Are these symptoms normal? Help!

[Saint Valentine]

For about 6 months now I've had panic attacks and general feelings of anxiety that just seem to get worse as the weeks go by. I've always been one to worry over stupid things, but when I had my first panic attack it was a horrible, horrible experience and one I'll never forget. Out of nowhere - BOOM! My heart suddenly starting beating like mad, I had to run as fast as I could and all I could think of was that at any moment I was going to drop dead. I've had about a dozen like that in recent months, and some attacks not so severe. When I try and think rationally, I know it's a panic attack, what else could it be? But as you will all know in the moment you can't and don't think rationally and it's impossible to reassure yourself that it's nothing more!


Without the panic attacks though, I'm a constant nervous wreck and my life has been hell for months now. Constantly I have chest pains, again more and more recently. Sometimes it's a dull, aching discomfort and others it's a sharp, stabbing pain. I'm only 19, and although my diet has never been great I've always been active and my blood pressure is fine, I've done a 24 hour ECG which came back fine and my doctor says my heart is fine. I find it impossible to accept that though! It's ruining my life. Almost every minute of every day I'm worrying, expecting to drop dead, expecting a heart attack. In moments I don't have chest pains, I'm counting down the minutes until I do get them. I can't sleep at night, when I do get to sleep I wake up every hour or so. I tell myself the chest pains have increased in frequency at the same time my panic and anxiety have but I'm still no nearer to being assured that I'm fine.


I also get a horrible feeling of breathlessness - sometimes like I have to force myself to breathe, other times out of nowhere lying in bed or something the air supply to my chest just suddenly gets shut off for a couple of seconds and I jump up in panic, then I'm okay a few seconds later. Is this normal? I also feel sick to my stomach alot, my appetite has completely gone ( I eat one small meal a day most days and that is because I try and make myself eat ). Headaches I've never suffered from but I do alot now. But out of all these symptoms it's my chest and heart that worries me the most and I just wish I could not have them or be 100% sure it's just anxiety and try and build a better life!

I'm waiting for an appointment to start CBT, so hopefully that will start to help. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to get things off my mind and there is no greater place than here!

Thanks for reading, Luke.

[cat eyes]

You are not alone. I have the same thing and been to alot of drs And the er. I see a therapist who is teaching me cbt. It's great. I also take meds. Feel better! It's all normal.

[Peak]

You sound just like me! Yes these feelings are normal even if sometimes I also feel and wonder if they are. I'm only just beginning to understand and accept that I suffer from anxiety and have panic attacks seemingly for no reason (although there is always an underlying cause it's just that I might not always be aware just how much things are bothering me). There is no doubt that it is scary, terrifying in fact and when you are in the throws of a panic attack it's hard, almost impossible, to be rational. The thing to try and remember is that you've had these episodes before and always been fine afterwards and therefore this one will pass too and you will be fine. Easier said than done but hopefully CBT will help you. I'm waiting for my CBT appointment having only been referred for it yesterday.

[Christian78]

For about 6 months now I've had panic attacks and general feelings of anxiety that just seem to get worse as the weeks go by. I've always been one to worry over stupid things, but when I had my first panic attack it was a horrible, horrible experience and one I'll never forget. Out of nowhere - BOOM! My heart suddenly starting beating like mad, I had to run as fast as I could and all I could think of was that at any moment I was going to drop dead. I've had about a dozen like that in recent months, and some attacks not so severe. When I try and think rationally, I know it's a panic attack, what else could it be? But as you will all know in the moment you can't and don't think rationally and it's impossible to reassure yourself that it's nothing more!

Without the panic attacks though, I'm a constant nervous wreck and my life has been hell for months now. Constantly I have chest pains, again more and more recently. Sometimes it's a dull, aching discomfort and others it's a sharp, stabbing pain. I'm only 19, and although my diet has never been great I've always been active and my blood pressure is fine, I've done a 24 hour ECG which came back fine and my doctor says my heart is fine. I find it impossible to accept that though! It's ruining my life. Almost every minute of every day I'm worrying, expecting to drop dead, expecting a heart attack. In moments I don't have chest pains, I'm counting down the minutes until I do get them. I can't sleep at night, when I do get to sleep I wake up every hour or so. I tell myself the chest pains have increased in frequency at the same time my panic and anxiety have but I'm still no nearer to being assured that I'm fine.

