Is it all in my head? Or, should I go to hospital?

I'm sorry for posting again. I'm just trying to keep my mind occupied.
I feel faint-ish. Like I'm about to just pass out and my chest feels so uncomfortable and my heart feels like it's making these strange little beats as though it's having difficulty pumping. I'm no doctor so I have no idea what it is but it just feels like there's something in my chest that's controlling the way my heart beats and isn't letting it beat normally. (Not an actual "thing" but an actual sensation)

I've been feeling this way for a couple of days now. I lie down and my heart starts beating wildly but just this morning was the scariest! I was running for the bus and then I felt my heart pumping crazily (which I think is normal) but my throat started to hurt and I felt like I couldn't breathe and I got those horrible chest pains. I thought I was having a heart attack and when I was on the bus I had to try and breath deep and long in order to catch my breathe! I'm scared I'm so unhealthy that my poor heart is on it's last legs! Ever since then I've been feeling like this all day. Breathing heavy, internal twitching, sickness and light-headedness... I just want to go to the hospital but I can't bear wasting their time again!

I've been eating better and doing exercises, too! (Which I thought were really helping) but recently I've just been feeling worse and worse and I'm scared of how bad things may be getting.

I'm scared this isn't anxiety but my health declining due to me having a bad diet. I know that's all my fault, though.

Thanks for reading.

Hi and thank you for replying!

I have been to the hospital in the past with these types of feelings. I went just before Christmas and they did 5 ECG's and told me my heart was okay and that I should arrange to seek some counselling for my anxiety. I also had a blood test done recently but that wasn't to do with my heart so I don't think that counts.

Right now I just don't feel right. My dizzy-ness has really calmed down, though. (I think that's because I ate something) My heart isn't pounding but every now and then I just get this strange, almost painful sensation through my chest and I still feel I need to breath in really deep just to take in enough oxygen. I'm really worried that something bad is about to happen and I feel really scared. Before, just before dinner I was walking to the dinner area and I suddenly became overwhelmed with this strange pain sensation and I felt I couldn't breath at all and I just wanted to scream and cry and be taken to the hospital right there and then but I also felt embarrassed as I thought about how other's around me would react but then that feeling went away. My heart feels like it's either damaged or is struggling to cope and I feel like I'm moments away from having a heart attack.

I just don't know what to do. It won't stop and I just can't believe it's a panic attack...

I'm in work right now and I just had to leave the office because I just burst into tears. I feel really tired after crying but a little bit calmer... I think I'm just scared that something bad will happen to me later on.

I'm so, so sorry about that! I didn't mean to write down everything!

Thank you for being kind enough to reply, though. <3

Janghwa,

Please don't apologize for posting...you could post everyday, and it would be just fine.:) That is why we are here, and why this forum works...support!

I do not remember if you reported back about your appointment with the doctor that you have towards the end of last month.

I am sorry if I missed it...

...how did that go, and what did the doctor have to say?

I am guessing that you got a clean bill of health? If so, then you can be sure that this is indeed anxiety...and therefore put your focus on anxiety managment!

Did you and your doc discuss a plan of treatment? Have you been able to try the suggested exercises in our Resources?

I know that I am asking a lot of questions, but there are many things that you can do to feel relief from these awful feelings, and I do want to steer you in the right direction, so that you can start to feel better!

Let us know how you are doing soon, okay?


S.C.

Hello, Scaredy Cat!

I did go to the doctor's and I can't remember if I reported back so I'm truly sorry if I didn't!! D8

I told him everything and I've been referred over to the Primary Care Trust who are going to telephone interview me in the beginning of April and then I believe I'll be able to go to CBT, which I really, really can't wait to do! If this is all in my head then I just wish to get better, or be better at controlling it.

He checked my chest with his stethoscope and told me I was fine... I think he's sick of doing that with me, hehe. ;^o^ It was just this morning with running for the bus and getting a painful throat and feeling breathless and in pain. That really frightened me as I've not felt that before. I've had the painful throat and breathing and such but it's just the fact that these feelings came upon me when I was doing something active, as though my body couldn't cope with this. I want to do exercises tonight but now I'm scared to do them in case this happens again. I know I'm 22 but I've lived a lot of that life on a bad diet so I could have hurt my body by eating this way and now I'm paying the price? I don't know... My mind is racing, sorry.

