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Suggest Treatment For Panic Attacks
Question: I am currently taking 240 mg of Seroquel XR at night. I was admitted to the ER about 4 weeks ago because my heart was palpitating and my heart rate was well over 100. Something I'm not used to. I had an MRI, chest exrays, and contrast. Doc sent me home with xanax and said stop taking the seroquel. I believe the Seroquel is the problem. I've been on it for 5 years without any problems until now. I also take take Stratterra 25 mg and Bupropion 150 mg andSuboxone 6 mg. At night I get very nervous, like right now, and I'm scared to take my Seroquel. I always feel like I'm going to die in my sleep. Please help
Brief Answer:
Panic Disorder
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through.
The condition that you are having is basically panic attacks. This is a disorder of anxiety and occurs cause of imbalance of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. especially serotonin, nor adrenaline, and dopamine to some extent. Medicines are the best options to take care of these symptoms. Paroxetine is the the most popular medicine and my drug of choice. I generally prescribe my patients 12.5 mg per day at night which takes care of anxiety symptoms. Also certain medicines like propranolol and clonazepam can be give as required when there is a panic episode or expected situation where panic attack can appear.
Also there is an option of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This therapy is taken by either a psychologist or a psychiatrist in which the therapist identifies impaired cognitions (Thoughts) and try to correct them. They are 15-20 min weekly session and there should be around 8-10 sessions to help you with your illness.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Panic Disorder
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through.
The condition that you are having is basically panic attacks. This is a disorder of anxiety and occurs cause of imbalance of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. especially serotonin, nor adrenaline, and dopamine to some extent. Medicines are the best options to take care of these symptoms. Paroxetine is the the most popular medicine and my drug of choice. I generally prescribe my patients 12.5 mg per day at night which takes care of anxiety symptoms. Also certain medicines like propranolol and clonazepam can be give as required when there is a panic episode or expected situation where panic attack can appear.
Also there is an option of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This therapy is taken by either a psychologist or a psychiatrist in which the therapist identifies impaired cognitions (Thoughts) and try to correct them. They are 15-20 min weekly session and there should be around 8-10 sessions to help you with your illness.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The reason I had an elevated heart rate was because I had actually stopped taking the Seroquel for one night, and the next night I took it and for some reason I had a reaction. I tried to stop taking it after that episode and the ER but it actually made it worse! As soon as I went back on 250 mg things got a little better, but have since chime back. I think it might be tachycardia from the seroquel. I feel trapped bc if I don't take it I get really bad heart rate at night and feel like impending doom is near, but I want to be off of the seroquel bc I think it's the problem. Is Tachacardia ever fatal?
Brief Answer:
Not the right way to stop
Detailed Answer:
Hello
The withdrawal symptoms that you are havingare due to abruptly stoping seroquel. At 240mg you are on a very high dose of seroquel and stopping it abruptly will definitely lead to such a withdrawal symptom. If you will willing to come of seroquel, then it has to be a gradual process. You need to step donw to 200mg and then after 3-4 days to 150 mg and then to 100mg and then to 50 and finally to 25 and then stopping. Whole of this gradual step down will need 15days to 1 month. If you do it this gradually then the withdrawal panic will not occur.
You may cover yourself with small dosages of clonazepam or xanax while you are undergoing this gradual taper down.
Further tachcardia per se is not fatal, but the cause behind the tachycardia can be very varied and some like arrhythmia can be fatal at times. Its a matter of concern.
Hope this helps,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy
Not the right way to stop
Detailed Answer:
Hello
The withdrawal symptoms that you are havingare due to abruptly stoping seroquel. At 240mg you are on a very high dose of seroquel and stopping it abruptly will definitely lead to such a withdrawal symptom. If you will willing to come of seroquel, then it has to be a gradual process. You need to step donw to 200mg and then after 3-4 days to 150 mg and then to 100mg and then to 50 and finally to 25 and then stopping. Whole of this gradual step down will need 15days to 1 month. If you do it this gradually then the withdrawal panic will not occur.
You may cover yourself with small dosages of clonazepam or xanax while you are undergoing this gradual taper down.
Further tachcardia per se is not fatal, but the cause behind the tachycardia can be very varied and some like arrhythmia can be fatal at times. Its a matter of concern.
Hope this helps,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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