Panic Attacks and Forgetfulness

So let me start with a little background. Five years ago, when I was pregnant with my third daughter, I began to have panic attacks. It is the worst feeling that I have ever had. I went on medication and I was able to control them. Back in August of last year I thought I could live off the meds. I slowly weaned myself off of the meds and was doing okay. That was until my sleep study. I had my first full blown panic attack the first night off my sleep study and had to go home. I was fine after that until my surgery. After surgery, when I was waking up, I felt out of control and on the brink of another panic attack. I remember telling the nurse I felt like I was at the start of one and she asked if I was prone to them and asked why I didn’t have any meds listed. Well because I thought I could handle them with meds. Anyway, the pain meds helped ease the tension. They wheeled me into the other room and after a while when the drugs were wearing off I felt closer to a panic attack again. I was able to walk around and control it with the help of my husband. I finally got to go home. Being home and on pain meds I was okay for the week.

That brings us up to Monday. I decided not to take any pain medicine so I can go back to work soon. The pain was fine but again I started to be on the brink of a panic attack again. On Tuesday, I woke up and went into the bathroom where my husband was taking a shower and just lost it. I started crying because I was losing control. I ended up talking myself out of it and went downstairs and took one of my pain pills. It did help and I decided to keep myself busy and not to think about it. I went to the laundry room to throw a load in and kept hearing my husband come in and out. Finally he said “I love you” and I thought he left for good. And then I saw my 7 year old holding a dozen of roses and a card and she said “Happy Anniversary”. I can’t believe I totally forgot. Me, the wife. Isn’t the husband supposed to forget? Anyway, he gave me a hug and said don’t worry about it, he completely understands. I know he was chuckling all day that now he has one up on me. I can’t wait until he decides to use this in a future argument.

I went to the doctors for my post surgery appointment. The PA told me my body was under stress so that is the reason for my panic attacks. She told me to contact my PCP and get back on my meds. So I did and I don’t think I will ever go off them again.