Help Identifying Anxiety / Panic Attack

I would say for me this is exactly how mine started. I didn't have anything too abnormal going on stress wise when the crap hit the fan for me. I thought I had a heart problem and went to the ER and doctor several times until it hit me that it had to be anxiety.

For me I didn't think it was anxiety because it didn't fit what I knew of classic panic attacks. In the past when I had them they felt different and hit in only a specific environment. The first time it happened to me this time it literally woke me up from dead sleep and I thought I was dying. Then I would go about my entire day shaking with racing heart and feeling like I was going to throw up. I felt ALL of the things you listed at various times and there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to when it was happening. I also began to feel I was going insane.

This has been going on a little over a month for me and I'm still fighting it. Somedays I feel 85% myself and only have a hint of lurking anxiety. Many days I wake up shaking with a racing heart for seemingly no reason. I just generally have this off feeling of something being wrong that I cannot explain or shake. I still fear that I will go crazy and never get back to normal.

What I'm trying to say is that anxiety doesn't make sense. I keep trying to make sense of it but that tends to make it worse at times. I would suggest you see your doctor to rule out anything physical and then to give serious thought that it is anxiety. If you want to read good stuff about anxiety read anything by Dr. Claire Weekes. I think you will get really great insight from her work that will help you to know if this is what you are dealing with.

No matter what best of luck to you and know you are not alone!

Thanks billybologna & Cornell for the feedback. I have had several tests for my heart and the cardiologist doesn't seem to think its my heart, but to be thorough I'm wearing the cardiac event monitor for a second time to ensure I don't have an arrhythmia. At the same time I'm 26 and that alone puts me in a very low risk group according to the cardiologist I saw. However I still worry about my heart, uncontrollably sometimes. I've been to the ER 4 times this year and I see my primary doctor regularly so I'm hoping everything is good! I'm having my yearly physical in December.

I do have GERD which is not well controlled (hoping to see GI doctor this month), chronic sinus issues, and high blood pressure (controlled since losing 50 lbs) but otherwise good, or at least no aware off. There are thyroid and diabetes in extended family, but nothing in immediate family, still something to keep an eye on.

I agree with you billybologna, the more I try to understand what is going on the worse and more frustrated I feel. Everything has similar symptoms which makes me paranoid its heart, thyroid, or blood sugar related.

I have weird up and downs too where I will feel fine for good for a few hours, then feel bad for a few hours, then feel better. Its like a roller coaster. Sometimes it last more like days though.

Hi Greyfox,

Your not alone with this. As type this text on the keyboard, i felt this constant burning on my sternum and aside from that is my anxiety. I always feel tightness on my neck and shoulder, get dizzy and chest pressure. Don't know if it's from acid or anxiety. I do have GERD. It's very hard to live with this and I'm bracing myself that maybe this is for lifetime. I have this 2009-2010 and it healed but it's coming back this year last January. Everyday like this and going to work is always a battle.

But still i have hope that this will go away someday, (:

I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with my primary doctor for Thursday. Its been 6 weeks and I'm not sleeping any better, and in general feeling worse (tired heavy eyes, brain fog / concentration issues, headaches, dizzy). I think its anxiety and maybe even depression mixed with sleep deprivation, because I have ups and downs during the day, but the symptoms could indicate a number of things. I think its time to get checked out though because right now there is no light in the tunnel.

Its weird because I woke up this morning feeling fairly good, went out to walk the dog, ate breakfast. about an hour later, total crash, back to feeling miserable.

Some people just tend to be anxious when they're driving. I'm one of them. Mind you, I never used to be. I'd drive into big cities and find it exciting and thrilling. I didn't even mind traffic jams, and 4 hour drives to the beach (back when I lived far from one).

Sometimes over time, we can develop new anxieties, and also over time, some of the older ones can fade away. I've actually loosened up in some situations that used to make me panic! So I'm proof, it can happen.

Either way, it's good to know you have an appt with your doc for a check up. Always a great place to start! Let us know how things go.





M.

I saw my doctor this morning who proscribed Zoloft. I'm a little weary taking any kind of anxiety/depression medications. Any have any experience with it?

I noticed it can interact with herbs such as HTP-5, Saint John's Wort, and similar herbs. I saw something on the web saying you should not take Zoloft if you've taken herbs like Saint John's Wort within the past 14 days until 14 days have passed. Something about it can elevate serotonin levels too high and cause death.

Anyone know anything about that? Should I really wait a week before starting to take it since I stopped taking St John's Wart and HTP-5 about 6-7 days ago?

I'm planning on asking the pharmacist when I pick it up this afternoon but wanted to get some opinions and experiences.

Hey GF,

I don't take Zoloft, but I do take Lexapro and it has worked wonders for my anxiety. Hopefully your SSRI will do the same. I still have anxiety and tension, but it is at a manageable level most of the time. Hopefully this will subdue some of your symptoms and give you confidence that some, if not all, of them are anxiety related. Best wishes!!