Worried about panic attacks

[Scooter86]

Hey there,

Last night might uncle and cousin came to visit and we went out to dinner where I had a few drinks and we caught up. It was a great visit but on our walk home I started having these weird cold 'flushes' throughout my chest and and back between my shoulder blades. I also had the same cold flushes down my arms and legs. It was shortly after I checked my fitbit and it said my heart was beating around 155 bpm. I know this is probably anxiety and I'm going through an anxious period where I can't quite believe that it's just a panic attack. But has anyone else had these types of cold flushes in your chest and back. Even now I'm having them a little bit and I keep thinking my heart is going to give out.

I've had it once or twice before after a night of a few drinks with friends and I'm starting to worry that I've either got something wrong with my heart or the alcohol is triggering my anxiety...which sucks because I enjoy going out with friends and having some drinks (last night I only had three over a 3 hour period).

Has any of this ever happened to anyone else? The last time I went to the doctor for my anxiety he put me on a halter monitor and did an ekg and stress test and everything came back fine. My doctor said I have a strong heart. Which I keep telling myself as a way to talk myself out of the fear of having a heart attack. But then these cold flushes happen and it reignites my anxiety.
Anyway, now I'm just rambling....any advice or kind words would be much appreciated!

Scoot

[BlueIris]

I promise, they feel horrible, but it's only your anxiety. I'm getting these all the time and they're one of my absolute least favourite symptoms.

You can trust your doctor, though, he has the empirical evidence.

[DustingMyselfOff]

I never described mine as cold flushes, but I think I experience the same thing. It's like a tingling/prickly/goosebumps feeling that comes over parts of my body. Mine are usually arms, neck, scalp and face. I've been told "anxiety".
Sue

[ankietyjoe]

Being out and being social plus food plus alcohol plus walking home is an almost guaranteed recipe for anxiety and rapid heart rate.

For many people with anxiety, booze is just a no go. You don't have to drink to be out and be social, in most respects it's just not worth it. I can cope with maybe one or two bottled beers (330ml) drunk slowly before my CNS starts having a fit about it. The thing to realise is that alcohol is exceptionally toxic, and if you're prone to anxiety your body WILL react, whether you want to drink it or not.

All the symptoms you describe sound 'normal' for anxiety.