Anxiety/Panic attacks

hi gracey , 

    in my personal opinion, try to see your doctor like to have a  blood test and all stuff.  cause it might be a cause of some illness that causing of anxiety or illness that one of the symptoms is having an anxiety.  if the result is everything  in good condition.  i guess you need to accept to yourself that its just an anxiety.  change your lifestyle in a bit. try not to stress out yourself.  always think positive and try not to listen in someone's problem cause you might absorb all the negative vibes. exercise, yoga, spa, read a book, keep yourself and your mind busy, drink lots of water so you will not be dehydrated etc....  dont smoke or drink coffee to aviod palpitation if your anxiety will attack you.  just relax.  

and one morething do not try to google of what you are feeling, aches or pain your experiencing right now.  it will not help you.  you will find some life theeatening deases and that makes your anxiety attack more often.  

Hi Grayce,

Before I jump into a conversation with you, please allow me to inform you I am not a medical doctor.  I am an avid reader with the ability of some understanding you have gone through, because at points of my life, I too have had either same and similar symptoms - for a very long time and I am around people with the same disorder, almost day in and day out.  I am an observer with over 120 college credits to my name.

And, it is not my wish to harm anyone with any information I provide, so please all if you do not desire to read what I have to say, then please don't.  Certainly, I am not forcing anyone to do that.

The point I wish to make to you, is the point I believe that everyone that has any difficulties with their bodies, whatever the cause, should learn as much about their condition as humanly possible.  To me, knowing what something is and why that something is causing symptoms, is crucial to put an end to whatever is to blame, for making you feel the way you do.  This is the reaoning I am informing you what I am.

There are general four disorders regarding panic and or anxiety attacks.  

1.  Panic Disorder

2.  Socal Anxiety Disorder

3.  Specific Phobias Disorder

4.  Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Either one or several of the above disorders can be diagnosed with depression. The anxiety or feelings one have during an episode of anxiety attack are:

feelings of panic, fear, uneasiness, problems sleeping, cold, sweaty hands and/or feet, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and inability to be still and calm, dry mouth, numbness or tingling in hands and feet, nausea, muscle tension and dizziness.

An anxiety disorder is a very serious mental illness.  It is not as a result of personal weakness, a character flaw or poor upbringing.  It is a disorder, a mental disease, just like a heart attack or other similar physical problem.

Panic and anxiety disorders may be caused by several things, or a combination of the several things which I am going to tell you.

1.  Caused by severe or long lasting stress.

2.  Caused by changes within certain areas of the brain structure that control memories linked with strong emotions.  Many people may not believe this one, but it is true.

3.  Caused by a combination of factors.

4.  Caused by genetics that run in the family, and can be partially inherited from one or both parents.

5.  Certain environmental factors as trauma or significant event may triger an anxiety disorder who have inherited susceptibility to developing the disorder.

6.  A possibility also exist, I believe, due to changes of chemistry make up with in the brain.

7.  A combination of any or all of the above.

Anxiety then is a feeling of worry, uneasiness, concern, apprehension, unease, fearfulness, fear, perturbation, agitation, nervousness, tension, a desire to do something, typically accompanied by unease feelings.

It is a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior and/or panic attacks.

I would even go further to say it originates when you perceive that you will not be able to function normally within a social setting and environment, and you perceive that you will be embarrassed for not handling a perceived or a real threat that may occur within your presence.  That's when the blood rushes causing you to feel the way you described, and some of the symptoms noted above.

It is so understandable that you are going through all you are going through now, because you apparently are not aware of the full ramifications of your disease.  Hopefully, when you do get a handle or grip back on life, you can repay a visit to this as well as other posts within this forum to recheck all that has been stated to you and about you and your illness.

I strongly believe if you get a handle on all of this information, it may assist you to at least possibly know what you are feeling and when you are feeling that overpowering feeling of losing control and that you are going to die from a heart attack.

One thing I have been told, if you only have heart palpitations and/or pain within the heart for a short time, it probably isn't a heart attack, but just anxiety.  On the other hand, if your heart start to hurt badly and continues to hurt for over two minutes, then you should probably see a health official to see what is going on with you physically.

When I started having chest pains many years ago, I felt just like you do now.  As time has passed, and knowing now what I didn't know then about heart pain, it doesn't bother me one bit, because now the pains and the palpitations usually stop within one to one-half minutes.  That tells me not to worry.  Thank goodness, my heart pain has never gone over one and one-half minutes, but I do know I have two things wrong with my heart.  A leaky heart valve and an increased size on the right side of the heart.

I wish you all the best in the world, to get a handle on your panic and anxities attacks, in order for you to reduce the stresses which I know are probably causing you to now be the way you are.

