Do you have panic attacks?
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Do you have panic attacks?
I started having them last year (with the first one, my employer called the ambulance--I thought I was having a heart attack), and they occur every so often without warning. Last night I woke up with one so bad, I thought I was going to be sick. I've talked to my co-workers today, and it seems that everyone has them (we are all in our 40s)...is this "normal?" I don't even have to be thinking of anything, they just creep up on me. I hate this! If you do have them, what do you do? Just wait for them to pass?
I have them, I've been DXed with Generalized Anxiety. Mine started after I had the kids, so it may be hormone related, and in your 40s it couple be menopause related. (Just an idea, I have no evidence to back it up) Mine often come on when I'm in a crowded place. I'll often notice one coming on because I'll start clenching my fists repeatedly. Sitting down, and breathing calmly for a few minutes usually helps me. If you are waking up with them, you may want to talk to your doctor about an anti-anxiety medication.
Normal? Honestly, I don't think so. I am the biggest worry-wart in the world. I worry and stress about everything! My husband has even said that when there is nothing to worry about, I make things up!!??!! With as big of a worrier as I am, I have never had a panic attack!
I would talk to your doctor. See what they say.
Especially where they are coming out of no where!
I have been having them for 2 yrs. I *think* anyway... lol I have felt several times now when under ALOT of stress here at home that I thought I was having a heart attack.... I just recently talked with my sis about this and she says it is anxiety and she has had them too when under stress. She thinks I need to pitch all the stress in my life- but thats a whole other post. lol
By "normal" I meant changes in hormones that might be causing them.
I have them. I've been to the ER a few times for them, like you, I thought I was having a heart attack or a stroke.
My PCP put me on Paxil over 5 years ago, and they are few and far between now. I *think* as I get older, it's getting better. I'd like to go off the Paxil, but I don't think now is the right time.
As for what to do when you have them - breathe deeply and slowly to stop yourself from hyperventilating, which tends to happen when you are having one. Once in the ER, they had me on a rebreather thingie to stop the hyperventilation.
Most of the time now, I can recognize *if* one seems to be coming on, though as I said, they are much fewer now.
What does your Dr. say??
Yes I have had aniexty attacks also, I am 40, and been having them I guess for 10 years. For my self I take st. john's wort ( I am not telling you to take this only telling you what I take) I take it when my heart starts racing. In the past I have also been on oxepam. YOu really do have to watch the hyperventaling, this one attack I had was so bad that I did not realize my breathing was to fast, and my dh took me to the hospital, because my body was shutting down, once at the hospital they gave me a bag to breath in, and finally I got use of my hands back, one sign is if you start feeling a tingling feeling at your finger tips, you will know to get your breathing slowed down.
Yes I agree that it is a pain having them, and I also wonder why when it all of a sudden it comes on, you would think that you would get one the moment you are having a stressful time, but it doesn't always work like that. Unfortuanatley it is just something that we who have them have to live with, but your not alone. (hugs)
I have had them also, and have also been to the hospital thinking it was something more serious.
I am on medication now. But, something that helps when you feel them coming on is breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. That gets oxygen to your brain faster, and helps you focus and not hyperventilate.
I've had one panic attack and it was HORRIBLE. I've never felt so out of control, strange, and helpless in my whole life. At the time, I was in the middle of major post-partum depression though, and have never had another one.
When it happened, I did the breathing that Breann suggested and it did help a bit. It was very hard not to hyperventilate.
I don't think they are 'normal'. I would definitely see your doc about it. I would be so scared waking up in the middle of the night with one of those.
I have had them occasionally, usually within the six months after giving birth so I also tend to think they are hormone-related. I only have them every 6-9 months now and I know what types of stress trigger them. I will hyperventilate with mine so I have learned some controlled breathing techniques (think Lamaze! ) to help me get past them. {{{Janet}}} I'd speak with your doctor about them, since they are coming on with no warning.
I think i have had them...does that make sense?
A few months ago i would just all of a sudden get nausaus (sp?), my heart would race and i would sort of break into a cold sweat. And had no idea why. I would just sit there and take some deep breathe so i did not hyperventilate. And they went away. This happened during a facial, i actually had to get up and leave in the middle of hte facial. I had one during a theater show we were at. I remember sitting there taking deep breathes and looking at the doorway wondering if i should get up and leave. Of course the more you think about it, the worse it gets. I told my sister about these "attacks" and she told me that they were panic attacks.
I never did see a doctor about them though. I have not had one in a few months.
Patti, that *almost* sounds like menopause! LOL You are too young for that though. Seriously, it could be panic attacks.
