For me the worst feeling is the dizziness and the feeling of being spaced out or not quite 'all there'. I usually describe it as water in my head, a light spaced out sort of feeling - really hate that feeling!!!! I also hate the tingling sensations in my fingers and quite often it feels like my tongue is swelling and I can't breathe properly.
My worst feeling during panic is the thoughts of losing control and levels of high agitation.
Also my last 2 panic attacks included having to have a BM. It is quite hard to sit on the toilet when you feel nauseas, dizzy, you can hardly see.....my Dr. says this was because the rush of endorphines in my systom. I also briefly passed out and vomitted.
Anyone else ever have this?
Edited on 1/9/2005 @ 10:25:26 AM by The Support Team
Yep, and then at another level I [i]know[/i]it's irrational. But knowing that I'm being irrational only reinforces the belief that I think I'm going insane.
I've been told that if you're worried about going mad, you're not mad.
ROFL Monkeydust.. don't feel alone. When I feel that ongoing "weirdness" feeling, I am certain I have lost my sanity and will end up in a straight jacket the rest of my life.
It must come with the territory.
For me it's got to be the derealization feeling as well. Just the general "weirdness" feeling, I suppose. Like Spriggy, I can have it for long periods. I just don't feel "myself" when it gets like that - and that's always pretty disconcerting.
And [b]every[/b]time it comes on, I convince myself that I'm developing schizophrenia (even though I know I'm not), which just makes me feel worse.
For me the toxic mixture of all my symptoms are the worst for me. I can't pin point one that freeks me out more then the other. When my heart is racing that scares me pretty bad, that and the feeling of numbness/tingles in my face and arms.
The WORST WORST WORST symptom for me is the feeling you described of being 'unreal' or out of it. I kept describing it to my doctor as a drunk or buzzed feeling. All of my energy during those times went towards trying to act 'normal'. It's horrible!! And the worst part is that would come out of the blue. At least that's what it seemed like. I'm beginning to realize that I may just be doing too good of a job of ignoring things that stress me that eventually my brain justs 'shuts down' when it can't handle any more. Whether I like it or not.
The actual pain in my chest I'm okay with now because my mind finally believes that if it was my heart it would have quit many years ago but I agree with you Dee that breathlessness is terrifying and sometimes when I try to relax and deep breath it seems to get even worse. My other most terrifying symptom is the choking and I think the choking acutally is my way worst one.
