Anxiety Attacks, or something else?

[R_WAGNER]

Hello. I am a 25 year old female/healthy weight (5'5" 124 lbs). I have been having what I thought were anxiety attacks about once per week for the last two years. About a month ago, these attacks began greatly increase (1-2 times a day). It happened twice while driving on the highway which was so scary. My mind is fairly calm during the attacks, but the physical symptoms are intense. Very high heart rate (160+ per minute), high blood pressure (as high as 160/120- my BP is usually low/normal!), numbing/tingling of the feet and hands, and dizziness/feeling like I may pass out. I am prescribed 10 mg Valium which takes the edge off but will not slow my heart rate below 110-115 and blood pressure will decrease some but still remains at higher levels. In between attacks, my resting heart rate is still higher than normal (115-125). My doctor suspected that it may not be an anxiety disorder and that I may have hyperthyroidism. I received blood work, and my TSH was normal and T4 only slightly high (likely due to being on birth control pills). I did a 24 urine sample to test to see if I had any issues with my adrenal glands; these results were normal. I am happily married, but do have a very stressful job (I supervise the therapy of 25 children diagnosed with autism). Despite this, I don't feel overly stressed, and I am not upset/thinking about stressful topics when these attacks occur. I have upcoming appointments with a cardiologist and for an endocronolgist for further testing. I was just wondering if anyone out there had any thoughts/hypotheses on my condition, or experience(d) anything similar to what I am going through. I am quite frightened and hope to be able to start living a normal life again soon. For now, my physician asked me to take 5-10 mg of Valium twice per day; this is making life bearable but isn't doing much for the rapid heart rate. I hope to one day not have to take Valium at all anymore.

[remar]

Your very welcome.I hear this alot. Drs will not order all of the thyroid tests and it makes no sense.  Your TSH would be considered to be in normal range but, I do know several people with that number that have thyroid problems. That's why Drs need to check all the numbers. I hope you find an answer soon.

[fnbm]

I have the same exact thing. and somedays like today i feel faint an off balance from the second i wake. with sweaty feet an hands....and talk about high heart rate mines usually around 140... today i was getting blood work done an my bp was 160/99 and my heart rate 166.... i get results tuesday. pray for a answer

[R_WAGNER]

I will definitely request all of those tests, thanks so much. They only tested my TSH and my total t4. TSH was 2.5, total t4 was 14 (I was told this was slightly too high, that highest normal level was 11-12). They did not test my free t4; I asked why and they said "we do not typically order this test." I am not sure why since everything I have read states that free t4 is a much better indicator/test than total t4. Thanks again, and let me know if you have any thoughts on these test result numbers.

[remar]

I'm glad to hear you have appointments with 2 specialists. I'm sure the Endo will do these tests, but ask for them anyway. TSH, FT3, FT4 and antibodies.Testing just TSH alone does not tell the whole story. And you said your FT4 was off? Are these the only 2 that were checked, TSH and FT4?