Thank you for asking me lots of questions! It really helps me to focus my mind on answering them so thank you! <3

& thank you for your kind words. Everyone here is always so supportive. <3

So sorry you are feeling this way! I am glad to reply as I've had many people reply to me and help me through bad times.

I can really relate to your work situation, because I have had these episodes at work and it feels embarrassing on top of terrifying. i would get dizzy, shaky and heart racing.

i have burst into tears in my office, in my boss's office, i've even run out of the building crying. if it's any consolation, after a few initial embarrassing times, people got to the point where they barely noticed or just ignored it - one or two co-workers i had a good relationship with would just ask me if i was ok, or joke around, like uh-oh, here she goes again.

I know it can feel embarrassing if you think your doctor is tired of checking things. my gp is like that, and i feel that he always brushes me off and makes this face, like oh here comes the crazy lady. more times than not i have not made it out of his office without bursting into tears. but i did have a really good ER doctor who spent a lot of time with me, and treated me with dignity. even he said, the doctor works for you - do not feel bad for wanting help or wanting to get things checked out.

also, i know what you mean about not believing it's a panic attack. especially when you feel like you might pass out - it is hard to believe nothing medical/physical is happening.

but if it is panic, something physical IS going on: your body is responding AS IF you were in danger. which is actually a good thing - if you needed it to.

with panic, the tricky part is convincing our mind that we are NOT in danger, as I am sure you know.

I hope you can get started on the CBT in April, that would be good.

in the meantime, **just** be gentle with yourself :) you will get through this and you are taking all the right steps.

PS. aliens never occurred to me but maybe you are onto something Moving Foward :)

Hello, littlewing and thank you for your post.

I hate it when I start crying in the office! Thank you for sharing your story. It makes me feel a bit better (and also made me giggle when you posted "like uh-oh, here she goes again.") X3

That's awful that you've had the same experience with your doctor, too! It makes me feel worried.

That's true. Even though your body is responding there's no danger there so it's almost like it's "on guard"

I'm trying my hardest to believe it's panic but now I'm getting pain in my throat and those cursed chest pains will not cease. Can a panic attack last this many hours? Normally when I have a panic attack it's like a rollercoster where my feelings go up and down, over and over and finally come to a level where I'm able to cope. These feelings are similar but when they're "down" I still feel the stabby pains and (like, now) the sore throat. Can these feelings truly last for over 8 hours? I feel exhausted!

Then again, it could be multi panic attacks and not just one, right? Like, maybe I think I've calmed down but then my anxiety spikes back up and it's like "ding ding: Round 2" right?

Oh my gosh! I feel so annoying right now! Everyone is trying to calm me down and tell me I'm okay but I'm still worrying and not believing! Sorry about all this.

Thank you, littlewing! <3
I'll try and relax when I'm back home... Maybe watch some Will and Grace?
... and eat an apple... I love apples. :D

Agreed!

It is not too late, ever! :)

Use your coping skills!! Everyday! Continue to eat healthy and try to get in exercises as a regular activity.

Get into that therapy a.s.a.p.

You are on your way, and you are going to be absolutely fine!! :)

We are here cheering you on!!

S.C.

Hi Janghwa,

I am here to wish you good luck with your CBT, I hope it works out well :)

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to give an update as I never meant to just leave on Friday afternoon and not reply back all weekend.

I was feeling better on Friday once I got home. I still felt breathless but my chest pains had stopped. However, I think I know what the trigger for my panic attacks were. I live with my mum and dad and they're, like, my rock in a way. I'm (unfortunately) quite dependant on them because of my anxiety and they went away on Saturday morning to Wales and won't be back until this Thursday. I think that's been playing in my mind and for the whole weekend my body has felt really exhausted so I've not been online at all!

I'm in work right now and I've come in early so that I could come online and apologise for not talking to anyone and just post an update, too!

Thank you everyone for your support and kind words! I still feel exhausted and light headed even after sleeping for nearly two days, hehe! ;^o^