Did I have a panic attack?

[Torchlight86]

I was out with a friend the other day just having a chat and some lunch (no alcohol) a hour or so earlier I'd felt a bit like I couldn't breath properly, like I wasn't getting enough air in, a bit like when you're nervous about something and your breath is short, but had basically felt fine ever since, at the meal I got goosebumps and then went really hot, my chest felt tight like someone was sitting on me, I felt shaky and my vision when a bit funny, I felt dread like someone had just told me the worst news thinkable, I told my friend and we went out side for some fresh air, I felt a bit like I wasn't there, breath still felt restricted and my ribs on my back hurt when I tried to take a big gulp of air in, this carried on and off most of the night I ranged from thinking I was ok to nearly calling my mum to come round as I was sure I was going to die! The next day I felt fine most of the day but around the same sort of time I started feeling a nervous almost panicky feeling in my stomach, hot flushes and a feeling of something bad if that makes sense.

I have heard of people having anxiety attacks before and being convinced they were having a heart attack, although I had all the feelings I listed a nice i still managed to function, I drove home from the lunch for example it didn't turn in to a full blown hypo ventilating type thing that I would assosiate with an attack

Does anyone have any experience with this? Does it sound like that's what it could be even though I didn't escalate into something requiring medical attention? Tia

doesn't sound anything like a panic attack to me, but maybe someone else with more experience of mild ones will know better.

To me it does sound like a panic attack. It is unusual that it lasted so long but it could be down to being stuck in a cycle of panic and triggering one after another. My first panic attack came out of nowhere when I was in a pleasant but mildly anxious making situation. I was convinced I'd had a violent attack of food poisoning even tho I didn't really have d&v. But panic attack symptoms are very similar to heart attacks in many ways and the only way you could be sure what had happened would be through professional medical advice.

That sounds very much like the first panic attack I ever had. I was so scared but just couldn't articulate how I felt to the (mostly stoned) people around me who jut thought I was 'having a whitey' - I hadn't even smoked anything with them. It took a couple of days to return to normal but I wasn't the same for a few months afterwards as it really shook me up.

It was whilst at uni a year or two later that a counsellor identified this as panic attacks. Now I knew what it was, I could deal with them properly when they began, and I felt much more in control and happier about it.

I don't get them very often these days, but have found that getting medical help to be the best first step to finding a method of helping to deal with these. Please see your GP and ask for a referral to someone who can help you

I think panic attacks come in all shapes and sizes. They don't always have to feel like you're having a heart attack so I would say it sounds like a panic attack to me.

I have them and mine are far more psychological than physical - although I do have some physical effects, it's the mental aspects I find particularly hard to deal with.

If you were with me when I had one you probably wouldn't notice, apart from me being a bit quiet!