SO sick of it! I'm tired of it :(

I think the reason it feels worse when it strikes is that you have been feeling ok and you are feeling sad that the feelings have returned. 

What were you looking forward to doing on the holiday? Try to focus on the things that you enjoy and have been wanting to do. 

I know it is so hard to carry on like everything is ok when you don't feel like it. 

You are not going to go crazy. 

Has any of the cbt techniques worked for you? 

Can you do some meditation? I find that works for me. 

I recently went away and felt on edge. I found I felt the best when I was keeping active. 

Thinking of you and here if you need to chat xxxx 

I have the same it is so horrible ... I have had a period in my life when I did get over them ... But they are back ! The best thing a can advice is cbt it really helps you change your thoughts. You also need to get a hobbie get your mind focused on something you enjoy and stick to it every week. It will make you feel better. You have to understand it is only a panic attack they are only feelings and it can't hurt you .... Try letting go and concentrate on your breathing trying taking long deep breaths ... Getting out in the fresh air helps to you have to face your fears to over come them . It can be done .x x

Are hormones playing a role in all this? I know for me they did. Can you ask someone about a clinic? Every country has people with panic attacks, I'd go to the clinic and get a benzo for the flight home...also will settle the nerves and for me stomache.

i wish you luck, don't be shy to ask for help. I'm sure your BF will go with!

All I can say is why us? Out of all my sister I am  the one that is always sick and not normal lol...I mean mental illnesses suck. I haven't been normal since 2007. I hate being on medication. I hate taking ativan and ambien for sleeping, but sometimes that is the only way we can feel better. I was ok with just taking 20mg of citalopram but genius me though it was ok to stop taking medication. Well a little over a month after I stope my panic attacks and anxiety were really strong I though I was going to die. I had to call the ambulance because it was horrible. I will never ever make that mistake ever again. If medicine is available to help then I will take it. No more suffering. The first time it took me like 3 months to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it looks like this time it will take that long too..hang in the people!!

Hi Babette?

Where where exactly are you on holiday? Spain?

Anyways, hang in there, you are not going crazy!

It's very real what us, anxious people feel.

Last year I went to Italy for 3 weeks, with my 2 kids, 13 and 12 year olds.

I wasn't in meds anymore, I had quit them because I thought I didnt need them for anxiety anymore. However, I did have Ativan with me.

First 3 nights were horrible, panic attacks, the feeling of loosing control and going crazy in Italy, far away from my country (Canada) and with 2 kids. 

3rd night, I drank 4 beers, to forget about my panic. I kept thinking, how will my husband get to me in Italy in time to save me? I thought I was doomed to die in Italy. I even asked around for the equivalent of our 911(emergency) and told they kids to call that number if anything happened to me. I scared the kids with that.

Anyways, I ended up taking 2 Ativan and went to bed. I woke up with a cloudy head, but determined I was not going to ruin my vacation. I had planned to visit all Rome, Florence and Venice.

So I grabbed my kids, grinded my teeth, and went ahead with the schedule. I had 2 kids to take care of.

By the time I got to Florence, I was ok. (That's after 5 days). 

All I can advise you, if you like to visit, get out and enjoy it. 

It's unpleasant, I know how you feel. But you won't die. Anxiety won't kill us...

Enjoy what's left of your vacation, if you have any benzos with you take them. 

Don't concentrate on how you feel. Move around regardless, go to a flamenco show, live the music. You are alive!

I wish you all the best!

Thank you all for your replies! I actually managed to eat and made me somehow feel a bit better to see other people at the restaurant. I just really really hope that I will feel ok tomorrow when I wake up! I usually take my puppy for a walk back home but obviously until next week i won't be able to. I always feel so lonely when I get these anxiety attacks. It's very hard for my partner to understand ... So I don't really have anyone to talk to. I can understand the physical symptoms and usually I'm not too bad dealing with those but when you get the irrational thoughts and feel frightened of whatever...then, I really struggle. Make physical symptoms worse and just want to vomit and kind of scream as I want it to stop there and then and feel good! Getting more and more impatient with it as well. Every time it goes away I'm like that's it, it's gone, never will I let it come back and all of a sudden out of the blue its bloody back!! It's so unfair  

Thank you for your replies, it really means a lot and I'm looking forward to reading some more. I think it is such a great thing that we can share our experiences x

Wow I remember feeling like this roughly ten years ago when I went to Corfu with my partner excactly the same, I remember being in my villa and thinking how the hell am I going to get help if I have a panic attack and sure enough I had a panic attack really bad one and my lady didn't no what to do it was a nightmare!!!! I just managed to get through it by going out on the balkany kneeling down taking deep breaths and I told her to go away and let me deal with it! IDE only been with her a couple of month she must of thought I was a nutter!!!! Lol 

Just try and distract yourself all the time talk about any old rubbish it works for me! I meen when you feel that panic attack feeling coming get up walk around do anything to distract I've been there I know it works! I feel so sorry for you as I know how your feeling! I was always the same on holiday and ruined most of them because of this crazy anxiety!!! And I always wanted to be home!!!!!!

Strangly I'm on 20mg citalopram too I alway wonder if they haven't caused the attacks as I went on them for depression and I never had an attack until I used the meds, you take care destract that over active mind and before you know it your be home regards simon 😆

Ps... I've been going through this for nearly 20 years too 😩

Babette, they do know what anxiety attacks are.

If you were going to go crazy, wouldnt it have happened by now?

This is a common symtpom of anxiety.

I really do feel for you but I am so in awe of you getting on that plane in the first place, you have done briliantly well!! 

For the next few days Id carry on with the breathing excercises. If ou can access the internet on your phone, try and get on youtube and listen to some guided relaxation. 

The worst thing that can happen to you has happened and you are safe and sane. Could you think of it that way?

Even though it is making you feel horrible, you are on holiday and the very fact of that tells me you are strong and capable. Have faith in yourself.

If you are feeling really rough go to their version of a & e and ask for some valium/diazepam. I am sure they will give it to you xxx 

Thank you Simon and Sarah it really means a lot to read this I slept ok last night but when I woke up this morning I felt dreadful! I felt so so panicky and frightened. Couldn't say a word to my partner, told him to go and have breakfast without me and I joined him 2 hrs later at the pool. I felt weird this afternoon but not as bad as this morning!! I started checking out the doctors and hospitals around just in case!! This is insane! Even earlier flights back home! Why do I have to feel like this and ruin it all. I can't I have to be strong, my partner deserves this holiday he's worked so hard the whole year for that! But ur right even if you feel dreadful you have to push yourself to keep busy/find a distraction. I don't know why the last 2 mornings I felt so awful... In the afternoon it's all right 2 hrs here then an hour in the spa, then shower, food and tv in the bedroom and sleep.. It's like that routine suits me. In the morning from 9am to like 3pm it's really long so I guess it stresses me out to have time to think! I'm sorry to go on about it. I wish one of you was next to me to constantly reassure me... I know that checking doctors flights...is wrong as they are security behaviours but sometimes I just can't help it. Total madness how powerful our brains are. Anxiety go away for ever please! X