Sent to Hospital Last Night

[never2late]

Well, just when one thinks that everything is going fine, anxiety and panic throw's a curve ball.

I was rushed to the hospital last night. First time for me. After a lifetime of off-again, on-again anxiety and panic -- PLUS with all the coping skills I've learned here and on books and CD's -- I had the worst panic attack ever.

I don't feel too bad, because they said that I really did need to get to the hospital. My blood pressure upon arriving was 213/116 -- so those of you who know about blood pressure know that I was definately knocking on the door of a stroke (as the Dr. lectured me about).

My heart rate was so high (I don't remember the number), and it was beating irregulary and with those dreadful "missed beats", which we all experience from time to time. However, this time around it was constant and wouldn't stop.

They started an IV with a sedative/tranquilizer "cocktail", and it wasn't too long before both blood pressure and heart rate began to drop back down. They ran many, many tests on me, even chest imaging, and said at the end of my stay that everything is fine with me.

How many times have we all heard that!

I must now get my panic attacks addressed with medication, and I have my appointment in about 10 days from now to begin that. They are afraid that I will have a stroke, because my blood pressure rises so high during an attack (my "normal" everyday blood pressure is usually in the 120's over 80's, believe it or not).

So that's my story. Feeling OK today and taking it easy. Will be taking my "as needed" low-dose xanax until my Dr.s appointment, just as a safeguard. I was taken OFF my blood pressure medicine six weeks ago because I was doing so good on it. Now I'm back on it again until my Dr's. appointment, at least.

I now feel like I'm an "official" member of the club. :yahoo:

[marie1974]

ok no frank thats awful i hope you are ok now, just when we were saying how great things were, never speak to soon hey. still atleast you were in a safe place and hopefully recovering now. try to take things easy, healthy foods, gentle exercise and no smokin or alchohol hun, sorry do i sound bossy haha. take care and let us know how u doing hugs to u xxx

[decca]

There must be a reason why your BP goes so high, just to be on the safe side you may wish to ask your Doc. about this - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pheochromocytoma/DS00569
when you next see him,symptoms are similar to anxiety and panic, but it is a very rare condition.
Hope you are better soon.
Best wishes.
Decca.

[Alisonj]

I know BP defintely rises under panic and anxiety circumstances but that is a huge rise. I would defintely ask your doctor why it rises so high, especially if it is normally a normal rate. I know mine can got to 140/90 ish when I am panicking but the only time mine got 220/116 area was when there was something actually wrong.

[never2late]

Thanks everyone. I'm using the day today to relax and regroup my senses. I'll definately look into the mayo clinic page listed above, and mention it to the doc. I was always what they call a "hot responder" with blood pressure. Hot responders go off the charts quickly with their BP's. They're the ones that get angry about something and drop dead right there. I've learned to cool down quite a bit over the years.

This isn't the first time it's happend with a panic attack. One time, the doctor was in the examining room with me when I had a panic attack this past February, took my blood pressure, and it had gone to 198/106.

Obviously something has to be done about this -- regardless of how transient it is (it falls just as quickly after the attack is over). But that IS quite a jump!

The moral of the story (if there is one) is that even with as bad as things were last night, I still wound up having them tell me that everything is fine. That should be somewhat calming for those suffering these types of attacks reading this.

In fact, the doctor's office called to say they received all the reports from the hospital (already) and that results of all the tests looked fine, so that made me feel a little better too.

Still doesn't stop my BP from going sky-high during an attack -- but we'll get that taken care of shortly.

[marie1974]

take care and plenty of rest hun hugs to u xxxxxxxx

[Zingara]

Really sorry to hear about your setback, Frank, but don't let it get you down. We all have these setbacks... I should know! You've come such a long way in dealing with your panic attacks, and from the tone of your posts it sounds like you're dealing with this one very well. Did anything in particular trigger it or did it just come out of nowhere?

[never2late]

Well, yes, I do (of course) take full responsibility for this set-back (as we all should do when warranted, really).

