A bad one but still worrying...

[LucyLiz]

Just came out of two bad ones (back to back). This panic attack was caused by me noticing a major pulsation just right of my heart, near the sternum. I know my stomach pulsates but I've never been aware of a pulsation so high up... Got my husband to feel it ANC his fingers were visibly moving up and down. Now I'm worried I have some sort of aneurysm in my aorta. Has anyone experienced this? Should I call NHS Direct?

[LucyLiz]

Excuse my bumping :-(

[LucyLiz]

:-(

[LucyLiz]

Desperate for reassurance.

[happycamper]

Hey chuck,
Is the feeling still there now? I suspect it is you feeling your heart going ten to the dozen during your PA. It's a powerful pump remember and you can feel it very easily.
If you feel ok in yourself, other than panicky etc, that will be the cause.
Aortic aneurysms are very rare in young women...not quite confident enough to go as far as saying they don't happen in young females, but as close as.
xxx

[Julie1975]

Hope you are feeling ok now, I used to have them and thought I was having them as my granadad had had one, but believe me if you was having one you wouldn't have time to ask advive on here.

Try and sit down and relax (easier said than done I know) think of things that you have to look forward to that always helped with me or read a book, I used to get so ingosed in a book I forgot all about it.

Sorry I am not much help, but really hope you are feeling ok now x

[LucyLiz]

Thank you for your support. I took a beta blocker to try and help with things. It doesn't seem so bad now, just another thing that managed to frighten me to death. I will certainly try and distract myself with some light reading later :) (sigh) x

[JohnBull]

Hi LucyLiz,

Rapid heart beat and apparent heart problems are really, really, common symptoms of panic attacks. I experience them every time I have one. They're scary aren't they? The heart pumping more vigorously is just a symptom of adrenaline. Providing you've been checked out by your doctor and have no underlying health conditions, changes in your heart rate when you panic are nothing to worry about.

The challenge (it's a biggie) is to change your thinking from 'oh no, there's something wrong with (insert body part, organ, mental capacity here!)' to 'right now, I'm experiencing high levels of adrenaline that make me feel uncomfortable. It's not nice, but it will all be over soon.' It can be done!

Good luck,

John