Why do i feel something is wrong with my heart when i am just having a panic attack?

Question

I had EKG's and have had blood work done they say i am fine, my iron is a little low but otherwise i am healthy. i am overweight but they said my heart is fine. But when i have panic attacks they are scary and it feels new everytime!

Answer 1

i've totally been there.

one of the symtoms of panic attacks is heart arythmia and palpitations. Basically meaning your heart jumps, races, and feels tight. Adrenaline gets pushed into your system and you feel like you are in an emergency, or panic.

Also, typically your breathing is shallow and so your chest feels tight.

I highly recommend going to your local big bookstore and buying a handful of books on panic and anxiety that you can read through. It really helped me to find out that all my symptoms that made me feel like i was one foot in the grave and about to die were easily attributed to my panic. It doens't fix it, but it gives you some more amunition and logic to talk yourself out of it. The books will also have more coping mechanisms and resources to help you.

And if you can, spoil yourself, go to your doctor, tell them about your panic attacks and ask if they can give you a full physical to give you a fresh healthy place to start from.

I ended up in the ER a bunch of times with heart palpitaions, had ekgs done, I went through it, and the doctors did with me.

It took a few months to get a hold of myself, and a few years to feel like i really had them in control, and i still have my moments, but i'm ok.

You can do it.

And don't rush to medicate yourself. Obviously something in your head wants you to pay attention to it and work it out - your body is talking to you - so try and deal with it yourself, step by step, before rushing to the easy out and treating the smptoms with a drug, without actually dealing with the problem! Or problems for that matter! The world is scary, people can be awful, and we all have to make the best of it. You'll be best equipped to deal with whatever life throws at you if you master this yourself. Our generation is so overmedicated - its really frightening! And if you find you can't, or feel like youare in danger, talk to a doc about other options as a last resort.

Answer 2

Panic causes your heart activity to increase, including blood pressure and pulse rate. As this happens, you may feel palpitations (feeling like your heart is pounding) and you become increasingly worried that you might have a heart attack. The fear of a heart attack increases your panic and therefore further increases your blood pressure and pulse. A large percentage of people who have panic attacks report feeling like they are going to have a heart attack.

The truth is, fortunately, that if you're heart is in good shape and without disease or defect, you will not have a heart attack. While it may feel like your heart is about to burst out of your chest, it will not. Considering you have a normal, healthy heart, you're panic attack is no different than exercising for 20 minutes on a treadmill, etc. Both cause the heart to work harder which is good providing the heart is normal and healthy to begin with.

The difference with a panic attack is more of a mental state of mind. The fear of having a heart attack creates a greater fear of dying and is often accompanied by breathing rapidly. Breathing rapidly leads to feeling weak and faint and leads the panicked person to believe they are about to pass out and die. The reality is that you're scared, have a normal elevated heart rate, hyperventilating and you're going to be just fine once you've been able to calm down a bit.

Answer 3

Panic Attacks Overview
Panic attacks are frightening but fortunately physically harmless episodes. They can occur at random or after a person is exposed to various events that may "trigger" a panic attack. They peak in intensity very rapidly and go away with or without medical help.

People experiencing panic attacks may fear they are dying, that they are suffocating, or that they are having a heart attack. They may voice fears that they are "going crazy" and seek to remove themselves from whatever situation they may be in.

Some people may begin breathing very rapidly and complain that their "hearts are jumping around in their chest." Then, within about an hour, the symptoms fade away.

About 5% of the population will experience panic attacks during their lifetimes. People who have repeated attacks require further evaluation from a mental health professional. Panic attacks can indicate the presence of panic disorder, depression, or other forms of anxiety-based illnesses.

Answer 4

I have a panic disorder and I feel that way too. Let me reassure you that when you are having a panic attack there is nothing wrong with your heart. It is a proven fact you cannot die from a panic attack. It is scary I have been there. What you are experiencing are heart palpatations. Most people who have panic attacks think they are having a heart attack because their heart is racing. When having a heart attack though the heartbeat slows way down. If you are concerned about your heart beating fast from panic attacks you might want to ask your doc. to put you on a beta blocker....that is what they had to do with me....A beta blocker will make it so your heart cannot beat super fast like when you are having a panic attack. Anyhow I hope this helped some. Here is a link about beta blockers:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/beta-blockers/HI00059

Answer 5

When you are having a panick attack sometimes it feels like your heart is coming out of your chest to be honest with you and that it is skipping beats. What i like to do when i am having panick attacks it to take my pulse and if you have a cuff and stethescope take your blood pressure dear. That will calm you down okay? It is because you are breathing so dang hard and like you say "just" a panic attack but girl it is more than a simply thing okay? I would talk to your doctor about getting something for this before it gets worse for you and does damage to your nerves and then you are only going to get worse. Anxiety causes all kinds of false crap to happen to our body because it screws wth your mind. Just breathe really deep like you did when you were giving birth okay? That feeling you get with your heart is just a syptom of the panic attack.

Answer 6

i think you should see a doctor before taking advice from an online poll..
but i have had the same type of problem and it could be a couple of things. it could be panic attacks or a g.i. problem, lets let it up to the doctors to decide..

good luck, and god bless

Answer 7

Because your adrenal glands just dumped a ton of adrenalin into your bloodstream and it is making your heart beat hard. It will go away just think about something else - anything else for 10 minutes...

Answer 8

maybe u have an irregular heart beat? go to ur doctor, it could be serious

Answer 9

palpitations