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so I had a panic attack and ended up in the ER

N

nervegrind3r

Lifer
okay, its a bit long, but read it anyway, I read yours 🙂

last saturday, after studying for a few hours at starbucks, and sucking down 2 venti black iced coffees (with 2 equal), I come home to relax, sit at my desk, and then all of a sudden I feel nausea, and my heart starts pounding until the point that I thought my heart was going to pop. No pain, just feverish pounding that caught me offguard. It really freaked me out, and I thought I was going to die.

Got a ride to the ER, was there for like 5 hours, did all the tests, went through 3 IVs, sulfur, potassium, xrays, etc. They come back and tell me my potassium was a bit low...im like wtf, come on. Even in the ER, im flippin out, my body is shaking, heart is still racing, and theyre telling me my heart rate is normal, maybe a little above, that im fine. I get released, go home, go to sleep.

EDIT: Im 29, I havent smoked in 3 months, dont do drugs of any sort, dont drink, no supplements besides a vitamin, hit the gym 3-4 days a week, and eat extremely clean...so naturally I was not expecting this. The last time I felt these kind of effects was like 5 years ago when I smoked too much weed one night and really bugged out, but the only thing I had that night was my iced coffees, which I normally have when I study at starbucks, and a few hours before that I happened to have 2 espressos (with equal). Mind you, I dont normally have that much caffeine, and rarely drink soda or rush drinks, and thats the only thing I would think could have set me off, but even then, I would never expect this to happen.

So I take monday off work to relax, do a follow up at the doctor, hes says im healthy at can be, ekg is clean like at ER, no other problems, so I go back to work tuesday, I have a few sips of hot tea, and holy crap my heart racing again, and I start flipping out again. I tell my boss im leaving, and go to my bro's and crash the next two days. At this point, im really bugged out, and end up in bed all that day and the next day. My mind is just a rut and I just feel miserable.

So, naturally, everyone tries to talk me out of it, and becomes a doctor and starts hypothesizing why.....the thing that makes that most sense is that I just had a panic attack, and the caffeine just happened to be what set me off. Just before it happened, I wasnt stressed out, upset, thinking bad thoughts, I was actually thinking about the cisco material I studied, and getting ready for bed, and then boom, I starting going nuts and could not control it.

Another idea my brother in law said to me makes some sense, and may have something to do with it. I would say in the last six months after every meal, regardless of what I eat or drink, I have gas in my stomach, which I burp out, but it somewhat burns my throat, and gives me indegestion, or a burning sensation. Nothing horrible, but enough that its become annoying because of how much burping I do. Mind you, I eat very healthy, natural orgranic stuff, but I get the same feeling after every meal regardless of what I have. So, my brother in law said I probably have acid reflux, and im getting too much acid in my throat, and its in part messing with my nervous system. He happens to sell the product, and knows it inside out, and though I hate to believe this is what cause/ helped cause my panic, he is not a bullshitter and says he has seen cases like this, so I wont discredit the idea.

Anyway, Ive been shaky since I went back to work on thursday, and havent had any full blown relapses, but there are moments when I get that feeling again, heart starts racing, burning sensation, in my chest, like something is going to happen, and I begin to worry. ITs a very weird scary feeling. Luckily, I have been doing a lot of breathing exercises, even before this incident happened, so I can sort of calm myself now by telling myself I am just creating my own panic, and that I just need to breath and ill be fine, and sure enough that helps. It just didnt help the first night because I really thought something was wrong and I was going to die; I even thought the starbux girl slipped something in my coffee at that point.

also, I started taking prilosec otc from brother in law's recommendation, and my gas/indigestion/burning sensation has been tremendously reduced, my body and throad feel completely different after meals.

also, I took a zanax the last two nights about an hour before bed, and I slept pretty damn well for a change. overall, Im doing better each day, but im still skaken up, and I am very sensitive any changes in how I feel now to the point where I do worry. anyone else out there have experiences like this, and know what caused it, and what did you do to remedy it?

