Have You Ever Had A Panic Attack Like This?

[samtheman]

This came into my head today, I take it this was a panic attack I had a few years ago, Now I've had panic attacks before but not like this.

I was in the doctors surgery waiting room, it was a Friday evening and it was packed, I had waited at least an hour and was getting very frustrated, I hate social situations but that wasn't even funny, I eventually had enough and got up to talk to the receptionist, I stood up my legs turned to jelly, My hearing turned to and echo, and my head felt like it was spining, everyone chatting in the waiting room turned to an echo, I had to walk out with my hands on the wall holding myself up, I went outside and the doctors car was parked I leant over it and eventually it went away but what was that???

I've had panic attacks before but I don't think that was one, I was having panic attacks in that waiting room but doctors etc tell you to sit through them and that seems to be the end result??

[neptuno]

Jelly legs and dizziness sounds like a panic attack to me ! Also you had a classic fight or flight response and made a rapid exit to the car park. Try to acknowledge this as agitation made worse by waiting forever for your appointment - hey ! we'd all feel the same in that situation !
Be kind to yourself

[miss motown]

yes hun i have that quite often and yes its the flight ur fight and you chose not to fight i often do the same just want to run and get away from that situation every panick attack is different and thats why when it happens you get quite scared as its a different feeling from wot youve experianced in the past its not a nice feeling but it does pass big hugs for you

[JohnS]

I've had that once before :( I think that's the worst one, I fell down infront of a lot of people that didn't even ask if I was ok.. it was at work and at the time, the boss was asleep! There was a huge queue in the shop when it happened so I'm thinking that's what caused it.. after that one, I just got worse.

[Anna77]

Hi Sam,

I think it was a panic attack, just a different kind to those that you've experienced before. Obviously i can't be certain, but it sounds like it was possibly a vasovagal attack / vasovagal syncope.

This is the form panic attacks always seem to take for me - they're inconveniant and frustrating, but not harmful. Claire Weeks mentions them (admittedly very briefly) in her 'Self-help for your Nerves' book.

I've found the best way of dealing with them is to basically do as you did! Ideally, i find if i can lie or sit down for a minute or so (sadly not always possible!), then it passes pretty quickly, and then i feel back to 'normal' again.

Hope this helps a little. Take care,

Lorelai x

[BarbedSpirit]

i ususally feel like that just before i faint.....