Lenny
04-08-2014, 08:17 AM
Hi,
Thought I'd be polite, introduce myself and tell my story.
First of all, I'm 26 and had my first proper attack on February 13th 2014. I know people say "you don't pass out with panic attacks", but, I managed too!
I was at work, sat at my desk, feeling completely normal as usual, next thing I know, I start having chest pain, and for whatever reason, I was coming back around on the floor by my desk. People around me were all asking if I was okay, if I had epilepsy etc etc (which I don't). I found it hard to breathe, I had to get outside in the fresh air. I sat outside for a little bit, then I felt really cold. Was then in the Entrance to my work place, just lying there. This was all a complete shock to my system, I honestly thought I was going to Die. The onsite first aiders provided me with Oxygen as I was waiting for an Ambulance which had been called for me to arrive. As time went on, I started to shake uncontrollably (my arms/legs) - I just thought nothing of it and It was just shock/cold from passing out. I was reasonably okay on the way to hospital - the paramedics took my blood pressure and heart rate etc - was a little low, but, thats expected I come to learn - at hospital I had further tests and I went "back to normal". I actually had a bit of diarrhea the doctor put it down to a secondary cause of that (again, learnt later on that this is also a sympton). At the point of being discharged I was told I shouldnt go the footy match that night (at this point, was more gutted about that!).
Went home, watched it on the TV. Slept okay and that. Next day, feeling okay I'd say - still a little shaken from the ordeal of going hospital, but, yeah was fine. So, I get a lift to my work to pick my car up. Get there okay, get into my car, at this point, I feel fine. Told my girlfriend I'd pick her up on the way back to my house, but I'm nipping into the shop first. Pull up to the shop, go in, then a couple minutes of browsing, I get a horrible sensation of light headedness and feel as though I'm going to faint. I quickly paid for the item on those self checkouts and rush back to my car. I sat there for a minute trying to compose myself (wondering, what is going on?!) then I went and picked my girlfriend up (literally 30 seconds up the road) - she gets in the car - I find myself talking dead fast, and finding it hard to breathe. So, we drive about a mile down the road, and I tell her that I have to pull over and I'm feeling really weird (mind racing a million miles per hour). I was sat there for a good 10 minutes trying my best to get my act together so to speak. Next thing I know, I'm having chest pains again and feel trapped in my car - even lying down couldn't contain me! I hadn't passed out at this point - even though It was absolutely hitting it down with Rain etc, I HAD to get out of my car for air. It was funny because at the same time I was shouting over to my really frightened girlfriend to turn my car lights off to save battery lol. Next thing I know, I find myself lying on the cold wet pavement, but I'm 90% sure I didn't pass out, but was close to it. An ambulance then is on its way - and I am convinced I'm just a little bit ill or something. Then I told the paramedic what happened - thats when they said "Oh, you've probably had a panic attack". Go the hospital and I tell them what happened, what the paramedic said etc - they only told me what they told me the day before "it'll be a virus, you'll be okay soon".
I then and did the worst thing ever... I went on the internet.
I didn't drive for a good week after that episode tho, and good reason as well, I tried to go out with my parents a couple times, but couldn't make it until the end of the road without this weird sensation coming over me. It wasn't until a couple weeks later, I thought I got my life back on track, still felt weird, but thought "OK, you can deal with it". Then as I was due back into the work on a Monday, I had a bad Sunday. I went out for a coffee, had lunch, then back at home, I started feeling that chest pain again, and before I knew it, I was having the shakes, finding it hard to breathe. It lasted for about 25 minutes, then after that was over, I felt like all anxiety had left my body, I felt good.
Next day - Monday - I get myself ready in the morning - and before I get to work I can feel myself feeling weird (light headedness, racing thoughts, short breathed) - but I told myself "no, I am getting into work come rain or shine". I get into work, and within the first 5 minutes, I have another meeting with diarrhea totally out of nowhere (not that you all need to know, but, others may suffer?), get back to my desk, and then come the questions - how are you, what happened, nice to have to back etc etc - within 10 minutes, I need to get out of there again as I feel myself getting worse (light headedness, tightness of chest).
In between all this happening I had visited the doctors a couple times complaining about the situation and been on the phone too - had bloods taken and they come back perfectly normal (as expected really). After attempting to go back into work on the monday, I rung them up again and was given a prescription of propranolol (beta blockers).
I have now been released from my Job because of this. My life is now in tatters thanks to this HORRIBLE HORRIBLE thing.
Anyway, hope this could be of some relevance to somebody. I am still seeking an answer and a way to getting my life back again. I have read up on other medication (SSRI's). Ideally, I'd love to wake up one day, and feel me again, and not "me and anxiety". At the moment though, I'd consider anything to rid me of these feelings.
