How long is a full blown panic attack?

[soggypops]

Hi i had a majour panic attack yesterday for no reason at all . It came out the blue and it lastsed around 10 minutes ?
My heart was all over the place and thank god my friend was aparamedic!!!! She gave me a bag to breath into , but why did it last so long?
She said it was quite severe and that made me feel worse because now i think there is something else wrong with me ?

I did have ECG last year which shoewd up an adnormality, so they sent me for a scan and they said my heart was healthy. I also had a 24 hour monitor because i get palpataions. Dr said they could give me tablets but it would probably make it worse.( this was last year)

So my question is CAN A PANIC ATTACK LAST 10 MINUTES ?

Hugs to all

Elly
xxxx

[nomorepanic]

Elly

Panic attacks can last for much longer sometimes. I know that I have had ones that never seemed to stop and it was so hard to get control of the breathing.

Hope you feel a bit better now.

[soggypops]

I thought 10 minutes of my heart going mad was long enough. Gosh i never thought they lasted longer than that.
Thankyou for your reply
Elly
x

[belle]

At my worst, i had a panic attack from 11pm one night until gone midday the next. I was terrified to even move off the floor in case something awful would happen.

x

[soggypops]

Thanks for your reply
Isnt it bad for you if your heart is going so fast and all over the place for so long?
I should be taking CITALOPRAM but im scared to because i dont want those bad heart things to get worse.
Any Advice?

Elly
x

[mkeeley]

A single panic attack can't last more than about a minute or so as the chemicals involved get used up in that time, feels a lot longer though. However it's not unusual to have multiple attacks that come in waves, you have the attack, things ease off slightly then you're hit by the next one, so seems as though the attack lasts for much longer.

Probably my most intense attack lasted about 1 1/2 hours. Had the initial attack, on a scale 1-10 felt like a 12! Didn't have anything with me to help, no rescure remedy etc. I stood still but felt I was going to faint so slowly started walking but that also made me feel as though I was going to faint, couldn't win. It then continued in waves until I made it home.

In theory people say you should just ride them out, don't concentrate on them as that makes things worse. In practice that's a lot easier said than done, but on a couple of occassions I've managed it and the attack went within a minute. Practice your breathing and distraction techiques. Also clenching then unclenching your thigh muscles use up adrenalin so can help.

[soggypops]

Thanks
Mkeeley for your reply. I suppose not all attacks are the same. The paramedic did say it went on for 10 minutes, and didnt ease off at all . Its so worrying when it happens. I hope Dr can reasure me tommorrow when i see her. I hate leaving the house at the moment , its all too easy to fall back into the bad times again. This site has helped me alot .

Hugs to all

Elly
x x

[mkeeley]

Hi Soggypops

My post was based on a numbers of sites, however I've Googled about it again and according to the American Psychological Association a typical panic attack lasts 10 minutes. So according to them yours was typical, doesn't that make you feel so much better

Goes to show that you can look at 20 sites and get 20 different answers!

When you're having an attack a minute seems like an hour. I've never actually timed how long an initial attack has lasted, not really felt like being scientific at those times.

[soggypops]

Thanks Mkeely

I do feel a little better now Thankyou. I think when youve got so much anxiety you cant think straight. So i need now to convince myself that what i had was normal and its not my heart?( easier said than done)

Life keeps throwing this bad stuff at me and sometimes i think gods punnishing me. All those really bad guys out there are fine. So i keep thinking why me?

Im back to drs today and i think im going to ask her for a medication changes.

Hugs to all

Elly
xx

[mkeeley]

Hi Soggypops

I know what you mean both about not being able to think straight at times and the "why me".

Hope that if you get a change of meds that they help.