panic attacks

[Guest guest]

I've been sitting back and reading with interest the prevalence of panic attacks

in our ranks. What a revelation that has been for me! During the frustrating

time sixteen years ago that I was trying to get a diagnosis for my increasing

neurological symptoms that had been developing in the previous 5 years, one

doctor suggested that I needed psychiatric treatment for agoraphobia. I has

highly insulted!! Indeed, I HAD experienced that shortness of breath and heart

racing when I was in an open place without anything to stabilize my balance but

I knew it was only because I felt so unsure of my balance and strength. All this

time, I've been saying that my PLS was developing for about 20 years.

The real revelation for me is that I can now see that the episode of panic

attacks more than 30 years ago due to the same feelings of instability and

imbalance most likely were at the TRUE onset of PLS. Other more obvious symptoms

(like foot drop, etc.) had not become apparent. Occasional spasticity upon

fatigue was, but being young and feeling immortal, it was always ignored or

blamed on lack of sleep, strenuous physical exertion, etc. Of course, admission

of such feelings of panic were shrouded in the shame of possible mental

dysfunction. I was not going to have that label on me!! What a relief, all these

years later, to come to the realization that it was a taste of things to come.

I suppose that a panic attack is our body's way of protecting us from potential

injury by making us avoid those places without walls, railings, or furniture to

hold. A panic attack is a very unpleasant loud shout, but if it were anything

less, would we really pay attention to the message?

Dolores