Panic Attack Sufferers...

lust4life · 02-14-2008, 03:56 PM

Just wondering what exactly a panic attack feels like & how to settle it down or stop it when you feel it starting to happen.
I ask because I believe I may have experienced one yesterday.

Anyways, I know I've been extremely tense and irritable lately due to a TON of stress but yesterday was different. Nothing was going as planned.
At the end of my extra stressful day I got frustrated with something else and suddenly felt extremely tense and stiff-like. I was semi short of breath because I was so tense, a tiny bit dizzy. My heart/left chest also hurt and the pain ran up to the left side of my neck as well. I don't know if it was a result of the tension or what..
I tried to settle down but it kept going for all of an hour until I took a nap.
Semi startling to say the least.

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!!!

& for addition info that might be helpful I'm 21 & I have been diagnosed w/ a heart murmur a long time ago.
it has never given me any trouble other than the rare occasion when I'm playing a physically demanding sport & at that point it beats out of control...in this particular experience it was just thumping normal-slow with throbbing pain.

sallyusa · 02-14-2008, 04:19 PM

The best way to handel this is try to calm yourself down and take few good deep breaths. Either relax on your bed and give it to a 10-15 minutes and should go away. What I also did and it helped me to get a fresh air outside.

meagzt · 02-14-2008, 04:44 PM

For me, I lay down and look at pictures or call my best friend who talks to me about GOOD things... Mine only last anywhere from 5-10 minutes, even though it feels longer sometimes... Don't try to fight them, b/c I have found that that tends to make them worse. The only thing you can really do is hang on for the ride.

ryan123 · 02-14-2008, 05:12 PM

Was your heart rate rapid?

Nonetheless it sounds like you had one.

Theres nothing really you can do to stop them, you can lessen the severity by telling yourself you're not having a heart attack and that you're going to live and itll all be over with in 10 minutes. Thats what I do.

Jeffrey2095 · 02-14-2008, 05:53 PM

Hi Lust 4 life,

Well, a panic attack feels as though the world is closing in on you. You can't understand why your brain is doing this to you.

For me, I just close my eyes and imagine I am petting my old dog, it doesn't take it away, but it does keep it from escalating and does calm me down some.

I haven't had one for several years now.

Jeffrey

15 Storeys High · 02-14-2008, 06:13 PM

Go to somewhere quiet and focus on nothing but breathing in through your nose for 3 seconds, holding it for 3 seconds and out through your mouth for 4 seconds. Once you've given yourself something to concentrate on it usually starts to get easier.

If you're hyperventilating with it and it goes on too long your body will make you pass out, so it can correct it's CO2 & O2 levels and gas exchange.

**caro33** · 02-14-2008, 07:24 PM

I remember when I had them years ago that my heart would pound, I would get dizzy, like vertigo, and have a degree of tunnel vision, and an overriding need to escape from wherever I was. It was a huge adrenalin dump and a real fight or flight response. The only thing that "worked" was to get away and get some space where I felt safe.

lust4life · 02-14-2008, 09:57 PM

thanks for the great advice guys!

I never thought of just focusing on breathing...simple enough

So what happens if you can't get away from a certain situation? How do you deal with one then?
I couldn't the other day so maybe that's why it lasted so long...

And do you really think it was a panic attack?
I mean do they include pain like that? it wasn't god awful, but it was significant...
I pretty much stopped talking & it hurt to laugh..like a choking effect almost..and a heaviness on my chest+pain.

sorry to be a bother, I'm semi worried it might've been my heart murmur, although that's very unlikely.

02-14-2008, 03:56 PM	#1
lust4life Offline Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: near Balmer, hon. Gender: Female Posts: 97	Panic Attack Sufferers... Just wondering what exactly a panic attack feels like & how to settle it down or stop it when you feel it starting to happen. I ask because I believe I may have experienced one yesterday. Anyways, I know I've been extremely tense and irritable lately due to a TON of stress but yesterday was different. Nothing was going as planned. At the end of my extra stressful day I got frustrated with something else and suddenly felt extremely tense and stiff-like. I was semi short of breath because I was so tense, a tiny bit dizzy. My heart/left chest also hurt and the pain ran up to the left side of my neck as well. I don't know if it was a result of the tension or what.. I tried to settle down but it kept going for all of an hour until I took a nap. Semi startling to say the least. Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!!! & for addition info that might be helpful I'm 21 & I have been diagnosed w/ a heart murmur a long time ago. it has never given me any trouble other than the rare occasion when I'm playing a physically demanding sport & at that point it beats out of control...in this particular experience it was just thumping normal-slow with throbbing pain. __________________ Because it is only in their absence, that their place in our soul is reaffirmed.

02-14-2008, 04:44 PM	#3
meagzt Offline Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Missouri Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 160	For me, I lay down and look at pictures or call my best friend who talks to me about GOOD things... Mine only last anywhere from 5-10 minutes, even though it feels longer sometimes... Don't try to fight them, b/c I have found that that tends to make them worse. The only thing you can really do is hang on for the ride. __________________ I wished on a star and it landed on you.- Cris Brown (One Less Reason)

02-14-2008, 05:53 PM	#5
Jeffrey2095 Offline Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 783	Hi Lust 4 life, Well, a panic attack feels as though the world is closing in on you. You can't understand why your brain is doing this to you. For me, I just close my eyes and imagine I am petting my old dog, it doesn't take it away, but it does keep it from escalating and does calm me down some. I haven't had one for several years now. Jeffrey Last edited by Jeffrey2095; 02-14-2008 at 05:55 PM.

02-14-2008, 09:57 PM	#8
lust4life Offline Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: near Balmer, hon. Gender: Female Posts: 97	thanks for the great advice guys! I never thought of just focusing on breathing...simple enough So what happens if you can't get away from a certain situation? How do you deal with one then? I couldn't the other day so maybe that's why it lasted so long... And do you really think it was a panic attack? I mean do they include pain like that? it wasn't god awful, but it was significant... I pretty much stopped talking & it hurt to laugh..like a choking effect almost..and a heaviness on my chest+pain. sorry to be a bother, I'm semi worried it might've been my heart murmur, although that's very unlikely. __________________ Because it is only in their absence, that their place in our soul is reaffirmed.

02-14-2008, 04:19 PM	#2
sallyusa Offline Bronze Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Texas Gender: Female Posts: 115	The best way to handel this is try to calm yourself down and take few good deep breaths. Either relax on your bed and give it to a 10-15 minutes and should go away. What I also did and it helped me to get a fresh air outside.

02-14-2008, 05:12 PM	#4
ryan123 Offline Join Date: May 2007 Location: MASSHOLE Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 1,220	Was your heart rate rapid? Nonetheless it sounds like you had one. Theres nothing really you can do to stop them, you can lessen the severity by telling yourself you're not having a heart attack and that you're going to live and itll all be over with in 10 minutes. Thats what I do.

02-14-2008, 06:13 PM	#6
15 Storeys High Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 1,288	Go to somewhere quiet and focus on nothing but breathing in through your nose for 3 seconds, holding it for 3 seconds and out through your mouth for 4 seconds. Once you've given yourself something to concentrate on it usually starts to get easier. If you're hyperventilating with it and it goes on too long your body will make you pass out, so it can correct it's CO2 & O2 levels and gas exchange.

02-14-2008, 07:24 PM	#7
caro33 Offline Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,569	I remember when I had them years ago that my heart would pound, I would get dizzy, like vertigo, and have a degree of tunnel vision, and an overriding need to escape from wherever I was. It was a huge adrenalin dump and a real fight or flight response. The only thing that "worked" was to get away and get some space where I felt safe.