View Full Version : :: The Way Panic Attacks Change ::
Hi me again,
Wanted do a post about the way my panic attacks have changed to see if it is the same for other people. Mine have changed in many ways over the last 3-5 years.
So here are 4 answers to possible ways that your panic attacks have evolved/changed.
Mine don't produce adrenaline anymore, even the thunderous ones.
Please post on the poll even if your new to panic attacks.
CONS
When they say that they don't produce adrenaline, do you mean that you don't feel like you get an adrenaline rush? I think there's a bunch of different stess hormones involved when you start panicking, adrenaline is the main one, cortisol is another. My PAs start with a building upward spiral of increasing anxious thought and anxious symptoms lasting all day or sometimes just an hour or so. It gets to the point where I'm panicking, my heart is racing, I'm sweating, trembling etc. I think a lot of these symptoms are caused by high adrenaline levels in the blood. And then I start hyperventilating. Once I'm at the hyerventilation stage then it becomes much harder to stop. Bang the PA hits - my heart is going like a jackhammer and feels like it's going to explode out of my chest, I feel I can't breathe and that I'm going to pass out or die. At this point I either end up in A&E or collapse onto the floor clutching my chest, thinking: OK, dying now. At which point it all starts to subside. I think the actual peak of the PA only last for about a minute or two but feels a lot longer. It can take hours for my heart rate to drop back to normal and I'm left weak and trembling. More recently I've used Ativan to help bring me out of it. Sorry, went on a bit more than I meant to there :blush:. Good thread.
Apologies in advance for the long post....
When mine started about 4 months ago, they would start with a numbness and tingling in my left hand, which would make it's way up the whole of my left arm. Once the numbness got to my shoulder, my heart would pound like it wanted to come out of my chest, it would seen to have an irregular beat, i would feel dizzy, very short of breath and have 'rushes' through the whole of my upper body and head.
Over time, they have changed... sometimes i get the tingling and number ness in my left arm / hand for hours on end, with no chest symptoms or rushes what so every. Then, I've had episodes where the numbess would go up my arm and then it would clulminate in a terrifying sqeeuzing sensation where my heart is (really feels like someone is squeezing my heart in their hand and trying to push it into my chest)...when I get this squeezing, I also get a 'rush' which make me very dizzy. That is by far the most scary symptom for me, the squeezing.
Sometimes, I will get numbess in my left arm and then waves of tingling and numbness across my face.
Of course, there are many other symptoms in between.
A former work colleague of mine recently told me that her panic attack symptoms have really changed over the years (she's been dealing with them for 20 years).
Thanks to both for replying,
I guess i was kinda vague in my initial post.
When i first had panic attacks that would be anywhere between 5-15 times a day i would get a massive adrenaline rush as soon as it started that would litterally make me sit up or start to walk forward as if i were trying walk it off or shake the feeling.
Now they are much more random and only come in 2 forms:
1. Weak but fast heart-beat with no adrenaline noticeable
2. Thunderous fast heart-beat with no adrenaline noticeable
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Dazza like you in the begining mine used to mimic your symptoms word for word.
LeeBee i only get the shakes every now and again.
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I try to look at it positively, like "well no adrenaline now so must be moving forward" but in truth i know its because i understood what was happening. For me panic disorder likes to be in control and catch me unawares just to remind me that im ill and that i will be for the forseeable future.
Thanks for the replies, i feel maybe i didnt give enough options which is unfair, maybe should have added "none of the above".
CONS
interesting what you say about he adrenaline...
sometimes it's the only symptom that I get.. i might be sitting here at the computer, and then all of a sudden get that adrenaline rush through my whole upper body. It's odd.
Get a look at the site in my signature it seems they give some free expert advice!
mow the lawn,sweep up the leaves,clean windows,wash the car,vaacum the house,cook a meal,play a compter game , run,jog,walk These all stop me thinking about myself therefore no time for panic. there is one thing that panic hates and that is activity.It starves the panic and it dies EVERY SINGLE TIME.
My last panic attack was over a year ago .I refused to feed it any more so it left.
Happy for you tamo,
seriously.
Not so easy when you cant leave the house and your an over-active thinker (not to be confused with over-active imagination) as my mind races with 5 answers to every question asked of me or any comment i hear.
