Can this really just be panic attacks???

[ConAnima]

I have problems (as do most!)
My life is just ruined by the way my head works but i'm starting to wonder if it is actually in my head or not?

I struggle in open spaces but I got better to a degree, facing my fears and all that.. But something's still not right.
If i'm put in front of a hill or a big set of stairs I instantly start hyperventillating it's so scary.
I recently started spending time with a girl and she suggested going for a walk so I did but within minutes we were walking up a massive hill and the world just flipped I couldn't catch my breath I got a tightness in my chest I felt sick and was looking for an escape but there wasn't one..
In the end I had to explain what was going on 'cause she was wondering.
So ashamed.

But I start to question whether it's in my head or i'm actually physically ill?

These feelings started at the bottom of the hill which suggests it's mental but maybe it's something more because I can't be that unfit I can't walk up a hill?? I'm 31 i'm active I play football and do weights??? I'm so lost with this it's been years.

I have had occasional A Fib which I take Flecainide for so in my head now I have come to the conclusion it's not mental i'm just sick? But is it?? I 'm so fed up it's been 9 years of this. : ( x

[Hel_is_heaven]

It sounds like you are afraid of heights. Let me ask you this, did you flip out because you discovered that you were walking up a hill - did you know beforehand that it was a hill?
If it concerns you, then I would recommend going back to the doctor and explaining whats going on for you.
However I used to date someone who was afraid of heights, and hills were a massive problem for him, and he used to start having panic feelings at the bottom and they would get worse the further he went up, then they would go after he had come off hill.
It is possible that it is panic attacks, but perhaps go to your doctor and ask if it could be related to the A Fib etc?
Helen x

[ConAnima]

Heights aren't a problem at all! I can peer over the edge of a cliff and not even get butterflies...
I don't know what's going on at all : ( x

[ChristopherJ]

I have real problems walking up stairs or up any sort of hill - even a tiny slope can trigger off a panic. When this happens, I just cannot draw a proper breath and that, of course, makes me panic even more - so it's a vicious circle. This sounds very much like what is happening to you, ConAnima.

I asked my doctor what was the problem - as I was worried there was something wrong with my lungs. He said, no - it was just anxiety. The way he described it was that, when I feel anxious, the muscles in my chest tighten up - and so I cannot draw a proper breath. Knowing this has helped me a little - in that I know there is a simple physical reason for my breathing problems when I come to a hill or stairs. Of course, this does not answer why I get panicky in the first place.

I just try and cope with it. I walk at a slow steady pace up hills or stairs - and take a rest whenever I feel I need to. I explain to people I am with why I need to do this and they have always been very understanding. It is just another thing that I am learning to live with. Maybe someday it will go away!

[jothenurse]

Ever since I had palpitations and ended up in the ER (with panic attacks - and one time maybe with an SVT) - I have been afraid to go up stairs, take my dog for a walk, exercise, or exert myself. It's just really very frustrating. Before I had this anxiety/panic, I exercised and was in great shape. Now I'm afraid to because I think my heart with start with the palpitations. The doctor's said I could exercise, but I'm scared.

[kathrynfleming]

hey there

im not sure if your mentally ill it just sounds like you have a real serious problem with heights maybe thats one of the things that triggers your panic attacks? im only 14 but it does sound like you have a fear of heights not a mental problem:) x

take care xxx

[Luna]

I had what I thought was chronic fatigue syndrome for 17 years. I now believe my symptoms where coursed by anxiety.

I have problems climbing stairs and hills, long walks, standing for a long time, even showering. For years this limited my life.

Now I try to relax and breathe deeply. It helps. I still struggle with hills, but now I recover much more quickly. This improvement has happened in the last four weeks.

I don't know why it happens. Maybe a mix of hyperventilation and the resulting muscle tiredness and cramps.

[agnes]

Con, I have felt exactly the same as you and I am convinced it is in my head and that it is my anxious thoughts that cause the problem. Two years ago I went though an awful period of anxiety. My brother and sil, who are aware of how anxious I get, persuaded me to go for a walk with them. I truly thought I wouldn't survive the walk and I went through hell...but, about half way through, I began to feel less breathless and I was so glad I'd gone. I still tend to feel very anxious when presented with hills or even gentle slopes (!!) but it's more of a mind than a physical thing.

Just be gentle with yourself.

