I hope Im not too late on this but I would like to share with you my story, I have been fighting anxiety since I was 16 it has been 12 years now and I have to tell you that I tried alot of drugs but the only thing that has helped me is a Relief combo of Valium which is much longer acting than ativan. I have known people that have taken ativan as well as myself and it doesnt have a lasting effect. so.. Valium, b-complex drops sublingual, and drum role please.... hypnosis you can download at hypnosisdownloads.com.. and no this is not an advertisement. It has worked for me. But remember if a doctor will prescribe valium it usually is a doctor (NOT A PSYCHIATRIST!) that deals in drug re-hab. Most Doctors are scared of valium because they dont specialize. If you have any further questions, write me. Best of luck sweetie!!

I had a few panic attacks when I was younger and believe I have always had Conn's Syndrome but never knew it until I was in my late 30's because it never affected my heartbeat until that time. I have a physical problem that caused my panic attacks and this may not apply to you but when I was 19 I had a particularly bad one in which I couldn't breath, fell to the floor and lost control of my motor functions, could barely talk for a few minutes ... had a few over the years.. mostly a funny feeling in the chest, problems breathing an thinking I was going to die. I have ALWAYS been "juiced up". I talk fast, I am always in a hurry, as long as I can remember my life has always been highs or lows with my energy levels. Now I know why.


I started suffering Major PANIC attacks 2 years ago associated with occasional chest pain and "fluttering" heart rhythms and feeling dizzy especially after riding in an elevator... This would cause what I thought was a mentally induced "Panic Attack" or Anxiety Attack in which I would tense up, twist my hair, run my hands through my hair, and generally want to lay down and hope it would go away.

Well, after being hospitalized twice for "Low Potassium" and an 18 month ordeal of various tests I now know what is wrong and the treatment has now worked for about 4 months now... no more panic attacks / anxiety attacks.

I have Conn's Syndrome which is a trouble in the Adrenal Glands in which my adrenals overproduce hormones such as adrenaline and aldosterone which caused loss of potassium (abnormal fluttery feeling in chest occasionally, feeling of falling and quick stop in the chest, muscle twitches / spasms) and causes hightented blood pressure and anxiety (which just started in the last couple of years).

I am now on low dose spironolactone and I have completely turned around (in about 2 weeks after starting) and no longer have any of these symptoms... no more chest issues, no more anxiety attacks.

I had ALL of these symptoms (previously posted)
* racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations);
* chest pains;
* stomach upset;
* dizziness, lightheaded
* difficulty breathing, a sense of feeling smothered;
* tingling or numbness in the hands;
* hot flashes or chills;
* dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions;
* terror: a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it;
* a need to escape;
* fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing; and
* fear of dying.

Just a thought since I have seen some posts that describe some of these exact symptoms... Easy Blood test to see if your aldosterone / renin levels are OK and if your potassium is at or below 3.5 on the scale. If you have low or zero renin, high normal to high aldosterone and borderline to low potassium you MAY have a physical issue similar to mine.