Anyone online? Having panic attack Now

[Lady Penelope]

Been having a panic attack for almost two hours. Has subsided a bit but still have pain in my chest. Taken 2mg Diazipam 45 mins ago. Worried pain in chest is something else

[Mermaid16]

Hi Mazza! Just wondering how you got on with the panic attack?

I did find this on chest pain...so it may help?

What Causes Chest Pain

It's always as good idea to visit a doctor at least once and rule out any potential heart health issues. Anxiety causes chest pain, but an important factor in reducing the stress of that chest pain is making sure you're confident your heart is in good health. Visiting a doctor is never a bad thing.


Still, often those living with anxiety and panic attacks will experience chest pain caused by any number of different factors. Some of these include:

• Hyperventilation- Those with panic attacks and anxiety are prone to hyperventilation, or breathing in too much oxygen. It's often due to rapid muscle contractions and excess air in the lungs. Hyperventilation contracts blood vessels and causes considerable chest pain.
• Bloating Anxiety, in general, tends to cause excess gas or bloating. Hyperventilation disorder can contribute to this as well. Bloating can cause an increased amount of pressure on the lungs, which in turn leads to chest pain.
• Psychosomatic Most people don't like to believe the idea that the problem is in their head, but those with extreme anxiety and panic attacks that are worried about their health may feel genuine pain even though no cause of pain is present, simply because their mind convinces their body there is pain.

Because chest pain often occurs during anxiety attacks and with other anxiety symptoms, it can be extremely frightening. Nevertheless, often this chest pain is completely harmless.
How to Tell the Difference Between Anxiety Chest Pain and Cardiac Chest Pain

There's no guaranteed method of knowing whether or not chest pain is caused by anxiety or by a heart problem. But generally the two differ in their overall experience:
Anxiety Chest Pain:

• Tends to be sharper.
• Is usually more localized to a specific area.
• Closer to the middle of the chest, although not necessarily.

Cardiac Chest Pain

• Tends to radiate all around the shoulder and possibly the jaw.
• Tends to be a duller pain, like the heart is being crushed.
• Lasts longer than 10 minutes or more.

There are a lot of similarities between the two. Both can feel like the heart is being squeezed, and both can make it harder to breathe (or come as a result of it being harder to breath). It's not easy to tell the difference, but the differences are there.
How to Reduce Anxiety and Chest Pain

The best way to control chest pain is with prevention, by reducing your overall anxiety symptoms. The less you experience anxiety, the less risk you'll have for chest pain.
If you're currently experiencing anxiety and chest pain, the best thing to do is the following:

• Control Your Breathing Recall that this type of chest pain is often caused by hyperventilation, and even if you're not hyperventilating, getting your breathing under control is a great way to calm the nerves. Take slow, controlled breaths using deep breathing techniques that take at least 15 seconds and you'll quickly see a difference.
• Control Your Thoughts One of the reasons I recommend going to a doctor first is because understanding that your chest pain is anxiety related reduces the severity of the experience. If you know that your heart is in good health, don't let your thoughts spiral out of control. Otherwise you may make the chest pain worse.
• Control Your Environment Chest pain caused by thoughts or anxieties is often made worse when you sit and focus on the experience. See if you can give yourself a healthy coping distraction, and much of the chest pain will fade away.

If it's caused by gas, trying to let out some of the gas can also help.
Otherwise general anxiety control techniques are the most important strategy for reducing the experience of chest pain.

Take care...Tracy

[Lady Penelope]

Woke with a thump in my chest and then developed into full scale panic attack. Tried breathing excercises and. Reaching in and out of a paper bag. I do have Diazipam to take in emergency but I was worried that if the pain in my chest was not caused by the panic it would be a bad idea to take he Diazipam. Anyway gave in and took at after about half an hour. An hour and a half has now passed and he panic and rapid breathing has begun to subside but I still have the pain in chest - it' not a bad pain - more like and ache and occasional flashes of needle type pain. Can panic cause this?

---------- Post added at 02:38 ---------- Previous post was at 02:33 ----------

Thanks for replying - think our messages crossed. I have been to A & E twice by ambulance with exactly the symptoms I had tonight - I just did not realise they were paint attacks. After the first visit they arranged cardiac tests inccluding ecg and echo and bloods. All were fine apart from minor problems that would be expected in someone of my age (57). Had 24 hour holter which showed some ectopic beats and one short run of sure ventricular tachycardia. Anyway I am now sitting up in bed and frightened to go back to sleep

---------- Post added at 02:42 ---------- Previous post was at 02:38 ----------

I should just add that I started on Prozac last Thursday and this is the third panic attack I have had since then. Previously I was only getting them one every few months. I have resisted the anti deprssents but have found my anxiety building so my GP thought I should give them a try. Also starting on one to one CBT this coming Friday so am hoping that will help