[angels22165]

Hi, just reading your post regarding, walking up stairs, hills. I'm just the same, even walking up my stairs its horrible, I even stop sometimes half way up and sit down for few mins as my chest has tightened up, I will not carry anything up the stairs as when I reach top I feel I cannot breathe, this makes me flap and it takes ages for my breathing to calm down the doctor as also told me its anxiety, still knowing that does not make it any easier:scared15:. Its just so hard I want to get out and about walk up hills etc without panicing but do not know how to even start this. Do you do anything to distract yourself? Take care Julie.:)

[ConAnima]

Thanks for all your posts : )
I wonder if I will ever get to the bottom of it? The thing that keeps me relatively sane is that it was real bad a few years ago but it got better.. Maybe I do think to much about the bodily process and should just chill. But its hard. I do find distracting myself with texting or counting things tends to help a bit.
I wish I could just be grateful to be alive and get over this x

[katey24]

can anyone get rid of ectopic heartbeat, i first got them when i had a bad panic attack last year, i had ecgs in a and e while my heart was constantly skipping beats and was sent home, ive been told they're normal and get them when anxious

[AnthonyJames]

To be honest with you, just because you play football doesn't mean you are fit. Sometimes the more you train the less healthy you become. People are obsessed with training and are actually damaging their bodies. The heart can't cope with too much strain especially when younger. There is too much emphasis put on training young ones these days. Look into the problems of young people dying of heart problems and they say that they were the picture of health!

[Veronica H]

:)Hi Lee
Your fears are creating more fears and keeping this cycle going. The 'what ifs' about how long this will last are making you anxious and sensitising your nerves. As you can see from the replies many have these symptoms, which answers the question about whether anxiety alone can cause this. It is only by walking up that hill no matter what sensations you feel that you will replace this fear with positive success. When people ask if you are ok (and most often don't even notice our distress, even though we think everyone does) say 'I have panic anxiety which affects my breathing but it can't harm me and I will be fine'. Keep going anxiety buddy. The less you fear this, the sooner it will pass. It will be as big or as small as you decide to make it.:bighug1:

Veronicax

[ronski]

Lee I can sympathise with you 100% and yes I believe most of your problems are because of a Chronic Hyperventilation Condition. This would definately give you exercise intolerance and Chronic Fatigue if you are unlucky. Most people on this site have attributed your problems to anxiety and in part I believe that they are correct but new research has shown a new cause and I thought of Luna's post especially with her reference to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which she had for 17 years but attributed eventually to anxiety.

I have ME/CFS as well as anxiety and research is showing that especially in cases of absolute exercise intolerance and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that the cause maybe an oversensitised Amygdala. The Amygdala is responsible for controlling the fear response and the nerve connections from this brain structure have connections throughout the body including the endocrine, immune, cardiac, respiratory and digestive systems. What happens is that the Amygdala is damaged by a virus, physical and/or major emotional insult. This then starts up the fight and flight response and most of us are distressed by this bodily response that brings on Palpitations, chest pain, joint pain, digestive and respiratory sensations. WE then mull on then and worry about what is happening, this then releases even more adrenaline which gives even more weird and powerful symptoms and sensations. We then fear the onset of these symptoms and sensations which now includes major panic attacks and the figure of eight cycle is complete so ensuring that basically a constant release of adrenaline and other stress hormones are being secreted. Some of these hormones specifically cortisol are stored in tissue and released inappropiately so even when we do not feel anxious we still get these panic type feelings. The Amygdala is now sensitised and so has a trigger reflex so now even stress cannot be handled effectively by the sufferer and life basically is hell on earth. I know this because I have been there, where any stress whatsoever would start my hyperventilation off and so would follow the exercise intolerance and major post exertional malaise which may occur very quickly after any aerobic or cognitive functioning.

This some people believe may be the cause of ME/CFS so as you can see is basically an anxiety response but has gone further than just normal anxiety. So Lee your hyperventilation may be an altered physiological state due to a stressed Autonomic nervous system, I think that is very true with Luna.

So what do they say is the answer to this condition, well in one way it is the same as DR Weeks which is positive thinking and not dwelling on negatives at all so acceptance is the key. Let time pass and do not rush a cure, do things that you enjoy and set no timescales. So basically you are giving your body time to relax and getting that Amygdala sensitivity down. This may take months but nervous tissue takes a long time to heal.

So lee dont dwell on your hyperventilation as time is the only cure. I think hyperventilation is the worst of the anxiety symptoms as it causes shortness of breath sensations/ inability to take a deep breath followed closely by agitation.

I hope this helps as sometimes anxiety is attributed to everything but I think with exercise intolerance and major fatigue that your sensitisation is much higher than the normal sufferer. This mind you is just my point of view through my experiences.

[Veronica H]

Hi Lee/Ron


Lee said.... These feelings started at the bottom of the hill which suggests it's mental but maybe it's something more because I can't be that unfit I can't walk up a hill?? I'm 31 i'm active I play football and do weights??? I'm so lost with this it's been years.
Would this be chronic hyperventilation syndrome given that Lee plays football etc?? Anxiety me thinks Ronski...:winks:.

