Read up about panic attacks on the net, anxiety causes them

I get the same thing all the time I feel like i'm having a heart attack all the time if you want I cant tell you more about it, this feeling is horrible I get the feeling that my heart also skips a bit and then I star freaking out and my heart rate goes up to like 140 and then I get pain in my left arm and I have been told is all because of my anxiety and panic attacks. I hope you feel better.

I know exactly how you feel! I suddenly experienced the same thing, out of the blue, about 5 months back. I was trying to sleep and suddenly it felt like all the blood drained from my head, I ot stiff as a board and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I was hyperventalating, panicking completeley, hot&cold all at once... It felt like hell! I couldn't understand the reason eitehr, why all of sudden now?? I still don't know the reason for them occuring from time to time, but I was loads better for 3 months until it came back. I have now decided to see a therapist, because i'm afraid that it will, at some point, take over me and my living. Best advise: talk to your friends and relatives about it!!! It does help. Best of luck to you"

I'm a 31 year old female and have had panic and anxiety disorder almost my whole life. I've tried paxil, lexapro, clonipin, and am now just taking alprazolam (xanax). Xanax is the only medication that seems to help. I am reading a book entitled "the instinct to heal: curing depression, anxiety, and stress without drugs and without talk therapy." it's good so far. I'm determined and stubborn. I want to live a manageable life. My fears become so intense, I think i'm going to go insane. My panic consists of heaviness in chest, heart rate increase, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. It affects my work. I find myself hiding my face in my hands so others can't see my fear at times when the "waves" hit me. It is frightening. My body is reacting to a threat that is not there. My fear is fear itself. I know that. It helps to talk to about it and put it into words. Stick to your determination. I'm a college graduate with a successful career and I manage day by day, sometimes moment by moment. I will not let this "black fog" consume me. It helps to write about it: poetry, health forums, a journal. I am here for anyone if you'd like to share. We're all human and we're all in this boat together. Love and peace!

To anettb and crystal1111 thank you so much for your post it does help to hear others opinions and experiences, i'm very open to talk when ever you guys need help.

Crystal1111 I suffer from the same thing me and you have the same symtoms and we are both from florida what a coincidence.

Thank you and good luck.

God bless you all.

I know how you feel. Ive even went to the er because I thought I was dying. I couldn't breath and my heart was skipping beats.

Panic attacks are sometimes confused with heart attacks, panic attacks dont harm the heart

Thats true. But I know someone who thought she was havieng a panick attack but it was a heart attack.

Wow zabrina thank you so much you are so helpful, honestly I dont think neither of us need to know about you nice post as you would know that this would cause more anxiety and more panic attacks i'm sure that there is more to your story like probably this person had a heart condition.

To all of you with anxiety dont freak out this is not like that people dont get heart attacks just like that it has to be for a specific heart condition or medical problem, so dont even worry about it.

God bless you all.

Lily,

thanks for your reply. I agree with you. Writing about a true medical problem on a forum like this can send someone with panic or anxiety into a tailspin. Heart palpitations, and rapid heart rate are a definite indication of anxiety. There is a great book titled, "the panic diaries," about 2 women with panic disorder. They try to make light of it even though it's a serious subject. But reading it made me feel better. I don't feel so alone and can sometimes laugh at myself. It's amazing how the body can react to certain things, rational or irrational. I'm working on embracing it rather than fighting it, if that makes any sense. I commend everyone for talking about it. That in itself proves your strength.

Crystal is right about embracing anxiety rather than fighting. Fighting is all any of us have done for years and that doesn't stop anything. Embracing it ends it.

Exactly lennon! Even if it's a moment to moment existence, let yourself feel your fears. My fears and anxieties are part of me and I have to accept them. When I allow them, they are not as menacing. When I fight them, they fight back 10-fold and can conquer me. Fighting is fruitless. I think when one allows uncomfortable feelings to happen, the feelings are minimized more and more over time. Those thoughts can be extremely frightening, but when kept at arms length, they become a passenger in our life, not a driver.

