wanted to share - panic attack symptoms

minxie

just in case this can help someone else...

This past summer I started having a lot of strange symptoms, and to make a long story short, I was convinced the cancer had metastisized to my brain. I would obsess and google and all the symptoms were there, pretty much classic symptoms of a brain tumor.  I finally went to see my oncologist and he recommended a brain scan ASAP. Which terrified me. But I did it, and it was all clear.

After that I started seeing a psychiatrist, because all the obsessive worrying and anxiety was ruining my life. They prescribed Cymbalta for anxiety disorder and it helped immensely - I can distictly remember, about a week and a half after starting it, feeling a very unfamiliar emotion... happiness. I was at a party, having a good time, relaxing in a hammock watching my kids run around and this feeling of peace and well-being came over me... Hadn't felt that way in quite a few years. It was nice.

But the past week the news of Elizabeth Edward's passing and news about a friend whose cancer has recurred put me in a severe mental regression. All the bad symptoms started returning, as I obsessively began researching cancer again... So I called the psychiatrist and this time saw a different doctor. After talking with me awhile, hearing my symptoms, and watching me flush bright red like always do when I'm at any type of doctor (they always ask me if it's an allergic reaction - no, it's beacuse I'M FREAKED OUT BEING HERE) she told me I was having panic attacks. I had no idea. I thought panic attacks were different somehow, that I'd be running around screaming, or hiding in a closet or something. 

I can't say she was terribly sympathetic (she and the med student seemed to find it - amusing? that I now have a severe phobia of all doctors, doctors offices, hospitals, and medical equipment) but at least she gave me an answer about what I was feeling.

So here are the symptoms of panic attacks - note how a lot of them are similar to brain tumor symptoms. I can safely say I had all of these.

* racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations);

* chest pains;

* stomach upset;

* dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea;

* difficulty breathing, a sense of feeling smothered;

* tingling or numbness in the hands;

* hot flashes or chills;

* trembling and shaking;

* dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions;

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

* a need to escape;

* nervousness about the possibility of losing control and doing something embarrassing;

* fear of dying.

So if you suffer with any of these, consider talking to a psychiatrist. I was honestly at a point of considering harming myself because I couldn't live with the constant fear. After everything we've been through, it's no surprise that our emotional state can be so damaged.

Bren-2007

Minxie .. I used to be plagued with panic attacks.  It would get so bad I would start choking.  Nothing remotely humerous about a panic attack.  It got so bad, I would quit socializing because I was afraid I would have a panic attack.

I take Celexa and it seems to help.  I still get anxious, but the panic attacks are few and far between.

Hugs,

Bren

apple

my husband's panic attacks were greatly helped once he found the proper medication.  It took a while to find the right one.

Best of luck to you minxie.

edwh001

Hi I had these for years and knew they were panic attacks after a year of suffering I was in my twentys at the time and the doctors just brushed me off like I was crazy, I had to fight them myself never had any treatment for them. I still have them every now and then but they are a little scarier now that I've had cancer. I always think the worse

Darlene

eileen1955

I have literally felt like I wanted to unzip my skin and run out of my body.  Seems bizarre now, but it was plenty real at the time. there are fast-acting xanax but the panic attack would be over by the time the xanax kicked in; my panic attacks only lasted a few minutes.      It got worse when I went thru chemopause; oftentimes the panic attacks coincided with a hot flash. so I really felt like I was in a burning building then.          SSRI has helped me now for several yrs; but under stress they come back.      If I am driving and I get one; I always pull off the road till it ends.

I wanted to mention that part of the work-up for panic attacks should include any history of mitral valve prolapse (a mild heart valve abnormality)    sometimes the patient needs a beta-blocker (Inderal) to address this physiological cause of panic attacks.         I would probably benefit from Inderal but my blood pressure is only 90/70 (yeah!) and Inderal would drop it too low. 

You can have panic attacks in addition to OCD or major depression or Generalized Anxiety disorder.  It usually goes hand in hand with one of those disorders.          eileen     

karen333

Minxie, there is a thread called Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD that you might find helpful.  Your description of a panic attack was on the money.  So was Eileen's observation of "wanting to unzip my skin and run out of my body". Many cancer centers have psychologists or psychiatrists on their treatment teams.   This cancer can affect both body and mind.  Listen to what it is telling you so you can mention it to your doctor, there is no reason to suffer in silence.  Karen  ps - seek a second opinion if the doctor and you do not connect, a panic attack is most definitely not amusing.

carcharm

I started having anxiety issues at age 14. They called them de-personalization episodes along with panic attacks. I could know who I was but kind of forget for a period of time who I was and my surroundings became unfamiliar. Than I'd have the physical signs-racing heart-chest pain-etc... I hadn't had these since my teen years but last week I fractured my ankle and had a 4 hour surgery to repair it. When I woke up I started having all those old scary feelings again. I called and asked for klonapin. They helped tremendously. I think it was a PTSD problem.