Veronicax

[ConAnima]

Wow that is so interesting!! It is so nice of you to take the time to write all that for me thank you!
X

[jothenurse]

This happens to me all the time. It started a few months ago - I was walking up the stairs and I got really bad palpitations. Then it started happening more often. I have been in the ER several times and they say it is a panic attack with sinus tachycardia. My EKG's have been normal. I had a stress test done with a cardiolyte two years ago, and they said I was in great shape. They said that I did not need to repeat that, because my heart rate has been in the 150's in the ER and my EKG looked great (except too fast). Now I am scared to go up stairs, go up any incline or just exercise. Prior to this I was mowing, hiking, shoveling, running up and down stairs, working out at the fitness center. They originally put me on a beta-blocker, which they are now tapering me off because my blood pressure is getting pretty low and my pulse sometimes is in the 50's. They also put me on Klonpin (which I take .25mg 3 - 4 times a day. I take it that way, because if I take a .5 twice a day I get too drowsy). Anyway - sorry for the long post. I'm a little afraid coming off the beta-blocker because I'm afraid I'll get the palpitations again, but they think most of this is anxiety. One doctor thought I may have had a supraventricular tachycardia (never showed on the EKG) but they said that is not dangerous either, just scary. My counselor wants me to start exercising - very slowly, like walking on flat services, then going up inclines, until my body and my anxiety can tolerate it. But, I am very scared. Any suggestions? Just wanted to let you know that I deal with this also.

[ConAnima]

Well I went back to the scene of the attack a few days ago I got so fed up I decided i'm going to do the walk again and either collapse or get through this and move on!!
I did it but i still got the feelings I just used distraction techniques like counting things or sending a text and I made it up there and felt a huge sense of achievement.
So I guess it seems to be mental although I still sometimes get a bit breathless even just standing up to fast.. But then maybe it's just a normal feeling but due to me being hyper sensitive to every little thing my body does I blow it out of proportion??

[Veronica H]

:bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::yesyes::yesyes::flower s::flowers: So pleased for you. Facing these fears is never easy but always worth it.

Veronicax

[jnuz]

I'm glad i found this thread. I can relate to your problems 100%.
I also get very anxious and palpitatioon and shortness of breth, dizziness etc while going up the hill. It usually can be even very mild climb. Usually i get the urge to coughe, and it might then trigger palpitation or a thump/skipped beat feeling. I live in a two floor house, and i don't get this feeling at home, but my office has like 7 step stairs, and i get the anxius feeling here a lot. As of result i've been avoiding regular exercise for years, i'm just too scared. At the same time i usually windsurf during summer and last year when i was on Cipralex i even started to go cycling. And i can go to swimming because that doesn't for some reason usually trigger anxiety.

I took the EKG and ECCO tests few weeks ago, and my dr told me that i was in very good shape. I really would like to loose few pounds, get my muscles better in shape and just be fit. But despite dr oppinion i'm afraid to start doing something about it. I just keep getting the question - but why does it happen when i go up the hill, stairs?! Ugh! just frustrating, isn't it :D

[Brunette]

"Sometimes the more you train the less healthy you become. People are obsessed with training and are actually damaging their bodies. The heart can't cope with too much strain especially when younger."

Can you produce any actual medical evidence or statistics for that assertion Anthony? I have heard of tendons, ligaments joints and even bones being damaged by overtraining but never the heart - not in an otherwise healthy person.

[mary3]

ive got to agree with brunette on this one. im sure you didnt do it on purpose but that is a bit of an insensitive thing to say on a forum about anxiety, many people worry about their hearts and comments like that can be really upsetting

[jothenurse]

That happens to me, too. I am on a medical leave from work right now due to anxiety, and before I go back I need to be able to climb up stairs, etc. Because of the bad palpitations I had and some ER visits (which turned out panic attacks) I am scared to exercise. I had a cardiolyte test done a couple of years ago and I was in great shape. This time I have had at least 3 EKG's done (with my pulse in the 150's) and it was a a panic attack and the EKG's were fine. The doctor said there wasn't anything wrong with my heart. But, I am still afraid of the palpitations. Just a few months ago I was running on the treadmill, shoveling, running up and down the stairs. Now I see stairs or an incline and I panic.

[Brunette]

It is a pain isn't it jo?

I don't get many but I have just got back into running and it sets them off during the first 10 minutes or so after which they seem to disappear.

I have started listening to my iPod to try and help me ignore what's happening in my chest and focus on my legs instead.

Oddly I always get more just before I develop a cough or cold - makes you wonder what's going on in there sometimes doesn't it? :)

[jothenurse]

How did you get yourself back into running then? I really need to just start exercising, but am afraid of the palpitations. Did you just do it or start slow?

[jothenurse]

Also - forgot to ask you when you got back into running. Are you on any medication? I tried SSRI's for maybe a day or two and just could not handle them. So, I can have Ativan .25 mg if I need it. I sometimes take it a couple of times a day. It is a small dose, but especially the second one, I get so spacey and dizzy, not sure it's worth taking unless I get really panicky.

