Strange panic attack this morning

Seem to have been doing quite well recently, but I think I had another panic attack this morning. It was brief, but pretty intense.

I'm quite prone to muscle cramps (although usually while I'm doing excercise) and early this morning I woke up with agonising cramp in my right leg. That's unpleasant, but nothing especially worrying in itself, but for some reason as I tried to move round to stretch it out my heart rate shot up. I started getting palpitations - it felt normal on the first part of the beat, but on the second part there was a strong flutter. I sat up to try and calm the palpitations, at which point I felt light headed so I lay back down and I started feeling sick. All the while I was breaking out in an intense sweat. After a minute or so it calmed down. That flutter on the second part of my heart beat remained for a while as my pulse went down and then everything returned to normal.

If this was the first time I'd experienced anything like it I'd go to a doctor, but I've had similar experiences before which were diagnosed as panic attacks and I presume this is the same thing.

The only thing is I haven't really been anxious at all recently and the palpitations seemed quite regular, not the usual random flutter. It was also one of the most intense attacks I've had.

I guess I'm just seeking reassurance that what I've described sounds normal! I've no intention of going to a doctor as I have had problems with health anxiety and I don't want to risk re-starting that for what is almost certainly a regular panic attack. Scary stuff though.

Chris

It was about a minute - two or three at the most I reckon. Basically I woke up feeling normal apart from the cramp I think (difficult to tell as I'd just woken up, but I think the cramp came first). I tried to move quickly to stretch my leg out before the cramp took hold (it's not something I worry about, but it does hurt, so I wanted to avoid it!) and as I did so I went quite rapidly into what I presume was a panic attack. I sort of jumped to try and stretch my leg out and instead of the burst of adrenaline calming down it kept going up I think.

It's not really anything new - I've had panic attacks before and they've been diagnosed by a doctor as just that. This one just hit me out of the blue I guess - I haven't been feeling particularly stressed recently. The only thing that worries me slightly is that the palpitations felt a bit different. If it's not a contradiction in terms the fluttering felt more rythmic, but it wasn't a completely new sensation. It may just be that I'm a bit more used to panic attacks now so I'm a bit more analytical about the whole thing!

I'm young and active and the only thing I have a history of is health anxiety... I've managed to convince myself at various times in the recent past that I had unpleasant conditions only to be told I'm fine, yet the anxiety during hat time was been as bad as any physical condition I've had.

The concern is that if I 'indulge' the anxiety with trips to the doctor it'll continue, forcing me to live through a nightmare which isn't actually happening (and in the long run this stress might not be good physically). It's only a year or since I last went to the doctor with something that turned out to be a panic attack and I've had my blood pressure checked and my heart listened to within the past couple of months (for something else) so I think it's very unlikely to be anything physical. I can practically guarantee if I phoned up and booked a doctors appointment now I'd start exhibiting some symptoms though, and that's a cycle I'd like to break.

It's a bit stupid - I know from previous experience (and speaking to my doctor) that the symptoms fit a panic attack, but every time it happens there's that little bit of doubt. I guess it's just useful to be reminded that other people experience the same thing and it is 'just' a panic attack.

stkitt said...

Chris,

How long ago did you have a fast heartrate with a panic attack?

My best advice is to remember if this is new and different for you, you were laying in bed and you were sympotomatic ( lightheaded) with the sudden burst of tachycardia without anxiety it may be cardiac in nature.

If you have another episode like this, I would at least check in with your physician.  I know we cannot run to the Doctors everytime we feel anxious, however, do not dismiss everything as a Panic Attack. Error on the side of caution if you feel this was not anxiety.