What was your WORST panic attack like

[MidnightCalm]

What did you feel and what set it off? Where were you?
I've had many terrible ones and I think I recently had my worst.
I was walking back from my local corner shop and my breathing started to get faster and more shallow, I felt like my lungs shrank to the size of a pea!
My head went dizzy, I sweated, couldn't place my feet. My eyes went blurry, I was confused, heart POUNDING so fast there were barely spaces between beats. Headache, pains all over body.
They're horrible aren't they?

[Catherine S]

Mine are usually connected to my claustrophobia and the very worst one was some years ago when my two girls weren't very old and we were watching TV one Saturday night when without warning everything went off...TV and lights and the whole house was in complete darkness. I fumbled and stumbled to the front door only to find the street was in blackout too! It felt really oppressive and I couldn't breathe and felt like I was going to pass out and to my shame I left my girls behind in my panic to get out into the air. My neighbour got into his car outside and started the engine and put on the headlights...such a relief to be able to see again! I've heard the term 'blind panic' and it was. I've had many panics since but this one sticks in my mind the most. After that I made sure I always had candles and matches within reach :blush:

[MidnightCalm]

I always have a big bag of tealights just incase a situation like that happened! Haha.

[angels22165]

Hi
How did your anxiety levels calm after your attack walking back from the shop? I had one of first panic attacks about 20 years ago walking with my two young children then, I rushed home with them feeling like I couldn't breath it was the scariest time of my life, when I got in I quickly sat down and took a Diazepam talking to the children all the time for distraction and within minutes my breathing did start to calm, I put this down to taking the diazepam and now 20 years later I don't walk any distance and especially not up any hills, the least bit of exertion makes me panic and the breathing symptoms start again, the odd few really scary panic attacks I have had has really taken their toll. I know the diazepam dont instantly work so it must of been the panic levels decreasing on their own accord, but to this day I fear walking any distance againXx

[t0rt01se36]

I've had a few bad panic attacks and it's the trembling that's worse for me and I too feel claustrophobic.

I was in a taxi nearly 10 years ago and I trembled so much, I could hardly talk, my hands were shaking so much so, that I could hardly get my money out of my purse, to pay the taxi driver and I just wanted fresh air. I was going to a hotel to meet some famous people, at the time, as a last min decision and when I got out of the taxi, i was still trembling, holding my autograph book.

On a train journey I had a panic attack and had to ring people to make me feel calmer.

Took me a few years to get my confidence back, to travel by train again.

[ColourODarkness]

I've only had 3 or 4 MAJOR panic attacks that I've not been able to cope with alone since I started having anxiety, and I think the first one I ever had was the worst, simply because I had no idea how to deal with it.

It started in my bedroom, I got pain in my arm and chest and thought I might be having a heart attack (I was 14), I ran down to my mum, legs shaking, sweating, finding it hard to breathe and she simply told me I was being stupid and overreacting. I spent 45 minutes breathing into a paper bag and my mum had to phone the out of hours doctor.

Other than that I had a particularly terrible one last year when I thought I might be diabetic. I was practically convulsing my shaking was so bad and I almost threw up on several occasions. I ended up calling my mum, crying, asking her to book me an appointment with a therapist because I couldn't keep living with the anxiety.

[GingerFish]

I had PD and agoraphobia for a year but I'm over it now. I have never been a fan of flying and flying can make those who don't even get panic attacks, panic like hell!

Anyhoo, about a month ago I was flying back home from Dublin. The flight was only 30 mins but felt like a life time. It was a Ryanair flight so we were all packed in like sardines and I was in the middle with my bf at the window side and a random guy on the ailse side. I had been feeling extreme nerves all day, even before I got to the airport and I took so many panics in the airport before the flight that I honestly didn't know how I would make it through the flight.

