Carbon Monoxide Poisoning And Panic Attacks Posted: 07-19-07 20:54pm
I hope someone can answer my questions. I
am at the end of my rope and don't know
where to turn!
My husband was exposed to carbon monoxide
while working in a basement with a gas
powered saw for approximately 3 hours. He
went to the ER where they gave him an
oxygen mask (no hyperbaric chamber in our
small-town hospital) and he went home
after 5 1/2 hours.
Immediately, he had to stop smoking. He
began having panic attacks periodically...
nothing would set them off, they would
just start and he had no warning they were
coming. At first it was a little obvious
what was causing them (running with the
dog, driving across a bridge), but they
have progressively gotten much worse.
They are at the point now where he is
afraid to drive to the store a block away,
for fear he will have a panic attack. He
has them VERY regularly now.
He has been to the doctor and back to the
ER a total of about 4 or 5 times now.
They have checked his heart, they have
tested his blood, he has tried taking
herbal supplements and vitamins, he has
had multiple antidepressants and
antianxiety medications prescribed because
the first bunch he was prescribed made
things worse.
I can't get him out of bed anymore.... it
has been about a week since he has worked,
and we could end up eventually losing our
house and having to file bankruptcy if he
doesn't get better to the point of being
able to go back to work again!
The only thing we haven't tried is taking
him to a psychiatrist, but what good can
that do for panic attacks? I'm not
understanding how that would help.
Does ANYONE have any suggestions of what
could possibly make him better? I miss
him... it is very lonely in my house,
even when he is right there, just because
he's not the same. I don't know how much
longer I can hang on....
Please help!