[Brunette]

Hi jo,

No, I am not on any medication.

I have been running regularly on and off for about 5 years. Sometimes though, the thought of running would make me anxious - why I don't know, probably because a bad run can be uncomfortable - all runners get them and you never really know why!

Given this, I stopped running when I started getting panic attacks last May (one less thing to worry about).

I stopped having them (thankfully) and have run every now and again since about October but I have a 10k at the end of May so am running more regularly at the moment.

The day after a run I am definitely a bit edgy, especially in the morning, which I attribute to adrenaline, but it is not too bad.

[jothenurse]

Thanks for your reply.
Did you just kind of make yourself do it then?

[Brunette]

Hi jo,

I never intended to stop running for good and entered the 10k to make sure I didn't.
I was completely fine after my last run so I hopefully my body is getting used to it again.

[ragdoll]

i think my first proper panic attack was when i was in amsterdam in february, had a pure joint in the coffee shop (no idea why seeing as i don't even like weed... i make stupid decisions) and when i started to get high i totally FREAKED out ran upstairs, outside onto the pavement, i was absolutely boiling so i pretty much took off my top (and i'm a girl... that's not really acceptable in public) and was lying down on the street hugging the pavement. my heart was beating so so fast and i thought i was having a heart attack and dying. it was horrible.

At the time i had no idea it was a panic attack and only found out yesterday after being diagnosed by the psychiatrist. for 8 weeks, since mothers day, i have been feeling so spaced out and exhausted and ill in a lot of ways... worse headaches i've ever had, not being able to concentrate at all, not being able to fall asleep for ages (4 or 5am) and then having really disturbed sleep- waking up 6-8 times each night- and having the most horrible dreams when i don't normally have any dreams. i have seen loads of doctors and had an MRI scan, 2 EEG's, 2 chest xrays, abdominal ultrasound and blood tests. eventually the tests showed no abnormalities, and when i saw the psychiatrist yesterday he diagnosed me with panic disorder.

i took my first pill of citalopram yesterday, 10mg, i took it in the morning and felt soooooooo tired all day, and bear in mind i had been feeling exhausted for 8 weeks prior to now, so i mean properly tired. so today i'm going to take it just before i go to bed... anyone know if that's ok or does it affect the side effects?
for 1 week i'm on 10mg and then increasing to 20mg... has anyone else done that and if so can you notice the increased dose? because i feel bloody awful on 10mg. and although i felt pretty vile beforehand i definitely feel different now, i feel constantly drowsy and sick and am very aware of the fact i am on medication! but on the bright side i'm hoping because they make me tired they'll help me fall asleep faster and get more sleep.

anyway..... how old is everyone? because i'm only 19 (20 in august) and i'm worried because i didn't think i would be on anti-depressants at this young age- and i know that i'm not necessarily taking them to treat depression but still it's a pretty scary thought.
Also, does anyone know what's potential causes of panic attacks? because my grandma who i was really close to, and my aunt died late December 2009. and now we are having to sell a house which i went to every weekend for many years of my life an spent many christmases at and have so many memories from. and my boyfriend dumped me in january (but was only with him for a couple of months so wasn't that bothered). so maybe those things contribute to it?

i really don't understand all this. and i hate that one day i can change so very much, when i am usually such a confident outgoing person and now i just feel scared and alone because of not understanding why i am ill, how long i'm going to be ill and worrying about falling behind at university and losing friends because i'm not there with them, i'm at home still bloody unwell.

[Luna]

Hello Ragdoll.

I'm taking Citalopram too.

I had horrid panic attacks for several weeks. I was sleeping for an hour and a half and then waking up during a panic attack. I was feeling too exhausted to face going through the whole sleep / attack cycle. Night times became hard work.

When I started the Citalopram 20g my anxiety got worse. My doctor had warned me this could happen so I stuck to taking the pills and about 2 weeks later started to feel better. My sleeping patterns started to settle around then too. It was a very hard two weeks to get through because I was already at a very low point.

My dose increased after 4 weeks. My doctor said I wouldn't notice any side effects but I did feel a little more panicked for a few days. It wasn't a problem because I know I would start to feel better, just like I had the first time round.

The cause of panic attacks is stress and anxiety. Learning what causes those feelings in *you* is part of learning to control the panic. Everyone's different.

Good luck with the next few weeks. Trust you will get better soon.

[Brunette]

Hi Ragdoll,

Some of the things that have happened recently in your life will almost certainly have contributed to your anxiety but what tipped you over was smoking the joint - as you have probably realised.

All drugs, even mild ones come with risks, as we all know. What caused my first PA was caffeine - nothing more than that.

You will get better, you won't be on meds for ever but please stay away from recreational drugs for the sake of your anxiety.

Good luck

B