Sandra's Thoughts ... And A Bit About Genetics

Panic attacks were a secret in the early 70's no one talked about them.

When I got my first one I was in my husband's station wagon and wanted to jump out as his car careened down main street. I felt like I was dying and although I didn't, when I got home I stayed in my room, did not eat and became an agoraphobic for two weeks because everytime I stepped out of my home I would start hyperventilating.

I bought over the counter mediation called Calms or something like that. I did not know about paper bags for the overbreathing I did not know anything about this sudden problem except for the fact that I too kept it a secret because I was ashamed.

I went years without another one after the first onslaught and it became a distant memory. Then without warning it appeared again, just the panic and anxiety and I could not stand it. I went to the doctor's and he prescribed medication which I took and it seemed to get better. By then there were articles about panic and books and people admitting to having these problems. I carried paper bags in every handbag I owned and my medication was always with me "just in case".

I met my biological brother several years ago he had 7 children and he was 16 years older then me. His children were all grown and families of there own. One day a couple of years ago somehow I mentioned Panic attacks and my brother said that 5 out of 7 children had them and they were all on medication for them, so when I heard on tv that they are now saying it is gene related I believe it is. Something inherited, which makes me feel a lot better about my problem.

Sandra J. Merrill
Ssnotbag@aol.com