Anxiety attack or symptoms?

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Nupur

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 13, 2008
Messages
411
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
Hi all,

I have been feeling strange since Friday. While driving to pick up my son on Friday, I felt paps and my face flush and buzzed in my head. Kept calm and deep breaths, and finally it felt ok. Btw, this has happened once before and I went to the ER and they did a EKG which was fine and sent me home with Ativan (for relaxing). Yesterday I felt weird in the afternoon can't explain what but a flutter and tightness in my chest. Today, I am sitting at work and feel like I am going to pass out. Went and laid down on the couch and slowly felt better (heart rate when I checked was ok ~90). But I still feel the tightness and the more I think about it, the more I get palps and feel lightheaded. What should I do?

Thanks
Nupur
 
Nupur, this could really go both ways.....I had similar events that were symptoms.
However a friend of mine with no cardiac history, had to pull over on the highway with chest pain, sweating, and palps. She called 911 and the highway police came, put her in an ambulance and waited with her car and children until her husband arrived. In her case it was diagnosed as a panic attack. Too much going on in her life, and lots of worry.
Even now with my repaired heart I suffer from the occasional panic. Please be careful and take care of yourself.
 
Thank you both. This has been the worst part of the waiting room. I would feel embarrassed to be in the urgent care again for no real reason. I wish there was a definite way to distinguish between the symptoms. I feel mine starts with a real symptom and then the fear takes over and the feedback into my system makes things worse and worse. Except that this time it is coming back even after I have calmed down, so it might be real. So, not to be overly morbid, but could one's heart just stop out of the blue?

Thanks again.
 
I used to worry alot about my heart stopping.....now I don't focus on that so much. I felt somewhat better after the angiogram (cath) and knowing that at least my arteries were clear. I don't really have an answer to that question. Keep your cardio updated on what you are feeling. And never feel bad for going to the hospital, I've done it many times.
 
Beleive me, I know what you mean. How do you think I felt when the Paramedics refused to take me to the hospital even though blood was trickling out of my mouth at a decent rate. I call the Doc and he says get to the ER, so who the hell am I supposed to call? They took me the second time I called them!
 
Nupur - I know how you feel! I am having a similiar problem and it just came up recently. I came back from a nice 10 day trip where I was in bed every night by 9:30 - exhausted with no hope of a second wind! I was surprised at the difference from a similiar trip last year. I have had an anxious lump in my throat since last week and am aware sometimes of my breathing - or taking a breath. I have an appointment with my family doctor next week and the surgeon the week after, but I think I will call the surgeon tomorrow just to update him. It is probably a good idea for you to check things out. It may reassure you and relieve some stress.
 
Nupur,

I am not a doctor, and it is better to check it out. But until then, in my 'humble common sense' I think if it is serious, symptoms will persist even if you had taken Ativan. Did the Ativan help?!

Good luck.
 
Hi Nupur,

Like Dale and yourself, I can relate to your concerns. I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure our whether the odd dizzy spell I have and fatigue are indeed symptoms. Unfortunately, at my recent cardio appt. when I reported a lump in my throat and vague tightness in the chest (not related to exercise) this was dismissed. Figuring out whether you are symptomatic is what I call the million dollar question. As others said, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Take care and good luck!
 
Were you experiencing anxiety or panic when this happened? I was chatting to someone close to me who suffers panic attacks and when I had similar symptoms dismissed as panic attacks she said - when it's a panic attack, you are in a state of panic!! (or at least heightened anxiety)... if you're not panicky/anxious, then it's not likely to be a "panic" attack.

I think all too often - especially for women - heart symptoms are too readily dismissed as anxiety or panic attacks, which is probably why heart disease is the #1 killer of women each year!

Now that's not to say that after a couple of these episodes it can't lead to panic attacks because you start to worry about them (and then it may well develop into just panic attacks), but if you were feeling otherwise calm at the time, I would definitely get your doctor to check them out.


A : )
 
Nupur said:
I wish there was a definite way to distinguish between the symptoms.
Click to expand...

AMEN! I always hate that heartburn and heart attacks have similar symptoms. Why can't your brain just tell you what is happening so you'll know whether to go to the ER or not. I guess that would be too easy
 
I hate this too and here is how I see it,

Symptoms -> Discomfort/Anxiety (->) Panic/Anxiety attack

Panic/Anxiety attack <-> Anxiety/Discomfort (->) Symptoms

Symptoms rarely lead to a panic/anxiety attack and a panic/anxiety attack rarely lead to symptoms but bouth result in an, sometimes, overwhelming feeling of discomfort and anxiety and whether it is heart related symptoms or not, I sometimes end up with the need to fight feelings of anxiety and panic. Try not to panic..try not to panic..try not to panic...try not to panic... PANIC!

Hate it!
 
I spoke to my cardio this morning and she is recommending that I get an event monitor to check for abnormal rhythms when I get these symptoms. Have to wear it for a month, I think.

I am very grateful for all the encouraging words from you folks.

Nupur
 
That sounds like the way to go. I had numerous panic attacks before my surgery and infrequently after. It is a characteristic of MVP/R. But rather than assuming that's what it was - I'm glad you're doing the monitor.
 
As far as panic goes, i have the same fear / question that nupur has. can you heart just up and stop? seems like this is an irrational fear because i don't think it can unless you go into vfib. so lets be honest, i think this scares us all more than anything else. the big SD event. i wonder, can doctors say if your at risk or is this rare. you know something to help give us peace of mind. from what i can tell, to get a defib you just have to be lucky enough to survive an episode. everytime i would have a lot of pvc's, i would get scared and think i might go into vfib. is this fear irrational, or can it happen? i probably don't want to know the answer. i guess my point is that everything else gives you a chance of intervention. but if you go into vfib, your gone pretty much. so is there anything to do about it?
 
abbanabba said:
I think all too often - especially for women - heart symptoms are too readily dismissed as anxiety or panic attacks, which is probably why heart disease is the #1 killer of women each year!


A : )
Click to expand...

I agree, Anna. my heart attack was dxed as GERD because I have a hx of it. they gave me a pill for GERD, but I had had a heart attack! Fortunately I already had made an appt w/cardio and they discovered the heart attack via their tests. :mad::mad::mad:
 
I,also have a history of panic and anxiety attacks.It seems alot of
the signs are the same as an arrhythmia,and in some,an MI.
With an anxiety attack, the shortness of breath is caused hyperventilation
and breathing into a paperbag will help.If it's a heart problem the SOB will
not be eased.
When I was in the hospital with an arrhythmia,after being stabilized to a HR of
110,my rate shot up to 188. The nurse came in and gave an IV of ativan,
and within 30 seconds the rate went back down to 120. I don't believe this
was an anxiety attack,so was surprised that this medication was so effective.
Best wishes-Dina
 
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