<p>I went to the emergency room yesterday thinking I was having a heart attack.
I’d had episodes of heart pounding, tight chest etc before, but they usually resolved in a few minutes.
But the tests didn’t show anything.</p>
<p>If they are panic attacks, how do I figure that out?
They don’t have a pattern, except for the one yesterday, they happen when I am sitting or just walking around, and I don’t feel nervous or anxious during them- at all. ( except for the one yesterday, which is why I went to the emergency room after calling my doctor, I really thought I was having a heart attack - so I was anxious about that)</p>
<p>I don’t drink much coffee ( two cups a day is the most), but I have tried cutting it out completely & it doesn’t seem to make a difference.
( thank the Goddess.
I live in Seattle and not drinking coffee at all, would be like how I imagine not drinking alcohol in Europe or smoking marijuana in Jamaica would be, it’s bad enough I mostly don’t eat wheat- we have so many good bakeries!</p>
<p>I do have anxiety attacks when flying. Without the heart pounding, I mostly just whimper. :o
But the heart pounding episodes are nothing like that.</p>
<p>I *am *going to see my drs, and also try and keep better notes of when I have these symptoms ( although that makes me feel self absorbed), but I was also interested in others experiences.</p>
<p>Get your thyroid checked. It’s only happened a couple times for me because typically I’m hypothyroid, but I’ve gone hyper and it sure as heck made me feel like I has having a heart attack, pounding, racing heart then my chest felt tight, then I got anxious… </p>
<p>also my sister had “real” panic attacks for a decade or so and the hyperventilation thing happens with her.</p>
<p>I’d try and see a cardiologist. I just spent a month wearing a heart monitor because of palpitations. Luckily nothing showed up. They also did an echocardiogram and EKG. It’s scary, but better to err on the side of caution.</p>
<p>Are you at risk for heart disease? I am sure they did an EKG and maybe an echo at the ER. Hopefully your doc can tell you if you are at risk of a heart attack. If not, the more likely culprit is panic. Especially if you are near peri-menopause too, that time of life can bring on panic symptoms in people who have not had them earlier.</p>
<p>Yep thyroid check. Also parathyroid and adrenal function. Whatever endocrine stuff they can think of. I remember Oprah saying she had gone in for heart stuff and finding out non heart attack but palpitation symptoms can come with menopause. But I am not a doc so doc’s first to rule out anything they can find. Good luck!</p>
<p>I did just have thyroid test done because I am barely on the low side, not enough for meds. But that’s worth checking out again.
I was trying to consciously breath very slowly and deeply, but it’s possible I was holding my breath when it started.
However, I will be 55 next month and it could be menopause related. I just missed my first period, but didn’t consciously realize it till I was in the ER & was trying to think of anything that could have brought it on. Heart problems do run in the family, what with the genetic high cholesterol ( its over 300, but most of that is good cholesterol), but I have a pretty good diet, especially in the summer. Disappointed they now think fish oil doesn’t help.</p>
<p>All the techs & nurses assigned to my room however were strapping, tattooed ( & my impression gay) youngish men, and when I asked one of them if it could be hormones, he admitted he had no idea.( which I associate more with the being young & male not necessarily gay, which is why I try and have female docs if the opportunity presents itself, I figure they are more interested in women’s concerns)</p>
<p>I had two EKGs and two blood tests, but no echo.
The cardiologist was the only one that was my age ( probably older actually, as he was completely white haired) we ended up discussing colleges. ;)( he wanted to know who lived in our house& I said my youngest was away at college)
He did say that my primary doc would probably refer me for a stress test.
:eek:
Those just freak me out cause a friend who was in good shape ( but older & male) had a stroke during the test & died shortly afterwards.
