How to know it's more than panic?

[pikaver23]

So I know many of us are cognitively aware of the fact that it is most likely panic and not anything else...but does anyone have any advice or a checklist to help rule out other possibilities? I have a pretty bad case of hypochondria and am very fearful of death in general. I wish I could have my doctor run every test on the planet to rule out all possibilities, but that will never happen.

Any advice would be so appreciated.

Thanks! :shrug:

[Spy]

Hi Pikaver,

I think one of the hardest things to do initially is to accept what you have is anxiety/panic rather than a physical illness. Its not suprising that most of us tend to pester the GP for one test or another in the early days, but accepting your condition is the only way to begin the recovery process. Anxiety is also an illness xx

[pikaver23]

this is true...thanks Spy.

[RealAwful]

honestly as a person who has been pretty ill in a emergency situation (appendix ruptured) you know its real. its hard to explain if you have never experienced a real medical emergency but if it happens you will know the difference i promise you. being really sick is a lot worse then most anxiety symptoms. the truth is anxiety plays some good tricks on us and can convince us stuff is really wrong with us but in the back of our mind we still kinda know its panic or that it might be anxiety. when something is really wrong you will not question if its anxiety or not you will know. i used to think i was having heart attack and whatever else could go wrong with me daily but when i was really sick there was no question at all if it was anxiety i knew i needed to go to the dr right then. i hope this helps rather than freaks you out.. also finding out the physical way anxiety causes each symptom you get will really help.

[pikaver23]

RealAwful that really helped...and it makes sense. I have never really had that experience save for a drug reaction someone slipped into my drink. But I have heard that when you're actually ill or "dying", you really know it and it is different as you said...thanks!

[xJust_Sarahx]

I know exactly what you mean, i ponder all kinds of thoughts and i guess thats what makes me personally worse. When i have a panic attack and someone around me is trying to calm me down.. afterwards im left thinking but what if i genuinely (even though it does genuinely feel it at the time) have an emergency. like i stop breathing for real and all these people are telling me its just anxiety. But then i think there would be other symptoms of a more serious matter and like someone already said to you that you would know the difference.
We are all very scared of death which is why we are on this site but with the support from eachother and people who actually understand what we are going through (even though our friends and family try) then we will all get through it.

[KayleighJane]

I know exactly what you mean, i ponder all kinds of thoughts and i guess thats what makes me personally worse. When i have a panic attack and someone around me is trying to calm me down.. afterwards im left thinking but what if i genuinely (even though it does genuinely feel it at the time) have an emergency. like i stop breathing for real and all these people are telling me its just anxiety. But then i think there would be other symptoms of a more serious matter and like someone already said to you that you would know the difference.
We are all very scared of death which is why we are on this site but with the support from eachother and people who actually understand what we are going through (even though our friends and family try) then we will all get through it.

I often worry about that, what if I am in a genuine emergency situation and people are still telling me its a panic attack, that scares me alot!

[trish1955]

I TO AM THIS WAY AND THINK I WISH I COULD GO TO DOCS AND HAVE A FULL BLOOD TEST TO RULE OUT ALOT OF STUFF BUT FEAR GOING TO DOCS AS WELL SO BUT HAVEING SAID THAT DONT NO IF THEY WOULD DO ONE SO AS TO RULE EVERYTHING OUT I WAS AFRAID OF GOIN FOR CANCER SMEAR A FEW MONTHS BK BUT WENT THEY HAVE BEEN SENDING LETTER FOR ME TO GO FOR BREAST SCREENIN AS I AM OVER 50 I AM SO SCARED TO GO NOW I AM TICKING IT OVER IN MY MIND WHAT IF SO SCARED IF I GO THYE FIND SOMTHING BUT ALOT OF PEOPLE SAY IT HURTS WICH DONT HELP AS ME AND PAIN DONT GET ON WELL LOL ANY WAY TAKE CARE LV TRISH NIKNAK SAID U CAN BUY HIS WIV CAGE 50QUID BUT NOT SURE IF HE MENT IT WILL ASK HIM AT TEA TIME IT TALKS AS WELL JUST A FEW THINGS LIKE HELLO CHARLY GIS A KISS WHAT U DOIN IT WISTELS ADAMS FAMILY LOVE HHIM BUT NEED ROOM NOW ROSS IS BK HOME ANY WAY LET YOU NO LATER AYE YR MAM SENT MY MAM A CARD THROUGH ANTY SHELIA SHE PUT IN IT I FOUND GLENS ADRESS SHE EVEN PUT POST CODE IN AS IF TO SAY GOT IT WIV OUT YR HELP BUT HOPE SHE INT BOTHERING YOU ANTY FREDA DIDNT WANT YR MAM AT HER HUSBAND FUNERAL OTHER WEEK DONT NO WHY ANY WAY CATCH UP LATER xx

[trish1955]

omg my son copied and pated all the conversation about the bird i went to copy and paste somthing that shoud have just said take cae didnt relise what had happend till after i posted sorry folks i am honestly not goin mad well only just alittle lol