It once was a gift and now its a curse,
CONS
Hereford Al
05-10-08, 22:11
For a while, mine generally stayed the same all the way through, but sometimes (especially recently) the symptoms change order.
It used to start:
Feeling sick - Getting dizzy - sweating loads - feeling the need to use the toilet urgently
Now they sometimes jumble up in order and can start with getting dizzy and feeling the urge to use the toilet. I think these two symptoms were the ones I always found the most worrisome and as my anxiety has gotten worse they are the two which generally start me off. The feeling sick has kind of been bypassed except if I am on a bus or in a car or something.
Interesting that im the only person with no adrenaline or warning.
Ty Hereford Al,
i like to see and compare with how peoples anx/attacks work to help give a better understanding of the common factors.
CONS
Hi
my attacks start with me feeling strange and like i am not part of my body. it is like i am leaving my arms,legs,and head behind and my consciousness is shrinking into a very tiny tight ball somewhere deep inside my chestor stomach. I feel like my "light" is fading and fading and will soon go out. I cant breathe and my throat closes up. I can walk and talk but its like i am having an out of body experience. Wave upon wave of heat like a rush through my body too.
Last one was uncontrollable shaking of all muscles -arms legs etc.. thought i was having a fit to be honest. Horrible. Then was spaced out for hours like i had taken lots of tranqs (i hadnt) I also have the urge to crawl into very small spaces and hide. Goodness that sounds SO mad. :wacko:
noangel that doesnt sound mad,
it sounds like natural self-preservation, to hide and protect yourself from other people seeing. Some unusual symptoms in there, i can relate to the out of body thing but ive only had that once, to me that was the day it was going to happen.
Constantly telling myself i wont have a heart attack has reduced many symptoms now but it still tricks me now and again, if it had a voice it would say " yeah your fine today, or are you?, i will let you know later or maybe before then ".
Thanks for your honesty and your reply,
:)
CONS
Captain America
08-10-08, 23:28
cons,
funny you and i are reversed. i used to get no adrenaline warning, but now i do and it helps me to prevent the attacks. i probably had warnings before but didn't notice them.
i was wondering do you exercise? i used to get panic attacks every time my heart rate increased from activity but don't so much now since starting exercising.
Well i used to use freeweights until i messed up my rotator cuff,
my BPM shot through the roof and im convinced to this day i had a panic attack on top of the exercise i did after i finished.
NEVER had my heart so strong as that day,
i dont lift anymore.
CONS
I'm new so 4give me if I look as if I don't know what I'm doing , I don't.
I've been having panic attacks, anxiety depression for about 4 years now and have noticed a very definite seasonal change in my symptoms. I think its fair to say that winter early dark times is the worse esp, dark cloudy rainy days. I sometimes feel also that the world is not a big enough place to breathe - weird I know (or maybe not) anyway not meaning to sound "downy" these symptoms have ruined my life- educationally/intellectually. as I said I'm new to this - currently getting the rapid 10 questions racing in my brain at once now - finding it hard to concentrate will come back thanks to whoever reads this--Garry
I heard this saying somewhere and never forgot it .
"The race not only belongs to the swift and strong but also to those who keep on running"
Hi Everyone,
Tyvm For Sharing All Your stories here.
I would like to share mine with you all.
But I'll warn you its 20 years worth so maybe a little long, lol.
My First few years of having panic attacks were always brought on by a trigger (mostly what i was thinking Or doing).
The syptoms were mostly:
Tightening In The Throat Like A Lump Stuck there and tightness on swallowing.
Dizziness.
Extreme Nausea but never vomitting.
Hot Sweats.
shaking from head to toe.
My attacks have always built up over days and when one hits me its not a case of just 20 minutes, they can last hours, my longest one to date being 12 hours of terror ( for the 12 hours they will come in waves, like build up subside build up subside).
10 years ago i went to get help professionally and was told by my psychiatrist (sorry cant spell) that one day i would have such a strong panic attack that the andrenlin would case a heart attack and i'd die.
So the last 10 years of my life has been ruined and every attack i get now i think its going to trigger a heart attack and ill die.
so this man not only in my view didnt act professional or in a caring way he was total out of order to tell me this and since have lost all faith in medical professionals.