My worst one happened at work, all of my extremities got numb/tingly, my blood pressure rose, I was dizzy, confused, hyperventilating - I honestly thought I was having a stroke. Then when I got to the hospital, I had to wait over 4 HOURS in the ER - by the time I was seen it was over - but they told me that's what it was and advised me to see my PCP. I had called her before I went to the hospital and saw her the next morning.
They are definitely no fun. I'm surprised at how many of us have them!
Add me to the list to. I started having probably about 10 years ago. I haven't had any real bad ones lately but they use to be terrible. My doctor didn't give me any meds he just was very understanding about it and I learned when I was starting to have an attack that I tried to remain calm and not get worked up. Because it only made matters worse getting hyped about it.
They are very scary. And with mine there was nothing to trigger them. Good luck to anyone that has them because they are no fun.
I haven't seen a dr about them... the dr in the ER was so condescending to me that I felt stupid about even being there, and didn't know what to say if I did call the dr. (I know, I know...)
I mentioned having periods of a racing heart or the feeling of irregular heartbeats to my OBGYN, and she told me to lay off the caffine. Actually, here's the real issue. I've got several "minor" things that I'd love to talk with the dr about, but which one do I choose for an appointment? I'm just starting to fall apart, LOL. Maybe I could schedule an appointment just to go over everything, like a spring tune-up! But thanks for the input about the panic thing. I really hate being this way.
I've never had a panic attack. Yes, I do get stressed out and/or overwhelmed at times, but have never experienced what you have described. Definitely seek medical advice.
Janet, go to an internist. I'm the same way. I started having horrible stomach problems. I have a chronic respiratory condition for which I see a laryngologist regularly, plus my GYN for my female stuff, and we have an employee health nurse at work that I can go to when I get a sinus infection, throw my back out, etc. I finally decided I needed a doctor who could take care of the whole package! I still go to my GYN b/c I have a family risk of ovarian cancer (otherwise I would just have the internist do my pap and annual exam) and my laryngologist as needed to keep a check on when/if I need surgery again because I have a very rare condition (idiopathic subglottic stenosis), but my internist can now take care of everything.
Three weeks ago I had crushing, elephant-on-the chest chest pains, nausea, clammy hands, and pain shooting up through my jaw and ear---classic heart attack symptoms. I was piecing a quilt with a friend at the time. I told her and my DH how I felt and said if I wipe out call 911. I took an antacid in case it was heartburn and some Tylenol (no aspirin) and it went away, but I'm going to make an appt. and have my doctor check me out. My parents freaked out when I told them, so I promised I'd go to the doctor. When you have heart issues (racing heart or whatever), I think it is VERY important to have a doctor take you seriously. Women's heart problems are very underdiagnosed and often brushed off as panic or anxiety. I'm sorry, but I find it hard to believe that so many people have panic attacks. I do realize that arrhytmia happens with menopause, but... A good friend of ours from high school got back in touch with us several months ago. His wife (age 36, in excellent shape, worked out regularly) had back pain after exercising, went to an urgent care clinic and was told she pulled a muscle and given medicine. Two days later, with excruciating BACK pain she went to the ER and was in the throes of a massive heart attack. She almost died, was unconscious for weeks, in the hospital for almost 2 months, and has since had to have a heart transplant because her heart was so damaged---at 36 years old. 
If you feel like your doctor is being condescending or not listening, then go to another one. For my tracheal stuff, it took one year and 4 doctors for me to get diagnosed. I couldn't breathe and I was healthy, good weight, etc. I would walk down the hall with a basket of laundry and then have to sit and catch my breath. I couldn't talk on the phone without running out of air and I was coughing all of the time. Family practice doctor dx me with asthma and put me on an inhaler---no effect, except to give me the shakes. Family practice doctor #2 asked me if I was anxious. I said, "Of course I am anxious! I am a healthy early 30s female and I suddenly can't breathe!" I decided to go to a pulmonologist and he put me on heavy duty cough suppresants that didn't work and finally did a bronchoscope. He told me that he rarely looked at young tracheas, so he didn't know if mine looked normal or not. He took pictures and I saw that it didn't look normal. There was a place were it narrowed to the size of a drinking straw (should be about the diameter of a quarter). He sent me downstairs to the ENT who also noted the narrowing, but was befuddled because I had never been intubated or had any trauma to my trachea and FINALLY the ENT referred me to a laryngologist who diagnosed me with the idiopathic (unknown cause) subglottic (right below the vocal cords) stenosis (narrowing). I've had surgery twice and we have to keep a check because it is not curable--only temporary fixes.
So that's my story of keeping going until you get real answers from someone who will take you seriously. I KNEW there was something serious going on and I knew the doctors weren't looking hard enough to find the answers. Let us know what you find out.
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