not feeling that great

[jamie1]

Hi there
Just been looking around these forums and making me feel pretty emotional, mainly in relief more than anything knowing other people are having exactly the same thing as me
I'm 20 years old and had my first panic attack 4 days ago. I was actually on a bus at the time and thinking about my heart as I felt odd twinges. Out of nowhere it felt like my throat sealed up and I couldn't breathe - My entire body had pins and needles, mainly my hands, head and stomach (which was so tight it felt like it was going to explode) and I was shaking uncontrolably. I really did think I was having a heart attack and about to die. It lasted for a couple of minutes and afterwards I found it difficult to walk and my face was really hot. I went straight to the hospital and was told it was a panic attack which I had already guessed but obviously needed advice. The doctor basically told me they come and go and there's nothing I can do. This wasn't very reassuring.
After this panic attack up to now it seems like I have a constant chest pain, sometimes it's bad other times it's just uncomfortable more than anything. I've had another 2 panic attacks this week, neither were quite as intense but still the worst thing that's happened to me. The second one I had when I went on a long walk and was sweating and suddenly I had one very hard heart beat that felt like it came out of my chest which sent me into the attack. I went out last night in the hope of having a fun night but all I could think of was trying to stop myself from panicing and had the chest pain the whole time and even pains in my right side almost like a stitch.. I've always since a child had a fear of my apprendix bursting for some reason so this didn't help the situation.
Anyway, this is my 'story' ... I don't really know what my next step to be because the doctor at the hospital gave me no advice whatsoever.
So yeah, hi!

[emster]

Hi jamie!
Welcome! i'm only new on this site too. your in the right place, i've found everone on here really supportive + helpful + freindly.
poor you!
doctors at hospitals are never very good at that kind of thing i think theyre always a bit busy to explain things to people properly, I think maybe if you went and talked to your GP hed be able to help you a bit more + put your mind at rest as regards your health worries, also he'd probably suggest some medication or something for the anxiety if he thinks you need it + might refer you to a counsellor ( although sometimes theres a bit of a waiting list)
There are a lot of really good self help books out there + lots of useful info on sites such as this one.
Dont worry, im sure everything will be just fine :)

[jackie]

hi jamie

youve made a good step today, your with people who know what you are going through and who can help you along a better path with less fear

hope you feela little less alone today

jackie

[weepinky]

hi Jamie and a warm welcome to you!

You have made a positive step by joining the forum and I am sure that you will find all the help/support very useful.

Sorry you didnt get much help at the hospital - Im sure that your GP will do a much better job!!!

Panic attacks are extremely frightening but remember - they can't harm you hun, let us know how you get on at the docs.

Take Care


Love Pinky

[Alexandra]

Hi Jamie

Welcome to the forum.

You will find lots of help & support on here.

Please do'nt feel afraid anymore you are among friends.

Take Care

Alex

Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart

[Karen]

Hi Jamie

Welcome to the forum.

You might find the following information helpful:

First Steps (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=firststeps)

Symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=symptoms)

Health Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=healthanxiety)

Links post: Links to posts about Common Problems (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7784)

You will find a lot of help and support here.


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[mariposa]

Hi there

Why dont you ask to have an ECG done. Even though they are panic attacks, at least knowing that there is nothing wrong with you, will put your mind at rest. Im a student nurse and when I worked at A & E, there were hundreds of people coming in having panic attacks believing that they were having heart attacks. It sounds like you were hyperventilating...thats why you had pins and needles and tight throat. Dont worry, this site will tell you how to deal with them!!!

Good luck

mariposa
xx

[clickaway]

Hi Jamie, and welcome - in fact well done for signing up!

I presume the hospital did the necessary tests on you.

Make sure you lead a healthy lifestyle, i.e. eat little and often, plenty of exercise, avoid caffeine and go careful on the alcohol.

Additionally, have a good read of this site including the posts. Remember Panic Attacks can't harm you despite the pain. Just try and accept them.

Take Care



Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

[jamie1]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Hi there

Why dont you ask to have an ECG done. <div align="right">Originally posted by mariposa - 01 April 2006 : 21:25:05</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

They did one already at the hospital and said my heart was fine! Put me at rest a bit but still my heart worries me sometimes! I've actually felt the best I've felt all week today after finding this place so thanks to everyone for your kind words it's much appreciated!

[trac67]

Hi Jamie,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends.

take care

Trac xx

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[lisarose]

Hi Jamie,
Welcome to the site, you have come to the right place and you will get lots of help and support here. I just wish when i had my first panic attack that I had found a site like this as I am sure I wouldn't have suffered in silence for so long.
I was the same as you when I had my first attack, it came out of the blue and I thought I was having a heart attack so rushed to A&E where they gave me an ECG and said my heart was fine and that it was a panic attack, I too wasn't treated very sympathetically and was given no advice but seeing your own GP will help as he can suggest medication which may help. I too had the chest pains and the funny heartbeats and still get them after 5 years but not as severe, I saw a cardiologist who did lots of tests and he said they were ectopic beats and weren't harmful. If you have a good look on this site you will find that lots of people suffer with this and they are quite common with anxiety.
There are lots of things you can do to help panic attacks and you will find lots of very good information here.
Make an appointment with your GP as your next step because the sooner you get help the better.
Hope this helps a bit.
Take care
Love Lisaxx

[chucklehound]

Hi Jamie and welcome to the forum

Take Care

Chucklehound

xxxx

[Munchkin]

Hi Jamie,

Welcome to the forum. You'll get lots of help and advice here.
Remember you're not alone. Take care.

"A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

[skiteacher]

Hi, I was your age when i first start having full panic attacks, though I'd always been anxious, I am currently in a low anxious phase totally bought on by horrid work situaion.
But I still managed to have a good time at your age (by the way I am now 29!) and the people around me who knew what was going on were usually get too, so don't suffer alone, let your firends know.
THere are lot sof sources of info on panic / anxiety, on this iste and lots of others and a huge amount of books - you jsut need to find one that 'says' someone to you - when I was 20 I read 'feel the fear and do it anyway' and that enabled me to stop hiding at my parents house and go get a job in outdoor education 500miles from home.

Good luck and relax

[muscari]

Hi Jamie,

I hope you feel a bit better from visiting this site. My expereiences are simular to yours, so I know exactly what you are writing about. It's scary when it happens, but time has taught me that it goes and I am ok and it comes back and then it goes etc, so I have learned how to manage it. It does not happen as often as it used too, but I know i can reasure myself when it returns.

You will get plenty of support here.

Muscari