thanks, I do appreciate any responses
 
Compounds that are active in the body can lead to psychological disorders. Caffeine, speed, meth, cocaine/crack, nicotine, and other stimulants has been linked as an environmental factor that can induce or trigger things like panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and some personality disorders. The increase in heart rate is synonymous with that induced by an adrenaline rush and can often cause such if panic sets in. The answer is in the nervous system's interpretation of this increase in heart rate. Cut out all stimulants... Honestly, you'll be better off without the caffeine and you will probably feel better. However, now that you've had a panic attack, I can imagine you're worrying about having another one (as evident by making this thread). If you worry about it, it's more likely to happen. Keep working on your relaxation drills - those will really help a lot. They're very empowering when it comes to anxiety and panic.

And to be perfectly honest, there's not much biological basis for acid reflux inducing panic unless you feel very, very poorly or like you can't breath. The proprioception that acid reflux results in is not related to that which can cause a panic. Things that can are increased heart rate, tenseness, adrenaline rush, lack or overproduction of certain hormones, stress, etc. If you don't feel like your general practitioner can explain or relate well enough, get a referral to a psychologist. They deal very patiently and thoroughly with these situations.

By the way, I wanted to mention that I understand how scary these things are. They feel like heart attacks often times and seem very serious. It's crazy how we let stress manifest in our bodies and this is, depending on how genetically predisposed you are to this, one of the things that results. If you have questions, I've taken a class on these types of disorders and have family members who suffer from them. I've had a panic attack or two and it's no fun at all. If you want anything answered, PM me and I'll help as best I can from the clinical and personal perspectives.
 
Caffeine is one helluva drug. I would definitely have them check your hormone levels if they didn't already and it happens again. Worst case sounds like adrenal cancer. Hopefully it's nothing and the worst thing you can do is worry over it until you know otherwise.
 
Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian
Caffeine is one helluva drug. I would definitely have them check your hormone levels if they didn't already and it happens again. Worst case sounds like adrenal cancer. Hopefully it's nothing and the worst thing you can do is worry over it until you know otherwise.
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Whoa, Jesus, man. Do you know how many people suffer from panic disorder? Hundreds of times more than adrenal cancer. I wouldn't go jumping to conclusions there.
 
Well I said worst case. And I'm not doctor or medical pro. But if it were me, I'd want that confirmed or ruled out right off the bat and I don't know if it's standard to check for that when in the ER for a panic attack.
 
Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian
Well I said worst case. And I'm not doctor or medical pro. But if it were me, I'd want that confirmed or ruled out right off the bat and I don't know if it's standard to check for that when in the ER for a panic attack.
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Well, it's like this: why run a test for a fairly rare disease when he described common inducers and common symptoms of panic disorder (almost exactly). It would probably be a waste of money to run such a test and I don't quite think a doctor, with this situation, could justifiably run one. I don't mean disrespect, but doctors can't run every possible test especially when the symptoms describe another problem to a T.

He described symptoms of panic attacks/panic disorder only. He didn't describe other symptoms of adrenal cancer. Just makes sense to treat for panic disorder.
 
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: Gonad the Barbarian
Well I said worst case. And I'm not doctor or medical pro. But if it were me, I'd want that confirmed or ruled out right off the bat and I don't know if it's standard to check for that when in the ER for a panic attack.
Click to expand...

Well, it's like this: why run a test for a fairly rare disease when he described common inducers and common symptoms of panic disorder (almost exactly). It would probably be a waste of money to run such a test and I don't quite think a doctor, with this situation, could justifiably run one. I don't mean disrespect, but doctors can't run every possible test especially when the symptoms describe another problem to a T.

He described symptoms of panic attacks/panic disorder only. He didn't describe other symptoms of adrenal cancer. Just makes sense to treat for panic disorder.
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The cancer isn't rare enough for me to ignore it. Plus the fact that those symptoms probably aren't cancer is what kills people when it later turns out they are. Doctors aren't nearly as motivated to figure out what's wrong and fix you as you are. But I don't want to derail this thread anymore, I hope the OP turns out just fine and gets a handle on whatever's going on.
 
