ashurrutia
28-01-13, 01:19
Since I've been having quite a few of those a day since Monday, I decided to use a little bit of my scientific spirit, and document one attack while it was happening. From now on, I decided to do an anxiety attack log, so when I think: "This one is different from the rest, I'll know". Today I didn't sleep at all last night, so the attack didn't have a big impact on my heart, as I was out of energy, but everything else was as usual.
My language is a bit technical, so forgive me for it:
Sunday January 27th, 2013, 5:47 pm:
Middle of an episode, heart rate sitting down: 88 bpm, feels very strong though, feels as if heart was racing.
Symptoms: Burning pain in right side of chest, cold feeling(IV like) in my left arm, both hands and feet very cold, respiration feels inadequate, not hyperventilating, but feels as if I wasn’t getting enough air. Pain in the outer part of left pectoral muscle, again cold feeling flowing through arm. Head feels like when one has been running for a long time, the tingling, and feels as if I was about to pass out. Burning feeling also felt in stomach. Pressure in back of the head, pressure inside esophagous, tried to burn but cannot burp. Extremely dried mouth. Respiration gives sensation one gets, when one runs too much. Chest area feels tight, muscle throughout body are vibrating. Headache present too. Drinking water causes sensation of chocking. Back of throat where uvula is feels like closing. Pressure in esophagous momentarily relieved when burping. Need to go to the bathroom, upper abdominal pain. Back pain, plus mild tremor and shakiness recorded. Burning pain in right pectoral intensifying, burning pain also present in skin throughout chest and belly, and right arm. Left arm still feels cold though. Chocking sensation in throat, likely adrenaline peak about to happen!!! Heart Rate increasing somewhat, feeling dizziness increases too, also feeling about to faint. Strong pain in abdominal area both upper and lower. Thinking that I won’t survive this one. Pain in chest area intensifying, burning in nature, and relieved when touching chest with hand, as hand is colder. Trying to burp out gas, successful this time. Palpitations are felt throughout body. Upper Abdominal pain moderate in intensity. Measuring Heart Rate increases anxiety, and thus increases heart rate. Abdominal Pain, moderate intensity accompanied by nausea.
Psychological Symptoms: Depersonalization, poor concentration, feeling of impending doom, feeling tired but wired, feeling brain fog. Partially acknowledging presence of panic attack, partially doubting it, and thinking is something serious. Want to get out of here, want to go to the hospital, put a tranquilizer on, avoid the feelings. Wondering why panic attack last so long?? Still think that episode is a continuation of a presumed cardiac event that started at midnight, or even way before that, perhaps days in advance. Cognitive rationale indicates that likelihood for cardiac event is nil, yet symptoms induced fear question the rationale and present: “What if?” Amygdala centered feelings usually record extreme fear when peaks of adrenaline: Near Fainting is perceived as dying, and the very unlikely event of heart attack is perceived as fatal, even though scientific evidence not only indicates that likelihood of such event in younger people is very small(i.e 0.5%) but survival rates are very high too, from 84% to as high as 99.2% depending on study. Very likely fatigue from sleeplessness is being used as a trigger for adrenaline rushes. A little bit distraught about trying Yogi Kava tea and not doing much, will try again later tonight for insomnia, while expectations are to see improvement in the long run, nothing noted today, so again adding to the anxiety. Whenever upper abdominal pain occurs, instead of reading such pain as the result of having a sensible stomach, or stress response, pain is read a part of a Heart Attack that happens to feel like indigestion. Ocam’s razor fails when it comes to the Amygdala, and the stress response.
Heart Rate log:
5:47 pm: Heart Rate is 88 bpm.
5:54 pm; Update: Heart Rate still at 88 bpm.
6:05 pm Heart Rate is still 88 bpm.
6:12 pm: Stretching sends Heart Rate to 96 bpm.
Comment: Gonna try soft belly breathing see what effect is has on Heart Rate
After 1:00 minute of soft belly breathing HR goes down to 82 bpm. Neurological symptoms, and chest pain still persist though.
7:03 pm: Heart Rate 92 bpm, Blood Pressure 105/75.