I've always hated take off but its so much worse when you are jam packed into the plane. I did feel panicky when taking off but its kind of over so quick you can't really act on the panic, you just feel it. Well after maybe a min or 2 of reaching the cruising height, I took the worst panic attack of my life. I suddenly felt fear I have never felt before. It only lasted about 10 secs, if that, I said loudly, not loudly enough for the whole plane to hear or anything though "I'm having a panic attack"and I grabbed my bf's arm plus the guy's beside me arm too by accident instead of the arm rest. He turned around like "wtf?!". I couldn't apologise enough and told him I had a panic attack. He said it was ok but he kind of sneered at me and his wife was on the ailse seat on the row next to us and you could see them sniggering and rolling their eyes. I had never felt so uncomfortable or embarrassed in all my life. I still cringe and want to cry when I think about it. Sadly, its those kind of things that always are in your head, never the good stuff! I honestly felt like I was dying. The room was spinning and felt like it was closing in on me, felt like I couldn't breathe, I took a hot flush.

Tbh its put me off ever flying again. I've not had a panic attack since the flight though which is good.

[koala]

one of my worst attacks was after a day at the beach. Me and my friends were walking back to my friends car eating ice cream then bam... panic attack. Think food is a trigger for me as i was absolutely fine until then. All i remember feeling is very sick and hot. Thought i was going to throw up in my friends car the whole way home. Infact i don't know how i wasn't sick i felt that bad. i was trying to take deep breathes but they weren't working then my friend took over an hour to get home cos we had had to drop one friend off in the town centre, got stuck in traffic works and rush hour traffic, she had to get petrol and then go to her boyfriends at the other end of town so he could get a change of clothes, he took forever to get ready, then we finally left town to head home. All this time they knew i felt really sick. I was cursing them the whole way home (not out loud though as i felt so ill i couldn't talk). My boyfriend tried to comfort me by patting my hand n i slapped it away cos it made me feel like i was going to vomit. Haven't been able to get lifts in other peoples cars since.

[krischoy]

Hi,

I have unforgettable experienced about panic attack. I am working as an Intensive Care Unit Nurse and that time I am on duty and I have a patient who was experiencing cardiac arrest and my panic starts. I am having hyperventilation. good thing that I was able to cope with it right now and resolve my panic/anxiety problems.

[DJP]

My worst ones always involve a very rapid heart beat. That symptom freaks me out like no other. I was driving and felt some kind of discomfort in my chest and since that only takes a split second to register in our brains as panic, the floodgates had been opened. I felt like I was being chased by a tiger, heart beating a million times a second. And it's not just the rapid heart beat, it's the incredibly uncomfortable, horrible sensations that accompany it. It is just the worst feeling in the world. Those are quite scary.

The incredible thing is that 30 minutes after the worst panic attack I ever had, I was able to attend a very important business meeting. I was a whisker from driving straight to the hospital, but was able to drive back to the office instead. My co-workers had no idea what I had just been through.

The takeaway for me is that the Panic / "feeling fine" line can be very thin - do not underestimate your body's ability to move on and recover. I am by no means 'fine' and have had numerous anxiety filled days since, but I have hope in knowing that these too will pass and that if I learn to take better care of myself, they will diminish. Kudos to our host for giving us all hope and for the many fine suggestions in the welcome article.

[Catherine S]

Amen to that sentiment DJP :)

ISB x

[debs71]

My worst....I have two.

First was when I came on shift in A&E after handing in my notice, was being interrogated (oops sorry, I mean questioned) by the Sister about it, and felt increasingly unsettled. I then felt my legs turning to jelly and had to sit down. All the time she is still jabbering on, but by this time I knew what was coming. She asked was I ok, I said no, and she started to escort me to an empty bed to lay down. I then just remember opening my eyes, sweat dripping from me, laying on the floor, and the Sister is calling for a doctor. I was sent home with a diagnosis of a vasovagal attack ( a faint) but I knew well and good it was a panic attack.

