Need urgent reassurance feel like I'm having a heart attack chest is so tight!!

[sarbr]

I just had a full blown panic attack on my own but managed to calm myself down by breathing slowly and bringing myself back to reality. I've never had one before properly and I need some urgent reassurance because I'm still shaking and feel like im having a heart attack because my chest is so tight!
Is this a normal sensation?
Can panic and really high anixiety cause heart attacks! I'm only 19 so unlikely but I'm still so scared!

Thankyou

[Mikeywal]

Hi Sarbr, this is a panic attack, my advice would be to sit down close your eyes through your nose breath in slowly for 7 seconds and out for 8 seconds. this will losen up your chest and ease your breathing. panic attacks can cause chest tightening and cause shallow breathing, but remember, you can still write on here. if you were having a heart attack you wouldn't be able to do this. so breath in and out slowly.

hope this helps xx

[sarbr]

Thank you, I'm slowly calming down but now just feel sick/extremely shaky. It started by me worrying about my health then got out of control, im so scared of having a heart attack recentely!
My leg is really tingly is that normal? sorry for the questions its just theres no one here to calm me down :( xx

---------- Post added at 03:18 ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 ----------

I have

[AuntieMoosie]

Hello hun :)

Let me try to reassure you and tell you that your symptoms have all the hall marks of a panic attack.

They really are the most awful things, and I know that when I started having them, I too thought that something very nasty was happening to me.

Firstly I want to say how well you've coped with that on your own and how well you were able to get yourself back calm, that is really good :yesyes:

Although they feel awful, a panic attack cannot in any way harm you hun, it will not cause a heart attack, though I know it makes you think it will, but I've had a large number of panic attacks in my time and I'm still here age 52 very much alive and kicking!!! lol

Now you'll be able to draw strength and confidence and learn from this one because you now know that you've come through the other end and no harm has come to you :)

I hope this has put your mind at rest, I think you've really done so well tonight :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

---------- Post added at 03:27 ---------- Previous post was at 03:22 ----------

Just seen your follow up post.

The tingly feeling that you're talking about is usually caused by over breathing and is a very common symptom of panic hun :)

Try to follow Mikeywal's advice about your breathing as it's important to slow your breathing down then you will find that all the weird symptoms that you're getting will go hun :)

I really don't think that at 19 you would be in any danger of a heart attack, I would think that would be an extremely rare event hun :) :hugs:

[Mikeywal]

I totally agree with auntiemoosie FYI (great name) tingles in your legs, arms, hands, fingers, face, lips. you can also have numbness, even feel sick, and even may have a bad taste in your mouth or back of the throat. its all symptoms.

dont worry, like i say if you were having a heart attack, you won'y be able to write on here. my advice would be to play a game, this normally eases me as it takes my mind of the symptoms. you'll be fine hun honestly. xx

---------- Post added at 03:40 ---------- Previous post was at 03:36 ----------

also the shaky is the adrenaline in ur body and the feeling sick will prob be a result in this. remember your body is finding ways too survive. so you will feel these symptoms xx

[xtremx]

Hi Sarbr, this is a panic attack, my advice would be to sit down close your eyes through your nose breath in slowly for 7 seconds and out for 8 seconds. this will losen up your chest and ease your breathing. panic attacks can cause chest tightening and cause shallow breathing, but remember, you can still write on here. if you were having a heart attack you wouldn't be able to do this. so breath in and out slowly.

hope this helps xx

I agree with this But when you are breathing in for the 7 breath into your stomach so you can feel your stomach pushing out it fills your lungs better and if you breath to your chest it will tighten the chest muscle up making them feel sore.

Have a look at this webpage http://www.anxietycoach.com/breathingexercise.html

[sarbr]

Thank you so much for your replies it really calmed me down..I ended up watching friends to take my mind off it and fell asleep :) haha, I'Ve suffered from anxiety for a long time but never experienced it that bad. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!

Does anyone worry that being so nervous and on edge all the time will end up affecting their health? I mean I know thoughts can't hurt you, but the physical effects of anxiety could surely end up giving you high blood pressure and heighten the risk of heart problems?

I'm only 19 so it's a bit silly to worry as much as I do, but sometimes it really feels like I'm running my body into the ground!

xx