Attacks Occur More Frequently, Last Longer & Are Stronger

45 year old male suffers from panic and anxiety attacks for 5 years. Attacks have gotten worse over the last several months due to my personal situation (unemployed, adopting a baby, lawsuit, selling my house).

Since that date the pains have been coming more and more frequently and closer together. This morning I had another bad one. While food shopping I got a sharp pain in my left chest that went again to the middle of my chest. Again, trouble breathing and the pain last for a few minutes. It is now 3 1/2 hours since that happened and there is still discomfort and pain in those same areas

All hospital tests, echo, EKG,  stress, blood tests,  x-rays, were negative. They told me that the only other thing they could do is an angiogram to test for any blockage but this is risky. I also had some test to determine blood flow in my caryatid arteries and heart - again, all negative.

My blood pressure is 110/85, cholesterol level is 112. No history of heart trouble  I do not smoke cigarettes but do smoke one cigar per day when the weather is good. Never did drugs and drink wine daily

What concerns me is that they are now happening almost every day, the pain is getting worse and the pain seems to stay with me more than just a few minutes. It seems to last for hours at a time

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You didn't mention medication.  If you and your doctor conclude this is panic, then you should be on klonopin or xanax as a trial, and then add or switch to other medications once you have proved that these work for you.

Your stress situation is sky high, so medication or therapy ( and therapy) are indicated.

[IRISH_GHERL]

HELLO I AM A 35YR OLD FEMALE MOTHER OF 7 I HAVE HAD ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS THAT YOU WOULD'NT BELIEVE I EVEN DID A FREE STUDY AT SHARP HOSPITAL TO SEE WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON I WAS SO CONFUSSED I HAVE HAD THERAPY AND NEVER TAKEN ANY ZANAX OR OTHER DRUGS FOR THE PROBLEM FOR SOME STRANGE REASON I USE BEN GAY MUSCLE RUB AND AS SOON AS I FEEL ANXIOUSE OR PANICKY I RUB SOME ON MY CHEST IT MAY BE ALL IN MY HEAD BUT IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I CAN BREATH BETTER THE ARM AND CHEST PAIN ARE FROM HYPER VENTALATING I HAD CHEST PAIN SO BAD I WAS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM EVERY NIGHT UNTIL I JUST GOT TIRED OF GOING THEY DID E.K.G. AND ALL THAT ON ME AS WELL BUT NOTHING WAS WRONG I EVEN HAD REALLY BAD SHAKES IT'S A TERRIBLE PROBLEM I TOTTALLY FEEL YOUR PAIN. I STARTED HAVING ALL THIS LIKE 15YRS AGO AND MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT IT WAS BROUGHT ON BY SOMETHING THAT TRAUMATIZED ME AND I ACTUALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS WHEN I HAD MY SECOND CHILD I HAD A EPIDURAL AND THEY PUT THE NEEDLE IN THE WRONG PART OF MY SPINE AND IT MADE MY EARS RING REALLY LOUD AND I WAS VERY VERY SCARED I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE SO EVER SINCE THEN I HAD ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS BUT I WILL SAY ONE THING I HAVE DONE ALOT OF READING ON THIS AND SOME OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE GOT THAT ATTACKING ANIETY ON T.V. AND IT WORKED FOR THEM I NOW AM DOING OK WITH MY ANXIETY BECAUSE I DON'T TRY TO STOP WHAT I FEEL COMING ON WHEN I FEEL A ATTACK COMING ON I JUST SAY OK I KNOW WHAT THIS IS AND I KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA MAKE ME REACT I KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE MY CHEST HURT AND I'M GONNA FEEL LIKE I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK BUT IF YOU TRY TO FIGHT IT IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE AND IT'S A VERY SCARY FEELING SO FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER MY ADVICE TO YOU IS FIRST OF ALL YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF SOME OF THOSE STRESSFULL SITUATIONS CAUSE EVEN A NORMAL PERSON WITHOUT ANXIETY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ATTACKS WITH THAT MANY PROBLEMS ON THERE PLATE BUT IF I WERE YOU I WOULD GO AND GET A PRESCRIPTION FOR SOME ZANAX OR SOMETHING THAT WORKS FAST AND I WOULD CARRY A PILL WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO THIS DOES'NT MEAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT BUT IT'S A COMFORT FEELING JUST KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR POCKET THIS IS WHAT I DID AND I THINK I ONLY TOOK A LITTLE PEICE OF ONE ONCE OR TWICE AND THEN I WOULD RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOM'S OF THE ATTACK COMING ON AND I WOULD JUST SIT DOWN AND REMEMBER THAT IT'S REALLY ME THATS DOING THIS TO MYSELF CAUSE YOU GOTTA REMEMBER PANICK IS REALLY JUST TO MUCH ADRENALIN GOING THRU YOUR BODY AND YOUR THE ONE LETTING OFF ALL THAT ADRENALIN SO YOU HAVE TO TALK TO YOURSELF AND I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU HAVE TO THEN JUST GO HIDE IN THE BATHROOM OR IN YOUR CAR AND SIT AND WAIT CAUSE I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FOR ME WAS THAT I WAS TRYING TO HIDE THE ATTACK FROM EVERYONE BUT DON'T DO THAT AND ALSO THE ATTACKS GET WORSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO COMFORT YOU OR IF THEY KEEP SAYING ARE YOU ALRIGHT JUST EXPLAIN TO YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY THAT YOU ARE OK AND WHEN YOU GO IN A ROOM OR WHEREVER YOU END UP TELL THEM TO LEAVE YOU ALONE AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IF I WERE YOU TRY THE BEN GAY I CARRY ONE IN MY CAR AS WELL AS MY HOUSE AND THEY HAVE THE ONE THAT IS UNCENTED SO NO ONE HAS TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE IT ON AND JUST RUB A LITTLE ON YOUR CHEST AND DOWN YOUR ARM IT MAY STING A LITTLE THE FIRST FEW TIMES YOU USE IT SO ONLY PUT A LITTLE IM SO IMMUNE TO IT I CAN RUB IT ON MY FACE AND FOR HEAD AND BEHIND MY EARS AND THIS ALL HELPED ME TODAY I MIGHT HAVE ONE A WEEK AND IT'S SO MINOR I CAN CONTINUE DOING WHAT I'M DOING I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK CAUSE I KNOW HOW SCARED AND ALONE I FELT WHEN IT STARTED TAKING OVER MY LIFE BUT THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS LET IT DEFEAT YOU CAUSE FOR A WHILE I WOULD'NT EVEN GO OUTSIDE SO DON'T LET THAT HAPPEND TO YOU ONCE AGAIN GOOD LUCK I HOPE SOMETHING OUT OF THIS HELPS YOU

[NathanAnxiety]

You are going through some SERIOUS panic attacks. I know from experience that those chest pains are terrifying. My first move was an EKG, I though I was having mild heart attacks. Take the Dr.'s advice and get with a Dr. to put you on some Xanax or Klonopin. Those symptoms will go away almost immediately. God Bless.