The second time was so ridiculous, but just as bad for me. I was in the hairdresser (of all places) sitting having highlights done, and midway through with half a head of foils, and out of nowhere I felt my heart thumping out of my chest, sweat pouring off my forehead and my hands started going tingly and numb. I asked the hairdresser if I could just pop off to the loo as I felt a bit faint. No sooner did I reach the door of the toilet, everything went black and I dropped on the floor. The funny thing is, it is both one of the worst attacks I have had, but also one of the most ridiculously humorous, as I just remember the face of the poor, young junior looking down at me from above saying 'Are you ok?' as I lay there on the floor with my gown on and half a head of foils!

Embarrassing doesn't even begin to cover it.

My worst panic attacks ALWAYS culminate in me passing out or dropping to the floor. I find this so frightening and frustrating as all ever hear is that we cannot pass out from a panic as blood pressure rises, but I do, and all I can put it down to is hyperventilation, although I am really not aware that I do that. I also drip sweat, my heart pounds through my chest, I feel like I want to run, and a sense of everything being unreal.

I hate them.

[blue moon]

My first was bloody Hell:mad:I do not want to re live that horrible day or should I say weeks.

[sarainadream]

I still do not know if I have panic attacks but randomly out of nowhere, I get: sweaty, my legs go numb, my head tingles and gets hot at the back and also feels heavy/full of pressure, I feel like I am going to be sick and/or faint. My ears also get muffled and my own voice sounds weird. I have NEVER experienced these attacks until this year. I do not know why. Last year was much more stressful for me (got married, bought a house, had a big exam for work) and I felt 100% fine. This year, I started having these attacks that range from mild (some head heaviness, hearing distortion but I can keep walking) to full blown incapacitated (very close to fainting and having to lie down). I have NO idea what the triggers are as every situation is different (lying in bed, watching TV, in a store). I have had to run out of stores before and also once had 911 called as I was in a public bathroom and could not stand up.
These attacks have lead to extreme health anxiety all relating to my brain. I am on medication for migraines but these attacks continue...

[Junglechicken]

The worst one I had was at work at the beginning of this year.

I got the sweats, couldn't breath, felt nauseous, nearly passed out, had the tingling and numbness in my arms and hands. Someone had dialed 911 and the paramedics turned up. I got stretchered out of the office (very embarrassing).


I got given the once over, then ambulanced to hospital, checked again and discharged having explained to the medics that I had an anxiety disorder. I was diagnosed this year.

[bingjam]

I remember when I jut moved out of my mums home and got my own place it was an apartment in a second floor. Heights terrify me but I thought it wouldn't bother me with it being safe and secure.
Anyway I moved out of my mums in the November and I was loving it, the one day in December I was having a bath got out and dried myself and had that horrid feeling rising from my stomach, there was no one with me so I wrapped the towel around me went out into the hallway and begged someone to help me I was screaming for an ambulance was lucky that someone was there because I honestly felt like I was dying, this man calmed me down took me back inside and left.... I tried to go to sleep and another one come, even worse than the first one so I rang my mum hysterical and told her I was dying (she knows when I'm like this I'm having a panic attack) she manage again to calm me down...
When I felt a little better I knew I just had to go back to my mums, so on the way (20 mins) I had 5 panic attacks only little ones but they got scarier and scarier I was hanging out of the car window and had to keep stopping pulled up at my mums, ran to the door and literally banged until mum answered,
No joke that night I had about 12 panic attacks and it was the worst night it life and I had to give my apartment up and move into a house as I felt that it had something to do with it

[ald91]

I have suffered many attacks, but the one that tops the cake happened when I lived in Florida. It started off like it normally does -- tingly in my arms, hearing and feeling my heart pounding in my chest, shaking, and hyperventilating. Unfortunately, this time, it kept getting worse. The tingly spread throughout my whole body, My shakes turned into violent spasms, my face, fingers, and toes went completely numb, I was lightheaded and dizzy, and felt severely nauseous. I go into this state where nothing feels real - the best way to describe it is like I'm closed off in a transparent bubble where no one can reach me and I can't reach them. This attack lasted a little over 2 hours.

