weird symptoms - Heart Disorders Message Board

guitarman · 06-05-2002, 11:03 PM

Here are my symptoms, upon inhaling sometimes I get a strange feeling like I'm suffocating and a feeling of anxiety with a tingling feeling in my chest,very hard to describe, I've taken my pulse at that moment and my heart stops for about a second, It almost feels like a weezy sensation. If I take deep breaths it continues to happen if I take slow shallow breaths it helps and gradually dissapates, sometimes laying down causes it to happen and changing positions in bed does also. It seems to occur about 10-30 times a year with the episodes lasting about a 1-3 days on and off....The doctors can find nothing wrong and say it anxiety, is this reasonable? this has been occuring for about 12 years.....

Lil_Bit · 06-06-2002, 09:05 AM

hi guitarman,, sounds like anxiety/panic attacks,,,, i am familiar with the same feelings, for about 5-6 yrs now. I often wonder if it could be an allergy of some sort,or perhaps asthma................i would perhaps when the next episode happens, immediately get into see the dr with all symptoms at hand

4given1 · 06-06-2002, 03:55 PM

Anxiety is an absolutely reasonable explanation. I've experienced the very same symptoms you've mentioned, and yes, I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Sometimes I would suffer a panic attack if I were terribly upset or stressed, and sometimes they would just come on out of the blue. I know how awful they can be.

I was on a low-dose of Xanax for a while, which really helped, but I weaned myself off them long ago. I've had no panic attacks since stopping the meds; I've felt them "coming on" several times, but I've been able to "talk myself" out of them.

You may want to do a search on panic attacks/anxiety disorder. You will probably find that you have experienced many of the symptoms. If you're lucky, you'll be able to recognize anxiety for what it is and keep your symptoms from progressing without the use of medication.
Best of luck to you!

StarCat · 06-21-2002, 03:02 PM

Hi Guitarman! My boyfriend is a guitarman. I am a drummergirl.

But I also have really scary anxiety/panic attacks, and often I have no clue why they're happening. I have Bi-Polar Depression which has been very difficult to treat because I have bad reactions to almost every medication under the sun. Now, after thinking I was on the right meds since 10/2001, I just passed out last week. Maybe it was because I have a heart-valve disease (still waiting for the results of my echocardiogram), which might explain why my feet and ankles suddenly swelled up. Or maybe it was that the Epilepsy med (Keppra) I take for my Bi-Polar caused me to have a siezure!

Anyway, just try to do the impossible - relax! Keep a notepad & pen handy for the next time you're in the middle of an attack, and write down how you feel (physically & emotionally), and what happened that day, and what you've been thinking about, and you may find out something is on your mind. But don't feel that your symptoms aren't real just because you might have an anxiety/panic disorder (I hate it when doctors tell me it's all in my head).

Good luck, and take it easy.

miss-understanding · 07-01-2002, 10:42 PM

Guitarman,
I have had some of the same type of symptoms. I get a whispy yet gritty feeling in my lungs when I lye back or in a reclined position. I have been diagnosed with Asthma..but am not convinced for different reasons. When I stand up or sit up it usually clearsafter a few minutes or deep breaths. I have had some odd blood work 3 -4 months back (odd counts on white/red hematocrit and platelets) only tested positive for an anti platelet anti body (had dangerously low platelet count). I am not opposed to the idea of anxiety...but confused as to how anxiety can cause fluid in my lungs and interupt my breathing while I am sleeping. I know you said that you feel like it is an anxiety feeling at times...could you have a couple things going on? Do you have allergies? Let's work together to understand this whole thing..
Miss-understanding

Miss-understanding

[This message has been edited by miss-understanding (edited 07-02-2002).]