Can panic attacks cause body odor?

Question

I never realized it, but for the past several years I have been suffering from panic attacks. Whenever I am in a social setting where I do not know anyone, I get very nervous. My stomach starts hurting really bad, and I feel very nauseous. Then I start getting these hot flashes( I am not menopausal I am only 19). I feel extremely hot, and then I get the chills. It wasn't a big deal at that time, but now it has gotten really bad. I can deal with all these symptoms, but whenever I get these hot flashes, I tend to develop a bad odor coming from my underarms. I can shower, put on deodorant/antiperspirant, and thirty minutes later when I am sitting in class and I get a hot flash, I start to smell really really bad. I do not know what to do. I don't sweat when I get these hot flashes. I felt my underarms during a hot flash, and I noticed that they were really really hot, but there wasn't any sweat. Hygiene and diet are not the issues here.

Answer 1

when i panic, i have gas... is that the same.

Answer 2

All sorts of emotions can cause body odor... you said you get really hot, well, after doing that, your deodorant is going to fail....

Many people in times of fear or extreme sadness can also get bad breath... I think it's the same thing... hormones racing, etc.

I think you should try to treat the panic attacks for other reasons more important than a little body odor though... for your own well being is most important. Best wishes to you!

Answer 3

Ok Kelly, take a deep breath and try to relax. I know what you're going through because I have panic disorder. Do you have any sedatives around, like Ativan or Valium, that you can take? That would be the quickest way to ease your panic attack. If not, see if you have any sleeping pills or antihistamines in the house--those will calm you down as well. Do you have a pet? If you do, try to lay down with your cat or dog and pet it slowly and hold onto it. It will ease your anxiety if you just focus and breathe and know that the panic attack will go away in a short time. If you don't have a pet, just lay down with a pillow or a stuffed animal and hug it and try to slow down your breathing and relax. As to your larger issues, I think you probably need to see your therapist more often and up your medication--what exactly are you on? You know it's not your fault that you are feeling this way. There are people who love you and people who can help you. I am not a medical professional, but I have gone through some of what you have been feeling, and it took therapy and medication to get through it, along with the support of my friends and family. Once you start doing this with someone who finally gets what you are going through, perhaps you can feel well enough to go back to school. It seems like being around people would be much better for you than being alone at home all the time and exacerbating your feelings of isolation and paranoia. When I was having panic attacks, the best thing for me was human physical contact--hugging someone until the panic went away, and then petting my dogs. It wasn't until I addressed the underlying issue that I began to recover. Maybe something happened to you as a child that made you scared and paranoid that you need to address. Maybe you just have a chemical imbalance. Most likely it's a combination of both, and something that can absolutely be treated. Kelly, sweetheart, please know that you are not alone in this. Please when you wake up tomorrow, talk to your parents and see if they can get you more professional help, like a second or third opinion, and an adjustment in your medication. Trust in your parents--they love you beyond reason and surely want you to be well and happy. Hiding things from them will only make you feel worse. (((Kelly)))

Answer 4

Have your doctor do a blood work up on your hormones. I have occassional body odor since my hysterectomy and I never had it before even when I was sweating with exercise.

No matter your age, you can have a hormone imbalance and this causes panic attacks as well as hot flashes, night sweats, and body odor

Answer 5

if you are not speaking with a psychologist i suggest you start to. when going through panic attacks people can suffer a variety of symptoms their hearts and minds can race. they can feel trapped. they can get headaches. they can hyperventilate. its really a horrible experience. generally these feelings are caused by unhealthy thoughts and can be treated trough psychotherapy (meeting with a psychologist or counselor to discuss your feelings and your thoughts), antidepressants, antiphsychotics. there are also drugs such as clonazapam, lorazepam, and zanex which can help to calm you during these events. DO NOT trust your physicians assistant or family doctor with psychological problems as they do not receive adequate for training for this specialized area of medicine. and yes panic attacks can cause bad odor and make you sweat. if you need help finding someone i can make a few suggestions if you ask!

Answer 6

Not a chance. panice attacks will not cause body odor. At least from the attacks I have had, most recent two days ago. I have been "stalked" for the last eight years, and have recentely seen lawyers, sheriff's, chamber of commerce, but no one will help me find this "insane" person. I have been told by my lawyer my rites when it comes to my domain. I have sercurity alarms, and we cannot figure out how she is getting in.
I cannot get help from the Police, nor the Sheriff.
I told the sheriff that when I catch her one of us will be DEAD.
He related to me that you cannot talk too me that way. I said Asshole, I just did.

Answer 7

Firstly, you will recieve much better advice if you speak to a doctor.
That being said, if it is a bad smell coming from your underarms, then it seems to me highly likely that it must be from sweat being secreted due to your panicking. This can be quite a tricky problem to tackle as it can be caused by any number of things. However, there are specialist anti-perspirants (deodorants are rarely effective) and the problem can be affected by which fabrics you wear - i.e. natural vs. synthetic.

Answer 8

I would think so, because it would cause excessive perspiration.

I've never had one of these and I think God for it. My wife has though , and it was very disabling to her. She visited her doctor who prescribed some Zanex which she has never had to take because her attacks have not reoccured.

You can find more information here...

http://watersaffl.panicaway.hop.clickbank.net?tid=YAHOOANS

Good luck with it. I'm sure that you can get it under control.

Answer 9

i have the same symptoms with my panic attacks, but i don't know why. its probably from the extra stress coursing thru ur body

Answer 10

no.