What brought me out of it was a phone call from my ex's brother in law. It was someone I was not expecting to be my support at that time, since I hardly knew him, but he was able to bring me back to reality and out of the attack.

I'll never know for certain what triggered such a powerful attack, but I think it was stress related. I was completely and utterly miserable when I lived in Florida, and I think the stress I accumulated came out all at once.

[popejoan]

The last one I had was terrible. At first I thought I was having an indigestion, I felt sick and couldn't breathe, than I started feeling like my mind is floating above my head, I felt like everything was unreal, I felt lightheaded, dizzy and lights were too bright, I felt like there were hands around my neck. I started hyperventilating and in 5 mins my limbs got out of control. My legs and arms were shaking so badly and I had no control over them. It was over in 20 mins and I felt too tired afterwards. It was about 1.5 months ago.

[kristaok]

Sometime after my mom died I had the most horrible PA in my life! It got so bad I fell due to vertigo. I went deaf, I couldn't speak right, everything was all slow motion. I turned pale from hyperventilating, and I kept semi blacking out, it was so scary.

[Carnation]

My worst ones were trying to drive the car. Thought I was having a heart attack. Felt shivery, crawling sensation up and down my legs, sweating, a feeling of not being there, heart pounding, choking and not being able to breath properly, extreme belching and pains in the chest area. And the other bad one was at my Parents house. My legs turned heavy, I felt that I was going to pass out. had a funny sensation in the top of my head; like the blood was not getting through. Turned very pale and disorientated. Pain in the left arm and crawlies up and down the legs with a mist around me like a feeling of being in a bubble. It lasted about 5 minutes. :scared15:

[NE21 worrier]

Worst panic attack. One of two occasions, I think.

(1) The first was immediately before a holiday to Thailand. Me and some good friends were going on the Saturday, this was the Monday. I had never been outside of Europe and, at this stage, I was actually finding travelling pretty much anywhere outside my comfort zone to be difficult. Most of all, I didn't think I would cope with the distance, the heat, the humidity, the different cuisine.

On coming in from work, I dry wretched down the toilet even though I had barely eaten anything in the past couple of days. My sleep was all to hell, and I went to a doctor on the Tuesday morning. I got prescribed diazepam to desensitize and went to see him again two later to make a final decision about my holiday.

I gritted my teeth and went, getting as far as Reading (where we stayed with a friend from Thursday) before flying out on Saturday. In the end, I had a wonderful time - possibly the most peaceful and mindful few days of my life. It was bliss.


Sadly, this did not solve my travelling fears...
(2) Also took place abroad - although not as far as Thailand. Instead, I went to Dublin with friends for St Patrick's Day. The panic overcame me while going round the Guinness Storehouse exhibition. I had been nervous about the trip and again had not eaten or slept well in the preceding days. I felt faint around the tour as it was so busy and I ended up being taken to St James A&E in Dublin by a friend.

There was little wrong with me. Low on blood sugar but my heart rate was actually still in the normal range. It was the adrenaline driving my reaction. Still, I wouldn't listen and took to my bed hoping for some rest while my friends had a wild Saturday night out. I took perhaps the most diazepam I ever have and called my mum at home intermittently throughout the night. I really concerned her.

On the Sunday morning, I called her again. I said I felt no better (throat still tight, stomach still acidy) and that my friends had left for the St Patrick's Day Parade without me as I was still cowering in bed. I was in a desperate shape - yet my mum was able to convince me to see the light of day and catch up with my friends at the parade.

Again, it turned the trip around. I enjoyed the parade and caught up with my friends properly after it, having a few inadvisable halves of the Black Stuff (considering the diazepam the night before). I was tired and still went to bed early but I had achieved something. By the final day (Monday), I was eating more normally again and enjoyed a history tour. However, I feel I must go back to Dublin to do it properly.

I have chosen these two moments as they are the first ones which come to mind when asked when I have been in my deepest despair. Both ended well, however, and that is perhaps a lesson which I need to remember for the future.