JasonBlue
20-05-16, 11:27
I have used this site for some time when I am feeling anxious and I need some sensible advice and rational comments to help regain my focus and though I would share my story in the hope that it might help other people who fear a heart attack when they panic.
I have had a history of panic attacks/agoraphobia since I was about 14 (I am now 53) and my greatest fears were always that I was having a heart attack and/or I was losing my mind. Well, 10 years ago I actually had a heart attack and it was not due to my anxiety levels or my panic attacks.I had smoked 20-30 cigarettes a day since I was 14 and prior to the heart attack had been living on fast food and takeaways for some time.I am here to tell you that a heart attack is very different to a panic attack!Whilst they do share some of the same symptoms they are very different in their magnitude.Take it from me, you feel “properly” poorly………..The chest pains I get during a panic attack are muscular and you can feel them on the outside of your body.The pain from a heart attack is internal.It feels like someone is squeezing your heart from inside and I can assure you that they are very different and you don’t need to worry. A heart attack severity is measured out of 100 and this is based on the amount of an enzymes released into the bloodstream by the heart.Mine was only a 12 and was low down on the right hand side of the heart.My cardiologist said that this was the heart attack to have if you had to have one as it was the sort that did the least damage.I can tell you that even a small heart attack feels so much worse than a panic attack and you really don’t have to worry about it.He also said that this was a warning and I needed to change my lifestyle which I duly did.I haven’t smoked since that day and I try my best to eat healthily so that fish and chips is now considered a monthly treat as opposed to a daily meal!I also cycle regularly and am probably fitter than I have been since my 20’s.I still get panic attacks when I have stressful times in my life and I still get times when a sudden twinge in the chest will scare me but I just wanted you all to know that a panic attack is NOT a heart attack and they don’t cause them…. Bad lifestyle choices caused my problems NOT my tendency to worry excessively.
I hope people find this helpful………………
I have had a history of panic attacks/agoraphobia since I was about 14 (I am now 53) and my greatest fears were always that I was having a heart attack and/or I was losing my mind. Well, 10 years ago I actually had a heart attack and it was not due to my anxiety levels or my panic attacks.I had smoked 20-30 cigarettes a day since I was 14 and prior to the heart attack had been living on fast food and takeaways for some time.I am here to tell you that a heart attack is very different to a panic attack!Whilst they do share some of the same symptoms they are very different in their magnitude.Take it from me, you feel “properly” poorly………..The chest pains I get during a panic attack are muscular and you can feel them on the outside of your body.The pain from a heart attack is internal.It feels like someone is squeezing your heart from inside and I can assure you that they are very different and you don’t need to worry. A heart attack severity is measured out of 100 and this is based on the amount of an enzymes released into the bloodstream by the heart.Mine was only a 12 and was low down on the right hand side of the heart.My cardiologist said that this was the heart attack to have if you had to have one as it was the sort that did the least damage.I can tell you that even a small heart attack feels so much worse than a panic attack and you really don’t have to worry about it.He also said that this was a warning and I needed to change my lifestyle which I duly did.I haven’t smoked since that day and I try my best to eat healthily so that fish and chips is now considered a monthly treat as opposed to a daily meal!I also cycle regularly and am probably fitter than I have been since my 20’s.I still get panic attacks when I have stressful times in my life and I still get times when a sudden twinge in the chest will scare me but I just wanted you all to know that a panic attack is NOT a heart attack and they don’t cause them…. Bad lifestyle choices caused my problems NOT my tendency to worry excessively.
I hope people find this helpful………………