Originally posted by: nervegrind3r
Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
how old are u?
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im 29, I edited the post, thanks
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and u have no stress, no worries in life?
career, relationships, life/death etc.

here's what u do your next during your next attack.
CONVINCE yourself it's just another panic attack. you'll only make things worse by worrying about it.

i know, easier said than done but your assurance is that the docs checked you out and said you're fine.
exercise helps, and you say you hit the gym regularly, but what do you do at the gym and what shape are you in?

i was in your situation a few yrs back (early 20's).
random heart palpitations, thought i was gonna die from a heart attack, rush to ER, test results normal, in disbelief, sought 2nd/3rd opinions, doc wanted me on happy pills, etc.)
i was stressed at the time from money, job, gf, death of a friend, lack of health insurance (which stressed me more cuz now i had to figure out how to pay for the ER visit).

i learned to overcome it with positive thinking and working out at the gym like a madman. i got out of my abusive relationship, gained 20# of muscle, hung out with friends, have a great job now, met my new gf and got my life back on track.

i still have palpitations from time to time but it's a lot less frequent and i know i'm not going to drop dead so i just brush it off.
 
thanks for the advice

I do have stress, of course, and I generally dont get worked up about things, and spend alot of my time in the gym outside or doing physical activities. But today is the first time I managed to do something physical in a week, thats just how bugged out I been. I finally did a few sets of pushups just to see how I would feel, and let me tell you, I have never felt that much relief EVER do any exercise, not hurting, just relief.

Im just going to continue moving forward, try not to think if and when it will happen next, do my workouts, practice my breathing, and figure things out. thanks.
 
I have been suffering from panic attacks like you described (or far worse) for many years now since the army. I have had what my dr's call the "million dollar work up" (MRI's/CT-scans, echocardiograms, numerous ecg's, a few nuclear stress tests, so much blood work it would make your head spin, etc...the list goes on and on), and every test they did showed my heart to be in good health. A few years ago my ECG was abnormal and I was having chest pains, which was the reason for all the above tests. They found nothing wrong with my heart, arteries, etc, and put me on anxiety medicine and a beta-blocker, after which my ecg improved, but its still a bit abnormal. My cardiologist assured me my heart is in good health, and my regular physician and numerous specialists i've seen about this all attribute it to stress, anxiety, and my lifestyle.

As someone who has been dealing with anxiety attacks for many years, I can say that if you do suffer from them, you should make the appropriate changes to your lifestyle. I cut out caffeine of all types (coffee, soda, etc), cut down on drinking substantially, eat healthy, exercise, and take anxiety medicine regularly. I was working about 12-14 hours a day during that time (Programmer/IT Architect work), drinking about 4-5 pots of coffee per day, and my stress was very high, so I cut down the amount of time I was working and adjusted my lifestyle, and it has helped a ton! I rarely suffer from attacks now days (maybe once per month). I know some people choose to seek therapy for this disorder, but I have never bought into that approach, and manage it on my own (read a few books and can identify when I'm starting to get anxious and manage it with breathing techniques), and routine visits to my regular physician for a refill of my medicine.

If you need peace of mind, request more specific tests and workups. I feel blessed that I have excellent health insurance, as my costs have been close to zero through this whole process. Good luck!
 
Originally posted by: SilentZero
I have been suffering from panic attacks like you described (or far worse) for many years now since the army. I have had what my dr's call the "million dollar work up" (MRI's/CT-scans, echocardiograms, numerous ecg's, a few nuclear stress tests, so much blood work it would make your head spin, etc...the list goes on and on), and every test they did showed my heart to be in good health. A few years ago my ECG was abnormal and I was having chest pains, which was the reason for all the above tests. They found nothing wrong with my heart, arteries, etc, and put me on anxiety medicine and a beta-blocker, after which my ecg improved, but its still a bit abnormal. My cardiologist assured me my heart is in good health, and my regular physician and numerous specialists i've seen about this all attribute it to stress, anxiety, and my lifestyle.

