late night panic attack(?)

[e_ramon]

Hi there people. This isn't my first time posting, but I don't normally feel obliged to make a thread unless something really shakes me up. So with that said, I'm hoping this will sound familiar to someone at least...

I was trying to get some sleep very late last night. (Recently my sleeping patterns have been moving further and further into the morning...) I found that every time I closed my eyes I was met with rushing thoughts and mental images of completely random things. I had a very 'full up' sensation in my gut and up towards my chest. That was followed up by a lot of ectopic beats (which I've had before, and they don't go any way towards helping me sleep :P). Every time I tried to doze off, something would just wake me back up again. Then just when I hoped my mind would willingly shut off for the night... my entire body came over quite hot all of a sudden, my ears were filled with ringing and worst of all my heart started thumping spasmodically. It felt like it was beating on my chest wanting to get out. I stood up out of bed, trembling, and slumped myself against a wall for a few minutes... and then eventually after that the symptoms completely subsided (except for the full stomach and what not).

I'm familiar with a fair amount of anxiety and less often panic, but this seemed to be verging on a medical emergency, and came pretty much out of the blue or so it felt. Granted, I wasn't in the best mode for sleeping, but I can't be certain what it was or what brought it on... does it sound like a panic attack? I'm 20 years old, non-smoker (although I have smoked) with no family history of heart conditions, in fact my parents are quite athletic and I myself have run a 10K before from start to finish. One side of my family does have a history of anxiety and panic attacks though. So can anxiety actually do that to your heart? :S

I'm beginning to really think I should get myself checked out with an ECG... just don't know what to think. If anyone has any advice, I would be most grateful. :)

-Edward

[margaret jones]

Hi Edward
Sorry i cant give you any real answers but felt i needed to say Hi someone with more experince will send you a post to help you i am sure
Lots of the symptons seem like panic/anxiety fuelled to me as i suffer from them have you looked at the symptons link ? that is very good .

Take Care Margaret ( sorry you are feeling so bad )

[gypsywomen]

does sound like panic but if i was you i would get yourself checked just to make sure

[e_ramon]

have you looked at the symptons link ? that is very good

Yeah I have it set as my homepage actually :D It's helped me come to terms with a lot of different symptoms whenever they flare up.


does sound like panic but if i was you i would get yourself checked just to make sure

Yeah, in the course of the day I tend to get the worst anxiety just before bed... I get quite over-imaginative about not waking up from my sleep a lot of the time :/
This was very different to what I'm used to though. Really felt like I hadn't done anything to provoke it which was odd, I suppose subconsciously I might have though.
Sometime this week I think I'm going to give the medical centre a bell. I hope having an ECG isn't too much to ask.

Thanks!

[gypsywomen]

it seems like this is 2nd time you posted about this so yes your only young your doing the right thing sure you will be ok

[Brunette]

You won't be refused an ECG e r . In fact if you explain to your doctor that you think you might be suffering from anxiety he/she should give you both an ECG and a blood test to rule out other conditions.

I've run a marathon, a couple of half marathons and other shorter races in the past - it doesn't stop me from thinking the worst when my heart starts racing sometimes though :)

As for getting to sleep, have you tried "counting sheep" by which I mean not really counting sheep but setting yourself a memory task? Naming dog breeds or characters from "Frasier" are two I use. It can take a while to focus when your mind is racing but once you get into it, your mind calms down as you focus on the task and then you soon drop off.

[Gaza]

Hi Edward,

I do a lot of running to help with my anxiety and still have the odd flare up and have very similar symptoms you mentioned, which always scare me something rotten. The hot flush, the ringing in the ears and the thumping heart are all classical signs of a whopper panic attack.

Whatever brought this on will depend on what you were thinking, my Doc told me it can build from weeks before and then esculate into a big old panic expolsion. A fact I learnt about this, relates to the amount of tension you are holding onto prior to the attack and if you can recognise the feeling of *agitation* and *restlessness* starting to set in then you can prevent an attack from happening, by simply reversing the thoughts about the state your in.

Otherwords, you need to have a good hot soak and have some soothing relaxing music to listen to, clearly you have an over-active mind (like myself) that needs a little less thinking time. You have to drift along with the music therapy, which is excellent for decreasing anxiety build-ups, the energy will still be stored in your muscle and can still affect you later, so do some light work-outs and jogging on the spot to release that pent-up tension. Don't worry though, go have an ECG (I have had loads over the years) heart strong as bull, just over-stimulated with stress hormones.

Heres some stuff that might help:

http://www.collectivewizdom.com/FoodsThatHelpYouReduceStress.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/14319-manage-stress-with-laughter/

http://adam.about.com/reports/Stress.htm

Take a deep breath and relax:(Music to help relax you)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEulyxBCA6c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UlZyuFiGks&feature=related

Hope this helps - Gaza:)

[e_ramon]

As for getting to sleep, have you tried "counting sheep" by which I mean not really counting sheep but setting yourself a memory task? Naming dog breeds or characters from "Frasier" are two I use. It can take a while to focus when your mind is racing but once you get into it, your mind calms down as you focus on the task and then you soon drop off.

Yeah I have found myself doing that kind of thing, actually a really good one is if you imagine yourself driving/walking a long route you're familiar with and try to picture the various landmarks and stuff as you go. I find on certain nights that can send me right off :)

I jog a fair bit too, it definitely helps out with my anxiety... being able to put tough demands on yourself physically is a great confidence boost. Not to mention a brilliant excuse to rest :P

Gaza - Wow that's some really sound advice, thinking about it I was generally feeling quite tense- it's probably no coincidence that I also had my first driving lesson for about a year yesterday... so probably a lot of stress accumulated from that must have jumped up on me. I'll have a look at those links :yesyes:

Thanks a lot!

Ed