Panic attacks without a negative trigger?

[Barb_]

My 15yo has begun having what we've only recently pinpointed as panic attacks. The odd thing is, these attacks aren't related to any sort of negative emotion or trigger. Actually, she has noticed that they seem to come on whenever she is particularly excited in a positive way. She has recently experienced them for the following reasons:

 

Reading poetry in front of a group (which she dearly loves to do...both poetry and performing)

While reading "A Tale of Two Cities"

Sitting next to a boy she likes :blush:

During literature seminars at school

 

The only one brought on by a negative experience was when she needed to get some bloodwork drawn back when she had mono last summer. In fact, I think that may have been the first one.

 

She said that her heart starts to race and she realizes she isn't breathing, so she tries to regulate her breathing. But watching her have one this afternoon, I realized she is actually hyperventilating in her struggle to breathe deeply. She becomes dizzy and her face flushes and her hands and face muscles vibrate and then she bursts into tears while laughing at herself all at once. It happens at school about once a day and she doesn't know what to tell people because she is embarrassed. Afterward she is exhausted and spacey for about an hour or so while she tries to recover and get back to normal. She is able to avoid crying at school...that usually only happens when I happen to be there...so her friends only see her go red and then pale and her pupils dilate and her breathing go shallow.

 

So any advice? Guesses as to why this came on suddenly out of nowhere? She's such a well-adjusted, happy-go-lucky, sweet natured child and not at all prone to anxiety or excessive worry. Why do the attacks seem to be triggered mainly by happy excitement? How does she explain to close friends who worry about her what is happening without using the word, "panic"? It's hard to explain that you have panic attacks because you are just TOO happy.

 

Anyone have a success story of how they've managed a panic disorder? Is this something she will have to live with for the rest of her life or will she outgrow it?

 

Barb

[LauraGB]

Have her b12 levels checked. There's a special test - its not the CBC. I get panic attacks "for no apparent reason" and I take a hefty dose of b12 (1000mcg methylcobalamin) for a few days and it keeps them at bay.

Edited January 30, 2010 by LauraGB

[dangermom]

Apparently panic attacks aren't necessarily related to panic or fear. They're your nervous system going into overload or something, but they don't have to have a particular reason--sometimes they just happen, or are triggered by benign circumstances. So "panic" is kind of an unfortunate name for them, really.

 

Not that I'm a doctor or know anything about it. But that's what I've read.

[smilesonly]

check out worrywisekids.org

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Barb_]

Apparently panic attacks aren't necessarily related to panic or fear. They're your nervous system going into overload or something, but they don't have to have a particular reason--sometimes they just happen, or are triggered by benign circumstances. So "panic" is kind of an unfortunate name for them, really.

 

Not that I'm a doctor or know anything about it. But that's what I've read.

 

Exactly! That's why she's so embarrassed to tell people...she doesn't even feel anxious and she's worried people will think she's making it up for attention.

 

Barb

[Barb_]

check out worrywisekids.org

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

Thank you for the suggestion. I went over there though, and it seems to be all about helping kids handle anxiety. That's just the thing...she has no anxiety. The list of red flags are all pretty much the opposite of her usual MO. Well, except for the people pleasing thing, but that mostly comes from having so many younger sibs and trying to keep the peace.

 

Barb

[Barb_]

Have her b12 levels checked. There's a special test - its not the CBC. I get panic attacks "for no apparent reason" and I take a hefty dose of b12 (1000mcg methylcobalamin) for a few days and it keeps them at bay.

 

Thanks Laura! This is the sort of thing I was hoping to hear. Off to buy some. Can't hurt...might help.

 

Barb

[Jean in Newcastle]

A magnesium deficiency can also cause panic attacks. The easiest way to combat it is by taking epsom salt baths (epsom salts - magnesium sulfate and is absorbed through the skin).

[asta]

My 15yo has begun having what we've only recently pinpointed as panic attacks. The odd thing is, these attacks aren't related to any sort of negative emotion or trigger. Actually, she has noticed that they seem to come on whenever she is particularly excited in a positive way. She has recently experienced them for the following reasons:

 

Reading poetry in front of a group (which she dearly loves to do...both poetry and performing)

While reading "A Tale of Two Cities"

Sitting next to a boy she likes :blush:

During literature seminars at school

 

The only one brought on by a negative experience was when she needed to get some bloodwork drawn back when she had mono last summer. In fact, I think that may have been the first one.

 

She said that her heart starts to race and she realizes she isn't breathing, so she tries to regulate her breathing. But watching her have one this afternoon, I realized she is actually hyperventilating in her struggle to breathe deeply. She becomes dizzy and her face flushes and her hands and face muscles vibrate and then she bursts into tears while laughing at herself all at once. It happens at school about once a day and she doesn't know what to tell people because she is embarrassed. Afterward she is exhausted and spacey for about an hour or so while she tries to recover and get back to normal. She is able to avoid crying at school...that usually only happens when I happen to be there...so her friends only see her go red and then pale and her pupils dilate and her breathing go shallow.

 

So any advice? Guesses as to why this came on suddenly out of nowhere? She's such a well-adjusted, happy-go-lucky, sweet natured child and not at all prone to anxiety or excessive worry. Why do the attacks seem to be triggered mainly by happy excitement? How does she explain to close friends who worry about her what is happening without using the word, "panic"? It's hard to explain that you have panic attacks because you are just TOO happy.

 

Anyone have a success story of how they've managed a panic disorder? Is this something she will have to live with for the rest of her life or will she outgrow it?

 

Barb

 

Who diagnosed them as panic attacks? A GP, a psychiatrist, or a neurologist?

 

There are different things besides panic and anxiety attacks that mimic them. Some of them can be "brought on" by the act of reading. One in particular has an adolescent onset.

 

The thing that is most concerning to me is the part I bolded. There is something called PANDAS that shows up with certain infections. You can google it. They used to think it was only in little kids (think: 6 and under) but are now seeing it clear into adulthood.

 

I am not a doctor, just a research wonk.

 

HTH

 

 

a

[TravelingChris]

My dd has panic attacks where she has them and then looks around for a cause. Like she is phobic about spiders and tsunamis. So she will have a panic attack for no reason and then decide to think about space or tsunami or what have you. Her's were associated with her cycle and they are hormonal. Her gyn told her that it was common for girls to develop hormonal issues not immediately after puberty but after about a year and a half to two years. For her, the answer has been doubling her Lexapro in the approx. 2 weeks prior to the start.