As someone who has been dealing with anxiety attacks for many years, I can say that if you do suffer from them, you should make the appropriate changes to your lifestyle. I cut out caffeine of all types (coffee, soda, etc), cut down on drinking substantially, eat healthy, exercise, and take anxiety medicine regularly. I was working about 12-14 hours a day during that time (Programmer/IT Architect work), drinking about 4-5 pots of coffee per day, and my stress was very high, so I cut down the amount of time I was working and adjusted my lifestyle, and it has helped a ton! I rarely suffer from attacks now days (maybe once per month). I know some people choose to seek therapy for this disorder, but I have never bought into that approach, and manage it on my own (read a few books and can identify when I'm starting to get anxious and manage it with breathing techniques), and routine visits to my regular physician for a refill of my medicine.

If you need peace of mind, request more specific tests and workups. I feel blessed that I have excellent health insurance, as my costs have been close to zero through this whole process. Good luck!
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thanks for sharing all this

I have changed alot of things about my lifestyle in the past few momths for the better, which is really why this caught me buy surprise. Right now I am cutting all caffeine and chocolate, and have begun to work on breathing techniques.

I actually had another attack early this morning, like at 4:30am. I just woke up and my heart was pounding. Strangely, I think it was onset by diarrhea, which followed (every wake up and your stomach just feels like mush, and you feel things moving around, and you have to hit the toilet asap?) I think my body interpreted that quezzy feeling at something bad, and thats why I woke up like that? The attack was on and off for hours, and then I managed to sleep a little here and there. Given my lack of sleep and what happened last night, I was shaken up again today, and was in a weird place.

This was the same kind of attack I had last saturday when I went to the ER and though I was dying, but I did manage to control it and not lose my head. Its still a scary thing to go through and feel, especially if you focus on whats going on.

I have the feeling I am going to take a bunch of the tests you mentioned, and hopefully like you they will find nothing wrong, but I would like to make sure there is nothing physically wrong.

btw, what kind of medication do you take for this (if you dont mind me asking)? I am not someone that likes to take meds or even aspirin for that matter, but Im curious.

thank.
 
I have been dealing with anxiety/depression my whole life. If I even have just one coke I suffer a very bad come down. As others have said you need to cut out the caffeine starting now.

The one thing I have learned that helps me deal with the panic attacks is to not pay attention to my heart. Focus on breathing slowly and try to grab anything with text on it so you can read.

As for the stomach issues...well serotonin is located in the gastrointestinal area. Check this out:

"There are many researchers who believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels may influence mood in a way that leads to depression. Possible problems include low brain cell production of serotonin, a lack of receptor sites able to receive the serotonin that is made, inability of serotonin to reach the receptor sites, or a shortage in tryptophan, the chemical from which serotonin is made. If any of these biochemical glitches occur, researchers believe it can lead to depression, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, panic, and even excess anger.

One of the newest theories about depression centers on the regeneration of brain cells -- a process that some believe is mediated by serotonin, and ongoing throughout our lives. According to Princeton neuroscientist Barry Jacobs, PhD, depression may occur when there is a suppression of new brain cells and that stress is the most important precipitator of depression. He believes that common antidepressant medications, such as Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, and Paxil -- designed to boost serotonin levels -- help kick off the production of new brain cells, which in turn allows the depression to lift."

If I were you I would definitely schedule an appointment with a good psychiatrist. he/she will probably recommend some anxiety medicine, but I wouldn't jump on that immediately. If you live in a state that allows the use of medicinal marijuana, I would definitely look into that. Marijuana is a great serotonin booster and doesn't have the side effects that prescription meds do.
 
