Adrenaline rush or Panic Attack? Help!

[Ella_Jayne]

Last night I was relaxed watching a movie and all of a sudden I felt this weird rush to my head, my breathing became odd, my mouth and arms went numb, I felt SICK and a tad dizzy. My heart started to race at about 105 which I know isn't that fast but if went from 60ish to this in just a few seconds. I wasn't feeling anxious at the time, I wasn't thinking of anything anxious. So i'm left worried as to why this happened.

I had quite a bit of caffine yesterday, I don't usually have it at all really. Could this be the cause? Was it an adrenaline rush? A panic attack or well, both? When I woke up today I felt dizzy, lightheaded and feeling sick. Normal or should I see my GP?

I've had panic attacks before but none that have ever came out of the blue. They usually happen to me when I'm feeling very anxious or stressed.

x

[lindajane1971]

Hi Ella, i get these weird rushes too and funny enough its mostly when im watchin television, and when im reading - they scare the hell out of me! I describe it like when your face blushes but instead its all over my head, i get the same feeling in my upper chest like when your on a rollercoaster going down that first big dip, that feeling you get in your stomach but its in my chest instead. The feeling lasts only a second. Does it feel anything like that???
I usually slow my breathing right down when it happens and then i get really worried and thats when my heart starts racing, it also makes me feel lightheaded and my eyes feel weird like they are crossed or something!!!
My doc tells me its adrenaline rushes at inapropriate times, did blood tests which came back fine and offered me anti depressants for my anxiety which still sit in the box since january.
does it happen a lot???

xx

[Ella_Jayne]

Thanks for your reply LindaJane. :)

It's only happened to me about 4 or 5 times, but never as intense and the one I had last night. It's left me feeling like there's something wrong with me. Even though I've got the all clear for like the 100th time just a few days ago.

Since it's happened I feel lightheaded and sick. I'm thinking about making an appointment with my GP for Thurdays just for peace of mind. It lasted about 2-3 mins but threw me into a full blown panic attack. Can caffeine cause these adrenaline rushs?

[Ella_Jayne]

Thanks Amieekid. You've really helped!! :)

[dreena]

i have this too, sometimes i will suddenly wake up with my heart racing.. its so scarey. it sounds like a panick attack to me. i get this sometimes driving, in shops or even just sitting down chilling out. its scarey how your mind works. i just grab a bottle of cold water (always got bottles of cold water in the fridge lol) take a few deep breaths and concentrate on something positive.

also try let it pass. dont sit there dwelling on it, its happened, it cant harm you. its just the rush of adreniline that makes yout limbs feel heavy or numb, and obviously makes you dizzy. hope your feeling better now though x x

[blueangel]

I get these as well - I've always assumed it was hormonal with me as they seem to be worse around my period (and definitely since I got perimenopausal :wacko:). Like you, they seem to happen at really random moments, like when I'm relaxing or just walking down the street. It's really off-putting and if I'm outside I get really alarmed as I have a thing about passing out in public. Cold water definitely helps me though, as I think it gives me something else to focus on.

[HollyoaksLover6]

Hi, i get these anxiety attacks/adrenaline rushes sometimes. Yesterday I had about 20 in one day! So annoying as I am just relaxing or watching TV and it just comes on as if something really bad is going to happen! :/ I feel so so terrified when I have these, even though they only last 30seconds or so each time. Not really sure if they are adrenaline rushes or very mild panic attacks as I don't show any physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing or anything.
Just wondering what sort of things could have triggered them off as they never happen when I am worrying about something, and what I can do to deal with them?
Thanks! :)

[Krashingkritter]

I get these panic attacks/adrenaline rushes as well, and they tend to occur at random times. They feel like the sensation you get when you're scared, as if someone snuck-up on you or your anxiously expecting bad news. It's alarming because it comes on unprovoked and feels like some dropped an adrenaline bomb inside your torso. The adrenaline ripples down your limbs, your face flushes for a moment, you feel butterflies for an instant, and your gripped with a sudden, "Oh no, what's wrong?"

When it first started happening, I thought something was wrong with my heart, like I had a previously unknown condition, but my blood work, vitals, and ECG are all normal. I also have a family history of bipolar, depression, and anxiety. It seemed worse after my baby was born (I'm always worrying there's something wrong with my LO or myself); and I notice it's worse after I drink (alcohol increases anxiety).

I know what it is now, so I can usually brush it off and ride out the after effects, but it's still irksome.

[Thumbelina]

I get these panic attacks/adrenaline rushes as well, and they tend to occur at random times. They feel like the sensation you get when you're scared, as if someone snuck-up on you or your anxiously expecting bad news. It's alarming because it comes on unprovoked and feels like some dropped an adrenaline bomb inside your torso. The adrenaline ripples down your limbs, your face flushes for a moment, you feel butterflies for an instant, and your gripped with a sudden, "Oh no, what's wrong?"

When it first started happening, I thought something was wrong with my heart, like I had a previously unknown condition, but my blood work, vitals, and ECG are all normal. I also have a family history of bipolar, depression, and anxiety. It seemed worse after my baby was born (I'm always worrying there's something wrong with my LO or myself); and I notice it's worse after I drink (alcohol increases anxiety).

I know what it is now, so I can usually brush it off and ride out the after effects, but it's still irksome.
At least you understand it now and can ride it out - thats grest achievement.
As long as you dont let it get you down, thats great!!!

[SPOOKY MULDER]

Im not a doctor, this is just speculation, but
The fact that you mentioned you were watching TV at the time of the onset of your symptoms makes me wonder if you perhaps also have a condition that I have known as Photosensitive Epilepsy. You also mentioned that you had been drinking coffee, which increases a persons stress levels, which inturn increases the effects of this condition. But what makes me think that maybe its not Photosensitive Epilepsy is because you also said that you were feeling ill the next day still. With me if I suddenly feel dizzy and sick in my stomach while watching tv, I look away from the tv for awhile and drink some water.Then I feel ok again. I dont feel sick the next morning. So yeah I dont know if it is Photosensitive Epilepsy that your suffering from.
Heres a wikipedia link where you can read more about the condition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosensitive_epilepsy

Or maybe it could be this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucha_effect