Panic Disorder?

[Wesker4ev]

Hi my name is Peter and i really think i have Panic Disorder because most of what i read in that article was basically what i have been dealing with. I have been to the hospital and been to a local doctor and have had my blood tested and it all has come back perfectly normal. The only thing not normal was my potassium level which was a little low. The symptoms i have been having is a weird tingly feelings in my hands and arms were they feel really cold. It goes and comes like it doesn't stay with me for the whole day. And tightness in my muscles and i have an anxiety about dying. After getting the tight feeling i start to shake and freek out. Its like im having a heart attack but the doctors say im fine. I had an EKG and blood work but im not sure what the bloodwork tested me for but they say i am fine. I get that tightness all over my body well not all at once. But one time my chest will get really tight then the next my head near my brain. And i keep getting a cold feeling in my hands.I rather ask a pro about this before i make a big deal. Because i am really scared and not sure what to do. I am extremely scared :weep:

[northern_sky]

I had two ECGs and blood tests that were all fine and still thought I was about to have a heart attack any day. Even after 4 months of it my latest health scare I think is going to end in a heart attack it is my main worry. You are not alone there are lots of us out there. :blush: :)

[Lindalou64]

hello sorry your going thru a hard time right now..sounds like ya going into panic attacks when u have these feelings coming on....you have seen your doc and they ruled everything out so know this its anxiety its a awful feeling yes....the tingaling is from your shallow breathing which happens when we feel anxious i gte that alot with the cold feeling and the tightness..have you read thru the links here...it would put ya mind to ease knowing you just have anxiety which goes into panic i know it sucks but knowing what you have and try to stay positive it will pass it will ...i know easy said then done been there and at times i still find myself starting to freak but tg i know how to stop it i just ride it out pay no mind to it keep busy and it passes ...i wish ya the best.......linda

[mirry]

I once had the low potassium and it mimics anxiety pretty well !
I now take potasium pills to help.
Try not to dwell on the panic cos it does feed on your thoughts , Im sure it will pass soon enough because for most people it does, just some of us on here have been unlucky.

[Wesker4ev]

It honestly stinks cuz ill just be sitting in the living room or my bed room and im shaking. Like i feel fine but im shaking it makes no sence. Because ill be sitting there thinking about nothing. I woke up and i feel so shaky this really scares me cuz i dont understand any of this. Its just im scared cuz it really feels like a heart attack when it happens i mean i did something retarted and did E for the first time in my life ever like 2 weeks ago NEVER AGAIN and it made me feel like i was having a heart attack and i went to the hospital to make sure i was fine. The feeling i got was a tightness around my heart with like a weird tingle as if fluid was surrounding my heart or even coming out of it. I honestly thought i was dying. It was the scarest thing ever to happen to me. So i went to see a doctor. The doctor had me pee in a cup and give blood. They said all the test came out ok and that feeling went away. So i went away for a few days and i felt like a million bucks and was fine then i was just sitting down in a chair and it just hit me and the same feeling came back. I thought i was dying but it went away after awhile. It was the same exact feeling which scared me so much cuz i thought something was really wrong. But then i thought 2 doctors took tests a week before and said everything was fine. So my logical thought was that it cant be something serious if they tell me im fine. Bloodwork and an ekg? That would have brought attention to something if there was something seriously wrong with me. I think? And it sucks cuz my college is starting and its hard to sit in class with my hands going numb and my chest bothering me. But is it really Panic Attack? Cuz its never ending like im sitting here typing this and my right hand is numb and my head is hurting and im shaking. I didnt have an ECGs but i had an EKG? Im so scared that maybe they didnt check something and thats why this is happening i mean they looked at me over a week after the doc visits could something have changed? I have 90% of the common symtoms of Panic Disorder but its so dishearting cuz the feelings i am feeling are horrable. They totally make you think something else and im afraid to tell myself this is whats wrong with me cuz i havent seen a psychologist and i dont want to tell myself it then find out there really is something wrong with me. Im a smart kid and im 20 and turning 21 in a month but i really dont want to live with these feelings. I was looking online at panic disorder and i was reading about how this one lady had it for something like 23 years. Now i think it was a bogus site trying to sell you a tape to "cure" the panic without seeing a doc. Uhg this is so frustrating!!! but i feel a little better by sitting here and typing it all out. Im sorry but these feelings really do stink!!! And who ever made this web site is a saint and is just amazing to talk to people who are going through the same thing im going through. I swear if i saw this person i would give them a hug or something. Thats another thing im like really emotional? One min ill be super happy the next ill be crying. WoW the human body is a weird thing.