:(</p>
<p>I used to have panic attacks. Mine would pop up out of no where and involved a rapid/loud heart rate and a disassociated sensation (not that I am admitting to anything, but IF I smoked pot in college the sensation was the same as being high).</p>
<p>The problem I had was that I became so aware of every body sensation that I became my own worst enemy. </p>
<p>That is super scary about your friend and her stress test stroke. I have been having some tachacardia since June as a reaction to neck surgery. My cardiologist wants to do a nuclear stress test. No thank you doc!</p>
<p>When I went to the hospital, they wanted to do a drug-induced stress test. I didn’t like that idea. I had to beg for the treadmill, but they finally gave in.</p>
<p>What do you mean by not enough for meds? What was your TSH? I was told that I didn’t need medication because my TSH was borderline. I was having heart palpitations and a rapid heart rate. They wanted to blame it on everything but hypothyroidism. I finally had an antibody test and was positive for hashimotos. They still wanted to wait til the number was higher. I convinced them to start me on a low dose. I feel so much better. Ideally your level should be between .3 and 3, not .5 to 5.</p>
<p>Neighbor had episodes like that…her heart was in atrial fibrillation. Definitely go see a heart doctor. With any luck, the next episode will be caught on a heart monitor.</p>
<p>I would definitely rule out any physical causes of your symptoms. The tests they gave you should have been able to rule out a heart attack in progress, but they won’t necessarily gauge your risk for future heart problems.</p>
<p>People experiencing panic attacks often do describe their symptoms as almost identical to those actually experiencing myocardial infarction, aka “heart attack.” But their EKG’s show no evidence of cardiac ischemia, nor do their blood tests reveal the presence of rising cardiac enzymes. It is understandably terrifying to feel this way. Many experiencing a panic attack for the first time deny feeling anxious or upset just before onset. However, like others here have stated, your symptoms can be caused by a variety of conditions. Best to rule it all out before settling on a “panic attack” diagnosis.</p>
<p>From what I understand, there is a whole lot of controversy surrounding the diagnosis of hypothyroidism and what levels constitute such a diagnosis. Some people who have spent years studying it have suggested that there are rarely absolutes when it comes to what levels of thyroid hormones are to be considered “low.” In other words, if your levels are low for you, that is what is important, rather than some other fixed range, particularly when the patient is symptomatic. Another subject about which I’d love to learn more, but so far have not had the time. My RN license will be coming up for renewal soon, so perhaps I have found a very good subject for my continuing education requirements. :)</p>
<p>I second what Nrdsb says. EK, please rule out any heart issues; if your primaty doc refers you to a cardiologist, please follow the advice. I was in the same boat recently - sudden rise in BP, yet nothing abnormal in any tests. Went to a cardiologist, got to run on a treadmill with a bunch of wires attached to me - I passed the test with flying colors, was told that no patient at that practice ever got to the level I did (I could have run longer, but that was the last level they had). The issue resolved on its own; it is all good now, and I’m off of the low dose beta blocker (that works as an anti-anxiety med well as as a BP med) after just 2 months. I suspect that I really did not need the drug, anyway.</p>
<p>I agree, what is low and if you are low, you should be on some meds. I’ve heard of no controversy among endocrinologists about the .3-3 range, however many family practice dr’s still go by the .5-5 range so they may think that a 7 is “borderline” when it fact is is really low and should be treated.</p>
<p>"I went to the emergency room yesterday thinking I was having a heart attack.
I’d had episodes of heart pounding, tight chest etc before, but they usually resolved in a few minutes.
But the tests didn’t show anything.----If they are panic attacks, how do I figure that out?
They don’t have a pattern, except for the one yesterday, they happen when I am sitting or just walking around, and I don’t feel nervous or anxious during them- at all. "</p>
<p>When you had the tests, was your heart pounding? If not, they could have missed what was causing this. A number of years ago, I had similar symptoms that neither a 24 hr holter monitor or a monitor that you put to your chest when you feel the symptoms could catch because they were too short and infrequent. My doctor sent me to a psychologist who said I must be having panic attacks. They occurred only at rest and when I also wasn’t nervous. Needless to say, after a while they did start to cause panic symptoms. It wasn’t until years later when the episodes started lasting > 15 minutes that they were caught with a monitor. It was afib. Those episodes while relatively infrequent last now 12 hours at a time.</p>
<p>Nrdsb4, I think you should! Several female physicians I know are “women” specialists and several of them are building their practice around mid-life women (because that’s the age WE ARE) and beginning to practice integrative medicine. I’m absolutely on board with this type of thinking. Thyroid is a biggie. Emerald, I think seeing your docs is a good idea…as with anything it might be nothing or it might be something!</p>