Hi I saw you post just now and I wanted to ask you if you feel like you are having a heart attack everytime you get a panic at I had a anxious day today to I was at work and had a mini panic attack I had a palpitation and got really scare and my hands started sweating and got so hot and dizzi and my heart was beating so fast I got very scared but I went to the bathroom and pray for a while and and got better, I don't know why it scares me so much to have a heart attack. I feels like my heart skips a bit. Hope everyone feels good. God bless you

Yes I have felt as though I was having a heart attack. Heart palpitations are a significent symptom of anxiety. My mind is conditioned to notice those palpitations more intensely and immediately think the worse. However, the 50 times I have felt these symptoms, I have never had a heart attack, and nor will i. It's just the fear. ...And like you, I have escaped to the restroom many times in my life to sit and meditate or seek guidance and strength until I am alright enough to get back out there. The problem with anxiety is that it feeds on itself. Once you have felt a fear, your mind will manipulate even the most minimal symptom, and morph it into the worst thing imaginable. That's what I mean by feeding on itself. It grows if you let it. If and when you are able, I would recommend staying where you are rather than going to the restroom. I know that sounds impossible. But, give yourself permission to feel uncomfortable in whatever situation you are faced with. I do this practice regularly in restaurants and certain public places. Rather than going into the restroom, I sit and allow my mind and body to express anxiety. I feel the palpitations, I breathe heavily, break into a sweat, feel dizzy and light-headed. Because I have given my mind permission, it desolves quicker. It reappears sometimes, but again it dissolves. It's a repetitive practice, but I feel less like I am fighting an insurmountable obstacle. If you are unable to stay where you are, you still have that option to escape to the restroom or to leave the situation entirely. That is ok too, because that is also an option you have. Give yourself permission. I think that's the key.

I have read that and i'm putting it to practice and it is getting better because i'm not as afraid as I used to be. Thank you so much for your explanation I really appreaciate it and I hope you win this battle like all will eventually. God bless you

i have been feeling like pain in left arm for about three days and now I got this picky feeling all over my chest and head and still have the pain and feels like somethings on my chest and pressure on my back in the upper half

Hi new here. I have had panic attacks for years! Took myself to the hospital lots of times thinking it was my heart only to have nothing wrong with me.I even had to wear the holter monitor and have the stress tests to prove it to not only me but drs! It is frightening, I began lexapro a year ago and I have to say they went away.They would not go away even after all diseases were ruled out.I have not had a panic attack in monthes! But now I hear all these side effects from lexapro and it scares me but which is worse? I am a nurse and afraid and hesitant before I take any drug but I was to the point where I had todo something.All the self help tapes,seminars did not work.I have had a weight gain and had side effects when I started the lexapro but it is minimal compared to a panic attack for me.I am 44 and I had day to day worry,fret,and anxiety. My doc told me do not share stories about lexapro nor look up side effects etc. Now I kind of am wondering why? So in the back of my mind yes I am scared on this drug but I must say my quality of life has been improved!!!!! So I think you kind of have to pick which you would rather have a side effect or panic attack? I hated those ,(panic attacks) they paralyzed my life in so many ways.What does everyone think?

Not trying to induce panic any further but I have a close friend whose symptoms were chest pain and pressure, difficulty breathing, esp after walking up stairs etc. She is only 25 and normal weight. Her first doc told her it was anxiety. The 2nd opinion took a chest exray and it turns out she had a 30% collapsed lung and had to have surgery right away!
She is recovered now but thank god she got that 2nd opinion!

I have been having panic attacks for the past 15 years. Drs have put me on everything they could, plus I was going to the ER a lot and they would give me shots. It took me a long time to finally get a handle on my panic attacks. My biggest fear is knowing the difference between a heart attack and a panic attack. I get so wound up and my muscles get tight in only my left shoulder, I have researched both heart attacks and panic attacks. How can I be sure which is which.

Panicconfused.