Just needed to be heard for a little while

elsien

Waves_and_Smiles wrote: »

Panic attacks are irrational and they often feel it. You know you are terrified but you often don't know why because you are too terrified to think properly about specifics. In the case of phobia's like this there is a huge sense of impending doom as well. The best way I have found to describe my own panic attacks is you know that feeling when your chair tips too far backward and you realise you are going to fall? That moment of total helpless panic? Imagine that feeling but extended for 15 minutes at least. That is how my panic attacks make me feel. It is total terror complete with fast heart rate, cold sweating and shaking. But, even though they don't feel it they are harmless. The worse that has ever happened to me is I have hyperventilated so much that I have fainted which immediately caused my body functions to return to normal and stopped the panic attack.

But what would happen if you were in the situation, passed out, then found yourself straight back in the same situation again that you couldn't get away from, do you think? Would it trigger another panic attack or would it be like a severe total immersion type of flooding (which always sounded to me like it was guaranteed to trigger a real heart attack!)

Waves_and_Smiles

Hahahahaha I have had flooding therapy and yes, its terrifying but it works surprisingly quickly. I always found that if I pass out and then wake up in the same situation I am still afraid but not quite so much because my heart rate and adrenaline has dropped by then. Lots of reassurance helps, even if its someone talking to me about something random, anything to try and distract me. Hopefully the medics will be used to dealing with phobias and be able to offer a lot of support. Even a hand to hold can make a huge difference.

Waves_and_Smiles

I currently have managed to give myself another hopefully temporary disorder, conditioned taste aversion. When I had the awful stomach pains resulting in projectile vomiting I had previously eaten vegetables in sauce, now I cannot face the thought of anything in a sauce or any kind of vegetable. It is a psychological defence mechanism to when our bodies learnt to make us adverse to anything that made us sick, because back then it was likely poisonous for us. It falls under classical conditioning if anyone wants to look it up.

The downside of this is that almost every meal we eat is in a sauce and contains vegetables. I have been living off of plain boiled rice with chicken or dry, boiled potatoes for days, I cannot stomach the thought of anything more adventurous. I am slowly going to have to recondition myself back into eating other foods which I am not looking forward to.

lostinrates

Can you put the tiniest bit of sauce in with the rice so that its more like flavoured rice than saucey rice......try and whet you appetite for flavour without encountering the texture?

Re veg....what about having a different sort of veg and meal. Grilled chicken and veg with no sauce? Roast vegetables tossed in to pasta or eaten with a piece of meat? You probably need some protein and vitamins by now. Could you make houmous and dip raw veg into it and nibble that?

Edit...ok, you've had chicken, at least you've had protein. Sorry I missed that first read through.

Waves_and_Smiles

Thank you, LIR that is really useful. I did think of trying raw vegetables and flavoured rice because it is the thought of soft foods that seem to make me shudder the most. I also didn't think of pasta, I could face that. I haven't eaten a vegetable other than potato or any fruit for a week now which isn't good. I thought curry might work as I usually love it but although I can imagine eating dry chicken pieces covered in spices the thought of the sauce just turns my stomach. Even toast with butter is out, I can't bear the thought of anything but completely dry food which is a problem in itself because my medication gives me a very dry mouth and I am usually reliant on sauces. I was choking down boiled potatoes yesterday because they were so dry.

Trust me, I couldn't throw up after eating something that was bad for me and condition myself to hate that. It had to be really healthy ingredients.

seven-day-weekend

I ahve had my second meeting with my health coach. In the week sinceI saw her I have lost 4.5 lbs, my blood pressure has gone down and my BMI has dropped by one. She is very pleased with me. I have also been given some vouchers to council-run exercise classes where can go once a week.
May try one tomorrow or Friday.

I am entitled to twelve one-to one session and twelve exercise sessions, but apparently when they have finished I can be referred for another twelve. I am going to see her weekly for the first four and then maybe two-weekly.

I knew the one-to one meetings would motivate me.:):T:T

Pyxis

Trust me, I couldn't throw up after eating something that was bad for me and condition myself to hate that. It had to be really healthy ingredients.

Yes! Shame it wasn't chocolate!
(I know, I'm evil!:D)


I absolutely adored the clangers. I wish they'd bring them back.
And Noggin the Nog. I loved Noggin the Nog. And it was actually very informative about the Vikings and Norse mythology etc.
And of course, (now, don't yawn, peoples!) Willo the Wisp.


Elsien, as long as the medical people know about the panic attacks and the anxiety and the fear of flying, they'll be able to cope with your relative, I'm sure.

lostinrates

WaS. Biryani? Adding more veg in the rice, (no sauce or side dish of veg curry) rice that you feel comfortable with, but dry and tasty?

Hang on ( lir is running down stairs to take a picture of something for you...)


Edit,

Ok, puff puff, puff.....this sort of thing.....photo from supper from a song /Tamsin day Lewis.

Its Braised chicken and rice with orange , saffron, almond and pistachio syrup. ( an afghani dish) I'm mainly showing it to whet your appetite for adding stuff... ( while its too soft for your palate now she recommends serving it with leeks spinach and rhubarb...an interesting combination indeed!)


I've cooked this, and while I feel her method is over complicated it is a lovely meal. I didn't do the spinach/leek/rhubarb thing but I might make it again soon with a simplified method and try her veg suggestion, I do love savoury rhubarb ( I use it with salmon in late winter a bit)

Pyxis

Yum yum LIR!




WaS!!! you have a baby sloth in your pocket avatar!

It's lovely!




I've been eating a lot of rice this week. It's the only thing I've felt up to cooking. And mixing in chopped veg. And a tablespoon of pesto...aubergine pesto. Yum. Have had two lots today.
Still coughing, by the way, so have stayed in and cancelled everything.

Pyxis

Right.....starting my wish list for next Christmas.........:D

In no particular order:-

Sloth
Clanger
Oleg



:rotfl: