Worst panic attack in ages

[Anxious_gal]

I have sinus tachycardia and palpitations,in 4 years my doctor sent me to the hospital twice for all the heart tests so i know everything is ok.
Problem is my heart rate rises much too fast.
It is mostly anxiety induced as well as me just being really unfit.

Today I woke up and was anxious, my heart rate was 140.
I managed to "man up" and walk to my doctors office as I needed to get blood tests.

Walking there I did ok. My heart rate went up to 80 which is unusual.
Normally wen walking it's 140 and when having a panic attack 150.
Anyways besides feeling dizzy I was ok.

I was crossing the road when I started getting breathless, then I started to panic about passing out, suffocating,
My heart rate of course shot up to 200!! And gave me a suffocating feeling, I got very faint.

So instead of trying to calm down I almost ran the rest of the way because I knew once I was there I would be ok.
I knew it was a panic attack the whole time but the suffocating feeling, chest pain and feeling faint was just too real for me to think straight!
Got to the doctors office very breathless, the nurse asked if I was ok and I said I was fine.

Went to the room and the nurse did my bloods, she asked if I wanted a glass of water and I said it's ok, it's just my anxiety and I am used to it by now.
Weird how I was reassuring people I was ok!

I went out side, almost cried, sat on a wall for like half an hour in the rain.
I was scared to walk back home alone.
I kept getting feelings of breathlessness, my heart rate went back down to like 140.
It reminded me of all the days I would be scared to walk home from school!
How I would feel breathless and faint.

So I managed to suck it up again, take deep breath and get home.
I keep getting rushes of panic and that suffocating feeling.
The whole time I am thinking, what if this panic happened on a bus or plane or train and I couldn't get off, would I end up freaking out and passing out :lac:

Hate how ONE panic attack can set a person back sooo much.
I will be starting therapy again once I get my wisdom teeth out so hopefully I can come up with a way to bring down my panic even if I am "trapped".

I also have to travel for an hour in a car tomorrow, I might take a sedative though if I feel the anxiety starting to rise.

I am getting better with my anxiety and panics just some times it can be too overwhelming and then your brain does the survival thing, as in run to doctors office before you pass out!! Or get out of said situation.

My mum had a panic attack one day, on her way to work, she rang me on the phone, she had been trying to cross the road but she started to feel dizzy and faint and wasn't able to move.
She was only across the road from her office building.
I felt rather helpless on the other end of the phone, but I knew if I keep her talking and distracting her from how she was feeling she'd calm down again.

I was actually in too much of panic to ring anyone or to take a sedative, I just ran to the doctors, luckily I was only like a minute away at the time the full blown panic hit.
Of course I calmed down once I got there! :doh:

The worst bit is when your brain stops being rational and instinct takes over.
I went from anxiousness but ok to full blown panic in a matter of seconds.
The lack of control and feeling of helplessness does kinda suck.

But I guess who can think straight when they are getting gripping chest pain and feeling like they can't breath.
It was good I was able to calm myself very fast once I got to the doctors but I need a way to to be able to do this when I cannot escape a situation.
I guess practice makes perfect?

Sorry for my ramble, I just needed to write this out to get some perspective,
I know I seem ok now and I am but in the moment I was absolutely terrified.

[Mirabelle]

Mishel
Well done you! You managed to get to the doctors stay there and do what you needed to do. Big achievement.
As well as the panic you had the What ifs....... Well if it happened on a train or somewhere similar you would cope as you have always coped and survived to fight another day just like you did today.
Good for you. That's one less panic attack you'll have in a lifetime and you coped well.
xx

[Rod]

You sum it up very well. You are very brave.

[jamie1987]

Yeah i have this alot of the time when crossing roads its worrying

[xxlisaxx08]

The best thing is not to think of it as a set back just a little 'blip'. Even 'normal' people have bad days. You done amazing continuing to go to the doctors for bloods, I doubt I would have had the courage to do that. Another thing to remember is that it's almost impossible to faint during a panic attack, hard I know, I've thought it and felt like it millions of times. Your body is works so hard during a panic attack, the adrenaline is released and your blood pressure is raised and to faint you would need to have low blood pressure. I hope your car journey isn't too bad and if you need it, that the sedative helps.

Lisa x

[Anxious_gal]

aw thank you for your kind words :hugs:
I do think it's the waiting bit that sets off anxiety when crossing roads, a bit like waiting in the ques, at least when your moving you are somewhat distracted and not feeling trapped.

Lol well I had to get the bloods, and no one was around to give me a lift and If I didn't go I would have let people down and made the angry. But when I did panic I was in running distance to the doctors lol

The car journey wasn't too bad, I played games on my ipod even though I didn't want to, I forced my self to concentrate on the games which helped a little.

I have to go to the doctors again on Thursday, so we'll see how that goes!
I will listen to music I think to help distract me a little, maybe try chewing a tone of gum might distract me from my breathing.