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Member
Member Since Jul 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 28
6 |
#1
I had a massive panic attack early in the morning. It usually is triggered when I'm laying in bed and move to stretch one of my legs. It is really odd but it cause an attack.
I'm on Lamictal for anxiety and haven't had an attack in a month or so until now. After an attack my heart and left side of my chest feels tired. It can last all day and I feel drained and I'm only 47yo. My doctors say it doesn't cause any heart damage but it sure feels that way. I've been tested at the ER after having attacks and all is good. So I quit going to the ER for now. I've had two DVT and Pze blood clots in lungs and am wondering if my symptoms are related to it. Also I had afib once in 2017 but haven't had a recurrence. But I need to get these attacks under control. My doctor said I should monitor blood pressure because it could cause attacks and be raised during sleep. I thought blood pressure lowers during sleep? What I'd like to know is does anyone else get tired in their chest or heart area after an attack? Why would moving a leg and stretching while in bed cause an attack? |
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Threadtastic Postaholic
Member Since Dec 2018
Location: New Jersey
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#2
Have you ever seen a cardiologist and tried a halter monitor?
__________________ "I carried a watermelon?" President of the no F's given society. |
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Member
Member Since Jul 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 28
6 |
#3
Yes I have a cardiologist and electrophysiologist. They both ordered Holter monitors multiple times. Had them for 14 day periods and when I had an attack all they showed was my heart rate increasing.
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#4
Hey! I would really consider going to the ER immediately. Let me tell you my story. Last Sunday, I had a wave of severe panic attacks. When all was said and done, I was left with some minor chest discomfort and felt generally tired, and found it hard to breathe sometimes. After 2 days off feeling this way, something told me to go to the ER. I honestly thought I'd be examined and sent home (just like other times) and at least feel better mentally after confirming it was all just due to my tough panic attacks.
Nope. They determined I was having or had a heart attack, admitted me immediately, did an emergency angioplasty, and ended up installing a stent in my right corinary artery which was found to be 95% blocked. I am still in disbelief honestly. It happened so quickly, and I am lucky to be alive right now. My prognosis is excellent and I am humbled by all of this. I am 46 yrs old. I had absolutely no reason to believe I could possibly be having any heart related issues. In fact, I just passed a complete cardiology testing less than a year ago. My labs done in Feb were perfect as they always have been. I eat a near perfect diet. I walk about 40-50 mi per week between my job and personal outdoor pursuits. My only health problems are my mental ones. Like you, I did not suspect anything other than effects of panic attacks to be my problem...as you are right now. I had no reason to think anything else. My cardiologist came to speak with me after I had recovered from the procedure. In our discussion, I learned that the cortisol that is constantly being released in our bodies when we live with anxiety and panic disorders can build up inside the arteries, and it is like glue. He believes my quick and sudden blockage was caused by that cortisol build-up grabbing otherwise normal cholesterol traveling through my system. He said that he's seeing this happen to people like us more and more, and it is scary. He said that those who experience panic attacks can commonly have such extreme physical symptoms, and develop a "tolerance" to those symptoms that would have any other person calling 911 immediately. We become desensitized because we just know these are the things that we have to live with, and the mental fear is all in our minds... Because we're not really going to die...right? So PLEASE go have yourself evaluated at an ER immediately. If they find nothing, that is amazing. But as I've just learned, you cannot take the chance. I would probably be dead right now if I didn't go to the ER last Tuesday against my better judgement. |
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Member
Member Since Jul 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 28
6 |
#5
I called my doctor's office and getting checked out in a few minutes. They are first going to do an EKG. Not sure of other tests if any they will do. I contacted my cardiologist office for advice too.
My doctors have never told me about cortisol buildup can cause and mimic panic attacks. Although this morning I called my hematologist and asked them about if I could be having blood clots at night while asleep. Because when I wake up in morning and move my leg the panic attack would occur. I have always wondered if maybe I'm clotting at night and then throwing a clot when I move my legs. Since I've had clots in my legs before. But I talked to my hematologist and she says on Xarelto max dosage I'm on, it's highly unlikely |
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Guest
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#6
I know we don't know each other, but it makes me feel such relief that you are taking this seriously. I hope that you find that this is, in fact, just panic attack related physical effects and that you are just exhausted from the physical trauma of it.
Please put an update on here. I wish you the best & will be thinking of you today. |
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Member
Member Since Jul 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 28
6 |
#7
So the EKG was normal and looked like my previous EKG's. My cardiologist said I already had Cortisol and other lab workups in the past which was normal, so they say it isn't cortisol related.
My cardiologist is seeing me tomorrow to discuss the symptoms, and talk about doing an "angiogram". My hematologist and general doctor, both talked to me about doing another CTA scan of my chest, to rule out any small blood clots. I've had CT and nuclear stress tests in the past, during these same symptoms and they were all normal. The nuclear test showed my arteries all good. So not sure about additional testing, especially invasive ones like angiogram. Tomorrow I see the cardiologist and also pulmonologist to get their opinions. One thing I noticed before my panic attack the other morning, was that in the evening before bed, I had some strange blurry vision. Both my distance and close-up vision was BLURRY. I tried putting on new contacts, and also tried my reading glasses which didn't really help. I'm wondering if I had high blood pressure causing the vision issue or something else. |
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Guest
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#8
Hoping everything went well today and that you got some answers.
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Member
Member Since Jul 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 28
6 |
#9
Quote:
She and my cardiologist also suggested to have the CTA Chest scan done to make sure I have no more blood clots in my lungs. I have that scheduled for Monday. But I'm still wondering if they should just do an angiogram and get it over with. Last night I wore a small oximeter which records my pulse and oxygen levels continuously throughout the night. Two times last night, it alerted me of a low heart rate. I woke up and it showed HR of 45bpm for about a minute, then spiked to over 100bpm when I moved around and sat up. This has to be related to my "panic" attacks. I sent a message to my doctor on what happened. |
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