Do I really need this? Help please!

[Ritcheys]

Hi all, I am hoping someone can give me some advice. I have suffered from palpitations for years to the extent that I used to pass out. Over time I learned to control them with breathing exercise. These attacks would come from nowhere and I didnt feel particularly stressed or anxious about anything, eventually they got less and are so sporadic and symptons are just heavyness/tight chest, fuzzy head, tingly arms and legs feels kinda like I need to get more oxygen in! I have never really thought too much about them as they last a few seconds then im fine. Anyway yesterday whilst driving on the motorway with my 2 year old I had these symptons and felt like I was gonna pass out. I managed to pull over onto the hard shoulder and call 112. The paramedics arrived, my blood pressure was 171/124 ecg fine blood sugar ok. They diagnosed an anxiety/panic attack and told me to see my gp as I had had similar symptons previously. Now then I have recently moved house and have had to register with a new practice. I spent 5 minutes with a gp who has only just met me who knows nothing about me and wants to give me antidepressants. This is a big deal for me and the side effects scare me frankly. Like I said I dont feel particularly anxious, yes I have a busy life, stressful job, family to look after, hockey, running, and other stuff but this is normal for me and I have plodded along like this for many years with these symptons and managed, do I really need these meds and should I take them just because a gp who I just met and knows nothing about me said I should? Surely there are other methods of help support out there that we should try before antidepressants.
Hopefully someone can offer some info/ advice

Thanks
Sarah

[Daisy Sue]

Hi & welcome :)

Have you ever had any other anxiety type symptoms? If not, then if I were you, I think I'd want the physical symptoms that you're experiencing checking out properly, before assuming it's anxiety for sure.

Maybe you could see a cardio specialist, for a one-off appointment, and if he agrees, then go on the antidepressants.

That's the way I'd do things anyway, especially if the GP was new to me and the diagnosis was made so quickly.