Jenny
30 year old panic attack sufferer, with mild asthma

Jenny is a busy mother and life is very full without having to worry about panic attacks and claustrophobia. For more than 15 years her life was sporadically troubled with bouts of feeling very uncomfortable and fearful in places such as supermarkets, banks or waiting in queues. She didn't allow this to stop her from doing the many things she wanted to do, although on a couple of occasions she decided not to go out for a meal because of the 'closed in' feeling. There were periods when the attacks were particularly bad, which Jenny associates with stress at work, when lots of demands were placed upon her.

"On bad occasions I would feel tingling in my arms and my hands would turn cold. My heart raced and my breathing would go out of control. I would feel like I was going to faint, although this only happened to me once. I believed it was something I had to learn to handle myself, but I really struggled to overcome it. I was taking a preventative drug regularly for asthma, and would use Ventolin when necessary. But I didn't discuss the panic attacks with my doctor, as I was afraid that I might be given something like Valium. I have read of people who were suffering from panic attacks being told they had psychiatric disorders, which really scared me. I had no idea that it was so common, or that I could be helped so easily by Buteyko".

In 1996 Jenny had a dentist's appointment, and she had her worst panic attack while in his waiting room. She passed out, and after that decided that she needed help to overcome her problem. A friend told her about the Buteyko method, which was being taught in her city that week and Jenny enrolled on the course.

"After the second day of the course I no longer needed to take my reliever medication for my asthma. I practised the exercises and had an eight month period without needing any reliever or preventer, then I had a brief 4 day allergy attack when I needed some medication." The breathing education really made a difference to Jenny's panic attacks, which were the reason she had decided to go on to the course. Practising the exercises has meant that Jenny is able to go to all the places that previously would have made her feel claustrophobic, and her feelings of panic no longer occur as frequently.

"It's much easier when you understand the physiology of over-breathing. When you can see what is happening in a panic attack, half the battle is won. Any attack I now have is on a much-reduced scale. I can control them, I am very aware of what causes them, and I have this wonderful feeling of empowerment. I control the feeling, and know that I can overcome it".