Panic attack - advice please

[tenlittlecygnets]

Last night at midnight we called an ambulance for dd (16) as she was struggling to breathe, her chest was tight, she was panicking.

We were called back after 45 mins and a nurse triaged her, said she didn't think it was life threatening, and said a doctor would call later.

At 4am a doctor called. Dd had been sleeping - I was awake keeping an eye on her. Doc suggested an appointment at local OOH surgery but the Covid rate is very high there and dd was reluctant.

Today her chest is still tight and she says she feels she's not getting in as much air as usual. Wwyd?

Is this common with panic attack (muscular pain)? Could this be the first symptom of Covid? She had classic panic attack symptoms last night - tight chest, clammy hands and feet, sweating then shivering.

I think it was a panic attack but her chest is still tight today. Can anyone advise?

[LouiseTrees]

Did the panic attack actually occur during her sleep or was she awake?

[tenlittlecygnets]

She was awake. On FaceTime to her boyfriend.

[LouiseTrees]

Was it something that was said that prompted the attack? Could she still be feel anxiety today?

[tenlittlecygnets]

Just general news, Covid rates in our area very high, she's stressed over lockdown and whether her A levels will be cancelled. A lot going on.

[LouiseTrees]

I’m not really sure then. Tightening today could be ongoing anxiety or it could be physical rather than mentally triggered by any number of respiratory virus or allergies ( but obviously Covid falls in that set of viruses).

[Worst]

What was the specific trigger? What was she doing during the first attack? And does she have a history of asthma?

I have had periods in the past of suffering panic attacks, and also separately get asthma.

Panic attacks are usually, but not always, triggered by some form of active intervention. e.g. talking or reading about something that induces anxiety, or being scared of something physical (e.g. getting on a plane, walking into the school building etc). They don’t normally linger - when the attack is done it is done, but can easily be retriggered.

Asthma can also lead to the symptoms your daughter had, but doesn’t need a trigger (is often worse at night for example), but can also lead to a general tightness in the chest.

If you are worried can you get her tested?

[tenlittlecygnets]

No history of asthma.

She's said a few times over the last couple of weeks that her chest has felt tight, and she was anxious then. But she says this feels different.

[tenlittlecygnets]

I will ring our GP first thing Monday and ask for an appt to rule out chest infection, check peak flow, etc. I think that's safer than going to a busy OOH clinic.

[tobee]

When I had my first panic attack there was no obvious trigger. In fact quite often that was the case.

Still worth investigating anyway though.

[Worst]

How did you get on OP?