Good luck, and may God bless you and yours.  Wish you all the best.

I think its important to remember that medically you have been checked out at the hospital and released. That's a good thing! Anxiety, health anxiety in particular does make us focus on every physical sensation - we become obsessed very easily.

The most important thing is to find out what your dealing with, the best way is to talk to a doctor who may arrange an appointment with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. This is the best idea, as mental health professionals are the only people who are qualified to make a diagnosis and suggest treatment.  This would either be nedication or therapy or both.

As has been mentioned never Google symptoms, this leads to us self diagnosing and that's a terrible idea.

Stay in touch with your doctor and work with any mental health professionals and you will be on the right road

Hi,

This sounds just like anxiety. If several doctors and nurses have done ECGs, vitals and other tests in a&e and they've all come back fine, it's unlikely that there is a problem with your heart. Especially if they're saying your heart and everything else if fine when you're feeling your worst. He nausea, chest pain, feeling faint &headaches are all symptoms of anxiety. Why don't you try and get treatment for your panic attacks (hypnotherapy/CBT)? Is your GP aware of the problem?

Hey Grace, i'm 26 year old boy. Let me tell you i get the same thing and i ahve been dealing with it for the last 7 months. Sometimes i am very desperate because the process is as follows. I feel a twisting, squeezing sensation on my heart and also feel like my heart is going to go into arythmia/not beating regulary -> then i feel dizzines and iminent fainting. I've never fainted but these sensations combined are so bad, that sometimes i must concentrate to talk. I've had blood tests, Ekg, Blood pressure, Head MRI, Upper GI Endoscopy(also GI issues). Beside a mild gastritis, nothing found, actually the tests look very nice. I am going to see a 3rd therapist because the first to did nothing for me, except leave a hole in my pocket, if this does not work i will give up ti meds, cause it's everyday the same thing, same agony. One thing is for sure, you are not alone. If you ever get rid of it, let me know, and keep you're head up cause one day it could be completely healed.

It sounds like you are on top of things. Good idea to get the 24 hour Holter monitor and any exam necessary. They didn't find arrythmia in the emergency department? It could be that you had it but you were so nervous in the hospital that your heart pounded harder and kept the arrhythmia stable... Just a hunch. A 24 hour holter monitor will determine if there is any issue there. 

When you are going to sleep, it might be better to lie on your right side. I have had cardiac issues and I found that my heart felt 'crushed' when lying on my left side.

When you feel these symptoms, take your pulse and see if first of all it's even and secondly if every beat in your wrist feels equally strong. 

Are you at the age of menopause? My arrythmia came on at age 46 as my hormones started to diminish. After being on beta blockers for almost a year (very tiring), I decided to take matters into my own hands and join a gym. SIx out of seven days a week, I walked on the treadmill for 35 minutes and worked up quite a sweat. Then did stretches etc.. Within a few weeks I got my medication down to zero!  But if I missed a day of the gym, the familiar heart flipping sensation started to return with pain in my heart and down my arm. For 3 months I went to the gym (and I hate exercise!) and then cut back to fewer days per week and the arrythmia never came back.

Can you stop drinking tea, coffee, colas, chocolate, alcohol, smoking cigarettes and eating foods high in sugars. All of these (I didn't smoke though...) brought on cardiac symptoms such as yours plus palpitations etc..It may be that that is all you need to do. That and vigorous exercise did it for me. 

Always go the natural, lifestyle route first before even considering drugs. 

Good luck.

Thanks to everyone who replayed I'm definantly gonna have my doctor do the 24 hour heart moniter, to make sure my hearts fine. It's still doing it so definantly gonna have my doctor do that. I don't think it's anything TOO serious or they would've seen at the ER. Oh well, I guess I'll find out. Thanks for all the advice and stuff!

I'm going thru the same thing..I've had anxietys for 2 months now..and I'll I think is an I going to die I have 2 beautiful daughters..I'm 26 years old always been heathy..I want help to..but your not lone

Hello, I just got back from the ER with the same exact symptoms. I've been suffering from panic disorder for years! You would think Im an expert by now and that I should not be fooled by my mind anymore that I am having a heart attack, but it's not until I go to the ER and hear it from a doctor that I get kinda convinced my heart is ok. My symptoms are so strong that when they tell me my heart is fine, I get disappointed, not because I wasn't to fie, but because I cannot believe I keep getting fooled over and over again. The series of attacks come and go, I have spent up to 3 years with no symptoms. I have noticed my attacks come whenever I go through a transition in life or if I binge drink. This is taking over my life as well and my credit is destroyed with so many hospital bills. You are not alone