dave316
20-02-07, 22:06
Hi guys, I hope you can advise me.
Firstly, I have had arrythmias for a very long time now (2 years or so). These consist of fast and slow heartbeats alternating sometimes after breaths (ie i can breathe in and out once and feel my heart racing and then after the next heartbeart, my heart can go slow again. This also happens when i stand up after being seated or lying down. I also get skipped beats very frequently and a sensation of never been able to get a deep breathe. I everyday wake up with what feels like a blocked nose, but it doesnt feel stuffy like when you have a cold but is more like constricted airways. It is weird to explain but it feels like there is something heavy around my heart area, like theres something there.
I have had panic attacks, anxiety, hypochondria and health anxiety since 2001 and at first the main problem was just the panic attacks but over the years its got more like funny sensations in the heart area, a pulsating above my navel, arrythmias and difficulty breathing. Are these still just symptoms of panic and anxiety or have i got something more sinister do you think? I am terrified of doctors and so i haven't been to check myself over at all.
Secondly, I need your advice guys on this also. I lately have been really bad travelling in cars. Over the last few times i have been in a car, I have felt myself not being able to breathe, closed in and hyperventilating as a result of this, making me feel lightheaded. I am terrified of fainting as it is what happened to a family friend of mine initially which acted as a trigger, giving birth to my panic attacks and anxiety back in Sept 2001. This is bad in general when travelling but worse when at traffic lights or in a situation where easy escape from the car is not possible such as when the car is in the middle lane of a high street. What can i do to remain calm in such situations? I have a spray called 'rescue remedy', does this really actually do anything to dissolve the sensations of panic attacks as they arise?
Are there also things i can do to divert my brain from the thoughts of panic (like when you pinch your skin to send signals to brain, breaking the train of thought of panic symptoms). Are there any other similar things you can do to your body externally to divert these signals and stop the panic symptoms in their tracks? If so, please can you tell me? Thanks. I appreciate that breathing deeply helps loads but unfortunately i have trouble concentrating on this when in times of extreme anxiety and panic so if you can tell me of the other ways to divery panic thoughts, please share them :)
I asked someone once about panic attacks and if they can cause severe damage to you and someone said they can cause you to faint and have breathing arrest (cessation of breathing). Has anyone else heard about this ot whether it can happen?
Can prolonged anxiety and panic also cause you to suffer from the following: heart failure, heart disease, heart attacks, cardiac arrest, enlarged hearts or strokes?
By the symptoms i listed at the top of this message, when i asked someone else about what they could indicate someone said left ventricular failure. I am terrified now. Do you think this is true? can anxiety and panic cause this by the arrythmias and skipped beats/difficulty breathing mentioned earlier? Please advise
I am male by the way, 24 years old (almost 25).
Id appreciate your advice on the above items if you can!
Cheers,
God Bless
Dave
Firstly, I have had arrythmias for a very long time now (2 years or so). These consist of fast and slow heartbeats alternating sometimes after breaths (ie i can breathe in and out once and feel my heart racing and then after the next heartbeart, my heart can go slow again. This also happens when i stand up after being seated or lying down. I also get skipped beats very frequently and a sensation of never been able to get a deep breathe. I everyday wake up with what feels like a blocked nose, but it doesnt feel stuffy like when you have a cold but is more like constricted airways. It is weird to explain but it feels like there is something heavy around my heart area, like theres something there.
I have had panic attacks, anxiety, hypochondria and health anxiety since 2001 and at first the main problem was just the panic attacks but over the years its got more like funny sensations in the heart area, a pulsating above my navel, arrythmias and difficulty breathing. Are these still just symptoms of panic and anxiety or have i got something more sinister do you think? I am terrified of doctors and so i haven't been to check myself over at all.
Secondly, I need your advice guys on this also. I lately have been really bad travelling in cars. Over the last few times i have been in a car, I have felt myself not being able to breathe, closed in and hyperventilating as a result of this, making me feel lightheaded. I am terrified of fainting as it is what happened to a family friend of mine initially which acted as a trigger, giving birth to my panic attacks and anxiety back in Sept 2001. This is bad in general when travelling but worse when at traffic lights or in a situation where easy escape from the car is not possible such as when the car is in the middle lane of a high street. What can i do to remain calm in such situations? I have a spray called 'rescue remedy', does this really actually do anything to dissolve the sensations of panic attacks as they arise?
Are there also things i can do to divert my brain from the thoughts of panic (like when you pinch your skin to send signals to brain, breaking the train of thought of panic symptoms). Are there any other similar things you can do to your body externally to divert these signals and stop the panic symptoms in their tracks? If so, please can you tell me? Thanks. I appreciate that breathing deeply helps loads but unfortunately i have trouble concentrating on this when in times of extreme anxiety and panic so if you can tell me of the other ways to divery panic thoughts, please share them :)
I asked someone once about panic attacks and if they can cause severe damage to you and someone said they can cause you to faint and have breathing arrest (cessation of breathing). Has anyone else heard about this ot whether it can happen?
Can prolonged anxiety and panic also cause you to suffer from the following: heart failure, heart disease, heart attacks, cardiac arrest, enlarged hearts or strokes?
By the symptoms i listed at the top of this message, when i asked someone else about what they could indicate someone said left ventricular failure. I am terrified now. Do you think this is true? can anxiety and panic cause this by the arrythmias and skipped beats/difficulty breathing mentioned earlier? Please advise
I am male by the way, 24 years old (almost 25).
Id appreciate your advice on the above items if you can!
Cheers,
God Bless
Dave