Panic attack started around 5:00 pm, so ongoing for about 2 hours so far.
8:11 pm Pain still lingers, and a little bit of anxiety from writing this, but event appears to be over. HR: 80 bpm.
My language is a bit technical, so forgive me for it:
Sunday January 27th, 2013, 5:47 pm:
Middle of an episode, heart rate sitting down: 88 bpm, feels very strong though, feels as if heart was racing.
Symptoms: Burning pain in right side of chest, cold feeling(IV like) in my left arm, both hands and feet very cold, respiration feels inadequate, not hyperventilating, but feels as if I wasn’t getting enough air. Pain in the outer part of left pectoral muscle, again cold feeling flowing through arm. Head feels like when one has been running for a long time, the tingling, and feels as if I was about to pass out. Burning feeling also felt in stomach. Pressure in back of the head, pressure inside esophagous, tried to burn but cannot burp. Extremely dried mouth. Respiration gives sensation one gets, when one runs too much. Chest area feels tight, muscle throughout body are vibrating. Headache present too. Drinking water causes sensation of chocking. Back of throat where uvula is feels like closing. Pressure in esophagous momentarily relieved when burping. Need to go to the bathroom, upper abdominal pain. Back pain, plus mild tremor and shakiness recorded. Burning pain in right pectoral intensifying, burning pain also present in skin throughout chest and belly, and right arm. Left arm still feels cold though. Chocking sensation in throat, likely adrenaline peak about to happen!!! Heart Rate increasing somewhat, feeling dizziness increases too, also feeling about to faint. Strong pain in abdominal area both upper and lower. Thinking that I won’t survive this one. Pain in chest area intensifying, burning in nature, and relieved when touching chest with hand, as hand is colder. Trying to burp out gas, successful this time. Palpitations are felt throughout body. Upper Abdominal pain moderate in intensity. Measuring Heart Rate increases anxiety, and thus increases heart rate. Abdominal Pain, moderate intensity accompanied by nausea.
Psychological Symptoms: Depersonalization, poor concentration, feeling of impending doom, feeling tired but wired, feeling brain fog. Partially acknowledging presence of panic attack, partially doubting it, and thinking is something serious. Want to get out of here, want to go to the hospital, put a tranquilizer on, avoid the feelings. Wondering why panic attack last so long?? Still think that episode is a continuation of a presumed cardiac event that started at midnight, or even way before that, perhaps days in advance. Cognitive rationale indicates that likelihood for cardiac event is nil, yet symptoms induced fear question the rationale and present: “What if?” Amygdala centered feelings usually record extreme fear when peaks of adrenaline: Near Fainting is perceived as dying, and the very unlikely event of heart attack is perceived as fatal, even though scientific evidence not only indicates that likelihood of such event in younger people is very small(i.e 0.5%) but survival rates are very high too, from 84% to as high as 99.2% depending on study. Very likely fatigue from sleeplessness is being used as a trigger for adrenaline rushes. A little bit distraught about trying Yogi Kava tea and not doing much, will try again later tonight for insomnia, while expectations are to see improvement in the long run, nothing noted today, so again adding to the anxiety. Whenever upper abdominal pain occurs, instead of reading such pain as the result of having a sensible stomach, or stress response, pain is read a part of a Heart Attack that happens to feel like indigestion. Ocam’s razor fails when it comes to the Amygdala, and the stress response.
Heart Rate log:
5:47 pm: Heart Rate is 88 bpm.
5:54 pm; Update: Heart Rate still at 88 bpm.
6:05 pm Heart Rate is still 88 bpm.
6:12 pm: Stretching sends Heart Rate to 96 bpm.
Comment: Gonna try soft belly breathing see what effect is has on Heart Rate
After 1:00 minute of soft belly breathing HR goes down to 82 bpm. Neurological symptoms, and chest pain still persist though.
7:03 pm: Heart Rate 92 bpm, Blood Pressure 105/75.
Panic attack started around 5:00 pm, so ongoing for about 2 hours so far.
8:11 pm Pain still lingers, and a little bit of anxiety from writing this, but event appears to be over. HR: 80 bpm.