HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

severe chest pain during acute panic attack

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/27/2006 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
I had a level 10 panic attack the other day when my regional vp was riding with me and had to withstand the attack internally. It started with a bothersome tension in the stomach and shortness of breath that bothered me. I focused on the discomfort and it escalated to a point where I had intense chest pain and shortness of breath. I am 26, have had several ekgs, holter monitors, stress tests, and echocardiogram. All results were normal. I do have the occasional PVC, especially under stress. What has vexed me since the attack is the chest pain was more intense and covered most of my chest. I hate to say it but it was a crushing pain, like my chest was caving in. When we got to our destination, I quickly got moving and the symptoms subsided. I took some klonopin and the anxiety was gone. Anybody have severe chest pain with a severe panic attack?
Posted 12/27/2006 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there
yes I have in the past but not as much anymore
I have learnt techniques to help me thru these
Breathing ,relazation meditation and " me time"
I hope you feel better and dont have this too often if memory serves me right you have had all the tests so I am sure it is just the worst panic attack ever ...........
Take care
Lyn
Posted 12/27/2006 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Howyln Cat. I know that I had a surge of adrenaline at the time and simply getting out of the car and walking around the office helped. The crushing chest pain lasted about a minute, but seemed like an hour. I breathed with my diaphram and used all of the panic attack countermeasures. It amazes me how new stuff happens all the time with each major attack. I have had chest pain in the past, but nothing like this one attack. Maybe I had to compl

Posted 12/27/2006 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
I know it sometimes seems it lasts forever I feel for you I know what it feels like and it scare the living be jeebers outta you
Take care
Lyn
Posted 12/28/2006 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
Hi hypo..
Wow you had a level 10 Panic attack - chest pain and all and still held it all together..sheesh..you deserve a gold medal..well done! :))
Yes I have had the chest pain thingy..way scarey - was convinced I was gonna die lol..been and had all the tests too..but everything appears ok :) The physical symptoms really suck when it comes to P/A..they are soo real..and yet not!

Maree
Posted 12/28/2006 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
You are not alone and I guess I am finding I am not alone...been fighting anxiety for six months now.  I have done the emergency room several times with level 10 (OH MY GOD I"M GOING TO DIE RIGHT NOW CHEST PAIN HEART ATTACK MUSCULAR TENSION HEADACHE) panic attacks.  I quit smoking almost two years ago.  I quit drinking eight months ago ( weekend binge alcoholic only but the hangovers were too hard on me) then I gave blood at a clinic - then all hell broke loose and I haven't been to work in six months battling strange head pressure - which causes the anxiety and now to top it off, depression has set in because I am afraid to go to the mall cause when the pressure hits my head, I think I'm going to die...

Ativan 1mg four times a day has been keeping the level 10 panic attacks down and CBT training has helped with the catastrophic thoughts...somewhat...but I'm still not well and am SOOOO glad to find a community of people who I can discuss this with.  No one understands, my wife and her family included....this has been hard on our family...

What has helped...meditation...never thought I would be able to calm the thoughts that continue to shatter the peace in my brain but after six months I can deep breathe and get into a strange state of calm within five minutes...I usually fall asleep now so I have to perfect that technique.

Yoga is helping too...for an ex hockey player I can't believe I'm admitting that I do yoga...but it has helped.

Walking has not helped, the pressure gets worse and I panic.

I am taking wellbutrin right now to help with the depression that has set in because I literally have no life...I can't go to dinner parties, public places, malls...etc cause of the anxiety...

I used to be the loud aggressive drunk at the end of the bar telling dirty jokes and flirting with the bartender (female) but now I'm afraid of going outside, it's a chore each and every time I do.

I do it because to give in to this and stay indoors is a worse fate than I can imagine.

GOOD LUCK!

email me any time. 

 

I edited out your e-mail as it is in your profile and this way no one outside of members can have access to it.

Post Edited By Moderator (normalsnofun) : 12/29/2006 8:14:47 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/29/2006 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome
I too was skeptical about CBT and Meditation for quite a few yrs but I have learnt it does help me at times
The meditation I need to do alone in room and I have a cd from a member Brownleaf that I listen to and it does help
The ativan I take as needed or diazapam
I do not take SSRI's as per my own personal reasons ....
I have seen many ppl here helped with wellbutrin.......I am sure they will post and let you know their experiences with it ........
I am glad you found us and hope you will become an active member on the forum
Please take care and post again
Also please do re read the rules regarding duplicate or multiple postings in different forums .......
Be well
see you again
Lyn
Posted 12/29/2006 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the tips and hope others in similar situations will respond....will take note of posting similar messages...first timer and desperate to talk to people I guess.

Can I ask why u don't take SSRI's...the more information and opinions I gather I can then make informed decisions...up until now, I've been a guinea pig...I had MASSIVE headaches with Zoloft and Efexor - after a week I couldn't take it any more...even though the doctor said they would help...

wish i didn't have to take drugs for this...just managed to fight off alcohol and nicotine...

I have felt depression most of my life but it was manageable, miss a day of work here and there but nothing as long lasting as this, alcohol was a bad way to medicate but it's all I know.

Now to top it off, I have memories and dreams about people from my past to deal with and the emotional baggage I've been carrying around.

I understand this is a forum to vent somewhat and to hear what others are experiencing so I hope more people will add their thoughts...
Posted 1/3/2007 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
i've had a level 10 attack a few times. strange thing was they felt just different enough from the last one to make me worry. the worst was definitely while driving. i couldn't do anything about getting out of the car be it as i was on the interstate. my heart was pounding and every time it beat there was a sharp pain. i felt like just pulling over and waving someone down because i thought i was dying.

i wonder how it changes the way it feels. i mean what is going on different in your head to make the panic attacks change.

i've been on xanax and klonopin. but all it took was one attack to happen on it for it to completely quit working. i mean i'd have a few weeks where it was working fine then BAM. out of the blue a panic attack. then i guess i knew that it was possible to have an attack on that pill or dosage, thus it quit working to ease the attacks and anxiety.
Posted 1/3/2007 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
I almost always get really bad chest pain when I have anxiety, that is how it all started for me. I was working in the ER got severe chest pains, starting shaking, my left arm hurt and couldn't breath. My co-workers were freaking out because I had never shown signs of anxiety or panic attacks before. My Dr. was called in and I had an EKG which turned out normal as well as blood test. I am under 30, female, no family history, bp normal, cholosterol good, and do not take any illegal substances. Those stats make a heart attack very improbable. My panic attacks change all the time as well. Sometimes I get crushing pain, sometimes I get dizzy and shaky. While you can't blame everything all the time on anxiety, I have found, that 99 percent of the time once you know you have it that is what it is. Also thinking that it could be something else is what eggs on the anxiety to begin with. It is a horrible cycle that will go around and around in my head until I tell myself to chill and stop it.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply