Out of the blue

[roseanxiety]

Does anyone get a warning when they are about to have a panic attack or do they most often happen suddenly with no warning out of the blue? If you do get a warning, and are aware you are about to have one, what is the warning sign?

[Catherine S]

My panics fortunately aren't so random, they come if i'm in a situation where I can't remove myself easily, such as anywhere crowded because i'm extremely claustrophobic. So for me panic starts usually with a feeling of real terror, moving up or down the scale of1to10 depending on the situation. Then comes the feeling of not getting enough air and wanting to escape before I pass out. I've never passed out through panic and always try to talk myself out of it and sometimes it works.

I don't get them so often now though. I think I became so exhausted with them over the years that as soon as I started saying oh bugger it, they happened less.

ISB x

[insideout20]

mine come out of nowhere quite often, like i was watching tv and i felt it harder and harder to focus on it, also i usually get one on the train or when walking to the station, i have managed to control mine to the point i dont completley freak out about them

the best thing to do to overcome them is to try and make them worse when you get them and laugh at them, in saying that i have been doing that and they havent gone away yet

last week i had a major one and my heart went to 160 bpm

[Magic]

I know when my panic sets in, Being in places where it is noisy. Have to get out.
Drink of water and a sit down.
Losing something sets me off too. So much so I have stayed up almost all night looking for something, then have to take meds to calm me down.
My brain is so overloaded with stuff. I only wish I was a calm person.

[DoraFlora]

i have some situations that i know can cause me stress and make me more susceptible to having an attack. but often they have been coming out of nowhere. this is the scariest. but i try to tell myself its just panic and that it will not last forever

often i write affirmations on my hand. things like, "remember to breathe. this will not defeat you"

[PanickyGuy]

Usually I get what I call a "buildup" first, before I finally blowup like a volcano in a full panic attack. It's starts with some worrying about this or that in the days or hours beforehand with my heart rate and blood pressure occasionally rising a little bit more than usual, off and on during that time, then at some tipping point later on BAM! Or something that finally sends me over the top and has me explode like a volcano.

When that happens, I first get a head rush\adrenaline rush in the back of my body and head that comes out of nowhere, that's when my blood pressure just about goes through the roof and then a split second later I can feel my heart beating fast and thumping in my chest. And also at the same time I'm in instant doom and gloom mode thinking I'm about to die.

But I usually try and ride it out and if it keeps on after 5 minutes, I take a ativian to help bring me back to being calm and normal again. Then either a couple of weeks later to a month later, I go through the same similar experience all over again. Lol. Man if I can get a month break from it, that's peace of mind to me versus having another one about a week or two later. It just depends on how much worrying I do about anything up until that moment of a full panic attack.

[SleeplessInOhio]

I usually get a little light headed...mmm a head rush if you will, before my panic attack sets in. I don't really have social anxiety... I just get bad panic attacks when I stress and worry about the problems in my life. They seem to come at random, but I've learned to cope with it now.

[roseanxiety]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Have a calm and peaceful day.😊:)

[Justanutter]

Lately been going a bit lightheaded then followed by a horrible wave feeling starting in diaphragm all the way up chest and down both arms as if I'll faint but don't. Last few times, have had my chest hurt or ache with it as well. Terrified it's my heart and rushed off to dr last time it happened but she said as ecgs have always been fine, it's anxiety. It's happening when I walk lately as well, which I already have a phobia about now and think I'm about to have a full blown heart attack. I've had panic attacks in the past but they were different than this.

[Petesy]

Hi nurseanxiety

My panic attacks have came out of the blue with no warning sign, pretty scary those ones because we can't put our finger on the trigger with those ones it leaves us with no time too think..

Mines are usually triggered by numbness atm had one last night it was horrendous!

I'm a firm believer in how our day was..how stressed we are on that day.. And what kind of atmosphere have we put ourselves into to cause such random attacks.

I hope you're feeling better....

I'm gonna get out today no matter what because I've been spending quite a lot of time at home and i cycle �� �� so it clears my mind aswell as exercise.

Take care x

[Panic sufferer]

I've had panic attacks in the past but they were different than this.

How have yours changed? Suspect it's the same with me. I know mine have been much more intense than usual over the last couple of months, and responding to more than the usual triggers. I realise now this is due to an unrelated health anxiety, but irritatingly even with the health anxiety fixed, the attacks have continued.

[Justanutter]

Just started getting the strange waves and body rush high I never got in the past which has now progressed to getting chest pains with them. In the past, it was racing heart and agitation and rapid breathing.

[Ethansmom]

mine are triggered by heart palpitations. I can scared. I am going to the doctor today to see if I can have some testing done so that I can move on.