Panic Attacks Support Group

A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than thirty minutes. Symptoms include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, dizziness, hyperventilation, and sensations of choking or smothering. Panic attacks can be very sudden, appear to be unprovoked, and are often...

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Erica1982 02/17/2017

Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, and have delt with both for years. I recently started experiencing heart palpitations. My heart will go, one, two, three.... five, six, seven. I had an EKG done at my Physician's office and although my pulse was racing (I'm scared of Doctor's and medical issues are a trigger for me), he said he thought my palpitations were anxiety related. I have an appointment in April to see a Cardiologist for peace of mind. My question is, does anyone here experience palpitations? And more importantly, do they come on ONLY during a panic attack, or are there times when you're relatively relaxed and feel a flutter in your chest?

Thanks for the input!

guineapig 02/17/2017

Hi. I too was diagnosed with panic disorder. Several years ago when I first started expirencing panic attack I would get heart palpitations. It was very scary and ended up in the ER a couple times. They found nothing wrong with my heart so my primary doctors sent me to a cardiologist just to get it checked out. The cardiologist put me on a monitor that I wore for a few days. They found nothing wrong with my heart. To this day I still get palpitations. And I don't need to be expirencing a panic attck to have them. I think the palpitations send me into a panic.

Erica1982 02/17/2017

Thanks so much. I get worried because I sometimes get them when I'm not overly anxious and then they send me spiraling into anxiety. And my pulse will sometimes race out of nowhere. I'm going to see the Cardiologist in April, but I am very, very scared. I'm so scared they are going to find something wrong, ugh.

britt06 02/17/2017

Hey there! I have this same thing, my heart will race out of nowhere. I can just be sitting, get chest pain, then racing heart and palpitations. I've been to the ER, cardiologist and have worn a heart monitor. They say my heart is fine and when it does race it's "normal." Once the cardiologist told me it was anxiety it helped ease my worry which has seemed to stop the attacks frequency. It's definetly scary, but you're not alone!

Erica1982 02/18/2017

Thank you so so much. It really is scary, causing me a lot of panic. Helps to know I'm not alone. Thank you!!

tonia43 03/13/2017

Hi. I have palpitations when I am relaxing. I went to the cardiologist and everything came back fine. Doctor said it could just be my anxiety.

Keri0921 03/14/2017

Hi how are you. I have the same condition but I also suffer from depression and agoraphobia. I also get palpitations. I take deep breathes till it stops. Sometimes I hold my breath breathe and count.. Then it passes.

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