Scared for my life. I need help.

[nobot87]

I'm 26 and I've been dealing with panic attacks for about 3 years now, I've gone to the ER many times just to find out my chest pains are just from anxiety. Every time I have a panic attack my my heart rate looks normal, it just looks sped up to 130-160. I thought I have gottan over panic attacks last month I still had pretty bad chest pains, so I decided to go see a cardiologist. My first appointment with him seemed to go smoothly, but he wanted me to to have another appointment for the stress test. A few weeks later I go in for the stress test, things we're looking normal as the nurse brought my heart up 160. But the something happened that scared the crap out of me... My heart beat started to get seriously irregular. I have never seen my heart rate look soo irregular. I really thought this was the end.. It was the worst pain I've ever expierenced. It was around 189 with a crazy random pattern. Finally I calmed down and the nurses just said it was just a panic attack.. But that one felt sooo different... so scary.. I'm getting light-headed just talking about it. How can it just be a panic attack if I cleary and had murmurs and a huuuge irregular heartbeat... I dont know what to do.. I quit my job right after.. I'm jsut going to stay in. The pain is soo scary. When I felt the pain, it corresponded with what was happenening one the moniter.. theres no doubt I was feeling cardiac pain... I'm only 26... and I'm thin as hell. I've never had a history of heart problems.. I dont understand how that can happen then they just let me go home after 20 min. Somebody tell me I'm okay....

[Aimseykins]

I completely understand what you are going through. I just had a panic attack this morning, while falling asleep, that felt like I was having a heart attack. Now I left with tingly skin, muscle pain, and a headache. I keep thinking that even though the doctor says that there isn't anything wrong with my heart, that they MUST be missing something (like a clogged artery) and I am going to die. What helps during those times is rational thinking, even if it takes me a bit to get there. I have to lean on the fact that in my three trips to Urgent Care, and my follow up with my PCP, none of them have resulted in them stating that I have any sort of heart condition. I even had a chest x ray and EKG done last October and all was normal. I wish I had some really great advice that will cure what you are going through, but I don't. Just know that I understand completely and that you are okay. You really are, even if it doesn't feel like it to you.

[Fourteen14]

If you break down what you say in your posts.

It states that you were having cardio tests with a qualified cardiologist and cardio nurse who confirmed it was a panic attack.

You are anxious (panic) that what they witnessed was more than what they have told you.

Does this not confirm it was panic?

Not everyone particularly likes the medical profession, but I can quite safely say, they would NOT have told you it was panic if they suspected there was something wrong with your heart.

The problem is the distrust of the tests you have had, not your actual heart.

Best wishes

[nobot87]

When everything was going haywire they were really concerned, borderline sending me to ICU. Then I calmed down they let me go like nothing happened and said I was okay. I just dont know what to think. The main thing to get over panic attacks is to not fear them.. But if it is really concerning with irregular heartbeats how the hell can I not fear it??? My panic attacks keep getting worse and worse.

[Fourteen14]

When everything was going haywire they were really concerned, borderline sending me to ICU. Then I calmed down they let me go like nothing happened and said I was okay. I just dont know what to think. The main thing to get over panic attacks is to not fear them.. But if it is really concerning with irregular heartbeats how the hell can I not fear it??? My panic attacks keep getting worse and worse.

I totally understand. It is very frightening when it's happening, and you end up in a viscous cycle, fear about a panic attack happening, fear you will die during (which makes the attack worse).

One technique I find useful, is to try and turn the fear to frustration, and speak to your anxious self, challenging the fear.

The next time you feel a panic attack starting repeat this phrase several times (like you mean it).
"Either kill me right now or STOP RIGHT NOW".

[nobot87]

What medication are you taking, dear one?

What is your resting HR? 70-80?

If so, when you feel a panic attack, you should peak at 110/120 if your not running in circles flailing and thrashing about. Try next time to sit, sit no matter how many times it flashes, (peak/subside, peak/subside) sit through it, and you will find the HR does not hit 130+. So you'll drop from 110 peak approx back to 80's then resume your business. The HR drop may take an hour! Depends on the adrenal dump and how quickly it clears a bit. So be patient. At 110 you should have no pain, if your sitting.

Should you try it and succeed, then you have taken some worry away.

Again are you taking medication?
Not really. I just take Valium and Ativan when it happens

[ashly1221]

they wouldn't have let you go if something was wrong with your heart. I work in health care as well as many other people on this site do. Now, I am not a doctor by any means, but I do know many of them, and know that a doctor of any kind, would never send a patient home if they did not think it was safe to do so. And even if by a small chance the doctor overlooked something, which is a chance of slim-to-none, the cardio nurse or any nurse would have noticed, along with the health unit clerk. There are many people that oversee a patient and their chart before being discharged. Rest easy. I get chest pains all the time, totally fine. It is muscle related for me, as anxiety and panic attacks have a lovely way of tightening and knotting up all your muscles.

Get a massage. Drink lots of water, and breathe. If you are still concerned, then by all means see another health care team. It's your call. I just figured I would let you know what I thought. Hope you feel better soon,

[ashly1221]

oh, and try stretching your chest muscles and improving your posture. Makes a huge difference for my chest pain.

[trinidiva]

I had a cardiac stress test....and I am quite sure that if it were indeed something truly concerning, they would see it and let you know. However.....I understand your need for possibly wanting a second opinion. Could you request your results and get a second opinion? I think that most likely it IS indeed just anxiety. ...but I totally, totally get how you feel. I have been in your shoes. I had an irregular ekg more than once.....and the cardiac test still came out ok.