As a "reward" for having been taken off of my blood pressure medication, I wanted to choose just ONE thing that I have given up in my life . . . and bring it back into my life.

That one item was caffeine.

At first it was wonderful . . . and I love that morning pick-me-up.

But after being off of caffeine for so long, I think it is what started my heart palpatations and skipped beats.

I haven't had any caffeine for two days now, and I haven't had a skipped beat either.

To be honest with everyone here, I just did not have the ability to put my learned skills to work this time around. The panic bordered on insanity.

I thought that if I just let the panic pass over me (like so many times before), that if it was truly a heart-attack I could die because I was treating it as panic.

So that really threw me over the edge. I didn't know what to do, so I called my family physician and he said to get over to the hospital right away.

But -- on the bright side (and I always find a bright side with everything) -- I had SO many tests done (including a full scan of my upper body, all types of blood work, EKG, etc.), that the results coming back that nothing physical is wrong with me has taken a lot of pressure off.

I had my first panic attack in my 20's (I'm 52 now), so I'm an "old timer" with all this. But this time around, it was truly unworldly. Both my mind AND my heart rate and beating was so out of wack.

I am surprised that I have bounced back so quickly (both mentally and physically). This may be due to how good I was doing overall to begin with.

And NO MORE CAFFEINE FOR ME -- EVER AGAIN. :doh:

[Insomniac 1]

Well, just when one thinks that everything is going fine, anxiety and panic throw's a curve ball.

I was rushed to the hospital last night. First time for me. After a lifetime of off-again, on-again anxiety and panic -- PLUS with all the coping skills I've learned here and on books and CD's -- I had the worst panic attack ever.

I don't feel too bad, because they said that I really did need to get to the hospital. My blood pressure upon arriving was 213/116 -- so those of you who know about blood pressure know that I was definately knocking on the door of a stroke (as the Dr. lectured me about).

My heart rate was so high (I don't remember the number), and it was beating irregulary and with those dreadful "missed beats", which we all experience from time to time. However, this time around it was constant and wouldn't stop.

They started an IV with a sedative/tranquilizer "cocktail", and it wasn't too long before both blood pressure and heart rate began to drop back down. They ran many, many tests on me, even chest imaging, and said at the end of my stay that everything is fine with me.

How many times have we all heard that!

I must now get my panic attacks addressed with medication, and I have my appointment in about 10 days from now to begin that. They are afraid that I will have a stroke, because my blood pressure rises so high during an attack (my "normal" everyday blood pressure is usually in the 120's over 80's, believe it or not).

So that's my story. Feeling OK today and taking it easy. Will be taking my "as needed" low-dose xanax until my Dr.s appointment, just as a safeguard. I was taken OFF my blood pressure medicine six weeks ago because I was doing so good on it. Now I'm back on it again until my Dr's. appointment, at least.

I now feel like I'm an "official" member of the club. :yahoo:
I had the samething happen to me back in april. My BP went sky high as yours did and the EMS said I should go to the hospital, which I did in the ambulance. They kept me 2 days and the doc said my heart was in great shape and that most likely anxiety was the cause. I have always suffered from anxiety to an extent but that was my first episode where it got me out of bed, I thought it was a heart attack but I did'nt have any real pain, only the pounding heart and my BP was 212/116. the funny thing is that when I got to the hospital I felt fine. I usually go to the VA for my health care but the VA is 72 miles away so I went to the local hospital emergency and 2 days later I had a 12,000 dollar hospital bill. lol. The VA took care of some of it though. anyway, when I read your post after finding this forum it was like the first step to finally getting a handle on this illness. I'm up now at 4am because I had an episode 2 hours ago. I don't take any meds but do take an herbal remedy for blood pressure that works pretty good. I am totally new to this sight so I have'nt earned my wings yet but my intent is to get self control and be there for others who are victims of this illness. Tonights episode felt like I was going to black out, I was just dozing off and I felt a shuddering like my heart was racing and tried to take a deep breath to control it but that did'nt help. I sat up and I thought I was going to drop impending doom. I just deep breathed and walked around and got on the PC and typed in night time anxiety attacks and here I am now. I feel better now just wondering if I should stay up or go back to bed. I sincerely hope your feeling better my friend, your similarity to my attack is what drew me to respond to your post so hopefully you, I and everyone else in this sight do benefit, I feel I have already, I know its difficult living with this, hope we can all help each other as we get help and help ourselves.
I'm Richard by the way, take care

