Anyone had a panic attack..

[SweetCaroline895]

Last night I am pretty sure I had a panic attack I've had really high levels of anxiety lately due to being ill with covid a couple
Of months ago. Yesterday I had a letter from doctors for an appointment for an ecg, due to breathlessness after covid
When I saw the letter my heard started racing, I went weak, my legs felt really me
Jelly and I started pacing up and down. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. It was the worse feeling ever. GP had said it is anxiety/panic attacks but I felt really like
Something was wrong.

Has anyone had a panic attack and does it sound like this

It sounds like a classic panic attack

Yep! I agree. Serial panic attack sufferer here. Mostly under common now

Yes sounds like. Can't catch breath, tightness in chest, sweat or chill, weak legs.

And the more you worry the worse you feel.

Yes classic panic attack, they’re fucking horrid! Lots of people mistake the symptoms for a heart attack and it’s easy to see why.

Thank you for replying. First time I had experienced one and never did I expect it to be this bad. Understandably as I am under a lot of stress and going through a period of anxiety. It has just added to my anxiety though. Gosh this is just awful dr has prescribed beta blockers

Once I understood what it was it helped me a lot to manage it

Try breathing slowly into a brown paper bag

Beta blockers have worked well for me. I was prescribed them because I had a panicky racing heart when told I needed an ecg for a pre op consultation.

Yes it’s amazing what the body will do when you’re having a panic attack. My GP prescribed me propranolol just for emergencies (I.e. when I feel anxiety building). It was on the advice of the therapist I had at the time who wisely said mindfulness etc is all well and good (and I try to practice daily now), but sometimes in the heat of the moment you just need the drugs. She was right. Trying to meditate your way through a panic attack can make it worse.

Definately sounds like a panic attack, iv been suffering with them for 15 years and even after all this time this still scare the hell out of me!

Thank you so much for replying
to everyone who has them.
I have heard of people having them and a while ago I remember a friend telling me she had had one and I feel really bad now because I thought she was exaggerating.
It's definitely due to my health anxiety why I am experiencing them. Gp has also put me on waiting list for CBT, just can't imagine anything working

I thought I was going crazy when I had my first one. I found cbt helpful. Also there are some good books on panic attacks and good online resources for cbt. I found it helpful to see all the symptoms and feelings I was having were not unusual.

I had one once. Felt exactly like you are saying

I was on Cyprus climbing a hill for a reconnaissance exercise. We'd been set off to look for the enemy and we were supposed to be met with water by some of our team.

No one turned up. It was so hot. I was panicking about dehrydrating and the heat, being exhausted etc made me panic too much.

One of the hardest elements of a panic attack is recognising the signs of one. I think the panic can intensify because your thinking you can feel this bad without it being a physical symptom of something serious.

I think it can help the understand that your anxiety can rise so high you're body becomes confused, thinks really danger is coming and gets ready for flight. Your body and brain are out of sync and the panic attack occurs a bit like buffering while you're brain tries to process what's going on.

There are techniques you can learn to get you through those moments but it takes practice, especially when you're calm so that the become ingrained and you can remember them in the moment. Have a look at CBT as there is lots of techniques that do work and help you distract your brain until your body resets.

Yes, sounds like a panic attack.

The first time I had one I thought I was having a heart attack! In my frenzy I stumbled around putting on my partners shoes (on the wrong feet & 4 sizes too big) insisting he call me an ambulance. He didn’t, he said it was a panic attack and took me outside for a walk around the block. Exercise can stop them in their tracks.

When I had my 2nd covid jab I felt one coming on (worst timing) and found myself pacing up and down outside trying to walk it off. It reminded me of being little at the zoo. We saw a fox pacing back and forth in a small cage and my mum told me the fox wasn’t happy and was stressed, which is exactly what humans seem to do as well when stressed.

When you feel one coming on, try and take big deep breaths, count to ten and exhale slowly, and try and go for a walk if you can.