Panic attack or heat stroke?

[Iwant2bhealthy]

Hi, I thought myself more or less cured from my panic attacks, but now I find myself on holidays with a bad case of something, and I could really use advice and encouragement.

It's 35 degrees where I am now, and I had a busy day in the city. On our last stop (museum which is partially indoors and partially outdoors) I started to feel unwell. I felt extremely hot? And my heart was racing. I went to the toilet a few times to drink water and to dab my face and neck with water, but it didn't help as it was still very hot there. I didn't know what to do, and I was walking around looking for a cooler spot. I asked the staff for help but they didn't really have a solution for me. At this point I got a diarhea bout, and my heart started to race really bad. After leaving the toilet I didn't know if I'm panicking or if I'm having an actual problem. I ran out of the museum, and I to a shop that looked like it had airco. On the way I somehow thought it would be smart to pour water over my clothes. Not sure why I thought that... Anyway I barged in and told the shop owner I am unwell and I asked if I may lay down on the floor, under the airco. He was much more helpful than the museum employees. He let me lay don in his shop on the floor and put airco on max. It really helped, and I stayed there for about 1 hour, first 15 min laying flat on the floor, then sitting on it, and finally sitting on a chair someone offered me. After about 10-15 min under the very cold airco my heart rate fell down and I started to think more clearly. I even started to feel cold. At this point I took a ride in a car to my accommodation which sadly didn't have an airco. After taking a cold shower and staying there for about 15 mins I started to get antsy again, so I booked an air-conditioned room in a hotel, where I'm currently sitting. So my question is: what is happening? Is it anxiety? Is it heat exhaustion? I was avoiding direct sunlight as much as possible, and I had a hat on my head almost the whole time.
I am currently starting to feel a bit better, but Im worried about my health now. I should add that I'm currently on a yoyo, and I am again morbidly obese with a BMI of above 40... I feel worse if I have to move or do anything. I dont have muscle cramps or stuff like that but I do have a clenched jaw right now.

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[.Poppy.]

Is that level of heat abnormal for you? It may have been a little bit of both. Being in hotter weather than you are used to may have caused you to panic, which would have made you feel warm and would have made the heat seem even more intense, so you panic more. A nasty cycle. It doesn't really sound like true heat stroke, as that has different, more alarming symptoms and I would think it would be hard to have heat stroke at that temperature unless you were standing directly in the sun with no water and/or had other comorbidities. But it could have been the beginnings of heat exhaustion, which set off your panic attack.

Definitely get some rest, and drink plenty of water.

[Iwant2bhealthy]

Thank you Poppy, this level of heat is definitely not something I am used to. During the last heat wave (at home) I didn't leave home for 2 days, and I stayed in a room with an airconditioning unit. I did some research, and it would appear that heat can trigger panic and make it worse. Right now I even feel a little cold, and I got under a blanket. I really hope I will be able to sleep well, and that this was just a bump on the road to a good holiday.

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[Iwant2bhealthy]

Update: Talking to my partner made me feel even worse. Our next destination also was also supposed to be non air conditioned one,and considering the forecast of 32 degree in the next w days I decided to cut our holidays short. My partner is extremely disappointed, and he doesn't want to continue without me. I feel awful.

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[Iwant2bhealthy]

I analyzed the the heat/panic event during the holidays, and I found another contributing factor. From the beginning of our holidays my partner was in a bad mood, and stressing about minor stuff. The day before the event I described above, my partner had a freak out about one of our plans, and it had such an impact on me that I just wanted to book a different hotel and run away. We went to bed late due to this, and I feel like I lost my sense of security... The event described above happend the next day...

As a result I cut my holidays short, and went home. I spent the last 1,5 week of holidays at home, trying to eat healthy and take good care of myself.

When the holidays ended I tried to resume normal life by going to work, and doing my hobbies but I still noticed that my legs are swollen, and that I am out of breath and panting when doing activities such as cleaning the bathroom or walking up the stairs. I made an appointment with the GP. She listened to my heart, took my blood pressure (120/70), checked my legs, and she told me that she thinks my heart is ok, but will still refer me to a cardiologist for a check up. I cried during the visit because I felt tired of life also. We talked and decided that I also go back on escitalopram, and got some alprazolam for the first 4 weeks.

After the GP visit I decided to put all on hold. I called in sick at work, and Im ready to quit if they call me. I didn't leave my house at all, with the exception of unsucessfully attempting to go for a walk once a day. Each time, after 50-100 meters I started to feel weird, and had to go back home. 4 days ago I made it out the door and walked maybe 200 m when I suddenly feelt heat in the chest flowing to my left arm, breathlessness and very strong heart palpitations. I went home and tried to calm my heart down when lying down. This only made it worse. For the first time since 2017 I demanded to be taken to the ER... A very low moment for me... My partner took me without any discussion. The ER nurse checked my vitals(BP of 161/90, pulse of 122) and called in the doctor. He listened to my heart, checked my vitals and said it's anxiety and stomach acid... Not the dreaded heart attack. I cried again... He sent me home with some antacids.
This was 4 days ago, and I'm still not leaving my house. I'm too afraid.

Right now I am constantly going back and forth between thinking:
1. I don't have an underlying physical condition, and this is just anxiety. I've been there, and I can get over it
And thinking:
2. I do have a serious physical condition (heart related) that came to light partialy due to heat, and partially due to a stresful event. I ****ed up my life by yoyoing back to morbid obesity, and now I will pay for it with my life.

I cant believe how quickly this escalated... I was sure I'm done with anxiety of this magnitude...

[Iwant2bhealthy]

By this post I am looking for some reassurance.

I know to wait 3-4 weeks before escitalopram starts working but I'm on day 11, and having a very hard time... Had to take extra Alprazolam, and I would love to hear some words of support...

At the moment I am still scared to leave my house. I tried again to take a small walk in the forrest today, and even sitting at the passenger seat on the way to go made me uncomfortable (too much shaking). From the car and back I walked maybe 50 meters and asked to be driven back home. Since the damn holiday event whenever I walk outside of my house I get a panic feeling, chest tightness, breathing issue and pain in the left arm, sometimes accompanied by dizziness and the feeling of heat in my chest and arm.

Around the house I can walk just fine, and if I feel tired or weird I just sit down. When climbing the stairs I feel a little out of breath, but my heart usually calms down pretty quickly.

Additionally, I was checked by two doctors twice (GP and the evening/weekend doc), and I think neither of them would send me home if something sinister would be going on. The GP gave me a referral to a cardiologist just to be sure, but she said that she doesn't think it's a heart issue.

Does anyone who has/had heart issue think this might be a heart issue? If not, could you please say why? I don't want to google it because I know I will find things I don't like, that are likely not true. I would really appreciate some answers to my post.

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