I thought I was having a heart attack.

[JanetPluchinsky]

I woke up this morning with severe chest pains, dizziness, heart beating almost out of my chest. I really thought I was done for. I was sweating and shaking and nauseous. All the heart attack symptoms.

Dh called an ambulance and they were here super quickly, did an ecg etc but it was all inconclusive. So they took me to hospital. The pain in my chest moved down to my abdomen by this point but I still could barely breathe with the pain.

All blood tests and further scans came back clear. My pain lessened throughout the day and by mid afternoon I was discharged and called DH to come and get me.

Then it all went horribly wrong. One minute I was sitting in the waiting room, the next minute I was on the floor, the room was spinning, my chest was back to full pain, I couldn’t feel my hands or feet. Cue five or six hospital staff rushing over and dealing with me.

I am completely mortified. The whole thing was panic attacks. I had no idea this was what panic attacks are like. It wasn’t like I was panicking, either, but they’ve explained that I have been running too stressed for months and this was like a cortisol overload.

They were all really really lovely to me but I feel like just a massive time waster. Both of these episodes felt like I was dying. The second one passed a lot quicker because the doctor immediately recognised it as a panic attack and not a heart attack so was able to help me properly instead of sticking wires all over me and needles in me which they (rightly) did before and meant the attack went on for hours.

I had no idea this is what panic attacks were. I’ve always assumed it would be something you experienced because you were panicking or worried and these both came out of nowhere. The first one then fed into itself what with all the stress about dying and being in hospital. No idea why the second one happened as I was actually calm and looking forward to going home.

Not sure what I’m posting for really, just needed to get it out I think. AIBU to not have realised how awful and uncontrollable panic attacks can be?

Now I need to make some serious lifestyle changes because I can’t be this stressed all the time and I never want to experience this again.

OP, you poor thing, they are awful. I actually wish they were renamed as I think some people (people lucky enough not to suffer from them) associate 'panic attack' with slightly pathetic people, hence your feelings post what it is a genuinely horrible experience

I had exactly the same thing, a few years ago. I'd had a chest infection, been on a course of steroids for it, but then the breathlessness persisited.

Went out that day with the GC, still couldn't breathe, was light-headed, shaky, felt as though I might collapse. When we got home, the symptoms continued. My husband rang 111 for advice, they sent an ambulance with 3 Paramedics (one of them was training). They came in, chatted, took my BP, did an ECG, checked my Oxygen levels, etc. The whole time, I was thinking I'd be off in the ambulance to hospital any time, and I told my husband I didn't want to be kept in. TWhen the Paramedics told me all my observations were normal, I was adamant that their equipment must be faulty, that I was ill.

They kept chatting to me all the time, asked me about my cat, my GC, photos on my walls, etc. i remember thinking "Why are they encouraging me to talk when they can see I can't breathe". They were at my house for over 2 hours, by which time I actually felt alright. The whole thing had been a massive panic attack. I could hardly believe it - I'd had panic attacks years previously, but nothing like that. I kept apologising for wasting their time, told them repeatedly how sorry I was that they'd been called out when other patients needed them. They were absolutely lovely. It was an eye-opener for me.

The same exact thing happened to me. Lots of heart tests and days in hospital having been taken by ambulance. Given the all clear.

Then the same happened to my brother and he was given a diagnosis of panic attack.

Soooo. When the same symptoms happened with me again whilst at work I thought 'I know my heart is fine so maybe it's a panic attack'

I think the name is misleading as like you do not identify as a panicker but had been carrying a huge overwhelming amount of long term stresses which may well have tipped my body into 'cortisol overload'

Panic attacks are horrific so for you OP.
I’ve had 4 panic attacks in total and each and every time they are truely terrifying because, as you described, the physical symptoms are really and scary. Don’t be ashamed and embarrassed, and take care of yourself.
I suffer from anxiety attacks too and my chest really hurts and I struggle to breath, almost like what I imagine a heart attack could feel like. In once sense it’s brilliant that there is so much more awareness out there for mental health, but on the other hand it feels like it has become trivialised a lot too with people confusing anxiety attacks for panic attacks and thinking it’s “cool” to have anxiety. It’s not. It’s deliberating and scary and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone

I’m very unlucky as I’m currently having at least one horrible panic attack a day. I’m becoming afraid that this just isn’t right and my doctor has arranged for blood tests and a 24 hr ecg just to rule anything else out. Mine manifest as massive heart palpitations and racing pulse and are really scary. They come on at anytime, whether I’m awake or asleep. I can just be watching tv or walking down the road, there’s no rhyme or reason to them. I’ve tried lots of techniques and take a propanadol when I feel one coming on but sometimes they can last for over an hour. I’ve heard that splashing your face with cold water is supposed to help as it shocks your body into behaving- I think it does help a bit. If anyone has any tips to help whilst in the midst of an attack id love to hear them. I have been very stressed earlier this year but not at the moment and I don’t drink, smoke or even have any caffeinated drinks. It’s not fair!!

