Fibromyalgia Support Group

I feel like I've walked in your shoes.

I too have had my share of some pretty obscure panic attacks. One where I can't calm myself down if I even tried.

The second trip to the ER, I had a doc sit down with me and go over the panic attacks. I explained to him that I was not under "stress" at the moment it hit me. But yes, overall my life carries a nice plate of stress.

This what he shared with me that hit me hard.
We all have a stress bucket. And this bucket fills up for even the littlest things such as having to break hard in the car for example...up to the biggies...like when my boys were dx with Autism.
But as this bucket fills up. Our brains don't recognize it right away. Once the brain does realize the bucket is full...it sends out the distress signals. AKA Endorphins and other goodies. This results in a full blown panic attack.

I too feel like my heart dealing with some sort of war wounds. But according to my tests, it's A-OK. Which leaves me to wonder how much is the Fibro effecting it? I know that there is no organ that Fibro does not attack. ....even our breathing.

So, I've just have to trust the tests at this point. Every doc I have seen has shared that my heart is good. My family believes it too....but when you are going through those attacks...it's something scary!

I'm now taking Xanax. I usually take it about 3 times / week. When I start to panic now days, the breathing exercises simply doesn't work. I also notice that my body thinks it's under stress and starts shaking. But again, when I take the xanax, it all goes away. Thankfully, the dose I'm on is the smallest out there. But it's hard...why can't I control this? Why could I for all of these years?


My brain is broken! It's the only logical answer for me these days!

So sorry you ladies are dealing with this. How scarey!! I am proud though that you are checking it out. You should always check it out when talking about heart or chest pain!
My Aunt had a very scary chest pain and it turned out to be bad heartburn but she had no idea, and she is well learned in medical matters! She got instant relief in knowing it was not a heart issue. Fortunately she was never told she was silly for checking it out.
I hope everyone reads this adn remembers never to let something that causes great fear to keep you from getting the mind calmness of knowing what is going on! Bless you both.

anxiety attacks and panic attacks (yes there is a differance) are no fun. I had about a 3 year period where mine were soooo bad. I would literally try to push the air away from me.... I didnt even want the air around me to touch me because I hurt soooo bad. I had many an episode where I would try to walk to the closest open feild (usually the park) and in the midst of an attack I would walk in the street... man I have come a long way. I havent had one of 'those' incidents in 2 and a half years or more.... thank god....

I think when we hit the wall with our pain we hit the point where we are sooo done that our body has this true responce in the form of panic attacks and anxiety attacks.

Actually in september when my oral cyst was exreamly painful I tried to go to one of my sons football games and I had an attack. etween the crowd the pain and the frustration at getting lost I litterally lost it....

THe pain it creats when you ahve these attacks is horrid.... It is so important to lower the external stress so that you can cope with the internal stressors.... It may mean stream lining your life as much as possible and telling the world to esad for a while. You will ahve to find a way to cut the externals and in the mean time dont be afraid to find a med that helps you control them. I have found that busbar helps me control them from out break and that my need for xanax and other meds like it to treat the urgent issue are not needed as much.... not that its beyond me to take it if I need to. I was happy to find that busbar was even safe during pregnancy... thank god....

Anxiety attacks are horrible! I really feel for you-now as far as your heart, did they do any testing?EKG,Echocardiogram,stress test-I was having pains in my chest and they discovered I Had mirtralvalve prolapse, later thet found a vegetative growth on the valve and now the mitral valve is clear, the growth is gone and now I have tricuspid valve prolapse. My point is that sometimes there are problems with the heart that have to be regulated by a cardiologist.My rheumi thinks my heart valve issue could be caused by a form of sleep apnea.
Anyway, if you have had all the tests on your heart, than hopefully you can use all your strength fighting the anxiety attacks and not worry about your heart, Take care!
Suzy

Anxiety Attacks...Man I could Write a Damn BOOK !!

Symptoms

The symptoms of a panic attack appear suddenly, without any apparent cause. They may include:

* Racing or pounding heartbeat or palpitations

* Sweats

* Chest pains

* Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea

* Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)

* tingling or numbness in the hands, face, feet or mouth

* Flushes to the face and chest or chills

* Dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions (derealization)

* Disassociation, the perception that one is not connected to the body or even disconnected from space and time (depersonalization)

* Terror, a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it

* Fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing or of going crazy

* Fear of dying

* Feeling of impending doom

* Trembling or "shivering"

* Crying

A panic attack typically lasts for several minutes and is one of the most distressing conditions that a person can experience in everyday life.

It is Important to Understand that You Do in fact have some Control over this..but that Until you Learn to Control it, an Occasional med {Like xanax} should be used to Help Break the Cycle of Attacks..Once you start having them, IF you don't get them under Control, they can continue to just cycle thru you..

Control is Best brought by Using Breathing Exercises..now this takes a bit to Master...as soon as you Feel the Anxiety HIT you...lay or sit, put your hands on your Abdomen, and pay Close Attention to your breathing...Breathing in slowly, should take about 3-4 seconds...same with breathing out..Making sure the Belly Extends, not the chest..In thru your Nose, Out thru your Mouth...

This will STOP the Initial Onslaught of Adrenaline & Cortisol..Once you Feel OK to stand, GET BUSY...Power walk, dance, Super clean an area...use that Adrenaline to your Advantage..BURN IT Out of the Blood...because IF you do Not, you WILL go on thru a Full Cycle of Attacks...

this can be SO Debilitating, I Know this..very scary stuff..

Practice with the breathing BEFORE the Attacks come on...sit down...hands on Belly & "Belly Breath"...Practice this several times thru out ur day if you can...when ya Feel that Familiar Slam of Anxiety {Unprovoked} then you will be Better prepared to take Control..

This is NOT a "Deep Breathing Exercise"...do not do them while in the Midst of an attack...this sets ur blood gases off balance {making you Feel Dizzy or light headed}, this is just "Slow Breathing", making sire to Expand the belly..

As I started to Practice them thru out my day, my Anxiety levels DROPPED to almost gone, but would still get the Occasional Panic Attack...I do this right thru the Attack as well...and have it all Finally under control..Important to get up and Burn that Adrenaline off tho, same as If you were Actually facing an a Threat...if you do not it can make you sick & Keep you in the cycle.

GL to you...I hope I have helped you some...I Know Exactly What it is you are feeling...not sure of the Whys, just know we can get em back under control.

Dakota,

That's awful that you've been feeling so bad! First off, I just wanted to say "Big Hugs" to you.

I have an enlarged heart and I can relate to the pain that you're feeling. It's not fun. I've been taken to the hospital a few times and no idea what was happening with me. They keep me for a day or two and then I go home. If this is what it is like to experience a heart attack, I don't want one!

Please take care and try to relax. I know stress sets off so many things with fibro, apparently this is one of them.

tks for all of the advice, will give those breathing techniques a shot.. I am gonna go ahead and see the dr tomorrow just to be safe...