Hi Nancy

Panic attacks are no fun.  I know because I get them too.  Do you feel that your panic attacks may be related to your MS?  I have been experiencing some which seem to be caused by loud noise or repetitive visuals or sounds.  When in a car, there have been times when the blinking red lights of other cars can set me off. 

Have you asked your doctor about this?  He or she could be of assistance to you to get to the bottom of this and possibly give you something to help.

Panic attacks happen when our fight or flight response is kicked in for whatever reason.  Usually there is some sort of trigger whether it be the situation at hand or a thought in your head.  The feelings during a panic attack are ones of feeling trapped and needing to escape. 

I was reading that a major stressor such as the one you have described, of your brother's passing away, can lead to panic attacks.

But too some medical conditions can be a cause including:  Hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, using stimulants, withdrawl from certain medications, and cardiac problems.  And this is why I wish to stress how important it is to go see your doctor about this.

I will leave you with a link to our Anxiety site where you can find more information about panic attacks. 

Hope this helps some.  Sorry you are experiencing this.  Hang in there and let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.