@Sixmonthson

I’m very unlucky as I’m currently having at least one horrible panic attack a day. I’m becoming afraid that this just isn’t right and my doctor has arranged for blood tests and a 24 hr ecg just to rule anything else out. Mine manifest as massive heart palpitations and racing pulse and are really scary. They come on at anytime, whether I’m awake or asleep. I can just be watching tv or walking down the road, there’s no rhyme or reason to them. I’ve tried lots of techniques and take a propanadol when I feel one coming on but sometimes they can last for over an hour. I’ve heard that splashing your face with cold water is supposed to help as it shocks your body into behaving- I think it does help a bit. If anyone has any tips to help whilst in the midst of an attack id love to hear them. I have been very stressed earlier this year but not at the moment and I don’t drink, smoke or even have any caffeinated drinks. It’s not fair!!

I think plunging your face in ice cold water is better, rather than splashing.

Just give in to the attack, that's the only thing that shortens them for me or running on a treadmill.

I always get a prickling feeling across my shoulder blades and cheekbones. Does that happen to you?

No, I’m just suddenly aware that my hearts beating faster - I don’t really get much warning but it just increases steadily once it starts. Thanks for the cold water tip though - I’ll try that one, I can see how it could work.

I usually just keep telling myself that it’ll go when it’s ready, once I have a definite diagnosis I think it’ll be easier for me as I know that panic attacks are not actually dangerous awful though they are

So, just to add to my general stress…

During the exams they found my rather large epigastric hernia, I’ve had it for a couple of decades, it was repaired nearly twenty years ago and bounced back. I last had it all scanned ten years ago (there’s actually at least three hernias) but they told me they don’t do repairs on the NHS anymore (because they mainly fail). They said they’d refer me for a ultrasound.

Anyhoo.

They called me yesterday (so the next day) with an appt TODAY. That’s unusual, right?

So I’ve had the scan, nothing said but they want me to attend the Hot Clinic, it’s not until 2pm and they’ve asked if I can wait around for it.

What the jeff is a Hot Clinic? Google is very much not helping. And how concerned do I need to be? Last time I had my hernias looked at it was months between referral/scan/follow up.

The vast majority of chest pain admissions are not cardiac in nature but the only way to find out is an ECG and blood test. You are 100% not a time waster for accessing appropriate emergency care in what at the time was a medical emergency.

I hope all goes well at the hot clinic (whatever it is that goes on there). Please let us know how you get on.

Hospital Outpatient Treatment. Clinic !

Panic attacks are horrendous, it's so important that if you aren't sure that's what you are having then you must get checked out.
Any medic who makes you feel that you are a time waster is in the wrong career imo

I've had anxiety/panic attacks for several years, I now know how they feel and have plans in place to bring myself out of them. Any new/unusual symptoms I always get checked out just in case.

So please please never feel bad for getting yourself help. Panic attacks might not be a medical emergency, but your mental health may need a bit of support - nothing to be ashamed of

You poor thing. I hope you get a better work life balance

I have asthma and for years I used to have episodes like this thinking I was having an asthma attack - couldn’t breathe, heart pounding, dizzy and faint and once called 999 for myself to be met with an angry paramedic.

Turned out I was highly sensitive to salbutamol inhalers which would trigger a panic attack. It’s now on my record as an ‘allergy’ and I have something different and although I have had the shakes, I’ve not had another severe panic attack ever again.

When I caught Covid a Gp issued me a salbutamol and I had to write a letter of complaint to get my correct inhaler to avoid it happening again

Good luck. And yes it’s awful x

Also early 40s and suffer horrendous panic attacks.
Weirdly my heart rate is ok ( I don’t worry about a heart attack) but I convince myself I’m in septic shock from an infection somewhere and I start to shake uncontrollably. It is the most horrendous thing to experience when it happens. Even when I know it’s panic - I find it very hard to climb down from the panic. All I can do is get a hot water bottle and lie in bed shaking until it passes.
I’ve been to hospital a few times with it and felt the same level of foolishness and embarrassment.
Sending ❤️

A hot clinic is just a higher risk of respiratory infection clinic. A cold clinic is sterile (chemo)
That’s what I know it as

Hopefully they just want to see if it’s causing you any issues and follow you up see how you are doing.

That sounds awful. I had no idea that’s what a panic attack was. I too had vague ideas of just needing to take deep breaths.
Hope you’re ok OP. Could you some time off work? I know it can be hard in some work cultures that aren’t sympathetic to illness, but you sound genuinely unwell and it would give you some breathing space.

Just as an update, I’m scheduled for day surgery for my hernia. Which also means time off work. And the consultant said I can be bikini ready for my holiday in July 🤣

Good luck

Your onset was EXACTLY the same as mine for my first panic attack. I woke up truly thinking I was dying. Funnily enough I also have an epigastric hernia (albeit rather small). Good luck with the surgery!

Can an epigastric hernia interfere with the vagus nerve? The vagus nerve is responsible for turning off the fight of flight reaction, and you can use vagus reset and breathing excercises to manage anxiety and panic attacks.