. Trying not to stress myself out with work…so far, so good.

Take care,
Dan

417

“Been job-hunting pretty hard, too. Looking to get back towards the East Coast”

Dan,

It will be a dissapointment to lose your coverage of HS sports up here in the foothills. It’s hard work covering HS sports but the kids and us parents really appreciate it. Good luck and I guess my son graduated just in time.

418

[quote]dbutkus wrote:
“Been job-hunting pretty hard, too. Looking to get back towards the East Coast”

Dan,

It will be a dissapointment to lose your coverage of HS sports up here in the foothills. It’s hard work covering HS sports but the kids and us parents really appreciate it. Good luck and I guess my son graduated just in time.[/quote]

Thanks for the nice words…where did your son go to school?

The way things are, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was out here another year before I actually land a job, if I get one at all. The market is constantly shrinking, so less jobs means more applicants to those positions that are available.

What will likely end up happening is that my wife will get a teaching job and we’ll move for her and I’ll have to find something to do…unless the job’s in CO.

419

Hey everyone,
Had a good weekend. Saturday got in a Hammer Down: Endurance workout and yesterday got in a good strength training workout.

Here’s the stats from Sunday’s workout:

  1. DB Snatch, 3x5: 70
  2. BB Bench Press, 3x5: 205
  3. Clean & Press, 3x5: 135
  4. DB Lunges, 3x6: 45
  5. Lat Pulldowns, 4x10: 150
  6. DB Front Raises, 2x12: 22.5

Today I plan on getting in a good run outside and finishing up with some work on my heavy bag at home.

Went all day Saturday w/o meds and felt fine. I’m liking the slower pace to my weening off period this time as opposed to the first time when I tried to go off meds in less than 2 weeks. I think this will have much better long-term success.

Take care,
Dan

420

Hey everyone,
Just got back from a nice run. Went 3.5 miles. Unfortunately, I have no idea what my time was, as I again forgot to put my watch on. I’d say somwehere in the neighborhood of 25 minutes, give or take a minute.

After a quick break I finished off the workout with some work on the heavy bag for 15 minutes, followed by stretching.

Will take tomorrow off, as I have a softball game to attend in the afternoon for work, but will be back in the gym Wednesday for a Hammer Down: Endurance workout.

Oh, and starting next week, I’m going to back to the HD: Strength workouts…my shoulders were taking too much of a pounding from my current routine.

Take care,
Dan

421

Hey everyone,
Just got back from the gym and had a good workout. Did a Hammer Down: Endurance workout, with some slight modifications. I included some biceps/triceps supersets, just for kicks and giggles, and also did some forearm work at the end. Workout lasted 30 minutes.

Was able to get my glasses repaired for $10 today! I was so happy b/c my insurance only covers contacts or frames and I already used the insurance to get contacts, so I was going to be out like $200 if I couldn’t get my current frames repaired. Luckily I was able to and now I can just wait till January and get new frames and transition my current pair to my backup.

Making an effort to clean up my diet after eating like crap the last two weeks. Made a good sweep of the perimeter of the grocery store yesterday, so I’m stocked up on veggies, fruits, meat and seafood.

Today was a success since I slept like crap last night and could’ve easily just had some cereal, toast for breakfast and a sandwich and chips for lunch. Instead I had egg whites, turkey bacon and grapes for breakfast; a snack of mixed nuts and for lunch, a turkey wrap with spinach and tomatoes, along with a banana and some baby carrotts. For dinner I’m having a “big salad” with some chicken strips thrown in for extra protein.

So, despite the lack of sleep, I’m feeling good today and I think that has a lot to do with diet, but also the my mindset of not allowing last night to affect today. I also went without medication today, which is big because it would’ve been very easy to take a pill and write it off as I was just covering myself in case I don’t feel well type of thing.

I know I’m patting myself on the back here a bit, but that’s OK to do every now and then. You have to remind yourself of the good things you do in your life, I think, and not just dwell on the bad stuff.

Well, I’m gonna take it easy the rest of the night. Probably play some Animal Crossing WW on the DS. That game is super-addictive and a lot of fun.

Take care,
Dan