Panic Attacks

Hi  and welcome to this corner of Online Community but sorry that you had to find us . Sorry also that you are dealing with panic attacks.

A cancer diagnosis can be very challenging in so many ways. I have been on my journey for over 22 years with multiple relapses and multiple treatments.

My rare blood cancer (see my profile) is incurable but treatable and although I was initially told I would never have prolonged times of remission I have now been in remission since Sep 2016..... so from my prospective I am living the dream.

Panic attacks and stress have never been a part of my journey as in the very early days my great Cancer Nurse told me “Mike, do remember that you are basically a passenger on this journey but you do have a lot of time for your brain to work overtime so you may find that stress and anxiety will start to show it’s ugly head - hear me when I say that you can throw all the stress and anxiety you can find at this and it will make no difference to outcomes but will make a massive difference how you are physically and mentally fit to walk this journey”...... so I took this on board and all these years on I deal with each day as it comes and leave tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow.

The past year has been challenging and I would not alt recommend finding some one on one support. But things are slowly opening up so do check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area has opened up. Do also check out for a local Maggie’s Centre as these folks are amazing. During lockdown a lot of their services moved onto online video support. But I see our local Maggie’s (Inverness) are starting to open up for one on one support.

As always the Macmillan Support Services are around 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00  Clicking here to see what is available. This service provides lots of cancer information, support or just a listening ear.

As always this little corner is hear your help as well

All the very best ((hugs))

Thank you so much for getting in touch.

I have an appointment with the hospital psychologist next week, so fingers crossed I will get some help there. I just have to get through the few days beforehand! 

It's so strange, I don't feel like I've got anything to be particularly anxious about but my body says otherwise!

All the best on your journey!

Let’s look for you to get some positive strategies for you to follow to help you navigate this.

A number of years back I did need some support from the team at our Maggie’s as 2 very good friends who had been diagnosed with their type of cancer died within a year and I was struck by survivors guilt.

It was good to sit and unpack the invisible rucksack we are all given at diagnosis and we continually fill it with stuff we collect during our journey and we slowly get weighed down.

During my time with the support staff I was reminded of a conversation I had with the two friends and basically we had agreed that the ‘last man standing’ was to live their lives as best as they could and celebrate the lives of the others who had gone..... and this is my goal.

I am over 5 years out from treatment but still deal with treatment ‘leftovers’ like a permanently reduced immune system resulting in lots of infections.... and the Covid risks, a heart issue due to the chemo and I see you have tinitis... one of the drugs I was on in early 2013 has resulted in drug induced hearing loss Right Ear 85% loss with remaining 15% a muffled sound with continues pulsing 24/7 and Left Ear 50 – 60% loss + Tinnitus and hearing aids for life...... but this still will not define how I live this life hard fought for ((hugs))

Thank you for taking the time to get back to me. You are an inspiration and have a great attitude which will help you through.

You've gone through so much and I'm so pleased you are in a better place.

I need to figure out my trigger is as I have no clue. This has all came out of the blue and I'm at a loss. 

I know all the tests, waiting on results, more testing & waiting etc would take its toll but I thought I was coping and the time. Unsure if it's just been a build up of emotions or something new.

Thanks again for your kind words.

Oh the family have been through a lot but right at the very start we hand an open discussion as to how we were going to walk this..... was it going to be on eggshells or honesty - we choose honesty. Everyone was allowed a ‘pity me party’ but they did not expect others to join in and of the party went on for more than a few days some ‘tough love’ was deployed by the rest of the family...... a small issue left festering becomes a rather big repair job.

Triggers!!! identify these triggers is a very important step in getting control of the noise  between the ears.

The same wise nurse who gave me the ‘stress and anxiety’ advise also told me to start a diary/note book and record all my thoughts, feelings, symptoms and especially questions..... you know those questions that are buzzing around at silly o'clock..... I put everything down on paper (not a phone) and looked for the triggers.... in the early days I noticed that some ‘friends’ were triggers..... just saying the wrong this resulting in ‘mind on overdrive’ so we felt with these problems early. Open communication through my cancer journey FaceBook and WhatsApp posts making sure people know the truth not just second hand information. The other trigger could have been random Google searches but scared the living daylights out of me and a rather stern talking to from my Nurse solved that one ((hugs))

Hi  I am sorry to hear you are suffering like this. I too have had panic attacks and they are absolutely awful, my GP prescribed Propanolol which has helped. Also, I have had counselling  with an Oncological Therapist which also helped. My treating hospital referred me. My counsellor taught me breathing techniques and other coping strategies, perhaps you could consider asking for a referral. Bev. 

Hi 

Thank you for getting in touch.

I have an appointment with the oncology psychologist on Wednesday, so hopefully that will help. Panic attacks are awful on there own, but having them at a time like this just feels cruel. I honestly can't believe I have to deal with this on top of treatment.

I haven't heard anyone else saying they had suffered from them, I felt sort of vulnerable admitting it to anyone. Hopefully the help offered will ease them.

Thank you so much