PANIC ATTACK? Not convinced!!

[pinkpiglet]

For a some months now i'v been getting these awful symptoms, i feel extremely weak and shakey as if my heart is just going to give up. However, yesterday this was so extreme that I actually thought i was going to die. My partner and i were swimming with our 2 year old son, nothing at all strenuous, just paddling and floating about in the water. I suddenly felt very hungry and mentioned this to my partner. Then i gradually started to feel weak and shakey until i felt very ill. I struggled to walk to the showers and wash my hair as i had had no energy and felt as if i was going to faint. I then was very hot and sweaty but put this down to the changing rooms been so warm. I managed to get dressed and dress my son (in a fashion) and i was craving something sweet. I hate a chocolate bar in 0.5 seconds and swilled down a fizzy drink just as quickly. My symptoms started to pass about 20 minutes later but it still left me shakey and very very tired. I managed to get a last minute appointment for an hour later as i was convinced this was something serious. The doctor checked my bp, pulse and heartbeat and said that he felt that i had had a panic attack. I am the first person to admit i have anxiety and can easily recognise the symptoms and yes, i had a bit of stress the day before but i am NOT CONVINCED that this was a panic attack! I have had these episodes before last year where the same thing happened but everytime was during the night and a visit to A&E. The medics there also said it was a panic attack. As anyone else experienced panic attacks like this before or do you think it could be something else? I am not at all convinced that it is this as it felt so physical and unlike what i would describe as a typical panic attack. Please help before i go out of my mind. I am too scared to take my son out today incase it happens again!!!

[Lawton86]

Hello,

Yes these in general are how my panic attacks are. I dont usually start off with a racing heart or sudden instance of hyperventalating. My panic attacks start by feeling as if im just going to faint from no-where and like i loose all my energy. My legs goo really wobbly and feel soo disorientated. I then too goo from hot to cold.....

Then after 5 mins off that all the other symptons start to kick in , heavey breathing, fast heart, hands and feet tingly......Oh isnt it fun!

Buy yes, i asked a similar question about 5 days ago. Because i thought it was weird that my panic attacks start off with a total lck of energy.

[nomorepanic]

It sounds to me like hypoglycemia and your blood sugar level dropped.

Had you eaten before going swimming?

[finny12000]

Hi pink
i agree with nic and the hunger gave it away ,its low blood sugar as i have that and the secret is to eat reguarly and keep levels topped up.
If i get it i must eat anything at all from chocolate to crisps but usually i only get it bad if ive been really energetic and not ate beforehand.

[Lawton86]

sorry pink maybe i got it wrong then.....

Now im worried that my panic attacks arnt starting off normal at all :(

but im thin, but i do keep my belly stocked up on food....

[pinkpiglet]

Hi guys!

thankyou very much for your replies! I had picked up a leaflet about hypoglycemia and was wondering wether this is what it could be. The signs and symptoms seem to match exactly how i feel when this happens. I have suffered with anxiety too long to recognise that these are not panic attacks. I stopped having attacks a few years ago by learning how to recognise them and stop them in there tracks!! i have recently started to 'pick up' after a bout of anxiety which also leads me to believe it is not a panic attack. (am i rambling?, i hope not! LOL).

Thanks Nic, i am glad you raised this and i am going to go back for a second opinion next week with my usual doctor!!!


:) :) :)

[NoPoet]

Hi yeah it sounds like your blood sugar level "crashed", probably cos you went too long without eating or haven't been eating healthily lately? I get the same feelings of dizziness, headache, nausea and gnawing hunger whenever this happens to me.

Also the craving for sweet food seems like a give-away. Always worth going back to the doc for a word just in case but your symptoms do sound reassuringly familiar :)

[yanksforever]

I suddenly felt very hungry and mentioned this to my partner. Then i gradually started to feel weak and shakey until i felt very ill. I struggled to walk to the showers and wash my hair as i had had no energy and felt as if i was going to faint. I then was very hot and sweaty but put this down to the changing rooms been so warm. I managed to get dressed and dress my son (in a fashion) and i was craving something sweet. I hate a chocolate bar in 0.5 seconds and swilled down a fizzy drink just as quickly. My symptoms started to pass about 20 minutes later but it still left me shakey and very very tired.

I had the exact same thing two days in a row before my period this month. It was BAD. But the symptoms scared me so much that I wound up actually have a real panic attack...at this point I think it was PMS, hypoglycemia, and a panic attack combined for two days...

It leaves you feeling totally ready to drop dead.