Question:
Or was it a panic attack? I normally don't get panic attacks. I get
anxious (tense), but not
like the symptoms yesterday night. Nothing like them at all.
Here were my symptoms (I am female):
Pressure/extreme pain in chest area that radiated to my arms and back.
I don't know how long it lasted, since I fell asleep from the
exhaustion. No pain pills or antacids relieved the pain--only time.
Feelings of indigestion.
Nausea
Breathlessness
Nervousness
Extreme Fatigue
This may be the Lexapro leaving my system. I don't know.
I don't suffer from indigestion typically when I'm anxious. When I'm
anxious, I just feel "on edge," like I'm going to give a performance at
the Metropolitan--just jittery.
But if it was a new, improved version of a bona fide panic attack, then
geez, this one got me to the floor in physical pain for a few hours. It
was mostly physical PAIN rather than anxiety.
Has anyone had a "panic attack" or a "severe indigestion attack" like
this one?
Answer:
Only medical tests can tell you for sure. My partner had similar pains
and was warned it could be angina. We went to ER during one such
attack. They ran a battery of tests. All were fine. He knows, by
exclusion, that it was anxiety.
I have had symptoms similar to those you describe. An ambulance was
called. This was pre my diagnosis of Panic Disorder. I was
hyperventilating.
One question. Did you fingers feel tingly or numb?
I don't understand much about an ECG, but the cardio at the hospital
said that I indeed had a heart attack previously and have part of my
heart damaged, but he didn't say if it was last night or not. I was
supposed to go back this evening for a two-day stay for more tests and
monitoring, but I refused because I have a two-day weekend scheduled
with my husband and I will not skip that for anything. I am home now.
Here I am, a 33-year-old businesswoman, and already having the best
time in my life with anxiety and depression. Now a stupid heart attack,
which must have been last night.
I thought young women don't get heart attacks, but that is wrong, very
wrong.
No, there was no tingling or numb feelings in my fingers. There was no
hyperventilation either. I'm just not going to worry about it, and will
enjoy the weekend with my husband.
We are driving to St. Augustine to see the oldest city in the US.
I hate the experience of being "rushed" to an ER, so I went
discretely and quietly to the ER this afternoon, after patiently doing
my corporate tax forms with my husband and having nice conversation
with another businesswoman/friend.
The noise, the commotion. The crowding and the impersonal environment.
ERs are cold. They have TVs in the rooms, but everything else is
digital this and that. Automaton nurses and docs thinking about just
getting home.
Regarding eggs, they are nasty. I have a sensitivity to them. Not a
pleasurable experience.
