Did I just have a panic attack?

[anotherNameJustForThis]

I am going through a lot of stress right now.

-Mother has terminal cancer.

• She is narcissistic, controlling, and I'm struggling with this almost more than her diagnosis
• I'm involved in 2 stressful situations at work, one could cause someone to lose their job (due to their own behaviours and I am a witness)
• Im in a senior role with responsibilities to match
• I have a big, but very happy, family but adult kids have some problems right now which is adding to my stress.

I was on my way home from the gym this evening and was wearing my chest-strap heart rate monitor, which has shown to be pretty accurate.

I had had a resting HR for around 15-20 mins and was sitting in the car - no exertion, no road rage, no problems whatsoever when my heart suddenly started fluttering in a really scary way. I honestly thought I might be having a heart attack and parked up for a bit.

On my phone app, I watched my HR go up to almost 200 BPM. I was terrified, breathless, but tried to calm myself with positive thoughts like: apart from this, I didn't feel unwell so it couldn't be a heart attack.

After 15 mins, my HR suddenly dropped to a more comfortable rate of about 80 BPM.

I will book a gp appointment tomorrow (if I can) although I feel absolutely fine now, if a little shaken.

Is that what a panic attack feels like?

It sounds like it 💐. Everyone has their point when things become 'too much' and panic attacks can result.

Panic attacks did tend to come on right out of the blue for me, when I wasn't 'consciously' stressed. I would have a racing heart and just generally feel terror and a sense of doom. Awful things. You do sound like you're under a bit of stress right now with your dm's illness. It's always a good idea to get checked out though. Take your Blood pressure at home three seperate times for readings to pass on to the GP too. Bit more accurate than the one they have time for in the surgery sometimes, like a fuller picture.

Sounds like you did hope your feeling better now

I have a BP Monitor at home so I will definitely do this, thanks for the tip.

Could this be a one-off? Or is it more likely that this is just the start?

I've often felt incredibly stressed but have never felt physical symptoms. I think this is the most stressful time I've ever had so it makes sense that it's manifested as something physical.

It's so frightening

It was a one off for me. It was 20 years ago. It didn't happen again. I've been in what I think or perceive as a more stressful situations and it didn't happen.

I had them for about two years but it was due to being traumatised by an operation that went very badly wrong, and almost dying. I honestly felt on the surface that I was coping well but clearly unconciously I was not. They were probably once every few weeks at their worst. The best thing ever was getting out in the garden, barefoot and just immersing myself in weeding until it passed. Any distraction really helps.

As a cardiologist once said to me " My BP would be high too if I thought I were having a stroke' - TBH get rid of the heart rate monitor and just let yourself chill a bit right now. You sound like you have a very stressful life and you are worried about your heart rate when doing a gym workout? Is your exercise helping you or are you using it to block out the rest of it? I say this because when I was under extreme stress a few years back I had a major panic attack - the doc said that your body is living in a state of hyper vigilance and all this cortisol has to have an outlet. My panic attack was worse than that - thinking I was going to die. I think you sound like you need to ease up a little just now if possible?

Yep that’s a panic attack and the time fits perfectly. Therapists always say that they peak and come down within about 12 mins so your 15 to return to 80 sounds right on.

Don’t be looking at your Apple Watch/Fitbit all the time or your phone app because that’s a self fulfilling prophecy. You feel panicked because your HR is high and your HR is higher because you feel panicked.

Fits with your stress levels at the moment; you need some time or activity to recharge your own batteries at least once a week; for me it’s getting out into the countryside.

If I were you I would ditch your watch for a bit and just use a regular one or use your phone to tell the time over the next couple of weeks. Just while this calms down.

all the best OP x

Did you feel sweaty at all?

I'm not sure; I was leaving the gym so was already sweaty and over heated. I didn't notice getting hotter than I already was.

Breathless and HR of 200 bpm is not normal if accurate. I'd speak to GP.