Thought I'd be polite, introduce myself and tell my story.
First of all, I'm 26 and had my first proper attack on February 13th 2014. I know people say "you don't pass out with panic attacks", but, I managed too!
I was at work, sat at my desk, feeling completely normal as usual, next thing I know, I start having chest pain, and for whatever reason, I was coming back around on the floor by my desk. People around me were all asking if I was okay, if I had epilepsy etc etc (which I don't). I found it hard to breathe, I had to get outside in the fresh air. I sat outside for a little bit, then I felt really cold. Was then in the Entrance to my work place, just lying there. This was all a complete shock to my system, I honestly thought I was going to Die. The onsite first aiders provided me with Oxygen as I was waiting for an Ambulance which had been called for me to arrive. As time went on, I started to shake uncontrollably (my arms/legs) - I just thought nothing of it and It was just shock/cold from passing out. I was reasonably okay on the way to hospital - the paramedics took my blood pressure and heart rate etc - was a little low, but, thats expected I come to learn - at hospital I had further tests and I went "back to normal". I actually had a bit of diarrhea the doctor put it down to a secondary cause of that (again, learnt later on that this is also a sympton). At the point of being discharged I was told I shouldnt go the footy match that night (at this point, was more gutted about that!).
Went home, watched it on the TV. Slept okay and that. Next day, feeling okay I'd say - still a little shaken from the ordeal of going hospital, but, yeah was fine. So, I get a lift to my work to pick my car up. Get there okay, get into my car, at this point, I feel fine. Told my girlfriend I'd pick her up on the way back to my house, but I'm nipping into the shop first. Pull up to the shop, go in, then a couple minutes of browsing, I get a horrible sensation of light headedness and feel as though I'm going to faint. I quickly paid for the item on those self checkouts and rush back to my car. I sat there for a minute trying to compose myself (wondering, what is going on?!) then I went and picked my girlfriend up (literally 30 seconds up the road) - she gets in the car - I find myself talking dead fast, and finding it hard to breathe. So, we drive about a mile down the road, and I tell her that I have to pull over and I'm feeling really weird (mind racing a million miles per hour). I was sat there for a good 10 minutes trying my best to get my act together so to speak. Next thing I know, I'm having chest pains again and feel trapped in my car - even lying down couldn't contain me! I hadn't passed out at this point - even though It was absolutely hitting it down with Rain etc, I HAD to get out of my car for air. It was funny because at the same time I was shouting over to my really frightened girlfriend to turn my car lights off to save battery lol. Next thing I know, I find myself lying on the cold wet pavement, but I'm 90% sure I didn't pass out, but was close to it. An ambulance then is on its way - and I am convinced I'm just a little bit ill or something. Then I told the paramedic what happened - thats when they said "Oh, you've probably had a panic attack". Go the hospital and I tell them what happened, what the paramedic said etc - they only told me what they told me the day before "it'll be a virus, you'll be okay soon".
I then and did the worst thing ever... I went on the internet.
I didn't drive for a good week after that episode tho, and good reason as well, I tried to go out with my parents a couple times, but couldn't make it until the end of the road without this weird sensation coming over me. It wasn't until a couple weeks later, I thought I got my life back on track, still felt weird, but thought "OK, you can deal with it". Then as I was due back into the work on a Monday, I had a bad Sunday. I went out for a coffee, had lunch, then back at home, I started feeling that chest pain again, and before I knew it, I was having the shakes, finding it hard to breathe. It lasted for about 25 minutes, then after that was over, I felt like all anxiety had left my body, I felt good.
Next day - Monday - I get myself ready in the morning - and before I get to work I can feel myself feeling weird (light headedness, racing thoughts, short breathed) - but I told myself "no, I am getting into work come rain or shine". I get into work, and within the first 5 minutes, I have another meeting with diarrhea totally out of nowhere (not that you all need to know, but, others may suffer?), get back to my desk, and then come the questions - how are you, what happened, nice to have to back etc etc - within 10 minutes, I need to get out of there again as I feel myself getting worse (light headedness, tightness of chest).
In between all this happening I had visited the doctors a couple times complaining about the situation and been on the phone too - had bloods taken and they come back perfectly normal (as expected really). After attempting to go back into work on the monday, I rung them up again and was given a prescription of propranolol (beta blockers).
I have now been released from my Job because of this. My life is now in tatters thanks to this HORRIBLE HORRIBLE thing.
Anyway, hope this could be of some relevance to somebody. I am still seeking an answer and a way to getting my life back again. I have read up on other medication (SSRI's). Ideally, I'd love to wake up one day, and feel me again, and not "me and anxiety". At the moment though, I'd consider anything to rid me of these feelings.