mckay
03-13-2011, 06:39 PM
I will try not to make this too long. I have always been mildly anxious, but a month ago I had the flu coming on and that night my first "attack". My heart started racing, fingers numb, heat flash feeling over my head and body, feeling like I was going to throw up...was laying on my bathroom floor feeling like I was dying...after 5-7 minutes, it slowly got better and then I got severe chills and tremors/shakes. 20-30 minutes later, it happened again, but at a lesser degree...then again 20-30 minutes later again, it happened again, so off to the ER we went. I continued to have the attacks, but with each one they were less severe it seemed. They did EKG's and such and didn't find anything to be concerned about and sent me home. I was sick in bed for the next 3-4 days and (again, possibly flu) and then 5 days after my first one, I was at a friends house and it happened again. Not quite as bad as I didn't have the flu with it, but again, off to the ER we went because it was bad enough. They kept me half the night and did ekg's and such, but again nothing. They gave me a valium and started talking about anxiety/panic, but even as I lay there half asleep and not anxious, I continued to have the attacks. They gave me a beta blocker which almost instantly stopped the racing heart. Eventually they discharged me and told me to follow up with my PC, but for the next 2 days the attacks kept happening so we went to a different (bigger) ER hoping to get more tests/answers (it was the weekend so all we could do). They admitted me and again ran a myriad of tests (CT of chest/stomach, ekg's, blood, x-rays of chest..etc) and still didn't find anything and had psych come in and talk to me about panic attacks. I was discharged with still no answers. I followed up with my PC that week and she did an upper GI and hormone tests. Upper GI showed I have reflux, but hormones were normal. Every day I have been severely nauseas and feeling miserable. Once every couple of days I will feel ok but I have been having to take a lot of motrin and ativan, although I try to limit the Ativan to a half a day and only if I need it, which seems to be every day lately. Two weeks after that last discharge, I was a the local high school listening to a battle of the bands and my heart went crazy. I wasn't anxious and had no warning...then all the other symptoms followed, I had to leave. This was 3 weeks from when it all started. It was extremely loud and the drums caused a lot of vibrations, so I don't know if that could "set it off" or what. I took an ativan and was okay for the most part later that night and the next day. 4 days after that out of nowhere at the grocery store I had a severe attack like the first ones and had to call my husband to come get me. I almost had the grocery store ppl call 911, but I took a beta blocker and ativan and within 20 minutes, things were calming down. I was sick and in bed the rest of the night with no energy to function. The next day I had two mini ones...that was 3 days ago. SO, I am at a loss here. I have been doing all I know how to do, relaxation techniques, ect...but I don't feel anxious and I don't know what brings these on. I went to a psych on Monday and he also felt this could be something besides anxiety/panic driven, but I dont know what to think. I am trying my hardest to go about life, but I feel miserable all the time. Nighttime seems worse and my more regular attacks seem to start with severe shaking/chills then nausea then just a horrible feeling...my heart only speeds up a little now...I really don't want to be taking the ativan and I don’t take the beta blockers unless I am having the extreme racing heart, but I don't want to be taking that either. I guess what I am wanting to know is, can anxiety/panic attacks really show like this...like one after another, day after day, and the "side effects" linger for days like they are? My dr's said that I could have a sensitive system and that even things like a virus may be setting it off, but I am not convinced. I have another follow up appt on Wed and I am just looking for a little input from those who truly know what this is like. A little information...I am 36, healthy, worked out 6 days a week before this started, happy with my life...I do suffer from mild depression...and I don’t have the feelings of doom and gloom when these attacks are happening...I just physically feel that bad that it does feel like something is wrong and it does scare me. Thanks if you made it through this and for any insight you may have!