Another Panic Attack?

[Peak]

Well I think I'm having another panic attack. As usual I don't feel anxious or stressed, at least not that I'm aware of, but over the last few days I've been having more & more heart palpitations. I've just been diagnosed with GAD and have been told that I will have CBT but there is a 5 month waiting list. Previously I've had heart scans & ECG's etc all of which have come back clear so I know that I should be okay. However I can now feel that my heart is racing, currently 100 BPM, it's normally around 60-80, & I'm having palpitations every 30 seconds or so. I had this before but much worse, heart rate around 180 BPM BP 170/100 & feeling very dizzy. I went to A&E but they could find nothing wrong & put it down to a panic attack. So I'm confident that this is the same thing again & that in time it will pass but it doesn't change the fact that it's really scary. Especially as I don't feel anxious, on fact I'm enjoying a 2 week break from work at the moment, a staycation as we can't afford a holiday this year. Any tips for making this pass quickly?

[annalea(:]

You heart beats faster when you are anxious, everyone has different effects of anxiety!

Just to explain, whats happening is your body is experiencing fight or flight. When you get this a burst of adrenaline is released and things such as your heart beats faster to pump oxygen to your muscles. Fight or flight is something we have had since being cavemen. Say if we saw a lion on our own as a caveman we would experience fight or flight. If you were with a group of cavemen we would have the fight reaction so we could fight the lion. Our body releases adrenaline to make us fight for longer, by that we get sharper vision, airways widen for more oxygen, heart beats faster to pump oxygen to muscles etc. If we were on our own, obviously we would flight, run away!!!
This is more to do with CBT,
So say with OCD, washing your hands. (I'm not saying you have Ocd, just using as an example and i don't know what triggers your anxiety!)
You body sees this as a threat triggering fight or flight.
Fight = you would fight your anxiety and resist the urge to wash your hands
Flight = you would cave into anxiety and wash your hands immediately!

To make the attack pass quicker, breath out more than you breath in, it will regulate breathing and slow down heart rate!

I hope this helps!

AnnaLea
Xxxx

[terriberrybutt]

How are you feeling now?

[Peak]

Thanks for the replies. I'm feeling better but still getting palpitations, although not as strong as they were. Instead I'm just getting what feels like a half extra beat but it's happening on & off every minute. Sometimes this will last a few hours sometimes just a few minutes. It's annoying as I'm trying to forget about it but there is a constant reminder. I wish I knew what my triggers were as often it just seems to happen out of the blue!

[annalea(:]

Write down what you were doing at the time of the panic attack, then if there is a trigger it will be clear and then you can cut it out of your day :)
Also, it might be worth thinking about what you have eaten that day and how much sleep you have had to see if there is a trigger hidden in them :)
AnnaLea
Xxxx

[dazza]

Howdy

Anxiety goes far deeper than the conscious mind, I'm affraid.
In time, it often becomes a routine process and is almost as automatic as blinking or breathing.

Yeah... I know... scary, huh?

What you absolutely need right now is a pleasant distraction... perhaps away from the computer that you currently sit at.

Can I suggest a 20 minute walk outdoors?

External, nerve-bourn activity (in particular, the vagus nerve) is stimulating your heart but worry not - the hearts normal rythmn is still under control, it's simply receiving a few extra signals.

[Peak]

Thank you again for the replies & excellent advice! I'm just about to go cycling for the first time in 6 years. I'm very over weight so I doubt I'll get far but it will be a nice distraction & it feels a positive thing to do. Thanks Dazza for the info on the nerve, I find this kinda information very useful as it helps me to understand what is happening, the fear of the unknown and all that. The one thing I have noticed is that the more I talk about it, either online or in real life the better I feel. It's as if doing so dissipates the power it has over me.

Thanks again!

[Peak]

Well I did a lot further & longer than I thought. Ended up doing 13 miles & it felt great. I live on the coast so just cycled along the beach in glorious sunshine. Whilst cycling the palpitations stopped (I think there may have been 1 or 2 towards the end) & I felt far more positive & happy. However I've been back at home for around 2.5hrs now and the palpitations have started again and my heart is beating faster than normal (97bpm when it's usually 70-80bpm). Sigh :-(

[dazza]

>Well I did a lot further & longer than I thought. Ended up doing 13 miles & it felt great. I live on the coast so just cycled along the beach in glorious sunshine. Whilst cycling the palpitations stopped (I think there may have been 1 or 2 towards the end) & I felt far more positive & happy.

This is truly awesome. Well done. You should be proud.

Now you're back home THINKING of the palps, which in turn is causing anxiety, which in turn is twanging on that nerve again... which causes palps!