Scared :(

[Moe1]

First time posting here. I’ve been suffering with anxiety for years and panic attacks that sent me in and out of ER’s. Last Time I got medical tests done were a month ago. I was on meds for 4 years but recently got off and lately I’ve been feeling anxious and stressed and since yesterday I’ve been having muscle chest pain and right now I’m having either. Heart attack or panic attack and I’m freaking out not knowing if I should go to the ER or what
Some symptoms I’m feeling are tingling and numbness in my arms and finger tips. Left arm pain that comes and goes. Chest pain and feelings light headed and the chest pain is mainly in my left bosom. I’m a 35 year old male. A few years ago when it got real bad I had a stress test done at the cardiology office who said all was normal and my last blood work was a month ago when I went to the ER for a different reason (kidney stones)

 

[matisworried]

I'm really sorry you're going through this. first, YOU ARE NOT DYING AND ARE NOT HAVING A HEART ATTACK! it sounds like your anxiety is through the roof though. all of your symptoms can be caused by anxiety. heck... most are considered very common. i would say it's safe to say this could be related to your recent discontinuation of your meds. have you considered starting them back up again?

 

[Moe1]

I'm really sorry you're going through this. first, YOU ARE NOT DYING AND ARE NOT HAVING A HEART ATTACK! it sounds like your anxiety is through the roof though. all of your symptoms can be caused by anxiety. heck... most are considered very common. i would say it's safe to say this could be related to your recent discontinuation of your meds. have you considered starting them back up again?

Yes, I have an appointment with my therapist tomorrow to see what she says. But it’s been 6 hours and I still feel some of the symptoms. Has any one heard of a heart attack lasting hours that could be bigger? Or a panic attack that lasts days?

 

[matisworried]

Yes, I have an appointment with my therapist tomorrow to see what she says. But it’s been 6 hours and I still feel some of the symptoms. Has any one heard of a heart attack lasting hours that could be bigger? Or a panic attack that lasts days?

the good news is that if you were having a heart attack, you probably wouldn't be up to posting on an anxiety message board. i think it's awesome you've got an appointment set up with your therapist.

I've had one or two episodes where my anxiety remained at such a heightened level that i basically felt like i had week or even month-long panic attacks.

 

[Kari7495]

First time posting here. I’ve been suffering with anxiety for years and panic attacks that sent me in and out of ER’s. Last Time I got medical tests done were a month ago. I was on meds for 4 years but recently got off and lately I’ve been feeling anxious and stressed and since yesterday I’ve been having muscle chest pain and right now I’m having either. Heart attack or panic attack and I’m freaking out not knowing if I should go to the ER or what
Some symptoms I’m feeling are tingling and numbness in my arms and finger tips. Left arm pain that comes and goes. Chest pain and feelings light headed and the chest pain is mainly in my left bosom. I’m a 35 year old male. A few years ago when it got real bad I had a stress test done at the cardiology office who said all was normal and my last blood work was a month ago when I went to the ER for a different reason (kidney stones)

Hello! I constantly feel every single symptom you described and I am always convinced it's a heart attack. Anxiety can closely closely mimic heart attacks. I read an article that if you are having chest pains and are healthy but you have a panic disorder it's usually just panic and anxiety.
Heart attack pain usually is not localized. If its behind your left bosom its localized and not spreading . Heart attack pain is an extreme clenched pain that gets worse. Anxiety can do this or it's usually shooting pains.
Also I'm sure you have googled your symptoms and now your mind is reflecting on what you've read and jumping to conclusions giving you false ideas and fake symptoms. Try to breathe! I recommend candy crush on my phone ! You are safe.

 

[Moe1]

I’ve been back on the meds two days and feeL like crap. Feeling dizzy and foggy and shortness of breath.

 

[matisworried]

I’ve been back on the meds two days and feeL like crap. Feeling dizzy and foggy and shortness of breath.

are these meds you've been on in the past or are they new? it can take a little while to adjust and things like dizziness and fogginess are common side effects of psych meds. most of the time, it's only temporary as it adjust to your dose. SOB could definitely be anxiety.

 

[Moe1]

are these meds you've been on in the past or are they new? it can take a little while to adjust and things like dizziness and fogginess are common side effects of psych meds. most of the time, it's only temporary as it adjust to your dose. SOB could definitely be anxiety.

It’s Paxil the one I was on for 4 years but have been off it for 2 months. Now I’m back on but I’m dizzy and foggy so idk if that’s my body trying to readjust or it’s something serious. I don’t remember this side effect the first time I started but it’s been 4 years so am not sure

 

[matisworried]

It’s Paxil the one I was on for 4 years but have been off it for 2 months. Now I’m back on but I’m dizzy and foggy so idk if that’s my body trying to readjust or it’s something serious. I don’t remember this side effect the first time I started but it’s been 4 years so am not sure

it's very unlikely serious. did you pick up with the same dose you left off with or are you ramping up to that dose again?

