Hello Everyone

[trus75]

Hi there, first of all if you find many English errors on my posts, please forgive me, I'm not very good with the language :D

I'm 39 yo male and I have heart-related panic attacks. I mean, I don't have any problem at all with my heart except some PVCs / PACs, but I'm kind of "heart-obsessed" and sometimes I catch my heart going a little faster and can't stop thinking about it, then it goes faster, faster, faster... and you know how it ends. I've had a recent episode when my HR went to 189, so you can imagine how bad it was. But fortunately it went back to "normal" after a few minutes. Anyway, every time that I have these panic attacks, I think I'm going to die. I know it's ridiculous, but what can I do? I'm always measuring my pulse, if I feel some tingling in my hands or feet, I associate with heart issues, If I feel some pain in my jaw, the same story. I'm lucky that I don't have chest pain often, otherwise I really don't know how I could even leave home and live a "normal" life.

Anyway, some days I'm fine, I can exercise, I can make normal stuff or even run for a while. Other days I just can't do anything, I'm even afraid of walking fast or anything else which makes my heart goes faster, because I feel I can have a panic attack because of that - and in fact I have, often.

I think I will find some people with the same problem here, so if you can do anything to help me, I appreciate :)

:)

Have a nice day

[Red angel]

Hi I was exactly the same as you are I was heart obsessed I'd constantly have my finger on my neck checking my pulse and when I had a panic attack the pains I got in my chest and the rapid heartbeat I was convinced I was goin to die I've rang for an ambulance quite a few times because I honestly thought I was dying. After suffering with panic attacks for over 10 years I can control them with breathing but sometimes it's best just to let the panic attack out . Just remember panic attacks cannot harm you you won't have a heart attack and die. I know they are very scary but try to keep that thought in your head that it's just a panic attack you'll be fine try breathing big slow breaths calm yourself down and the panic attack should ease off...if they are very strong and frequent then maybe a trip to your doctors would help they can give u medication or behavioural therapy to help you deal with the attacks. Hope your feeling better soon x

[trus75]

Hi RedAngel and thank you very much for your post. Fortunately my panic attacks don't cause any chest pain, just the heart beating like crazy (probably at its maximum rate), some dizziness and a strange "electrical shock" to my head, a really weird sensation that I can't even explain (it's probably the adrenaline). Then, after the attack, sometimes I have a light/moderate pain and tingling on jaw and/or arms, I'm almost sure the pain is caused by the anxiety.

Sometimes they're very strong indeed, but they occur in some weird patterns: I can stay 5 or 6 years perfectly fine and then I have 6 or 7 attacks in 1 month... and I can't really connect them to anything different in my life, even if I know that my attacks are all induced by my thoughts. At the time I started feeling them again, 2 months ago, I was very calm, my work is going well, I have a normal life, no stress at all... so I just can't associate it with any bad situation. Doctors told me to take Diazepam 5mg in the morning + 5mg with lunch for two weeks, but it simply makes me feel sleepy and slow, It doesn't make my problem go away. I've had an attack while taking it, so I decided to stop. Now I'm heart-obsessed again, reading stuff about heart diseases all the time on internet, which makes me feel a lot worse. Somehow I think I have some heart problem that was not diagnosed, and it makes me crazy!

I will try the breathing exercises in a regular basis. I've already tried it, but not very often, so it will probably make me feel better. Thank you again.

[Red angel]

Your welcome just remember your not alone with this :-) I also have the pins and needles during and after an attack they can even get so bad that my arms twist involuntary they have traveled into my face and forehead aswell one of the paramedics in one of the ambulances I have rang for said you get tingles because of the oxygen and adrenalin because your breathing fast you make your heart beat faster so it pumps the blood to fast round your body causing the tingle sensation. I'm a google addict I always look up my symptoms and its the WORST thing you can do but it still doesn't stop me lookin my pains and feelings up lol it's not good at all so please try not to google ...I was and still an convinced I have cancer,brain tumours,blood clots,heart problems ect it's everyday I feel this way so I totally understand. Unfortunately this is a common symptom of our panic and anxiety disorders living in fear is part of my everyday life....don't let the anxiety devil break you try everything in your power to ease your stress wether it's medication,herbal remedies or counselling just see what helps you and stick with it there is light at the end of the tunnel for people like us :-) good luck to u xx

[trus75]

RedAngel I understand you so well, last year a had a pain on my lower abdomen for 3-4 days in the same place. A normal person would think it's just some irritation and would just ignore the pain. But I thought it was some kind of colon cancer.....

Sometimes, when I have these panic attacks, I think to myself "F***, everyone is going to die someday, so why am I so afraid?". For a few times I really thought I was going to die, and I even accepted it (I know it's so strange to say this, but it was true).

I will try to take your advices and try to relax. And tomorrow I'm going to the place where I had my last attack, because I want to fight this feeling. It will be scary, but I won't let it control me. if I have another attack, well.. I think I can deal with them much better now!

Take care of yourself too and thank you once again