Have you ever called an ambulance because of a panic attack?

[Kosta]

I had the situation, when I was so frightened of possible heart attack that I called the number of the ambulance and asked for help. Fortunately, they assumed what is my problem and sent me to the hospital. When I came there I did not feel any of the symptoms that I had previously. This happened ten years ago, and I do not have similar problems anymore, but it remained etched in the memory. So I am interested what you think about this? Have you ever had a similar problem, and did you call an ambulance because of a panic attack?

 

[Zeesi]

I haven't gone so far as to call, but I almost did. I wasn't feeling like I was having a heart attack, but my heart was RACING!! and just really beating abnormally. I didn't know what was going on. No chest pains or anything like that, thank goodness.


I don't recall exactly what brought all this on, I think I might have been having a bad dream or something, and woke up in full panic mode. I didn't call an ambulance even though I was really freaking out. I had to tell myself to calm down and breathe. I drank some wine, and took some aspirin. Maybe not the best combination, but I wanted to self-medicate. It took a while, but things went back to normal.

 

[Aree Wongwanlee]

No, not an ambulance. However, once I did call up my son from a neighboring country because I was not able to walk. He came immediately, driving through the night and took me to hospital. That was better than calling an ambulance. Looking back, I realized that I had panicked unnecessarily. After I was treated in hospital for a week, I could walk again. However, at that time, it was really frightening, with images of being paralyzed flashing before my eyes. I have seen a relative who had a stroke and could not get up, laying in bed until he passed away. I don't want to go like that.

 

[hades_leae]

No, I never went to the hospital for my anxiety. I kind of consider that too much because I know that I'm not going to die or anything, I just know the panic attacks are going to go away after a little bit, when I used to have them often.


I actually never called anyone, I just tried to figure out natural ways to deal with them when they came. When you get to the hospital and you don't feel anything anymore doesn't that make you nervous? They might assume that nothing was really wrong. That would just make me feel embarrassed so that's why I wouldn't call.

 

[LovelyLiz]

I've not had this experience myself, but from my understanding a panic attack looks very similar to a heart attack - the same tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and so on. The fact that the dispatcher was able to identify the problem so quickly suggests that this may be a common experience.

 

[Sue]

My fiance actually called the ambulance when I was having one. I was so upset with him for calling. When they got there they couldn't believe how high my blood pressure was and my heart beat. I refused to go with them though so I had to sign a paper that I refused but they told me if I needed them to call right back. I didn't though. I was embarrassed that he called them and made such a big deal of it.

 

[kgord]

I went to the ER once with a panic attack. My heart beat was high, and not sure about my BP. I don't even remember what the treatment was at the time. That one was really strange, I was just lying in bed when it hit. Like I said, mine were caused at least in part by taking the birth control pill when I discontinued that, I never had them again. Sometimes, changing the hormonal levels of your body is not a good idea.

 

[whysewserious]

One of my friends thought she was experiencing a heart attack as had well and called an ambulance. She had never experienced a panic attack before and wanted to err on the side of caution. I have almost driven my boyfriend to the hospital due to panic attacks before and haven't, but if they are that frightening on the outside, I cannot imagine what it is like to experience the symptoms first hand.

 

[kgord]

Before you know you are having panic attacks it feels very much like a heart attack would feel I would imagine..although they don't include chest pain. Mine were more like a feeling of suffocation. Anyway, they are quite terrifying, and if you think you are having a heart attack, trying to get medical assistance is a natural reaction to something like that. Also, it helps a great deal once the panic attacks are diagonosed and medical causes are ruled out. You can self talk yourself into wellness. You can keep telling yourself," you are not having a heart attack. You will be fine. etc."

 

[Kosta]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me and our online community. I hope this discussion will be helpful for anxiety sufferers, who will realize that we all have similar health problems. After reading, they will know there are so many people who suffer from the same problems. I can easily conclude anxiety is disease of 21. Century. I would be grateful that I found this forum earlier. Unfortunately, at the time when I had the biggest anxiety problems, it did not exist. But, it will not stop me to continue helping all those who are passing through problems, which I had once.