 

[Moe1]

it's very unlikely serious. did you pick up with the same dose you left off with or are you ramping up to that dose again?

same dosage 20 MG
Well when I stopped I weened off so I was doing 10 MG one day and 5 MG the next day but when I was on it for 4 years I was taking 20 MG and have started back up on 20 MG

 

[matisworried]

same dosage 20 MG
Well when I stopped I weened off so I was doing 10 MG one day and 5 MG the next day but when I was on it for 4 years I was taking 20 MG and have started back up on 20 MG

that could be why you're feeling the way you feel.

 

[Moe1]

that could be why you're feeling the way you feel.

What do u mean? Btw I called my doctor and she said do 10 MG for a week then get back on 20 but what confuses me is I’ve taken 20 for 4 years before stopping and never had an issue so why now? My mind has me scared that maybe it’s health related

 

[Moe1]

I made the mistake of googling dizziness as a side effect of meds and one of the things said it’s a possible side effect of a life threatening allergic reaction to meds

 

[bin_tenn]

I made the mistake of googling dizziness as a side effect of meds and one of the things said it’s a possible side effect of a life threatening allergic reaction to meds

A life threatening allergic reaction would likely present quite suddenly. One of our neighbors recently went to the hospital via ambulance because he had a bad reaction to a mixture of OTC & Rx medications. It didn't take long for someone to call for help because it happened quickly.

We don't always react the same to medication. Sometimes we can have no side effects, then if we stop and start back up, we can experience some initial side effects. Keep in touch with your prescribing provider, as they'll be able to advise best on how to handle it. It's possible that your symptoms are unrelated, but I believe those symptoms are also pretty common for medications such as Paxil.

If the symptoms are not related to the medication, I would guess that the next most likely cause is anxiety. Anxiety throws the body for a loop - physically, mentally and emotionally. It can affect you in ways that you probably wouldn't even think were possible.

 

[matisworried]

What do u mean? Btw I called my doctor and she said do 10 MG for a week then get back on 20 but what confuses me is I’ve taken 20 for 4 years before stopping and never had an issue so why now? My mind has me scared that maybe it’s health related

even if you were on 20 mg, going back to that dose after a long enough break for it to clear your system might be too much and cause some side effects. it's good they dialed it back and are ramping you up again.

as stated, if you were having a life-threatening allergy, it would happen suddenly and, again, you probably wouldn't be here asking about it... you'd be high-tailing it to the ER.

 

[Moe1]

even if you were on 20 mg, going back to that dose after a long enough break for it to clear your system might be too much and cause some side effects. it's good they dialed it back and are ramping you up again.

as stated, if you were having a life-threatening allergy, it would happen suddenly and, again, you probably wouldn't be here asking about it... you'd be high-tailing it to the ER.

I haven’t taken the meds since Saturday and today I felt better and then suddenly the light headed feeling and nauseous feeling returned I’m starting to worry that this is a serious medical condition that’s new and not related to the medicine. My last blood work was in early August and all was normal but what if something new has come up since then

 

[bin_tenn]

I haven’t taken the meds since Saturday and today I felt better and then suddenly the light headed feeling and nauseous feeling returned I’m starting to worry that this is a serious medical condition that’s new and not related to the medicine. My last blood work was in early August and all was normal but what if something new has come up since then

"What if" is a common question for those of us with an anxiety disorder, that's the nature of anxiety. We have to learn to live with the idea of uncertainty, as life is full of it. You're fine, IMO. Maybe you're coming down with a common illness, and that's nothing to worry about.

 

[Moe1]

"What if" is a common question for those of us with an anxiety disorder, that's the nature of anxiety. We have to learn to live with the idea of uncertainty, as life is full of it. You're fine, IMO. Maybe you're coming down with a common illness, and that's nothing to worry about.

I’ve been feeling like this since Friday morning. If I was coming down with something I would’ve known by now. I called my doctor and she said wait a few days and get back on 10MG and she thinks these symptoms are elevated by my anxiety

 

[bin_tenn]

I’ve been feeling like this since Friday morning. If I was coming down with something I would’ve known by now. I called my doctor and she said wait a few days and get back on 10MG and she thinks these symptoms are elevated by my anxiety

Not necessarily. If your body is actively fighting off an illness, it's possible that you'll experience ongoing symptoms, but without those symptoms reaching their peak. It will make you feel a little run down or similar, and not necessarily turn into a full blown illness. However, I'm no doc; that's just my own experience. And I definitely recommend listening to your doc and accepting what she's said.

 

[Rathgar]

Same exact symptoms here -
did Paxil help with the anxiety?