Brides with panic attacks? Fear of panic attack and fainting during ceremony

Doctors can prescribe pills for panic attacks, besides, its everyone you love and loves you surrounding you, what could be better?

Panic attacks can be triggered by different things. It sounds as if TheMrs panic attacks are not triggered by crowds but by the silence (could be wrong). Pills don't always work and don't work for everyone. Which is why I suggested other things.

It isn't always as simple as knowing everyone loves you and supports you to remain calm in a situation.

I have really bad anxiety and get panic attacks all the time! I too am worried about that! A few years ago i started having them out of the blue didn't even know what it was because all of a sudden it was like i couldn't breathe and i thought i was going to die my heart was racing so fast and it went on for a good hour in a half. I continued to have them for 6 months probably 3-4 times a day it was awful! I went to a therapist they prescribed me Clonazepam, which helps tremendously! You take them when you are having an anxiety attack and they melt under your tongue. Also, I just have to really focus on my breathing taking in slow deep breathes and letting out . I know it sounds crazy (and it is hard to do when you are having one and breathe so hard) but it helps so much!

I haven't had any for so long - and I can usually come out of it pretty fast just bc I know im not going to die, etc. However, the last really bad one I had was the last wedding I was in and down I went. Mrs, Lightfoot - are you having a big wedding?

Well we didn't want a big wedding only about 50 people and the list keeps growing because our families are so big and I'm at 155 people which is freaking me out lol! I don't want that many people but FMIL says its not ok to invite some family and not the others. Honestly really considering about putting on wedding invitations No alcoholic beverages. There will be but that would probably cut the guest list in half. A lot of FH moms side of the family will probably just show up for free alcohol lol I'm a bitch but you know what I don't want them there and they don't actually care to be there for us just the alcohol. Are yall having a big wedding?

We are planning ours in 6 months. So we just ran through a quick draft of guest list and it was 250! Then FMIL said she has a "list" too. Seriously? We are paying for our own wedding so I am not too keen about extended family list. We already knew we were dropping a lot of people but we just wanted to see what the worst case scenario would be. We would like to be no more than 150 but we may have issues there.

I remember vividly having panic attacks when I was younger. I think maybe I just grew out of them. I have no advice here but I just wanted to send you an internet *hug* because I've been there. Good luck on your wedding day!

Monica - you are such a doll! Thank you so much for the hug! I think its just one of those "you've had an attack there, so stay away" things. Like I remember vividly having a PA in my car 10 years ago and I was afraid of driving. Came on for no reason. So I know a lot of it is the problem and I know I will try and talk myself out of it - its just you never know until it happens. So mainly was hoping to find people who suffered from them and to see if being on stage like that made it hit hard or if they powered through.

This has all been so reassuring for me to read. I also suffer from panic attacks, but the worst of it for me is that I'm a blusher. And when I say blush, I mean I attract crowds for miles around because I get BRIGHT RED all over my body. So my panic attacks get worse because I suddenly have fifty people surrounding me asking if I'm okay. Ugh. It's been a problem my whole life and has only slowly gotten better. I've tried pills, therapy, meditation...nothing specific has ever "cured" it, but it does seem to happen less when I'm around people who understand my problem know to basically leave me alone when I'm having an attack. Last year I was the maid of honor at my best friend's wedding which was terrifying for me. I, too, nearly had a PA walking into her ceremony. I tried to ignore everything around me, zone out and sing a song in my head, etc etc, and it helped a little. I still blushed a little and definitely had that panicked fake smile in all of the pictures. Once we boozed it up a little after the ceremony I was fine, and the reception went smoothly. So based on that, my plan for my upcoming wedding is to just have a small ceremony with immediate family and friends, zone out if I feel panicked lol, then have a big reception where I can be more "relaxed." I'm hoping for you that you can "zone out" and escape those awful panic attacks for your ceremony! Like other people have said, I think once you get to the end of the aisle and focus on your future-husband it will be easier to breathe...but I guess we'll both find out for sure later this year!

I began getting panic attacks when I was 14 and am now 29. They are terrible! My advice to you would be to talk to your doctor. If medication is an option for, you have plenty of time to find one that fits your needs, since sometimes you need to try a few different meds before finding the right one.

Another suggestion (which may sound odd but I will throw it out there)...perhaps you could spread the word amongst some of your close friends and/or family members who will be at the ceremony to talk quietly at certain points during the ceremony or periodically "cough," just to break up some of the silence. Again, an odd suggestion on my part but just an idea : )

Has anyone ever taught you controlled breathing? you can learn this technique if you start to feel nervous. do slow, deep breaths so that your abdomen goes in and out. slowly breathe in, and as you breathe out say or think a calming word. some people choose "calm," I like the word "lavender" as my calming word. but choose one that works for you. also, maybe keep a glass of water handy since that can calm people down if they start to feel nervous. outdoor wedding might be good so that you have plenty of space and nature sounds to help relax you. having a harp or acoustic guitar might help relax as well and set the mood as someone mentioned before! also, avoid locking your knees. other than that, maybe plan on keeping it small. remember they are not there to judge you, they are there to celebrate your wedding! it's family and friends. everyone is there to support you.

