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1305767 tn?1361192676

Panic attack or something else?

I've had panic attacks before and they feel different than the thing I'm posting about. Sometimes I will start to feel really amped up inside or over energized, like I took speed (but didn't). My thoughts will race and my heart rate goes up and I start feeling the need to breathe heavily like I'm exercising. I eventually start feeling a little light headed and nauseous. The whole thing lasts about a half hour and I gradually start to calm down and end up with a splitting headache. I don't really feel panicky or scared during it though which is why I'm not sure if it's a panic attack although most of the symptoms are the same.
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1305767 tn?1361192676
Yeah I agree weed is something people with anxiety should avoid. I had a few hits of MJ last year and had one of the worst panic attacks of my life. I literally felt like screaming and crying but had to control myself because I was in public. And yeah alcohol is bad for anxiety too. I used to be a heavy drinker a couple years ago and my anxiety got so bad I was having panic attacks off and on all day long. I even went to the ER a couple times thinking I was dying.
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Honestly, smoking weed is the last thing a person with anxiety should be doing.  Just browse the forum a little, you'll see countless threads of people who either experienced their first panic attack while smoking MJ, or people who report an excerbation of their anxiety/panic while smoking weed.  Same with alcohol...that's a huge no no for anxiety sufferers.  It almost always makes anxiety worse.

Not to mention, a person with anxiety must be VERY careful about getting into the self medicating habit.  Anxiety sufferers are at a significantly high risk for addiction.  Many people with anxiety turn to self medicating with various drugs/substances to deal with their symptoms.
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
It's hard to say...panic attacks definitely can vary in their symptoms, although in my experience, a person with a history of them for the most part experiences the same, or close to the same symptoms during most attacks.  If they vary at allm, it's usually minimal.  In the least, the variations are cyclical, where you experience one quality of symptoms for a significant length of time, and then the symptoms change, and last for another period of time.  You're describing more of a flip flop back and forth, which is why the BPD makes sense as a possibility.

The fact that you have pretty significant mood swings would make me suspicious that indeed you may have bipolar disorder, or in the least, mania like symptoms.  

Most panic attacks come with that sense of impending doom, which it doesn't sound like you have with these particular symptoms.  I think you should give the Seroquel a shot and see how you feel.

Let us know!
Helpful - 0
1305767 tn?1361192676
lol weed is a no go for me. just a little sends me into a panic attack.
Helpful - 0
4932379 tn?1361235923
You are not alone, I go threw these same things all the time. I'm not sure what you're into, but just a little bit of weed helps me; a lot. If I smoke too much I get even worse. But if I just smoke a little I am pretty good. I really think it will help out!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sounds like anxiety more then panic.. I sometimes feel kinda like that, energized but in the same time tired n lazy, dizzy with mild headache or like im out of breath or my heart is pounding fast. But I believe is more anxiety than panic..
Helpful - 0
1305767 tn?1361192676
I also want to add that yesterday the thought occurred to me that I over loaded on coffee but I drank the same amount as I usually drink every day and haven't had it effect me like that.
Helpful - 0
1305767 tn?1361192676
Hmmm I don't know about it being a new symptom. If anything I was minus a symptom of a panic attack (the actual panic)  I felt really strong or powerful like I could lift 200 lbs or do some other strenuous physical exertion. The only time I felt a little anxiety is when I start feeling lightheaded and nauseous. Then I started focusing on trying to calm myself down somehow.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
interesting, i get similar attacks, don't know, panic on an anxiety
but it usually happens when I'm eating with somebody. Fear just covers me,
I loose appetite immediately, getting all hot, my hurt beats fast and I'm
afraid that person who I'm eating with mite notice it unless it's someone close to me.
It's an awful feeling and usually will stay with me for a few days, my head gets all foggy
I have it once or twice a year.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have ocd, chronic depression and GAD with panic attacks.  Sometimes when I have an anxiety attack, I get hyper, like i have to do a whole bunch of things but at the same time frozen, so nothing gets done.  Mind racing and heart beating fast sounds familiar to me...to me that sounds like the anxiety attack part (I even get chest pains sometimes), and its hard to breathe. I also feel light-headed, sometimes scared I'm going to faint.  And when I'm anxious about something, I have noticed that I get nauseous.  I think you get that major headache because of tension...it happens to me too because I get myself all worked up and the worst part is I DON'T KNOW WHY.  Sometimes at least (GAD), other times its due to anxiety about a whole bunch of things and I can't pinpoint just one reason...I get overwhelmed. Even though you don't feel panicky, this happens to me alot and its ALWAYS based on my anxiety.  Do you think that maybe the reason you don't think its a panic attack is because its NEW symptoms of a panic attack that you didn't experience?  I never used to have chest pains when I had panic attacks and when I started getting them, I thought, what if something is wrong with my heart? Do I have pnemonia or angina pain (like my Dad used to have).  I even had an ekg and my heart is fine and they said its was most likely due to anxiety.  NEW symptoms can be very scary when you don't know what's causing them. I'm not a professional but that's what I think might be happening. I hope this helps :)
Helpful - 0
1305767 tn?1361192676
Thanks. See now today I feel really lethargic and depressed. I'm all over the place.
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
I tend to agree with you, and it sounds like possibly a bipolar situation, or at least some tendencies.  I think you should try the Seroquel and see how you feel.
Helpful - 0
1305767 tn?1361192676
No I don't really feel euphoric but I do feel energetic although sometimes these episodes make me highly irritable and agitated. I recently suggested the idea of  bipolar 2 or the bipolar spectrum because my moods have swung up and down for years but have just been treated for GAD and major depressive. I've tried about 4 different antidepressants but my depression always returns. My Dr. prescribed me Seroquil after I brought up bipolar but I haven't started taking it yet. (I'm nervous to). I'm supposed to take it at night for sleep and I can take one or two during day if I feel "manic"
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
It almost sounds like a manic-like episode.  What is your mood along with these sensations?  Usually a panic attacl will cause that sense of impending doom.  Do you have that with these symptoms, or do you feel more "up", almost "high" or "euphoric"?

Are you on any meds?
Helpful - 0
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