Need reassurance that this is a panic attack

[Ditapage]

I get the horrible lightheaded/dizziness that accompanies the racing heart, but I get it without the racing heart. I get a weird feeling in my left arm like it wants to go numb. I can move it fine, though. It just suddenly feels heavy. My head sometimes starts to tighten on both sides, I feel hot, and have an urge to go to the toilet.

Because my heart doesn't race with every one of them episodes, I start worrying that it isn't a panic attack. Does anyone else get identical/similar symptoms?

[millielaura]

Yes I get symptoms like that! Feeling dizzy and lightheaded for no reason, without the racing heart and without a massive urge of panic, which of course then makes me panic! I get the left arm feeling too, it feels hard to move! It makes me think I'm having a heart attack!

[Speranza]

Yes, absolutely 'normal' panic attack. Hugs. :hugs:

[Ditapage]

Thank you both so much. As we all well know, this is so hard to deal with. Just when I've gotten used to my symptoms, I get new ones. I dealt with the horrible heavy head feeling and stopped responding with panic, so now the the body has thrown in weak arms, weak legs and pressure behind my eyes.

Millielaura I'm grateful to hear that people experience my kind of panic attack without the racing heart. I used to think maybe we aren't panicking enough for it to be a full blown attack but then I learned you just have to have 4 symptoms --- not necessarily heart/chest related because I don't obsess about my heart. More my head and blood sugar -- I'm actually starting to gain weight from overeating because I've convinced myself that eating makes me feel better when I'm panicking

[poppy1]

I sometimes have the racing heart with none of the panic symptoms. That freaks me out too

[mandie]

Yes I get this, and a lot of times without the racing heart. Iv got it now and of course its making me panic more so the symptoms are getting worse!

[xvolatileheart]

Wow, everything you've written sounds like I could've written it! For the past 1.5 years, I've been having daily panic with racing heart, but as of a week ago, the racing heart has gone. I would like to think it's because I finally came to grips (somewhat) with the heart symptoms, but of course I'm worried now that either my heart has gotten too weak or this isn't panic at all. I also get a lot of lightheaded/dizziness, left arm heaviness, pressure behind my eyes, weak limbs. Now that I don't have my heart symptoms to focus on, I've moved on to believing I have low blood sugar so I eat every few hours because I think it makes me feel better (not sure if that's all in my head or not!) Also I'm much more focused on my psychological symptoms now - I feel not real, nothing feels real, I feel stuck in my head and like I can't interact with the real word. I still want to believe that there is a physical reason for this and that it's not just me being a nutcase, though realistically I'm sure that's the case. :wacko:

Wishing you the best, you're certainly not alone.

[LoveIsFree]

Yep, that's panic. You're okay. I get the same things, daily. One thing I've learned is don't try to escape the anxiety by focusing on the symptoms and trying to figure out how to make them go away. Easier said than done, I know but it helps to just say to yourself "okay, this is what I'm feeling because of my anxiety and it will pass"

But I know how you feel. Sometimes I get heart palps and racing heart just out of the blue(well, something had to have triggered my anxiety but I don't know what) and they scare me.

I get the hot flushes and the bothersome "pulled muscle" feeling in my arm, also.




Take care and well wishes.

-T

[rockydog]

I know what you mean with the low blood sugar I also feel I need to eat when I get shaky or dizzy and have started eating too often and gaining weight. Nearly all my symptoms are head related and sometimes the racing heart comes after. take care

[millielaura]

I hate the feelings of not being real, they really freak me out

[Barrie]

I can relate I'm having that pain right now in my left arm going right upto my shoulder and down my back plus the heart pain

[starlight78]

I never seem to get a racing heart either.. My main symptoms are tingling in my hands and feet and then a feeling of unreality... I feel terrified and have a sense that something awful is about to happen, but I don't know what! It's all very bleurghhhh!!' X

[Ditapage]

Wow, everything you've written sounds like I could've written it! For the past 1.5 years, I've been having daily panic with racing heart, but as of a week ago, the racing heart has gone. I would like to think it's because I finally came to grips (somewhat) with the heart symptoms, but of course I'm worried now that either my heart has gotten too weak or this isn't panic at all. I also get a lot of lightheaded/dizziness, left arm heaviness, pressure behind my eyes, weak limbs. Now that I don't have my heart symptoms to focus on, I've moved on to believing I have low blood sugar so I eat every few hours because I think it makes me feel better (not sure if that's all in my head or not!) Also I'm much more focused on my psychological symptoms now - I feel not real, nothing feels real, I feel stuck in my head and like I can't interact with the real word. I still want to believe that there is a physical reason for this and that it's not just me being a nutcase, though realistically I'm sure that's the case. :wacko:

Wishing you the best, you're certainly not alone.



Wow that's exactly what I'm experiencing. I start to freak out if I feel like I haven't eaten or need sugar when I'm not sure if that's the case. It could be entirely psychological since the need food now thought triggers the panic. Since I've started having more frequent panic attacks again, I think food makes me feel better so I eat a lot and my psychologist told me that's how I could develop a weight problem. Makes sense! I haven't ruled out this is also OCD related. I have had intrusive thoughts before. My new one is I'm going to have a diabetes attack and no one is gonna be able to help me. That's the obsession, and the compulsion is to eat.

I'll get tested for blood sugar problems but I had the same symptoms when my nightmare with panic disorder started 2 years ago and my blood sugar was "perfect." I can still feel hot, shaky & weak when I HAVE eaten.

Maybe you can relate: I think I'm mistaking panic attacks for blood sugar problems. Because when I do start feeling hot, weak & shaky my brain goes "need food now!" And I go into full panic mode if its not readily available. And I feel better 10 minutes or 20 max, after eating, but that could just be the panic calming down because I am most definitely feeling anxious when it happens. My friend has diabetes and starts to get shaky if she has to eat, but it doesn't make her panic. I try to calm down when I feel this way by saying to myself if I had a serious medical problem something would actually happen... The fact that I don't pass out or anything and feel very calm again about 20 minutes later (depending on how focused and diligent I am about diaphragm breathing) goes to show its largely imagined. Real, but psychologically.

Interesting that we both experience this!

[xvolatileheart]

Very interesting, and you could be right! I'm too scared to test out your theory though because I am TERRIFIED of passing out. I'm exactly the same though - I get fixated on the idea that I have to eat right this second or I could faint or become very unwell, so I find something and it calms me down. I get obsessive thoughts, too. Feels like they're totally out of control at this point, so I just give into them.

[Dizzy_Dave]

I sometimes have the racing heart with none of the panic symptoms. That freaks me out too

Get yourself down the docs and ask for ARVC and SVT heart tests ASAP. Tell him that you have a racing heart at rest for no reason. Do not take no for an answer.

[kennethman1]

Can someone tell me the difference between GAD (general anxiety disorder) and Panic disorder.....i'm not sure what I have, but sometimes when I think of anxious thoughts I sometimes get more and more anxious if I don't distract myself in time...