Thank you ladies!! "L" it is too reassuring to see someone else who suffers from them on here and I too hope that both of us go smoothly through everything. I will be the MINUTE I come off that stage, altar, whatever. Crowds themselves don't bother me.. Its being the center of attention to a quiet serious crowd - its ridiculous, but true. Headed to doctor in 2 weeks (first opening I could get in to my PCP.) I have been on meds before (10 yrs ago) when I was having panic attacks so going to wing it to see if it helps. Im open to all options! I appreciate all of your feedback here. You do not understand how all of it is helping me try and snap out of it as I know its in my head.. I just have to MAKE myself snap out of it - with or without the help of meds!

Why don't you see a psychiatrist and try out some medications? I currently take Xanax for my attacks. It helps, some. Even just knowing you have something in your system that can help, helps. This might be horrible advice, but I know that I plan on having a drink of champagne or two before going down the aisle. It really helps calm my nerves. I'm not an alcoholic, I swear! :-)

I don't have stage fright or anything but for some reason something may change in my body and I can faint. Ex: eating a piece of very sweet cake, it causes a drastic change in sugar level and I get dizzy... same thing happens when I'm nervous or anxious. Anyway, I have been drinking valerian roon extract (liquid form) at night to keep my nerves at bay. Hopefully, it i will work. I also probably have an inner ear issue cause I get dizzy quickly, not sure how to do the spins in my dance.

PS: When I talked to my officiate I told him about how my fiancé and I are both nervous to be in front of crowds (I didn't say panic - which I do) but he told me two things. 1) Most brides feel instantly calmed when they see their husband standing at the front of the aisle. The look on their face goes from scared to happy, like they're the only two people in the room. Do you think that will help? Focusing on your husband at the end of the aisle? And 2) Ceremonies are completely customizable. They can be as long or as short as you want. My officiate even said he could cut it down to 5 minutes if we wanted. We opted for 15-20, but still, you could talk to yours about a short, yet very sweet and personal ceremony? Maybe 10 minutes? In my opinion, your guests will appreciate it, and since they are all family they will understand.

I was also thinking that you could ask for chairs to be put up front. You could sit while you do the vows - it might help?

Something I do when I get so panicked that I feel like I'm going to faint is let out a big sigh. Now you can't do this at the wedding, but it instantly stops the feeling, at least for a minute. Then you keep doing it and I feel silly and it helps....I guess it's like the "butt squeezing" trick. I will have to try that one! :-)

Renata - will you let us know how things go for you when you return from all of the wedding fun? I see you are getting married this sunday, yes?

Thank you Jean! The information that you received from your officiate is reassuring as well. I am headed to the doctor to get on some anti- anxiety meds as I have been on them before when I was having panic attacks (about 10 years ago). If anything to keep my anxiety ABOUT the panic attacks on wedding day at bay.

I'm a over thinker. My brain likes to over react to anything and panic. It is also so indecisive, so when it comes to anything mildly stressful, I have panic attacks. Mostly minor some major!! I was on Zoloft for a little while but hated being on them. So now I just try to breathe and relax. At my friends wedding I was MOH and I was shaking so insanely horrible right before my speech, I started and then blacked out a little and don't even remember giving the first half of my speech!! I feel your pain!!

Jess and Sean are right on the money! I have the EXACT same fears as you and have been in 8 weddings as a bridesmaid. The same fear almost kept me out, but champagne and breathing helps. Also, knowing the the panic attack only lasts 5 minutes and tapers off helps. You can get through five minutes. I just visualize that in 2.5 minutes, i'll be 1/2 way through the attack. Then, at 2.5 minutes, it's on its way out! Remember, panic attacks are SO common it's ridiculous. I bet you that 70% of the people at your wedding have had them. My brother's wife had one during her ceremony and started laughing, looked at everyone and said "i'm having a panic attack, can we all breathe?" She, my brother took two deep breaths, and they went on with it. She needed to laugh about it to get through it. The other reason it's such a strong fear right now is because you hadn't had them in so long and then it hit you. The more you have them, the more you're used to them and realize they pass. Almost like a nuisance. Just know, your friends wedding was probably the worst panic attack you'll ever have. It is behind you. You know what it feels like and you can just breathe, wait a few minutes and walk down the isle. Worst case, you can ask to be seated at the alter, no worries about shaky legs, etc. Or, meet your groom at the alter, no isle. If you have those options available to you on your wedding day, you'll be less anxious.

Sure you want to go with Xanax? it's got a really bad reputation for being addictive.

I think I'm going to have a nice chair handy in case of dizzy spells.