Now Have What Is Known as panic attack disorder they come on for no reason with no warning and total out of the blue
My Attacks syptoms now are:
Tunnel Vision,
Spaceness,
Acute Hearing,
Sweating,
Dry Mouth,
Nausea,
Chest Pains Accompanied By Palpitations,
Shaking.
Over the years I have learnt to deal with them by colouring when they are unway and i find by the distraction it helps ease them off quicker.
I also find and i dont know whether you guys have or not but i follow rituals (ocd's) during an attack.
ty for having a place i could come and share and reading all your stories has help feel not so alone.
Stay Safe and Well.
Love Trace Xx
shortstuff
04-11-08, 20:06
I have a constant tightning in my chest but this gets worse before my panics start. It's my early warning system. On a bad week the tightning doesn't ease much in between attacks and the attacks themselves are worse and more frequent. This happens when I have a change of routine or when I'm starting to overdo things a bit.
Of course as well as these are the really random PA's which have no warning system at all and arrive at the most inconvenient of times!
Hi Shortstuff,
The way i help to ease my chest is by using a warm hot water bottle this helps the tight and tense muscles to relax.
yes i notice that too if i change routines i too pay the price or get over tired.
tyvm for your post shortstuff it helps to know others are out there.
Stay safe and well.
love trace Xx
shortstuff
04-11-08, 20:27
OOh I'll have to try the hot water bottle tip - thanks trace:D
You are very welcome.
Please let me know if it helps.
Love Trace xx
charlish74
05-11-08, 09:41
hi all mine feels like my legs go like jelly then feel sick, the the need to rush to the loo for a number 2, then feel the need to rush of.i try to keep my self busy some how but it is hard at times to control even more so when i have to collect and take my children to school x
Hi Charlish,
Thank you for sharing your story.
Stay Safe and Well.
Love Trace Xx
For me..I think it goes back to the 70's..born in the mid 50's I was a teenager in the 70's...a flower child..with an interest in Bikes....too much acid and other drugs I suppose, but we were all the same then...anyway...after a series of about 5 'bum' trips, I gave all that up...but it has left it's legacy. Aldous Huxly wrote about the Doors of Perception (gateway to heaven and hell)...and maybe he had a point. After going there, there is no return...innocence gone...and since then the horror takes little goading to re-emerge...some call them 'flashbacks' and it's usually a short term issue....but I've lived with it since. Never could close the door finally shut. That was the birth of my psychosis..now commonly known as Panic Attacks...I don't regret insight gained...but I will pay the price forever...
I wish these panic attacks would leave me alone grrrrrr. I usually get one whilst out, esp when picking my 7 yr old up from school. The thought of getting the school fills me with dread. I start rushing physically and mentally even though i leave earlier so no need to rush. I am aware i am walking fast and my mind feels busy so i try and walk slower and count or distract myself but still i start to get dizzy spells and feel out of balance. I feel edgy and start twiddling with ear or hair [weird i know] legs feel heavier, and sometimes can feel de-realisation. When nearing the school my breathing feels out of sync, and feel faintish. I just rush to get my son, but playground noises seem louder and too much for me. Has anyone had this feeling. IM not too bad once im away from the school. Iv been feeling like this since my dad came out of hsptl after a traumatic illness. Hes recovered now but i now have this panicky feeling. angie. x
the twiddling with hair or ear thing is good...it's a distraction...most of use similar techniques...it distracts the brain.
MissChampers
06-11-08, 09:56
Thankfully I haven't had a full blown panic attack for a while, when I do though I start to feel hot with clammy hands, my heart starts pounding and I get like a tingling feeling up my arms accompanied with nausea and tightness in my chest.
Natural Mystic
06-11-08, 10:53
mow the lawn,sweep up the leaves,clean windows,wash the car,vaacum the house,cook a meal,play a compter game , run,jog,walk These all stop me thinking about myself therefore no time for panic. there is one thing that panic hates and that is activity.It starves the panic and it dies EVERY SINGLE TIME.
My last panic attack was over a year ago .I refused to feed it any more so it left.
Well done
I honestly believe it lessons when you refuse to fear it/feed it.
Even though I'm still suffering from anxiety and depersonalisation I believe I have eased a little, a) now that I understand it all b) now that I have actually accepted that this is what is is (that I'm not sick or dying).
I know we can't help this (and it IS real to us) but once it gets hold of you it really is in the mind and we DO have the power to be stronger than it
Natural Mystic
06-11-08, 10:56
I wish these panic attacks would leave me alone grrrrrr. I usually get one whilst out, esp when picking my 7 yr old up from school. The thought of getting the school fills me with dread. I start rushing physically and mentally even though i leave earlier so no need to rush. I am aware i am walking fast and my mind feels busy so i try and walk slower and count or distract myself but still i start to get dizzy spells and feel out of balance. I feel edgy and start twiddling with ear or hair [weird i know] legs feel heavier, and sometimes can feel de-realisation. When nearing the school my breathing feels out of sync, and feel faintish. I just rush to get my son, but playground noises seem louder and too much for me. Has anyone had this feeling. IM not too bad once im away from the school. Iv been feeling like this since my dad came out of hsptl after a traumatic illness. Hes recovered now but i now have this panicky feeling. angie. x
I had a mini one in Tesco the other day and the noise of the freezers seemed just so loud. I just carried on, ignored it and it went away.
By the way, I too have a 7 year old and have sometimes felt the very same when picking him up. Weird because I've always been known as a confident head high type of women. Thankfully I mostly am still that and I refuse to let this anxiety take it away.
Think of it as the devil, don't let it in :)
Hi again.........Its weird coz i never seem to get panic attacks in my house, Its usually when im outdoors. As im on the way to the school i suddenly get one. Its the noise and the busyness that makes it worse. Before these panic attacks i used to talk to a few of the parents whilst there.......Now i try to avoid them by just saying a quick hiya......and rushing off. When i have stopped and talked i find myself trying to explain that iv just had a panic attack and then i just feel silly in what iv told them. Once iv got my son i feel a bit better coz he distracts me away from my thoughts and i start to slow down in walking and then my mind stops racing. I wonder if i have a prob with SCHOOLS.....haha. x
Mine starts in a hot stuffy enclosed place like a Mall, theatre, cafe, shop etc etc. I get hot then breathing all over the place and then terror - gotta get out before I faint - which I never do!! Wenjoy x
Mine normally start with shortness of breath, a fuzzy feeling in my head and usally my ears ringing lightly.
Purple Fish
08-01-09, 09:53
:yesyes: Luckily I haven`t had a full blown one for a couple of years and I`m now hoping to be nearly recovered! But when I did mine would be first -
Feeling of dread - like something awful was going to happen, maybe finding out I`d got a brain tumour and it was terminal.
And then dizziness and finally crying. It sounds strange but I know I`m getting better as all I have to deal with now is itchy legs now and then which is a symptom of anxiety but only mild.
Tanya xx :hugs:
for me i get rapid heart beat- tingling in hands and feet- nauseaous my stomach tightens and i find swallowing hard, when its really bad i get pins and needles all over my body and face
and i also had the brain tumour worry! constant headaches that would drive me insane with worry
I agree with all of the above options, i have been expriencing it for a year or two and for my surprise after going through the joe berrys course its been very good and am not having panic attack so often.
you can check few of my points in my blog
http://trainyourmind.blogspot.com
timmymagic46
27-02-09, 12:43
I too have found it strange how my symptoms have changed over the last two years!! I started with just having plaps that lead to panic attacks, and now that im on citalopram i dont sense the palps but i am still getting weird sensaitions of feeling panicky....and once in a while i get the rush of adrenaline through my chest and to my face and down my arms and the racing heart...and i STILL think omg im going to die of a heart attack. It leaves me shaken up for days. Its so hard to tell yourself your ok.....i still have no where near mastered my problem!!
My panic attacks have never had any set pattern, which is no fun at all. I do realise that in social situations or even in public places they tend to come on in the same order.. chest tightening, spinning head and nausea.. among other things. Other times, I'm at the mercy of my symptoms.
A feeling of Absolute terror - then my brain races trying to find the cause - giddiness / sweating / racing heart etc etc
And i am just sitting in my living room watching TV and knitting or sewing. Takes couple of hours to realy settle.
But the fear of the fear is then set for days.
Needless to say i also panic in situations that are common to other people.
June
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