Help! What's wrong with me???

Ok...I'm beginning to get extremely worried. I think I need to set up an appointment with my doctor, but I'm scared.

So here's pretty much what's been going on. Every so often my heart starts pounding in my chest, I feel like I could have a heart attack at any moment. I start shaking, and my fingers will even start to go numb. I also have trouble breathing, but maybe that could be my asthma. This is all on top of feeling nautious and lightheaded.

When this is happening, I seriously feel like I'm going to die!

I want to go to my doctor and see what's wrong, but I'm afraid he's going to tell me it's something terminal. If that's the case I'd rather just die not knowing!

Has anyone experienced something similar? I'm freaking out.

First, you should definitely go to see your doctor.  However, I can tell you I had almost the same symptoms and it was an anxiety attack.  Not terminal, although at the moment it sure felt like it.  Go see your doctor and find out for sure.   Otherwise, if it is an anxiety attack, the more you worry, the more it will happen.  Good luck.

Are you eating enough? That sounds very much like someone who isn't eating enough to nuture their body.

You could also be getting a serious cold, maybe pnemonia..Hopefully it's nothing too serious.

Try upping your food intake by 100 to 200 cals for a few days and see if anything happens.

Please see your doctor just incase it is something serious. Get well soon!

EDIT: Actually I didn't even think about the whole anxiety thing, but graciek82 has a point..I experience very similar things when I have anxiety attacks.

With all physiological causes ruled out, it sounds like the classic symptoms of Panic Disorder.

You have Panic Disorder. I don't think an MD would give you a decent formal diagnosis, so I suggest you go to a psychiatrist, and remember to research any drugs you have given to treat this disorder. Tell them what I said, and give them my name, they always know me.

Other causes  for these symptoms could come from drug reactions such as caffeine intoxication, withdrawal from opiates or alcohol. And we all know how you love the BOOZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, it's the classical symptoms of a panic attack, sometimes panic disorder can be accompanied by agoraphobia. Look all this up on the internet and educate yourself a little to put your mind at ease, this is a very common disorder.

id agree, panix/anxiety attack.  id say if you dont see any type of therapist then start w/talking w/ your GP and then go from there to get a referral.  think about what is going on when you have these symptoms and what may be triggering you to feel like that.

Omg! I was just about to ask something else....but now you're making me feel like an alcoholic.

Last night I had drank a decent amount. In the middle of the night/early morning I woke up, and got up to get a bottle of water. When I sat back down on my bed my chest was pounding so hard it hurt. This wasn't accompanied by any other symptoms, besides the obvious lightheadedness from a night of drinking.

Could my heart pounding be a result of alcohol consumption?

About Panic Disorder, now that you've informed me I have it (and I always trust a stranger on the internet,) what kind of drugs are usually prescribed to treat it. Maybe I could skip out on the whole psychiatrist thing and obtain some meds illegally.

ha, yes, this has been a formal diagnosis, now on your way!

Agreeing with general consensus, here, you're describing what sounds like a panic attack. You should go speak to your doctor. Even if the prospect of an appointment frightens you, you do more damage by winding your anxieties up putting it off. And honestly, recalling your past posting history on health matters I know you do work yourself up quite easily. If it will help you to do a little research on panic attacks, do, but if it will make you worry all the more don't start Googling it. Don't stress yourself out! :]

Having an anxiety attack is NOT the same as having Panic Disorder...  It does, however, sound like you had an anxiety attack -- could have been precipitated by any number of events.  I wouldn't "panic" about it, but yeah -- talk to your doctor, they are unnerving when they happen, if that's what it was -- but only a doctor can/should diagnose.  I believe when/if you are prescribed something, it is usually an anti-anxiety med (how's that for someting specific?).  I have them occasionally, however, and have never taken meds for them.  Once you recognize what's happening, it is easier to deal with.

Nobody can diagnose you on the internet.  You need a full medical exam and a real doctor to listen to your heart and lungs and make sure nothing is wrong there.

I've had a heart defect all my life that causes some of the symptoms you describe, and it got really bad starting in 1988, but here I am, still doing fine.  Each time I've had a crisis, my doctors have helped me get better.  I even had breast cancer but here I am, 8 years later, cancer free.  You should never be afraid to go to the doctor since they are the ones who can help you the most. 

Get yourself to the doctor!

Original Post by jblarghp:

Omg! I was just about to ask something else....but now you're making me feel like an alcoholic.

Last night I had drank a decent amount. In the middle of the night/early morning I woke up, and got up to get a bottle of water. When I sat back down on my bed my chest was pounding so hard it hurt. This wasn't accompanied by any other symptoms, besides the obvious lightheadedness from a night of drinking.