I am sure caffeine is a relevant factor here. You simply had too much of it. Now of course there may be other things going on, but considering this happened after four damn coffees in a few hours, yes it's not realistic to think it's not involved.

Anxiety is common in many people to varying degrees. To be honest with you, despite no history of them (closest I think I've ever come is while having too much caffeine and perhaps in certain stressful situations), reading this thread alone raises my heart rate. Psychosomatic, at least for me, is a very powerful thing, too. If you expect anxiety in certain situations, you'll get it, and it reaffirms itself every time, making the cycler harder to break.
 
I'm 28 and I was in terrible health about 3 years ago. I'm a programmer and was working long hours to get a project production-ready and my wife was out of town. Since my office offered free soda I kept chugging the Mt. Dew and had a couple cups of coffee that morning. After a 13 hour workday I couldn't sleep because my heart was pounding so hard. It absolutely freaked me out but I just layed in bed for about 2.5 hours until it went away. The next day I saw my doctor and he had me get an chest Xray, EKG and a blood test. I've had it happen twice more and had a couple more tests done (even went to the ER one time) but both the ER doc and my doc agree that it's a combination of caffeine and stress on those particular days. I haven't had an episode in the past year despite three consecutive 60+ hour work weeks I believe because I drink only one caffeinated beverage per day.
 
30 here and had a similar situation about 3 years ago. Went to the ER in the middle of the night got all the tests and they pretty much brushed it off. It happened again and again for the next couple weeks - heart would start pounding/palpitating, I couldn't sleep, I felt like something was pressing down on my chest that was preventing me from getting enough oxygen.

It is 3 years later and I decided to get on anti-anxiety meds and see someone about it. I still have small episodes, but they only last for about a minute. It is the worst minute of my week, but at least I know its coming and I can try to control it.

Like a few of the posters above, I cut out caffiene, started exercising, pretty much cut out alcohol except for the occasional drink. Got a new job. Just know that a lot of other people go through this stuff and you learn live with it/control what you can.
 
everyone, really thanks for sharing. I find it somewhat relieving to read all these comments and find so many similarities. I never thought stress would be this much of a bitch.

I started reading up on stress, anxiety, foods, remedies, and listening to audio books on stress reduction, and am trying to start making some changes. I think its really important to understand what it is that you're experiencing, and why you may be experiencing it, in order to tackle the problem properly. Hell, last monday when I bugged out at work because I thought I was dying AGAIN like in the ER, had someone previously nudged me and just said "hey, you had a panic attack, let me tell you about what happened to me", I may have coped with it much differently and not gone home that day. The fact that I had no idea why I was really experiencing these feelings made it even scarier, and ruined my life last week. I kept thinking today how many steps back I have taken because of this whole thing, given how much I feel I have advanced in the past few months in other aspects. I guess I never thought to slow down and check how upstairs was doing, or ask myself how do I really feel today. Even today at work, though I got through it fine and stayed late to finish things, there were definitely a few times when I got that weird feeling and heart pounding going, and all I did was focus on breathing, and then on what work I had to do, and that's how I got past it.

Well, first things first, is a plan to make some changes for the better. I do absolutely want to make sure there are no physical issues going on, so im starting with the doctor tomorrow, and make sure im okay there.

Then, I am cutting out the crap that I can drink or eat that may cause a problem, which should be easy. I usually drink about 4 liters of water a day on top of the coffee/tea I used to drink, so now I'll just drink more water, forget the decaf and diet drinks too. I am even saying no to chocolate too (my weekness). I just want to eat clean like before, keep things as organic as possible.

Also, for the last two years I have written in a journal (trusty ms word doc) which I write in every blue moon when something major happens. I just assume to write a daily journal now, and list all the good things that made my feel good and all the things that stressed me. Sure I could call a friend to vent, but they would be like are you done yet? I actually like typing when my thoughts are rolling (it does feel good), which is the reason I initially started the journal thing. I just did it now, and I cant believe how long each list was.

thats it, im getting some sleep tonight.
 
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