Was This A Panic Attack?? -Please Advise :)

[Lou 1]

I've suffered from Health Anxiety and Panic for a while now, i've had the classic panic attack (shot of breath, pounding heart ect...)
But last night was something completely different.. All day yesterday i felt on edge, i was worrying over my health and felt like my stomach was in knots.

I managed to calm myself down but later in the evening, i was sat watching tv when all of a sudden the most bizare feeling took over me..
I suddenly felt like i wasnt familiar with my surroundings, i knew where i was and i knew it was my house but it didnt feel familiar, everything felt sooo strange and like it wasnt real.
I had this huge emotion come over me and felt extermely tearful and like i just wanted to scream so loud, i felt really dreamy and so sick.
I was sure something bad was going to happen, i honsetly felt like i was going insaine, my mind felt overloaded and i felt like i was going to just die there and then.

It took me about 30 minutes to feel even slightly normal again!
I spoke to my gp this morning who said this was a panic attack - i always thought with panic attack you get the racing heart and short of breath which i did not last night.

I also (stupidly) googled the way i felt and somthing that popped up was an epilepsy sight saying that an aura for a seizure may create similar feelings now im so freaked that this is what that was??

Any advice would be great

[MOJO]

Hi there!
I have had exactly the same feeling many times. I'm sure it is a kind of panic attack. I think you get the depersonalization/derealization feelings which are really scary, this panics us and it all rolls on from there.
I really don't think it's anything to do with epilepsy.
And for goodness sake try not to Google!!!!:lac:
Judy.x

[Desprate Dan]

Lou,

I have the same sort of Panic attacks, i never have had the short of breath feeling sort of attack just this overwelming feeling like i am suddenly going to die i feel out of touch with reality my stomach is churning and a hot sensation rushes through my body, i feel like i have to grip hold of something or i will lose my grip on life, its really frightening and the first time it happened i thought this is the end.... But after a awhile although still very frightening i thought nothing will come of this, i thought it might be something with to much adrenalin going through your body.. I feel for you because its such an awful feeling, since taking propanolol 80mg slow release i havent felt a full blown attack occaisionally i get a slight feeling of been out of touch with reality as if you are in a bubble and seperated from your body (really wierd and hard to explain)..

I think its a panic attacl Lou and if it happens again just hold onto somthing and once you know its only an attack it soon disapears..

Take Care

Dan

[Lou 1]

Hi thanks for your advice - I was prescribed Propanolol 80mg which i took for a while and then stopped, maybe i should start taking them again.
Thank you both so much for your advice.

x

[sedalia]

My first panic attack was exactly like this. I didn't get any rapid heartbeat or breathlessness, and like you I googled and found the epilepsy info (I even mentioned it on here as I was so worried about it). Whenever I feel panicky, I only ever get feelings of unreality and lightheadedness. I would rather have the physical symptoms rather than the unreality etc, I find that more frightening than anything. Sorry I haven't been much help but just wanted to reassure you what you felt was a perfectly "normal" panic attack (if there is such a thing!)

[Lou 1]

Sedalia you've been a great help thank u. x

[Thumbelina]

I believe thta what you have experienced was Depresonalisation.
It is very vry disturbing experience - not pleasant at all, because you dont know who you are , where you are and what is going on around you.
This is when you have been experiencing anxiety for a while...

You will know it now, so no need to be scared.

Depersonalisation is a sideeffect of anxiety.

The difinition of anxiety, panic attacks and all the rest sympton can vary as well from person to person. For somebody a normal level of anxiety of another person will be a panic attack.

You will be fine

[Lou 1]

Thank you thumbalina x