[Lindalou64]

hi wesker4ever,
sorry your feeling so bad at the moment....i know its scary and you dont know to much on the panic anxiety attacks....when we get these feelings we feel as tho something horrid is wrong with us you just cant believe anxiety and panic could do this to someone.......its the nerves hun.....if i was you i would see a phyciatrist right away so you cant beat this right away get more knowledged on it...once you realize this whats going on with your body you will start telling yourself ok this shall pass and it does i swear...and please dont google.for the reason when we do we start to think we have everything there saying...and for your being emotional its cause your upset on whats going on dont know why its happening....but to catch this early which you did and seek the right medical attention you will start to feel better......ekg and blood work ruled out that your heart was fine......i know its scary but try and hang in there knowing that those feelings will pass when we think about them not even knowing we are thinking about them it starts i know it does suck.......but see a phyciatrist........who specializes in panic anxiety which most do........keep us informed i wish ya the best............linda

[zofluff]

Hi peter

18 months ago i was having severe panic attacks and pulpitations (feeling like your heart is racing) it took a long time to get professional help on the NHS and i felt so scared and alone. when i got referred for help i was told the following techneques to use to help with attacks

1. whilst having an attack the best thing you can do is keep calm - tell yourself over and over everything is ok, say "im safe ive got nothing to fear i can get through this" and after a few minutes the attack will pass.

2. Use an elastic band - put a large loose rubber band on your wrist and when an attack comes on pull back on the band and release over and over till the attack passes.

I know that might sound strange but both of these helped me stay in control. i am actually using a rubber band myself today, the point of the band is to distract your thoughts from the attack and to focus your brain on the little snaps on your arm - its not painful and it shouldnt hurt it should just distract your thoughts. what worries me is the feeling of having no control - not knowing when to expect an attack and this itself is enough to bring on an attack. you cant predict an attack or instantly stop an attack but you can be in control of it when it happens and you can learn that this doesnt have to cause a huge disruption to your life and that you will get through thisand hopefully over this.

I really is easier said done but keeping calm and slow deep breathing really will help and positive thinking - if positive is difficult start off with simple things such as im at home/in car/in a shop, there is no danger, there is no problem, nothing can hurt me, nothing needs doing today that cant be done tomorrow, i dont have to answer the door/phone if i dont feel like it, all i have to worry about right now is myself and i am fine.

If you keep practicing staying calm you will find that the worry and pains will ease and hopefully discover if there really is anything medically wrong.

I wish you all the best
Zoe

[Wesker4ev]

Ok so i finally have an appointment to see a psychologist on monday at 4 and im really nervous about it cuz i never been to one. I went back to my normal doctor and told him about the panic disorder and i told him all the feelings ive been feeling and he told me that he pretty much thinks it is panic disorder. And sent out more blood test to double check. Ive had this docter since i was little and i trust him a million times more then the doctor at the hospital. He put me on Zoloft yesterday and it was the first time using it. Like i felt fine but when it came time for bed i was laying there and i had a panic attack. It didnt last as long and was only 2 min if that cuz i didnt freek out and jump around i just sat there and let it ride out. I didnt sleep much at night at all. I was shaky and had a horrable headack and i still have a little bit of both. Its hard to eat as well. I know these are normal but honestly it stinks cuz i dont feel normal and i cant do the normal things i like to do. I know its panic which makes me feel a little better but i still feel physically sick with stuff. 90% of the stuff i can deal with but the headack and the stomach pains that just bother me. All the other things i can go somewere i feel really comffy and they go away but the headack and stomach pains i cant do much about. Now i have all that and depression. Do other people get them? And i found out that this problem im having is genetic and my sister had something like what im dealing with, 2 uncles had massive depression, a few aunts, and a few cousins. My sister hid it from my parents when it happend me i didnt but it takes awhile to figure out that it was panic and not something serious. Im only 20 and this stuff is like hell. Ok so i was walking around and moving some stuff and my heart was pumping a little bit faster and for some reason my body got really cold and my head got really light and my sides got cold as well. Then my chest got very uncomfortable and now im shaking. Is that normal? Im scared as hell and im afriad to walk around or run or get the blood pumping.