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View Full Version : Are these really panic attacks?



Claralou845
04-04-22, 18:45
Hello 👋
This is my first post on here, although I'm a long time lurker for the past 10 years on and off. I've always managed to come on read some posts and this reassures me for a while.
However, for the last year it's been more of a constant thing for me. Started off with a panic attack waking me up at night, and then it spiralled from there. I had been extremely stressed before it trying to juggle home working/home schooling/watching constant doom and gloom on the news, so looking back the signs were there, I just didn't realise it was creeping up on me.
Since my first panic attack, I think I've had every symptom possible. Palpitations, pins and needles, dizzy spells, ibs, heartburn, nausea, chest pains, eczema in places I've never had before, jelly legs, buzzing in ears, headaches, sore muscles etc. Most have came and went and have usually only been one or two things at a time before it moves onto the next... Apart from the eczema/itchy rashes... that's a constant.
I had been having panic attacks waking me up from just after I fell asleep on and off for months, they mostly disappeared even though i still felt anxious... I had been getting cbt and I think speaking to someone helped, but they have now started again. I feel I'm anxious about being anxious now. I have this constant knot in my stomach for most of the day. Most of the time I go to sleep feeling OK but wake up either gasping for breath, then my heart starts racing or sometimes I wake up feeling like something bad is happening the pins and needles then start in my hands and then my heart will start racing and I feel a bit woozy and lightheaded. This started last wk and has been a constant every night since. The other night was awful I had no sleep and every time I drifted off to sleep I would wake up in a panic. I took a sleeping tablet the next night that the Dr had given me last time I was in a state and slept all night the next night, but I dont want to do that again as I felt like I had a hangover the next day. I find myself wondering can this really be because I'm anxious or is it something else wrong with me (obviously I Googled and have came up with all sorts of serious illnesses). I feel fine other than constantly thinking about this and having a knot in my stomach. I don't understand why this is happening. I've spoken to the Dr and last time this happened he had also gave me some valium which helped calm me down and stopped the constant palpitations I was getting at the time. Im not really sure how I stop this from happening all I want is to go to sleep and stay sleeping. I used to love going to my bed, now I dread it. I look at photos from myself from a couple of yrs ago and think oh that's when I used to be normal - I don't see an end to it. I have this horrible feeling there is something wrong with me that this isn't anxiety and its something else.
Does anyone else wake up with panic attacks like this?
I've just read all that back and didn't really mean to write as much as that, so thanks for reading if you get this far!

nomorepanic
04-04-22, 19:24
Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

StarsDie
27-04-22, 11:35
I haven't been waking up with 'panic attacks' per se, but I've been waking up kind of on the verge of a panic attack. Where I'm trembling and my heart rate is a little fast. I have pretty intense sleep anxiety and it has been ruining me off and on the past year or so.
I don't know what more to say sadly, except you're not alone. I guess I'm curious to see how others cope with it, because I haven't been able to much.

izzybizzy
15-06-24, 00:51
I’m going through pretty much the same thing right now. I’ll wake up after an hour of being asleep and my heart feels like it’s beating hard, then I notice I feel super hot, depending on how I react sometimes I’ll panic fully and feel this horrible doom and my heart will start to go really fast and hard (I hate that but so much, it’s so scary) then I just shake and tremble. If I don’t go full panic I’ll just shake and tremble until I finally can calm down and go back to sleep.

I hope you managed to feel better. I’ve been so scared I went to hospital the other night.

I’m so exhausted, I feel the same as you. I look back at photos and feel like I’ve totally lost myself. Missing sleep really messes you up.

Glad I found your post though as I really relate.

Claralou845
21-07-24, 23:10
Hi 👋 sorry have only just noticed your post. How are you, I hope your panic attacks eased off a bit?
I haven't had one of these in so long, I could probably count on one hand how many I have had in over a year. I have been going through a stressful time these last few months and I have had 2 in the last month!
I try not to get too bothered by them as I know its because I have been anxious... I've been through it before, so I will get through it again.
It's horrible though, I really did feel like they would never go away at the time - just couldn't believe that anxiety could cause me to wake up feeling like that.

izzybizzy
02-08-24, 20:09
Hey! I'm so glad they went away for you.

They went away for two weeks and last night I woke up and the pounding thing happened, I didn't even feel that anxious just too hot. I really hope they go away eventually.

Thanks for replying as I know it's been a while.