re: who else here suffers from panic attacks

Knowing what it is helps. Getting a feel for when one is beginning also helps. Watch your breathing and breath deep from you diaphragm.

Once I realized when one was kicking in, I went out into the warehouse and picked up the heaviest galvanized pipe, like 4"od, 10ft and pumped it to distraction. Things got better and they went away. I didn't like the medication-well, correction-I probably did like it a lot- so I decided against using it.

What's behind them is an element too manage as well. My wife was having seizures from a brain lesion, couldn't drive, first anti-seizure meds for her was toxic in therapeutic dosing she needed so getting seizures under control was a process, oldest son was 0311, 911 happened not long after wife's first episode and he was deployed and ended up in Afghanistan so added worry there for my young Marine.

I had to take over much of her chores and functions with our other kids, work never let up and one day my first attack happened and I thought I was going to die and leave my sick wife to fend for herself and the kids-which made me feel worse and exacerbated the attack.

That was late 2000/2001 when this all started and went on for a while. Things got better and they will for you also. and prayers.