"On Fire" Panic Attack/Anxiety Symptom

[redly414]

Hello everyone, I am a 38 year old male with panic attacks/anxiety disorders...They started about 10 years ago. I get small panic attacks about once a week, with major life-threatening ones about once a month. A recent one was the absolute worst, which included a new symptom, and continues now whenever a major attack occurs. I've tried telling it to doctors, but they always gave me the "I'm crazy" look and never gave me an adequate answer.

Besides the usual increased heart rate, palpitations, sweating, flushing, feeling of dying, shakiness, weakness, loss of hearing, loss of vision (one of the more scary symptoms)....I had the addition of a more sinister symptom...I LITERALLY felt like I was on fire! I was literally screaming in pain, feeling as though I was ON FIRE. Naturally since I also felt I was going to die, I thought at the time I was entering hell or something....I know, this all sounds crazy...but I'm wondering if anyone else has felt this or if perhaps I was in such a state that I may have been hallucinating.

This happend a few months ago and I've had a couple more of this major attacks again, which again contained the "on fire" sensations. Thankfully I was sane enough NOT to dial 911 and get through it.

Any comments would be appreciated.

[hollygcat]

Panic attacks heighten all your nerve endings.  That is always going to send a rush of heat through your body.  If the attack continues to escalate, I can absolutely identify with the feeling of being on fire.  I have not had it reach that point, but can see how that feeling can come on.  Unfortunately, we are all intelligent people that suffer from this and even being rational, we fuel the panic because it is so scary and rational minds think more into it.  It must be beyond panic!!!  Something else is wrong.  Of course you need to rule out any other medical possibility.  If all clear, it's managing the attack.  Counting yourself down, not excelerating the panic.  Medication is an unfortunate but a must.  

Go get blood work, full CBC.  Start there and make sure all your bloodwork is in order first.  Then go from there.  In the meantime, get on some sort of anti-anxiety meds.  

I rather give birth again then have a panic attack.  Panic is scarier.  

Take care and keep in touch.  Talking is calming.  Believe it or not

[debaser23]

Anxiety/Panic is known to cause some crazy and miserable symptoms, but as someone who has actually been on fire before, I would suggest that you see a neurologist or something if you actually feel like you're aflame.  That's pretty intense.

[redly414]

Thanks for the response.

Not to sound ungrateful, but of course it's due to anxiety. That is why I posted in the anxiety forum. :)

I probably should have asked my question a little more accurately.

What I wanted to know is what exactly is going on in my body that causes such a reaction? And why do I feel like I'm the only one that has this? And if that's the case, perhaps there is a more serious issue at hand.

[tostressed]

I get a burning feeling through my body if I have an anxiety attack. I wouldn't say that It feels like I am on fire. Just a burning feeling through out my body. I use to get very scared because I thought it was a symptom of a disease, but realized I only get it in a stressful situation. If you are getting it during your panic attack, most likely it is your anxiety.