I'm sorry to bring up a really old thread, but I thought it'd be better than starting a new one after reading this.

I've suffered from panic attacks from an early age, and still get them regularly, although the last couple of years they'd not been as bad as they used to be.

But then, last night, I had by far the worst panic attack I've ever had. That feeling people have mentioned, as if you think you're going to die, even if there's no rational reason as to why you would, it was just like that.

It all kicked off about 8pm.

Sounds stupid, but I was out at a meeting for the managers of the teams in a local football league I play/manage in. Every couple of months during the season we have to meet up to pay our league fees, arrange the fixtures etc etc. Usually as we arrive, we each go up to the desk at the front, pay our money and collect any paperwork, then go and sit down and wait for the meeting to start.

But last night, the treasurer who collects the money was late to arrive, so the meeting started first, and then everyone got up and moved towards the front to pay up at the end. Now when I got up, I was fine, but as I was moving along with everyone else that's when it suddenly came on. Now I hate crowds and hustle and bustle, but there were probably on 20 or so people there, but to me it literally felt like a stampede.

My head went light and started spinning, and it was as if every sound was amplified to 100 times what it actually was (footsteps, talking, chair legs scraping along the floor).

And like I say, I've had countless panic attacks before, but nothing like this. The shakes were so much worse than they had been.

When I got home I loaded up on sugar and caffeine, which usually helps, and it did to a degree, but I am literally still shaking now, although obviously nothing like I was. Last night I was physically sick more times than I've ever been in my life before.

I did have something that was happening this morning causing me a lot of anxiety, although I wasn't really thinking about that at the time. I still guess it could have been a subconscious factor though. Now that has been and gone and wasn't half as bad as I feared, I still don't feel right now though.

As for taking things, I avoid any drugs or medication unless absolutely necessary. I have taken St. John's Wort and tried other herbal remedies when I was quite bad with them before to try and control it.

I also used to carry around a little rock with me. It was meant to be full of calming minerals. That seemed to help to, although I'm convinced it was only psychological, and not all the bollocks it was supposed to be.

As for counselling/hypnosis etc, I wouldn't be able to go through with that. I can't even bring myself to visit a doctor for normal things. I had an appointment booked with the doctor this afternoon, which would have been my first visit in years, but now I've cancelled it because I couldn't go through with it. Maybe that was worrying me deep down too?

Anyone else managed to control theres? I mean, this thread was 3 and a half years buried, so would be good to see how everyone else who was suffering is doing.

It's just something I'd learned to live with until now, but last night was a real eye-opener.