Tight Chest and feel shaky :S

[Rick Loader]

Hi all,

I'm really worried because ive started feelin like i cant breathe and my chest is all tight ? And also i feel dead shaky ?

Anyone have any ideas what it could be ?

Thanks for your time.

Rick

[wiskersonkittens]

How old are you? Have you seen a doc about similar symptoms in the past and you have a diagnosis of being an anxiety sufferer? Chances are you are having a severe panic attack. I've had your symptoms and tons more. Check out this website:www.anxietycentre.com and click on anxiety symptoms. Any new stresses/triggers in your life right now? If the feeling does get progressively worse, I wouldn't hesitate seeing a doctor either for peace of mind or to rule anything else out. Please let me know how you are doing! Wiskers ~

[Rick Loader]

21 I've had a cold but ive been worrying about this swine flu thats been going on... and ive just felt like dead short of breathe and shaky its horrible.

I've had anxiety before and been the docs and everything was fine.

x

[wiskersonkittens]

Rick -- just looked at your profile. You look quite young. I am going with severe panic attack on this one. One thing that has helped me is actually holding my breath for 15 - 20 seconds at a time. Recently I have had to have some test done -- MRI and CT scans and I was horribly anxious about them. I trembled, I couldn't breathe, my heart was racing . . but, for the test I had to hold my breath between pictures and I was amazed at how calm I suddenly started to feel. Ever since then, I have tried it and it still helps. Also, try the RID method -- First, relax. Then, ignore your symptoms. Don't let them win. They are trying to scare you! Then, distract yourself by doing something you enjoy. See how that goes. Other methods include coming up with the worst case scenario and focusing on that so much that you get bored with it. That one I haven't been able to do just yet, but it might work for some. Just remember, everything for us is regulated by our THOUGHTS. These intangible things that haunt us and make our lives miserable. Thoughts don't make it so, and just because you think something doesn't make it happen or make it true. I think that is the hardest thing for us to separate. Anxiety folks are a bit superstitious and we feel if we ignore the thought (like, you could be worrying you are having a heart attack) then we are missing something important and we won't get help in time. I have been through that over and over! But, in reality, how many of our thoughts have actually happened? I am here if you would like to talk. Feel free to PM me, too, ok? Sounds like something else is going on and you just need to get it out by other means, that your body is trying to get out by your symptoms. Wiskers ~

P.S. I would still see a doc with any new and prolonged symptoms, so do keep an eye on this, but see how things go when you aren't focusing on it so much. Hugs!

[wiskersonkittens]

Oops! I jumped ahead of you here! ha! So, you have your trigger .. fear of the Swine Flu. Chances are, Rick, you have nothing to worry about, and if you do, in most cases it is like having the flu. Remember the media is going to play everything up 100 times more than it is. Let's take plane crashes -- those are so rare, but when the media has to make them part of the news, we think they happen all the time. We are looking for things to confirm our biggest fears -- planes always crash, or if I get the Swine Flu I will be one of the ones who dies. I don't watch the news anymore -- I just can't. I am too open to suggestion and if it is happening to someone else, it will surely have to happen to me. Sounds as if you are caught in that web. I know having a cold doesn't help and you worry one thing will lead to another. Sure, it can, but seriously doubtful. You are young and healthy. Try focusing on that. And another thing, I know you know that cold medicine can raise your blood pressure and make you jittery. Just something else to consider when looking at everything. Take a deep breath now -- get your life back, Rick. You have many roads to go and bridges to cross. :)