I was and still am at my desk in my office at work and earlier I started feeling like I was going to lose it my emotions felt out of control and I just felt like I was going to have a melt down and started having a slight pain in my chest.  Was siting hear thinking about this stupid SUNCT I have and how much it hurts and how the past couple days have really sucked. I also realized that in the past 8 years I have been in pain from this 5 of them and that this is my new normal, I am 21 months into this cycle and it scares the hell out of me to think about it not ending and this being my life, I guess thinking about all this just triggered a near panic attack. I did a quick read on google and started doing what they say about deep breaths and thinking about positive things instead of negative and I was able to calm myself down a bit but the little pain in my chest is still there. Anyone else deal with these, if so what do you do to get through it? :-/

No panic attacks here, Matt. But I gotta ask, 21 months into a cycle and it's still as debilitating now as it was way back when? Are you on any kind of preventative regimen? If you are, have you and your doctor tried to sculpt it based on the fact that it's not working? Have you looked into getting a new doctor?

5 years of an anxiety/panic disorder here and still kicking. ;)

First off, an old, but a VERY good book to get would be "Hope and Help for Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes.  The writing is a little bit archaic, but she is the best I've ever read.  She teaches you breathing and coping techniques that work.

Secondly, you're focusing way too much on your condition.  In order to move forward, you need to make a new pathway of thinking in your brain.  Forcing yourself to think rationally first, instead of react first, takes time, but it is doable.  Just takes persistance.

PM me if you have any questions!

~mel

Yes 21 months seems like a long time not to have it under some kind off control. as far as the panic attacks my girlriend suffers from them and they are brutal. She takes Kolonapin(spell check) very helpful in controling them

My doctor has been great and treats me like a person and not a druggy and has been very responsive to trying any treatment that comes along that may help with my SUNCT. He wants me to try electro shock and I have posted about it and told him I was not ready to do something so drastic and with such bad possible side effects, I may be willing to try it soon if this keeps up. I am on Oxicodone and I have a Fentanyl patch to try and moderate the pain. After 21 months on the Oxicodone I have a high tolerance and take just enough to take the edge of the pain, I know that pain medication is only supposed to make the pain tolerable and not make it go away completely but after 21 months of always feeling pain behind my left eye and getting no relief it becomes hard to bare. Still do not think I would trade with one of you for your CH, your hits I know are far more painful than mine but mine do not go away and I wake to the same pain I fall asleep with and it can be anywhere from a 2 at the lowest to an 8. I am just feeling like I have been hit by a truck lately and this little panic attack thing was not a welcome thing but I am feeling a bit better right now but worry it will return and I will not be able to stop from losing it. I need to tell my girlfriend about what I went through today, she is so great to me and I know she will understand and be supportive but I cannot help but worry that it will just get to be too much for her to deal with, I know there are a lot of you who have had people in your life leave because they could not cope and that really sad part is I would not blame her one bit, not sure I could sign on for dealing with a woman with this problem. :-/

Ground and center.  When/if you feel an attack coming on, find something solid that you can grab hold of.  Think about what you are holding on to, start breathing slow, deep breaths, in your nose and out your mouth (reminds me of the old ditty, "the worms crawl in the worms crawl out, in your nose and out your mouth~sorry a bit tired and slap happy).  *Think* your heart rate down, listen to it as it slows down. 

Think about it this way, panic attacks will not kill you.  They may make you feel like you are dying, but they will not kill you.

And another sappy piece of advice here, quit thinking about what will be and just think about what *is*.

Quote:

Does anyone have panic attacks?

Only when I run out of imitrex and/or smokes.

I do have panic/anxiety attacks along with CH and Migraines. About a year, may two now, ago I let them take over my whole life.  The couch became my whole world.  :P. Focus on ANYthing else. Stay positive about anything. I know it sounds silly but it works. Sometimes I have to work really hard at finding something to be positive about but I manage.  8-)