What are your signs that a anxiety/panic attack is coming

[junie7]

Hi All,

Just wondering if any of you know when an attack is coming. My first one a few weeks ago came completely out of the blue but I think I can tell now when I'm not going to be well as my left leg aches and then I can feel little contraction like sensations in my legs and stomach which I think is adrenalin. I know I'm in trouble if the adrenalin reaches my chest as this starts the palpitations and dizziness off.
Still waiting to be properly diagnosed but so far blood tests and ECG etc have come back fine. Waiting to have a 24 hour ECG done but this is not until 20th October. Worrying that I might have something else wrong with me.

[Rod]

As hard as it is the thing is to not let those first symptoms unsettle you and the rest of the symtoms will not always follow.
My symptoms vary from time to time in how they start, but its usually an ache in my chest.
I am learning to accept it and not let second fear take over and add to it. Then I forget about it and get on with what I am doing.
I do find though that when I am feeling fine I find myself looking for symptoms.
Your first tests are encouring, so thats good news.
Just try and it doesnt have to be every time but say every second one at first to just let it happen and go with it. you will find by not adding all the fear the worst doesnt come.
Take care.

[gtrgrl3369]

The one way I could tell they were coming was I would always get agitated. Anything and everything would irritate me to no end.

[purplehaze]

The question is not to ask how do we know when an attack is coming but what will we do when it comes and how will we combat it. Here the issue is we are waiting in fear for something that causes us fear, so we are on an never ending circle.

I think most attacks come from thoughts. Most of these thoughts come without us really knowing we have had them. The electric impulses are that quick from brain to mind to feeling. Yes we can also have a moment of feeling lightheaded and this can trigger an attack.

We are all so pre-occupied by waiting and fear of the attacks that we seldom think "Okay how am I going to move forward, how will I combat the next attack"

The answer is not in avoiding a panic attack but facing it.

We brush floss our teeth to avoid tooth decay and having to go to the dentist, we are being pro-active in doing this and it works. Can I suggest we start our day with a plan.

Begin with relaxation and speak to yourself. Tell yourself you are getting better each day and in everyway I will feel better. That is your mantra.
Through the day repeat it

work on cbt
work on excercise

You are stronger than the fear

[Fran74]

I normally start feeling dizzy and my heart starts going faster , i have a feeling Of extreme worry(for no apparent reason) and normally feeling i am going crazy, my muscles are rigid and i start not breathing well i kind of hold my breath ...find it hard also to describe it -:(

[Dee01]

pins and needles in my left had and arm and feeling 'not there'. I agree with purple haze. Its how I deal with these feelings that dictate if I'm going to have an attack or not.

[Panic33]

I get agitated, then mind starts to race. When its a full on panic attack I get sensations down my arms first then the heart racing and breathing. I then get total brain fog. Now I have released these are sypmtoms of the anxiety they are not as bad as before just sometimes I cant convince myself thats all they are and then they get worse.

[Desprate Dan]

I start to feel very nervous and trebling, a fluttery hot sensation in my chest and keep needing to go to the loo for a pee, also headache and dry mouth and hollow feeling in my legs...:scared15:

If this is Anxiety i hate it and will i ever overcome it.....:weep:

Desprate Dan

[melvin]

i feel i cant breath or holding my breath i allso get angry if someone talks to me i feel im runing out of breath to answer them i feel i just want to be alone for a bit

[Anxious_gal]

am I feel hot, I get butterflies in my tummy, then I'm hit with a wave of panic

[junie7]

Hi all,
Thank you very much for your response. I can relate to a few of the things you mentioned.
I think I am managing to control things a little. I try to control my breathing and keep calm when I feel the warning signals. I also like to be still and quiet which seems to help. Bachs remedies and drinking lots of water seem to help as well as avoiding tea and coffee.
I still worry a lot though imagining that I have something terrible wrong with me.

Junie

[hannah84]

I always feel agitated i cant sit still and my hands get tense, i feel a bit breathless and hot and my neck gets a bit stiff i get annoyed if my mum trys to calm me down bless her i feel so bad after as she is only helping to help but i just feel like i want to concerntrate on the attack which i know is stupid as it makes it worse.

[sarah jayne]

I get sudden unexpected pain in my chest, its awful and im always dreading the next one....

[Matthew82]

I get a twinge in my chest/stomach area, and my mouth begins to tingle. I suddenly feel like my face is tickly, probably due to the sweating starting, and then it goes downhill rapidly from there...

[burberrygirl72]

i get a numbness in my left arm and down my face