Is this a panic attack?

cantbreath · Newbie User Joined: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 1

About a week ago, I had just started eating, when I felt so stuffed I couldn't breathe. It took almost an hour until I felt comfortable again. But every time I tried to eat, the same thing kept happening. The next day I couldn't walk up a flight of steps. I felt like my lungs weren't opening enough to let me take a deep breath. The next day I felt like a bronchitis type of pain when I breathed regularly. (That part is on and off.) Now the breathing trouble is constant. I went to my doctor, who said he hears asthma. He gave me an inhaler. That night, my mother forced me to eat, since I hadn't eaten much in 3 days. I started gasping, the inhaler did not work, and I got very lightheaded. I went to 4 other doctors. Although it's an effort to breathe almost full time, no one else heard anything. One other doctor is sure this is a panic attack. This does not come with any worrying, no heart palpitations, no sweating, and my life couldn't be better. I'm having a hard time believing it could be anxiety, but no one knows what else it could be. Does this sound like an anxiety disorder?

Tjalsma · Newbie User Joined: Sep 20, 2006 Posts: 6

It certainly sounds like it could be anxiety.

Certain things can trigger an anxiety attack. So, if you are getting ready to eat and think "Oh no, it could happen again", well, it happens.

This can happen to me for something as easy as standing up. I feel as though my heart beats faster and I get lightheaded.

It is good to get checked out, though. I went through months of heart tests.

I find it much easier dealing with anxiety knowing that it is anxiety and not my heart, etc.

MarCPatt · Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:21 pm Post subject:

Yes, it is anxiety. You are worrying too much about your breathing; which is something I also have a problem with. Crying or Very sad

_________________

shackaholic · Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:34 pm Post subject: