Anxiety, Fear and Panic attacks - Relief from
Anxiety medication stopped & more
Nicole (name changed), a patient of my daughter Padma Sripada MD in her forties, had severe anxiety, sleep disturbances, chronic pains, obesity, grief, panic attacks, smoking addiction and acute fear of upcoming hip surgery. She attended her first class at our office.
After 2 weeks of practicing focusing on breathing, she reported on her practice and benefits felt.
“The breathing meditation is going good. I use it each day, first time in the morning, after work and before bed.
I feel less depressed.
Sleeping for 6 hours since starting the breathing meditation. I am feeling better being able to sleep longer than 3 hours.
I am less stressed at my job.
No anxiety medication since I started the breathing meditation.
My health insurance company approved my hip surgery. I am reluctant to schedule a date because I am scared of being in severe pain after surgery.
I would like to schedule a time to meet with you soon. Any advice and instruction you can teach me, I appreciate."
June 2016
Fear of surgery relieved
Nicole’s feedback after her second class in which she learned the correct way of practicing the modes and some new techniques as well.
“I took the supplement “Melatonin 5 mg” and slept soundly all through the night.
This morning I did the “Quick Segment” meditation. It helped clear my fear of upcoming surgery. I was able to call the surgeon and I advanced my date of surgery to July 5th. I need to go forward with surgery sooner than later.
Thank you for all you do to help me. I truly believe in the meditations you are teaching me. I could not have gotten this far without your guidance and empathy. Thank you”
June 2016
Relief from anxiety, insomnia and more
Pam (name changed) attended 4 of my classes. She knew about this technique and my classes from the brochures I always keep at the East Greenbush Library. Her acute stress was due to her husband’s late-stage colon cancer, now being treated by chemotherapy.
Pam’s condition before the classes
I chose to do classes as I had become quite anxious. My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. I felt pretty much out of control, constantly worrying & getting along on not much sleep. I needed help.
The techniques she practiced
Counting mode, Folding mode, Tip mode, Segment mode, 911 mode and Feeling modes.
When she practiced
I used the 911 and the folding quite a few times when things were crazy.
At bedtime, I do normal breathing in and breathing out with counting mode and if still not sleepy enough switch to feeling mode.
In morning I use normal breathing, then segment mode and folding modes.
When driving I tend to use feeling mode a lot and if riding I’ll use counting and tip mode.
How did the practices help Pam?
When I was extremely anxious, I tended to make myself ill. I would also get a headache. I did the 911 and folding method. I slowly calmed down. My stomach settled and my headache eased.
May 2016
Overwhelming anxiety relieved
Feedback from Pramila (name changed) a client aged around 40 years who attended 4 of my classes over 6 weeks. She is an active professional who was suddenly overwhelmed with acute anxiety when she received news of a serious health problem for one of their family friends. She looked as if she was in a different world losing all her initiative, causing lot of concern for her family. She came to my classes on the suggestion of her doctor Padma Sripada MD.
“I am very grateful to the countingbreaths.com website and the excellent counseling sessions with C S. I was under a lot of stress from an overload of business work, some personal issues and was experiencing anxiety and feeling overwhelmed when I first started working with him. I did not have the work-life balance I so treasure.
C S is very gifted as a counselor and a coach. Right from the very start, I felt an immediate sense of trust being built. He helps you to see and really understand things more clearly and deeply. It was especially comforting to work with someone who really understands anxiety and takes the time to help you understand symptoms and how not to fear them. I learned how to understand the symptoms better. He showed me different breathing techniques – which are now a part of my daily life. He taught me to take 30 minutes out of my busy life every day and give those 30 minutes just to myself. I still have a lot of work but it is better paced now because I also make a conscious effort to pace it better.
I would recommend the website and C S very highly. He walks with you, empowers you and helps you to help yourself thrive.
Thank you again C S. I really valued the time I spent with you to overcome my anxiety issue.”
May 2015
Calmed down my mom with Alzheimer’s
Report by Zina (1) (name changed) about how the ‘Tip mode’ calmed her 84 year old mom suffering from Alzheimer’s. This is the first report of this kind.
“I have just started using your ‘focusing on breathing’ relaxation technique very recently myself. But one day, I decided to do it together with my mother who is 84 years old, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She lives alone in an apartment in the Bronx.
I call her every day, just to stay ‘hello’ or ‘how are you’. Sometimes I get her at her worst when she is at her very agitated ‘sundown’ state.
One day, I decided to guide her through ‘tip mode’ of counting breaths technique over the phone. We did it together for just about five minutes and that calmed her down very much.
Later on, she even asked me to write the instructions down for her in our native language and mail it to her because she would not be able to remember how to count breaths by herself. Great technique! Thank you very much.”
(1) Zina is a patient of my daughter Padma Sripada MD. When Zina came to see her last time for her headaches, Padma suggested she may try ‘focusing on breathing’. Apparently, Zina felt the practice may prove helpful to her Mom, could guide her on phone and saw a surprising result.
MAY 2015
No more ‘Legendary Panic Attacks’
Remarkable feedback from a woman undergoing 6 monthly chemotherapy and CT scans for Lymphoma. She attended 4 of my classes. She was so terrified of the CT scan testing that she had to take sedatives for a few days before the scan date. She was in great distress even when seeing her Oncologist. The breathing techniques relieved both her ‘legendary panic attacks’ (her words) and distress.
“Something so simple but yet so powerful…Thank you CS for giving me such a great tool.
Previous to working with you, I had ‘legendary panic attacks’ when getting a CT Scan and even when just seeing my oncologist. In the past, I was prescribed a sedative that I would take up to three days in a row before the visit.
This time around, instead of taking the sedatives, I used the ‘Segment mode’ usually in the afternoon and every night before I went to bed, for several weeks.
The week before the recent test which I usually label as my “Hell” week, I used the ‘Tip mode’ and ‘911 mode’ when I started to feel a panic attack coming on. It really did a great job of defusing the situation and helped me make it through the day.
The day of the CT, while sitting in the waiting room, I was using the ‘Feeling mode’ to keep the panic away. I actually remember using the ‘Tip mode’ in the CT scan machine.
I couldn’t hold back every tear but my boyfriend who comes with me said he could definitely see a difference. I was in a much better state of mind when I saw the doctor and I didn’t have my usual ‘after visit cries’.
Now for my next visit, I already have less anxiety because I saw such a change in the short time we had been working together. So I know now that I have more time to practice, the results will only get better.
I feel very fortunate to have meet someone like you who is willing to teach me. Thanks for all your help.”
May 2015
Cutting down on anxiety medication
Feedback from a client, a patient of my daughter Padma Sripada MD, who has done 12 classes over the last one year and eight months. She gained weight (from almost underweight to a healthier BMI), lowered her persistently high BP and gradually lowering her anti-anxiety medication per her doctor’s advice and made more improvements. See my notes at the end of this post.
Breathing
I practice the breathing exercises while driving, walking and at work. I mostly do the ‘Counting mode’ but when driving I do the ‘Tip mode’.
Hypertension
Last week I had a really great blood pressure reading 126/86. This is one of the lowest I have had (3).
Diet changes
I have been having breakfast every morning and a better lunch and dinner. I am working to cut out sugar. Instead of soda I have been drinking juices and water. I gained 25 lbs from these changes. I added a multi-vitamin, vitamin D, Vitamin C in the powder form and the milled flax seed which I put in smoothies or a salad every day. That was a lot of work to change my eating habits but well worth it.(1)
Sleep
I have been waking up fresher in the mornings but still getting great sleep.
Moods
I find that my moods are more even. I don’t have as much anger or depression. I feel things are easier to deal with .
Anxiety medication
I have been cutting down on the anxiety medication very slowly but I think I have made great progress. I used to take 2 a day. I am now down to 1.25 to 1.5. I think I feel better now cutting back on this medication.
Chronic neck and back pains
My neck pain has greatly improved from the stretching as well as my back. I can’t remember the last time I needed pain medication for these problems (2).
I am going to continue to practice all the above items. I would like to start hiking and maybe working out a little in the gyms at the hotels I stay at.
April 2013
Notes
(1) She was very lean for her height, her cheeks were shrunk and her face was looking sick . She was working out of town and on her feet for hours. She was not eating any breakfast and hated to have any. It required lot of persuasion over many classes, for her to change her long established habit. She neither had any good lunch. She was feeling fatigued and low in moods by afternoon. After the diet changes, her weight has improved and she is feeling much better overall.
(2) She had chronic neck and back pains and taking pain medications and sometimes even shots for acute neck pain. Her back pain dramatically improved after practicing the “Focusing on breathing’ modes (4) and the waking up routine.
(3) She had persistently high BP (Hypertension) for at least 6 years. During the visits to her doctor, the systolic ranged from 136 to 219 and the diastolic ranged from 94 to 129.
For many months after beginning the classes she was bitterly complaining about her employer’s treatment of her – not paying fair wages, not appreciating her high quality work etc. In last six months she did not say one thing on this issue.
Sep 2012
Calmed myself on a scary air flight
Emily Marynczak, a certified birth instructor, used the segment mode of ‘focusing on breathing’ to keep herself calm for about 2 hours, during a scary air flight. More….
Nov 2012
No more insomnia or headaches
Feedback from a client who attended 4 of my classes over last one and half months.
“I had some anxiety issues and sleep problems. I was looking for solutions for these issues not willing to take any medications. So, it was a blessing to come across this website and get to meet CS (Suryanarayana Chennapragada).
I used to have headaches almost every day, due to my anxiety. The more I worried about my headaches, the more intense they became.
I had sleep problems as well. Once I got into bed, it used to take me about 3 hours to fall asleep. Thanks to the breathing techniques, those problems are fading away gradually. I use the ‘segment mode’ of the technique to fall asleep. Now it only takes me 10-15 minutes to fall asleep!
Every time I feel a little stressed, I use ‘counting mode’. It helps me to feel more relaxed. The ‘911 technique’ helped me to cope better with my anxiety issues. Since working with CS and using the techniques he has taught me, I feel I have a better quality of life. I feel great, no more anxiety, no more headaches and I sleep better!”
May 2012
Practiced before surgery
Report from a woman with unique and serious health problems who attended two of my classes.
” I specifically remember using the “Tip mode” just before I went into surgery, to help me relax. The next thing I remember – I was waking up and the surgery was over. I have also used the technique at bed time. My sleep habits are a lot better. I sleep almost through the entire night” Detailed report."
Notes
She had undergone tracheostomy. Some time back, due to injury to her throat, she could not breathe through the nose or mouth. A trach tube was inserted into a hole made in her throat to enable her breathe. Recently, her doctor advised that her throat was healed and she did not need the tube. But she was not willing to do it because when she took it off once, she was unable to breathe through the nose or mouth and was choking. Her doctor said that it was only her anxiety that was preventing her from taking off the tube and breathing through the nose. She was referred to me by Teri Hutson-Mulligan, a diabetes educator at Albany Medical Center.
Because of the tube in her throat, she couldn’t speak. In person, she communicates with a white board and dry erase marker or paper and pen. We interact occasionally by e-mail as she is not able to attend the classes being dependent on state transportation. I do the classes free for her, as she is disabled and on Medicaid.
She reported in the first class that she was unable to sleep for 2 to 3 hours every night and helplessly watched TV. Her sister died 5 years ago. The thought she was responsible for her sister’s death was haunting her though she knew that this was not true. Her first report by e-mail is presented below.
“I am practicing the technique. I specifically remember using the ‘Tip mode’ just before I went into surgery, to help me relax. The next thing I remember – I was waking up and the surgery was over. I have also used the technique at bed time. My sleep habits are a lot better. I sleep almost through the entire night.”
Mar 2012
Stress, Anxiety and Sleep improved
A young medical student attended three of my classes over a period of two months. His mother asked me to help him, as she was worried about his anxiety and obesity. At the end of the third class, he made a self-assessment of how he practiced and the change in his concerns. Here is a brief report –
What modes did he practice and when?
Tip mode, segment mode, counting mode and staring mode at night to sleep, Feeling mode in an emergency during the day and 911 mode when stressed. He practiced in the morning and when waiting, bored and even when working. He also practiced the loosening exercises from Yoga (gentle stretching movements) 3 times a week in addition to his daily running.
How did he feel in mind and body?
He felt more focused, less stressed and felt rested. He had 8 hours of very good sleep.
What was the change in his concerns?
Stress reduced by 50%
Anxiety reduced by 30%
Sleep problem reduced by 95%
Dec 2011
Very useful under great anxiety
Whenever I get a chance, I hand over the brochures related to the technique to the visitors to our office and ask the person to try it at bedtime to call asleep.
One day in my absence, a drug rep came on her periodic visit and happily reported to my daughter (Padma Sripada MD) and the office staff that she found the technique very useful in helping her calm herself when she was under great anxiety.
2010
Able to drive over bridges without medication!
Report from Padma Sripada MD (My daughter)
“I have introduced the technique to some of my patients with anxiety, panic attacks, hypertension and insomnia. Everyone who has adopted the technique has reported that it helps them relax.
The most remarkable effect was on a patient with severe panic attacks, who could not drive over a bridge without taking an anxiolytic medicine first. She is now able to drive over bridges without relying on medications!”
2010
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