Reply #76: I know exactly how you feel.

[StellaBlue]

This happened to me at work (in the UK) in November 2004. Was scary as shit. I have no history of panic attacks, emotional instability, heart problems, etc. It just seemed to come from nowhere. I think I felt a bit dizzy for a moment due to having my period, not having eaten enough (low blood sugar), late in the day, etc., plus, looking back on it, I was going through quite a lot of stress at the time (though not on that particular day). I felt dizzy, then faint, then my heart started pounding and alternately felt frozen and on fire, and my hands drew up and and turned blue. My colleague called the paramedics, who said I was hyperventilating. They took my pulse, blood pressure, etc., and said I was fine. But for almost an hour I thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. I was 25.


The good news is, I haven't had one since, though I have had moments of dizziness, which I think, since I have been checked out medically, is just something I ama bit prone to when I have low blood sugar or am tired/stressed. I find that focusing on exhaling slowly helps immensely. I think, though, that I now overreact a bit because the attack was so frightening, so anytime I feel the least bit dizzy or faint I tend to hold my breath unconsciously (the paramedic explained that all the heart constriction started with my not exhaling properly, which is common, as most people, when panicking or finding themselves short of breath, assume they need to inhale more, which only makes it worse). On the flip side, though, now that I know I wasn't actually about to die, I am not afraid. If it ever did happen again, I would just wait it out. And I doubt it would last an hour, because I wouldn't work against it, you know?

Since this incident, I have realized that many people I know, from all backgrounds, and all seemingly inexplainably, have had at least one panic attack in the past. And they all thought they were about to die. Anyway, I hope that you are feeling better now and get some support if you need it.

If you need to talk to anyone anytime, feel free to PM me.