TofuMama
15-08-14, 06:01
I'm not really used to full blown panic attacks.
The ones I get are causative normally. I'll be obsessively thinking about a particular symptom, and then it'll seem worse and worse, til I freak out, then I get a little scared, and it's over, and it's all better.
But there are some night panic attacks I get lately that scare the unholy hell out of me. They feel like a shot of straight adrenaline. I'm asleep and then suddenly I'm bolt awake. This evening was the same.
I woke up at 5am, I was immediately very awake. I started scrambling for my laptop to calm down and distract myself. I felt my heart rate at 140. I freaked out and went for my phone. Heart rate 160. Or maybe 180. Or 140. I don't even know but it was thumping so hard and so fast I was confused why my breathing was absolutely fine.
I stood up, and feeling hot flashes all over, went to the bedroom my partner was sleeping in, though my heart rate did not elevate. I woke him, telling him to call an ambulance. He told me to calm down. I told him this wasn't normal, and call an ambulance. He said it was totally normal. I was calming down but my heart rate was not. It lasted about 30 seconds as I sat down, and then it begun to tumble down, 120, 110, 100.. 90.. 80. He said "See? It's a panic attack. If it was an arrhythmia it would've been like an on/off switch. Not a gradual comedown from a panic attack."
I've never been so freaked out. It was so fast. Has anyone else had this type of attack? I was expecting to be gasping for air, but I wasn't breathless at all, I was breathing normally. I had no other symptoms, just heightened fear and my heart beat not being out of control but being very fast, and very hard.
The ones I get are causative normally. I'll be obsessively thinking about a particular symptom, and then it'll seem worse and worse, til I freak out, then I get a little scared, and it's over, and it's all better.
But there are some night panic attacks I get lately that scare the unholy hell out of me. They feel like a shot of straight adrenaline. I'm asleep and then suddenly I'm bolt awake. This evening was the same.
I woke up at 5am, I was immediately very awake. I started scrambling for my laptop to calm down and distract myself. I felt my heart rate at 140. I freaked out and went for my phone. Heart rate 160. Or maybe 180. Or 140. I don't even know but it was thumping so hard and so fast I was confused why my breathing was absolutely fine.
I stood up, and feeling hot flashes all over, went to the bedroom my partner was sleeping in, though my heart rate did not elevate. I woke him, telling him to call an ambulance. He told me to calm down. I told him this wasn't normal, and call an ambulance. He said it was totally normal. I was calming down but my heart rate was not. It lasted about 30 seconds as I sat down, and then it begun to tumble down, 120, 110, 100.. 90.. 80. He said "See? It's a panic attack. If it was an arrhythmia it would've been like an on/off switch. Not a gradual comedown from a panic attack."
I've never been so freaked out. It was so fast. Has anyone else had this type of attack? I was expecting to be gasping for air, but I wasn't breathless at all, I was breathing normally. I had no other symptoms, just heightened fear and my heart beat not being out of control but being very fast, and very hard.