shortness of breath and confused

I would greatly appreciate the input of anyone with medical knowledge on this question. Since childhood, I have been having what I have called "attacks" regularly. My parents thought it was a heart condition, but after many cardiologist visits and tests, there was no ascertainable source for the problems I was having.
The feeling I experience starts with a funny sensation, which is not painful. When I was younger, I found it kind of enjoyable and tried to hold on to it, but as I grew, this sensation would grow after a short period into something very painful. Now when I feel it I become very fearful, knowing what is ahead. The sensation is similar to deja vu, which evolves into a very painful nightmarish experience, in which I am short of breath, unable to understand my surroundings, and hurting in such a way that I am unable to ascertain its source, except that it is chest level and above. I cannot handle people and events being around me, because...this is going to sound crazy...they seem "too familiar". Once again, it feels like deja vu, only excruciating. My arms tingle or go numb, I stare fixedly or try to get away from everyone around me, and I feel like I can't breathe at all. The sensations come in waves, and in a few minutes (or sometimes, very rarely, it only lasts a minute or so), it subsides. I'm good as new, except for a slight jumpiness, a slight wisp of the original feeling, and hence, slight anxiety.
These have gotten worse and more frequent through my teenage years, occurring in series with gaps of time between the series. I am now 20 years old, and they have suddenly become very regular, occurring in series a couple weeks before my menstruation. My roommates are nurses, and in watching me experience these short attacks, they decided that they might be seizures. This surprised me, because I thought you had to convulse to have a seizure??? They are still in training and they are not doctors, so we are obviously not jumping to conclusions, but we also have a friend who is a diagnosed epileptic and has a dozen seizures a day without knowing it?
So...to anyone who takes the time to read this (thank you ) and knows what they are talking about...is it possible that these weird attacks are epilepsy? If so, what should I do about it? Is it possible they will get worse?
Thanks