I also get a horrible feeling of breathlessness - sometimes like I have to force myself to breathe, other times out of nowhere lying in bed or something the air supply to my chest just suddenly gets shut off for a couple of seconds and I jump up in panic, then I'm okay a few seconds later. Is this normal? I also feel sick to my stomach alot, my appetite has completely gone ( I eat one small meal a day most days and that is because I try and make myself eat ). Headaches I've never suffered from but I do alot now. But out of all these symptoms it's my chest and heart that worries me the most and I just wish I could not have them or be 100% sure it's just anxiety and try and build a better life!

I'm waiting for an appointment to start CBT, so hopefully that will start to help. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to get things off my mind and there is no greater place than here!

Thanks for reading, Luke.

I get all of those feelings... You are not alone!

[surfacing]

This is almost textbook severe anxiety. I get problems breathing too and it still really bothers me.
The feelings in your chest feel very real; this has always made it hard for me to believe that the sensation of not being able to get enough breath was 'imaginary'. recently I was told that as anxious people we use our chest to breathe shallowly on a normal basis, even when we don't realise. Really we should be using our diaphragm and chest, and the muscles in the chest get overworked and you are left with a sensation of tightness which can be really scary. The belief that you are going to die is really common too. I've had that sort of thing before, particularly when I was 15-17 and in a really bad place.

The heart beating fast is pure adrenaline and panic because of what is going on in your mind, consciously or unconsciously, adrenaline pumps around your body and you get ready to fight or flight and your heart beats really fast. Panic attacks are terrifying and come in many different forms. Luckily for you, a lot of the help out there is centred around just this type of panic attack, in my experience. Learning to breathe properly and to take a step back from your thoughts can really help, and you might be given some sort of medication as well to take the edge off.

Anxiety can do all sorts of weird things. Just because it's 'in your head' doesn't mean it's not real and doesn't have real physiological effects on your body, such as chest pains and exhaustion.

[mscinderella]

When i first started getting panic attacks i went through the same things. My panic attacks started when i was 20 years old. I never told anyone what i was going through. I stayed that way for many years. No meds or anything. When i was 25 i decided to go see a doc. Thats when i got on zoloft. Thru the years i have felt really bad then good again. Its always like that. I am also a nervous wreck everyday. I limit myself to so much. You seem very smart. You know that the truth is its a panic attack. Try to find ways to cope with it. Talk about it more. Learn breathing techniques. And meds help a lot too. I wish you well friend. Xoxo

[dmc1974]

Hi there. Your symptoms sound like mine. The ones I started getting 25 years ago and still to this day am dealing with the constant fear of death. Mainly my heart. With health anxiety the focus is usually on somthing that can take u's out instantly such as heart attack stroke etc. The breathing issue is this I believe. When u have anxiety and are very tense you tend to breath very shallow. This can lead to hyperventilation of course but here is the key. When u are breathing shallow you are not filling your lungs. When anxiety hits you start trying to breath in deep but you can't and here's why. You aren't exhaling all the way. When you get this sensation blow out all of your air and then take and then take a deep breath. Remember you can only inhale deeply if you have already exhaled all the air not just a tiny bit. :). Instructor daily. I'm acres all the time and I'm hoping to touch base with people in here cuz I am so exhausted

[kimby88]

I have the same fear honestly it's horrible. You are forever believing your heart is in danger...you will have a heart attack. Even Sheehan the doctors say your heart is fine you think no you have missed something, it's not fine,I always feel like that. We have to try to believe what many doctors have told us. Its awful but we can get through it!!

[BKN88]

I know exactly how you feel with those sharp pains and the heart beating fast. Been to the ER twice since experiencing severe anxiety this past Dec 11' your not alone!