Asthma Attack vs Panic Attack

Hello @cperbenn I have panic attacks due to my COPD, I think it is a bit in the other sense, I get so desperate for not being able to breath that I have panic attacks which just make the things worse, but I can't control them. I am going to a therapist now, she is helping me a lot to try to calm down. But it is not easy

I agree I get so anxious when my attacks flares up and both combined creates a catasteophie of unnecessary worry got educated by drs and nurses more to understand the difference 

What inhalers or medication treatment do you have? I went into hospital after numerous prev times from age of 2. (Most of education was at adult colleges as too unwell for G.C.S.Es ect) at 14 was very seriously ill with both Acute asthma and Chronic Bronchitus. Was put on steroid tablets long stay in hospital and also 6 months converlescence in Wales. ( Fell in love with my American carer in her young 20s ) I stayed on tablets daily until in my 20s was put on Ventolin inhaler as quick relief and Seretide 250 steroid inhaler use both daily. Sometimes need quick relief more often if have cold, cough or infection. Like fluid on lungs requires both strong antibiotics and steroid tablets at reduced dosage. Last December and February the second time Doc. wanted me in hospital but always say place for sick people not just poorly. So had 8 steroids daily until improved along with very strong antibiotic. Regards Panic Attacks, breathe in slowly and as deep as possible, not rushed as you likely try to do. I hope you find it helpful.......I was able to start working at 15 in 7 day week job. Changed to 6 days in my 20s but longer days. Lol

Hi, I was diagnosed with Asthma 1953. The medication wasn't good in those days and I was in and out of hospital most of the time as well as spending a year at a convalescent home for sick children at Clacton-On-Sea in Essex (England) My medication was Rybarvin used in one of those old type black mask pumps. Life was hard for me growing up with many complications. Then, medication got better in my adult life I think I was in my early twenties when steroid was used by IV. Steroid has made life much better.

In the early years I didn't get much schooling, in fact I was way behind because of my re-occurring Asthma Attacks, Bronchitis, Chest Infections and hospitalisation all through my childhood. At school I was in the bottom class, bottom of my class each year. In the 4th year of secondary school I joined a youth club just so I could go to classes to learn, it was hard for me because I hadn't even learnt the basics at normal school. It helped a bit. Once I had left school at 15 years of age I went to night classes mainly to learn the main things like reading, writing, maths to help get me through life, nothing brilliant just enough to get me by. These days I am much better at everything and I still like to learn more.

Now days the medication is in tablet form Prednisolone. I also use Ventolin 200 Accuhaler, Seretide 500 Accuhaler. Side effects from steroid is gaining weight which was a big deal for me but, I eventually conquered this by not eating the wrong foods and changing my eating habits by eating more fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water. My weight either stays the same or I lose weight when using steroids these days. I do this as soon as I start taking Steroids. I have also developed C.O.P.D. Now days it seems that I have more problems from C.O.P.D. I am 75% I think that is stage 2. My mediacation for that is Spiriva Respimat 2.5 microgram.

Now Panic Attacks: I used to panic quite a lot in the early years up at around 1972 when a member of my family had panic attacks and he was given a book on how to deal with panic attacks. He didn't read or use the information in the book but I did to help me to help him and, I used it for myself too and it worked for me. Now all I can't remember is the book is called But it was a self help book for panic attacks. What I do is sit down in a comfortable chair or lay on the bed close my eyes and relax and do breathing exercises and think of something nice this works for all situations too like heated discussions or worried about things. These days I feel more laid back, it feels like I'm watching a film and I just take things in my stride All this won't work over night, you will have to practice this over time but, it does works. I feel laid back in many situations. I've been told by many people that I don't seem to care about anything which of course isn't true, I just don't worry about things and deal them as they occur the best I can. Have you heard about the Fight or Flight? well, that is what these self Help  Books are about. The book I/we had was called 'Self Help For Your Nerves' it was written by a lady Dr. I think her name was weeks and I think she was Canadian.

I don't pretend to know a lot about Asthma, only my own experiences since I was diagnosed at 6 years old, I am now 68 years old and I owe it all to steroids for keeping me alive. I don't know much about C.O.P.D. and I hope to find out more from this website. I hope what I have written here helps someone and if I can help further I will. As I have said, I only know about my own experiences and I have had many bad experiences which I haven't wrote here and if any of the issues I have experienced arise, I will give my opinions and advice if I can.

I would like to say one thing. It is all about controlling yourself and keeping calm, and use the breathing exercises too in bad times whether it be Anxiety/Asthma or C.O.P.D. I have many other illnesses to battle too and I always use the self help method I have mentioned to help myself. It does help a great deal.

Best wishes and a Happy and Healthier New Year to everyone.x

Lately I've been waking up suddenly in the middle of the night short of breath and I'm not if it's due to my asthma or anxiety over COVID. My doctor tells me it's anxiety, does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I have had asthma since birth, diagnosed at 2 as those days they wouldn't give a diagnosis until you were 2, I'm 65 now and I taught myself how to calm down when I was around 14 after having a bad time during my school days. I often used to sit in a chair at home and try to shut out all the noise around me ( I'm one of 6 children ) and virtually self hypnotise myself to slow my breathing down and calm myself down. The funny thing was I was always aware of what was going on it just never seemed to bother me and the family could see what I was doing so if one spoke to me I would just put my hand up to signal just give me a minute and then I would come out of it.  A few years later one of my younger sisters and my mam were watching a programme on TV about asthma and the therapists were trying to teach the patients how to calm themselves down etc and both my mam and sister said that's what our Michael has been doing himself for years. Nowadays I can still do it but have inhalers to help as well, and when my wife who suffers from anxiety and depression gets worked up or panics I can talk her down using the same methods I have done for myself.

Mjteddy