 

[fuzyon]

I only called an ambulance once when a panic attack got really bad and I was struggling to breath. The lady on the phone was nice and understood my problem, she helped calm me down until the ambulance got to my house. Surprisingly, the medics told me that they get called in for panic attacks quite often so they're used to it, they gave me some antidepressants and a sleep pill because I was tired and looked like a zombie.

 

[lexinonomous]

Although I have called an ambulance, I've never left with an ambulance. During my very first panic attack, I experienced a very high heart rate. I had no idea what was going on and quickly assumed that I was dying. This of course set me into more panic and I ended up having my boyfriend call 911. Luckily, while he was dialing, he decided to hang up and told me to lay down and take some deep breaths. He recognized that I was having a panic attack and didn't want to call an ambulance for something he knew we could solve by calming me down. He felt that if I were to go into an ambulance, it would have scared me even more. I couldn't agree more.


I can't imagine how scary it would be to ride in an ambulance as you're panicking.

 

[Dybbuk Jones]

I don't call the ambulance during a panic attack, but every time I have one I feel like I should. I don't know what's worse - calling an ambulance or not calling an ambulance. It might be worse that I don't call an ambulance because I seem to have come to expect panic attacks. I don't know when they are coming but it hurts every time. I also start to think that I am not having a panic attack so much as a heart attack and that makes it worse.

 

[noachleo]

I have never called an ambulance for me, but had a similar experience with my sister. We had finished working out about five or six months ago and suddenly she started hyperventilating over the outcome of a project she had been working on for a week. And in a space of five minutes she went from being tranquil to gasping for air. I called nine-one-one they were able to control her by administering diazepam. It was a scary but learning experience.

 

[cluckeyo]

I had to do this for someone one time. It really seemed like the only thing I could as this person was very insistent. They took her to the hospital and everything checked out, I followed in the car and brought her back to her home. She had good insurance so I did not worry. I think it was probably the thing to do. It was a rigormarole, but worth it for her peace of mind.

 

[thecorinthian]

It hasn't happened to me yet and I hope it doesn't. The thought of getting that much attention and being rushed to the hospital is already making me feel anxious. I don't like the feeling of eyes on me and I already know that I occasionally have panic attacks I don't need the emergency response unit to tell me and it will cost me a pretty penny when I get to the hospital for a treatment I already have at home.

 

[Novelangel]

You know something? If calling an ambulance is the first thought in your mind when you are panicking, it probably isn't a bad idea, especially if it's your first attack. Panic attacks can mimic a lot of really serious conditions, including heart attacks and strokes. I'm sure the EMT's are delighted when there isn't anything seriously wrong with the person and they can probably help resolve the attack faster. After that, the person and their loved ones can more easily recognize the symptoms of panic and be able to resolve it themselves. I've had panic attacks that have led me to believe I was dying, although I never called an ambulance for one. I think, in my case, my fear of doctors and hospitals makes me more paranoid than my fear of getting sick or dying. While that may sound counter productive, sometimes that's just the way panic and anxiety work.

 

[janemariesayed]

I have had many panic attacks and they can be quite scary. Thankfully my counsellor has explained to me that a panic attack is where I have been breathing shallow. This makes my heart want to pump air around my body so it tries harder than it normally has to. He told me that when I'm feeling like that to take in a very deep breath and hold it for the count of four, then to breathe out slowly. If he hadn't of explained this to me for me to try, I wouldn't have known what was happening and probably frantically phoned for an ambulance.

 

[sorrowscall]

Well, I wouldn't exactly say it's for lack of trying. As many of you know, I become either almost or completely catatonic when I have a heart attack. I want to call the number but I can't even move a single digit and much less get my phone to my ear. Of course, I do calm down and then I feel bad for having wanted to call an ambulance for it in the first place. Yet, it still happens a lot. Each time feels like I just won't make it without medical attention.

 

[stogian]

No, that has never happened to me luckily!