[Mermaid16]

Hi Mazza. Maybe it would be worth returning to your GP and explaining that the panic attacks from the Prozac are causing you a lot of worry because of heart problems you have experienced. I think they are just panic attacks, but maybe reassurance from your GP would give you peace of mind. Anyone in your situation would feel the same I'm sure. Panic attacks do wake you from your sleep sometimes, I have had it happen many a time, wake with heart racing, sweating...it can be very scary. Good luck with everything. Anxiety stinks. Tracy

[Lady Penelope]

Hi Tracy
Thank you so much for replying to me last night. The panic attack lasted for about 3 1/2 hours and then I managed an hours sleep.
I went to the GP this morning ( not my usual doctor) who was very unsympathetic. She said the heart tests I have done so far Echo and 24 Holter and ECG have not shown anything signification that would be causing symptoms. She thinks the panic attacks have worsened because of the fluoxetine. I am in day 6 and she said I just have to power through and I will begin to feel better soon. She said I could take Diazipam to help. I said I felt like I was having a break down and was really worried about the chest pain. She said I could go to A & E if it got really bad but that everything she could see pointed to anxiety. She did not listen to my heart or take my BP.
Before I suffered with anxiety I had no idea how bad the physical symptoms could get. Feeling a bit shaky and washed out today.
Thanks again for your help.

[Katy_o]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear you had such an awful night with panic and that your doctor wasn't very reassuring this morning. I just wanted to send you a link to an audio track that I use whenever I am having high anxiety or a panic attack (follow the link below and go to the Panic Assistance track) For me, it is incredibly helpful and has 'saved' me on several occasions. If you have a smart phone you can download the app (for free) and that way you always have the panic assistance with you. You can still listen on your computer if not. I think some people find her monotone voice quite annoying, but personally I find it quite soothing. You might find some of the other relaxation tracks quite helpful to listen to if you are going through a period of high anxiety at the moment. It can take a while for new meds to kick in and unfortunately, they can actually increase anxiety and panic in the early stages. It's great that you are starting CBT, I'm sure you will find it helpful. Good luck.

https://www.excelatlife.com/mobile.htm#assistanceaudios

[Carnation]

Mazza, your GP could have been a bit more sympathetic and at least taken your bp for the record. But, unfortunately this happens time and again with anxiety sufferers; hand out the medication and send them away. You need more than that.

Your body and mind have reached a point where you are over-sensitized and you now need to relax them both. I am really pleased you are going to see a therapist, this is a good starting point. And what you have to remember that a panic attack which mimics itself quite cunningly like a HA, can not harm you and once peaked, will subside.
Although it may feel like a 3 hour attack, the run-up is high anxiety feeding out far too much adrenalin which stays contained within the body and causes all these scary feelings. So the attack feels a lot longer than it is and it is not about being panicky, it can happen when you are relaxing, even more so in my book, which is why a lot of sufferers are addicted to vigorous exercise as it rids that overflow of adrenalin.
That's what it is. Too much adrenalin being pumped around the body causing all sorts of symptoms and putting the mind in to overdrive.

The first step is to acknowledge that you have anxiety and that is a major step in itself. Then it can be dealt with and you can learn to control, cope and even banish the horrid demon.

If you have another attack, especially during the night and you feel panicky.
Try tightening and loosening your muscles in your body. Starting with your hands is good place to start and it distracts you from the over-thinking.

But, you must remember that it will not kill you and it is fear making you feel this way. x

[lostinamist]

Hi Mazza, feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to

[Lady Penelope]

Thank you Katy for taking the time to send me the link. I will download it. I have lots of relaxation ones but not one I can use while having an attack.
Carnation - thanks for your reply. The majority of my attacks have happened by being woken up with a thump in my chest. It's very scary in the middle of the night. This has been going on for a year now - don't know want started it. Finally resorted to fluoxetine - day 6 now and do have the Diazipam but not sure how to use them. They are 2mg. I asked GP today if I should take one or half when feeling anxious (a lot of the time) or just take one or two when I have a panic attack - she said its up to me.
I will try the muscle relaxing as well next time. I am looking forward to starting CBT - have been on he waiting list for a good few months. Although I can't imagine every feeling like myself again at the moment. Thanks again for your replies. It does really help.

[Carnation]

Try the 'Claire Weekes' Apps online. She has been very helpful to a lot of people on here. The thumping heartbeat is a common symptom of high anxiety and the sub-conscious mind. You see, we take our problems to bed with us, they lay dormant in our brain and cause this feeling of panic. I can assure you that they can't harm you and they CAN disappear completely.

If you watch TV before going to bed, try to make sure you watch something which is light-hearted and avoid going to bed after watching the news or read a few pages of light reading. Camomile Tea is a good relaxant too. x