[aaliyah]

Hi i just want you to know i know exactly how you feel i have been to hospital more than once with them even had the ambulance out. Mine are so bad that i can't go out the house. I am currently on dizepam and mirtazapine which i have been on for years. I am seeing a mental health worker and she is helping me to get out. since i have been seeing her i have been out the house been to the park with my kids. I still can't go to a supermarket my partner goes. When i have a panic attack my heart races i go hot and cold, adrenaline pumps, i get the shakes real, lump in my throat can't breathe,bad nerves and feel i have no control and i don't know what to do it is terriafying and ruiening my life. I try breathing but it does not work when i get a full blown one so the only thing that stopes them is diazepam. They can last 2 hours or more i just can't cope with it so i take diazepam to stop it. Caffine is really bad so is anything that is a stimulant. I am taking one step at a time and hopefully one day i will be able to go to a supermarket. i have had them since i was 14 and i am 27 now but before they would go away for a while but since i had my daughter who is now 2 in september they have stayed with me. I have been going out the house everyday even if it is just down the road and i find it is helping but i still have a long way to go. I just hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Insomniac 1]

still learning how this site works, I guess I should have put my reply to never to late here, hmmmm oh well I'm a greenhorn

[aaliyah]

I am open to all advise on how to control them or even better get rid of them i have to beautiful children and feel like i am going mad when i have them. So would appreciate any help. thanks

[never2late]

Thank you everyone so much for your replies and your shared stories. I am convinced that if not for having one another here online, in addition to perhaps one or two really close friends/partners in the "real world", we would truly be alone. I know this to be a fact because I was alone with it during the younger part of my life.

In any case, I have a story to tell that some of you may find interesting:

I have been skipped beat free since my attack -- until earlier tonight. What brought it on, you ask? Are you read for this?

I was taking a very relaxing (and beautiful evening) walk in the park when I began to think about what happened to me on Friday night.

*** When I began to THINK about the skipped beats, I felt myself have one!!!! On the spot!!!!***

Well, now this was just TOO interesting for me to pass up, let me tell you.

First, I immediately began to tell myself "Go ahead, skip all you want. I'm not afraid of you anymore" (Claire Weekes would be so proud!).

No more skips.

As I rounded the park, I came to an area where I had felt skipped beats on Friday night. I began to think about them and I HAD ONE AGAIN.

Now, let me tell you I am not losing my mind here.

In any case, it's 9:00 p.m. here and I've got to go and take my evening blood pressure meds (hopefully temporary again), so I better sign off.

In closing, yes I had a few more tonight -- but I just let them go. I didn't go into a panic like I did on Friday night, and I'm find sitting here and I'd say my pulse is probably in the mid to upper 60's.

That's not to say that they won't "get me" at some point again. But I think I'm better able to handle them, and if you're one of the readers/posters to this thread and are experiencing the same thing, all I can say is that its a good idea always to have things checked out -- but once you know that things are alright (and chances are excellent that they will be), you'll feel better about them.

They're never going to be fun.

I hope this managed to calm someone down a little. If so, especially if its the middle of the night, I hope that after a few more minutes of getting more at ease you head back up to bed and sleep peacefully.

[Alisonj]

Good for you! That is major progress to feel them but not to react! Now if we could all find that place inside us that allows us to cope that way we would be on our way.

[marie1974]

hiya hun, glad u feeling better and we are all here for you and will support you hugs xxxx