Could my heart pounding be a result of alcohol consumption?

About Panic Disorder, now that you've informed me I have it (and I always trust a stranger on the internet,) what kind of drugs are usually prescribed to treat it. Maybe I could skip out on the whole psychiatrist thing and obtain some meds illegally.

Usually the drugs are too expensive to buy and you can't find a doctor to give you decent meds, so you can use alcohol temporarily.haha...

Nah, alcohol and caffeine will only exacerbate your panic attacks, alcohol has a rebound effect on the body that acts as a stimulant as opposed to its initial effect which is a depressant.And of course coffee... Coffee will make you have HUGGEEEE panic attacks.

I had panic disorder once, one panic attack my hands went numb and i almost passed out. I always felt like I was having a heart attack, my panic attacks lasted for hours sometimes, and I of course developed agoraphobia.

Heart palpitations caused from alcohol consumption? I have it as well, it's fairly common, especially if you drink hard. 

Research your drugs, I mean if you decide to use drugs, some of those drugs can be addictive and bad for your liver and kidneys, or have some horrid side effects and  bad drug interactions, especially with alcohol. Don't be an Anna Nicole or Heath Ledger. 

Thanks for all the replies.

As far as me actually taking drugs to help my anxiety...
Pahhhhhhleaseee. I won't even take motrin.

Original Post by jblarghp:

Thanks for all the replies.

As far as me actually taking drugs to help my anxiety...
Pahhhhhhleaseee. I won't even take motrin.

Now that It hink about you.

You're showing symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. I can see it in your eyes! OMG!

I don't know....I just looked it up. I definitely don't suffer from any form of mania. I don't think I'm a schizophrenic either. Maybe a paranoid schizophrenic. You know..the "big brother's out to get me" type. Still it's doubtful.

Sometimes I think I have a dissociative disorder though.

Go see your doctor.  My 18 year old daughter had something very similar, except hers got so bad she started passing out.  It was serious, not terminal, by the way. 

She had an ablation done a year ago March and is doing great.  And if you are wondering what an ablation is, it is when an electrophysiologist (heart specialist) goes in and zaps the part of your heart causing the inappropriate sinus tachacardia (really fast hard heartbeat)... 

At any rate, it's worth checking out, even if it is just anxiety!

Good luck, best wishes...

Stress ca do that to you. Maybe you just need to relax, take some time off, go somewhere nice. And go see a doctor anyway, if you can stand, walk and work out it's nothing terminal.

Hi I did not read all the messages here, but here is what I know, I have had panic/attacks/ with agoraphobia for over 15 years, what you describe there is a panic attack, no doubt about it. 

Howerver there are conditions that mimic a panic attack, like low blood sugar, or the beginings of diabetes, or cetoacidosis, ( that can happen when you loose weight specially fat , fast ), there are other physical conditions that resemble the panic attacks, non of them are lethal but very annoying.

always when a person, starts having panic attacks the FIRST thing to do is to go to a physician, and 99% of the people go to the ER thinking they have a heart attack, but the correct way to do it is to go to your primary care MD. 

tell him what is going on, let him run some tests on you ( to rule out possible physical causes ), ( if you are dieting please tell your MD ).

after some blood tests, urine tests, and an EKG ( electro cardiogram ) and maybe if the MD thinks it's necesary a Heart Ultrasound, everything that can mimic panic attacks will be ruled out.

after that you have to be refered to a pysiquatrist to get the proper medication, and treatment. 

now I have just a small advice, DO NOT LET IT GROW, don't let it pass months or weeks or days before you get your consultation or you could end up like me, with what is called anxiety syndrome with agoraphobia. 

also anxiety is a disease, it has to be medicated and all that, so please go and seek help ASAP.

hugs.

RS.

I had a panic attack several years ago.  I thought I was having a stroke or something and I didn't want to be alone to die.  I went to the Doctor and as soon as he looked at me he said, "no, you're not having a stroke", all my anxiety went away.   They did the usual doctor stuff; blood pressure, etc.  He gave me a simple prescription (sorry, forget what it was) and after I got it filled, I didn't have to take any at all.  My anxiety was gone, however the problem that brought it on (facing eviction) was still there .  But, I went to the doctor for diagnosis instead of depending on internet doctors for advise.

It sounds like anxiety attacks to me... but you need to see the doctor for a full physical to rule out any physical cause. Believe me, once you know for sure that there isn't anything serious physically wrong with you, it's a huge weight off your shoulders. And there's plenty of ways to treat anxiety without medication - stress reduction is a big help (just knowing that it's 'only' anxiety and not the life-threatening disease it feels like takes a huge amount of stress away!)... but start by getting a definite diagnosis.