panic symptoms or not???

[anxious09]

hi you guys,

so if anyone can give me clue i would appreciate it.

so last night i went to bed. about 1/1/2 hr after i went to sleep i was suddently awaken in a state of full
alertness experiencing hot flashes. i thought it could be just feeling warm so i took off my pyja top.
but i still felt as if the hot flashes were coming in waves and from within. i checked my pulse it was 90'.

by this time i got up to go and have a glass of water. but i could feel my heart racing so i took it again and
it was 150!!! so shaking started to appear, dry mouth and soft bm. i took an inderal right away and
soon it started to go down gradually, my bp at the time was 15/9.5!!!!!

finally everything settled down but it got me very worried..
i tried to get some sleep afterwards but as i almost nodded off, i had a weird sensation like my
heart was stopping and again i couldn't sleep.

the tachycar episode was extremely regular but i could feel it in my throat.

question was it panic attack or something more??

i have a history of panic/anxiety disorder, hashimotos thyroiditis and slight mvp with
insignificant regurgitation,

i exercise 5times a weeek. resting pulse 58-72, bp 11/7, no cholesterol, hdl of 63
and have had episodes of palpitations in the past but now no,

i do have issues with anxiety but 150 pulse seems a bit high for just panic or am i wrong?
has anyone expierenced panic with such a high heart rate and hot flashes??

[nursegirl6572]

The short answer is...YES, a panic attack can absolutely cause a pulse that high, and blood pressure as well.  Not to mention, the other symptoms you describe are very consistent with panic.

Now, with your past medical history, it NEVER hurts to speak with your doctor, ensuring that everything is okay and nothing has worsened with your cionditions, but my guess is, you are dealing with a panic attack.  

Remember, a panic attack is the sympathetic nervous system activating ("fight or flight response"), which causes our body functions to adapt and prepare for battle, pretty much (even though, obviously, with panic, the "battle" is perceived in our minds) .  That sympathetic nervous system response is what is responsible for the panic symptoms many of us are all to familiar with.  Once the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and takes over (and it always does), restoring our bodies back to normal, those symptoms resolve.

Since you are not new to panic and anxiety, what kinds of things do you do or have you done to address it?  The Inderal obviously has some anti-anxiety uses, are you on that simply for your MVP, or the anxiety as well?  Do you take any other meds for anxiety?  Have you tried any therapy?

Let us know...and until you get in to see your doc, please try not to worry too much...panic attacks definitely cause those kinds of symptoms, and those numbers.  

[rilesnic]

I commented in the heart forum, but yes, during my panics, my heart has gotten to 150bpm.  It was also caught on a holter moniter in the early A.M. hours while I was sound asleep, at 150+. I'm hoping itdood or Jerry from the heart forum pipe in on your question.