Hi Junior i am also a heart and breathing worrier i have had all the tests done and i have an irregular heart beat which they told me wont harm me unless it gets more frequent i try so hard not to worry about it but its always there in the back of my mind and when i feel a flutter i tell myself its ok it wont hurt me you know all the reasurring things that we tell ourselves but when your in the moment it is so hard to believe that its only anxiety.Anyhows just wanted to let you know your not alone.Hope your feeling better. Lulu..

Carol, The heartbeat thing sounds like anxiety. it's amazing, yet terrifying how our anxiety speeds up our heart beat and affects us in so many other ways. i recnetly had this quick test where my oxygen level was measured. i was convinced my breathing was wrong. I felt like I was not getting enough oxygen to my brain. Despite these feelings the test was absolutely normal. With this anxiety i guess we become super tuned into every muscle twitch, every heart beat, etc. Sometimes when i'm distracted i think, wow I didn't think about my breathing for the last two hours. Therefore I can tell myself if I really had some disorder I would have long passed out. unfortunately when my anixety is really off the chart I can't think so rationally. i hope you've been feeling better.

Hi. My kids 6,7, 9 all think that mom just gets sick. They don't unerstand. My older kids, 17 and 20 know its panic attack, but really don't understand. My husband, is very helpful and supportive, but he has to admit that he has no idea what I am going through because he never gets anxious, let alone have attacks. It's a weird disease. It seems most of us second guess doctor's diagnosis as well as do a lot of self diagnosis. I was just sitting around reading and I felt a sudden jolt in my chest. My heart seemed to beat faster and then went normal again. I have no idea if this is an irregular heart or just normal or anxiety? Any ideas out there? I have mentioned it to the doctor before, but he doesn't seem too concerned. Carol

Thank you Carol for your post. It does help to know that someone else is going through or has gone through similar experiences and made it through. Just making it to the next day after having a day like you described is inspiring. I've been feeling like I need to be committed, but somehow you made it through a very rough day like you described. Thanks again for sharing. After you got through your day were you able to talk to your kids? I can only imagine how hard that was. AFter ignoring the issue I tried explaining to my 7 year old what is going on with me. I think I explained it the best I could, but it was so hard. Junior

Junior, after reading your post I felt I should respond. Yes, yes, it is possible to remain in an anxiety attack for a long time. Last tuesday I was curled up in a fetal postion on the livingroom floor for 8 hours. I wouldn't move for fear. I felt so fragile in my chest area that I thought if I moved I would surely die. The panic attack would come, peak, subside and then come again, Over and over. My kids walked around me scared and upset. That was one of my worst days. The really bad cycle with intense attacks seems to last a couple of weeks for me. I have been suffering steady for about a month now (and off and on since August). This Sunday I noticed a change. Yesterday was not great (but not nearly severe as before) and today was much much better. Only one small episode in the grocery store. I had a severe cycle of panic about 11 years ago for 3 months and then just once in awhile over the years until this past August when I freaked out after taking Ibiprophen. I got all light headed and tightness on my left side, with waves of anxiety coming over and over for 2 hours. I thought it was a reaction to the pain killer at the time, but now I realize I have a phobia about meds. I wish you well, and pray that God will help you through this. I have experienced His nearness to me and have called out to Him for help many many times! Carol

Kitty and Texas thank you so much for responding. Just having someone respond and personally acknowledge my feelings is comforting. Despite struggling with this for so many years, off and and on. The intensisty of the attacks this past week has really shook me up. To hear you guys say that it is possible to be stuck in a constant panic gives me some releif. I was truly convinced that this can't be anxiety. I'm on vacation this week, so I don't have work to distract me which is causing me to focus internally much more than usual. I've got this leg pain which I'm convinced will turn into a blood clot and reach my heart. Then I drop dead. I try to tell myself this is won't happen. But right now every little twitch or pain, causing me magnify it times ten. Once again I appreciate your comfort. Despite the support of my wife and what the doctors have been telling me I sometimes feel bitter towards them in thinking that don't what I'm feeling? I felt there's something seriouslly wrong with me. To here it from someome else who has gone through the same thing, kind of puts things in perspective that I'm not alone and that the feelings are real, but the anxiety will not lead to me dropping dead on the spot.

JUNIOR, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. CHEST PAINS AND BREATHING PROBLEMS. I GUESS WE ARE JUST SO IN TUNE WITH HOW WE FEEL THAT EVERY LITTLE PAIN LEADS TO THINKING SOMETHING BAD. I EVEN GET LIGHTHEAEDED SOMETIMES. ALSO, IT SEEMS THAT THE BREATHING DEAL CAN LAST ALL DAY. THEN SOME DAYS ARE GREAT -- THEN ITS LIKE BAM --- START WORRYING CAN'T GET ENOUGH AIR SO CONSTANTLY YAWN. DON'T WORRY YOUR NOT ALONE. TEXAS

Hi Oh sweetheart we have all been were you are please try and don't worry to much this is anxiety at it's worst you ask is it possible to feel like this all day then to put it simple then YES it is it can keep going and going the more you stress the worse it becomes.I myself in the past have cryed so much i could have filled up a sea its all part of anxiety you really need to start faceing the panic you are feeling its hard but the only way trust you're doctors if there was something wrong i think it would have shown by now. You are not alone And you MUST STOP this talk of not beeing around or doing something silly it sound as you have a wonderfull family ask for there support and stay on here keep talking about how you feel start reading up information on panic and anxiety as soon as you understand what it is and what the symtoms are them you can start to fight it. also maybe you can start a diary on your panic try and keep busy it will be ok sweetheart stay safe god bless love kitty xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I haven't been on this site for a few months. This past week things are the worst they have ever been. After having my panic under control for a while i was taking antibiotics a week ago, I became fizated on reading about the possible side effects (breathing problmes, tightness of chest,). Well I was was so stressed while on these meds I did not know what was anxiety or side effects. I figured since I had no other side effects symptoms it must be my anxiety. Well on the weekend I've had several bad panic attacks. Never in my life did I have such strong suffocating feelings. For the past 3 days my chest has been constantly tight and I feel that if I take a deep breath that I will suffocate. HAS ANYONE ELSE EVER FELT THIS WAY? normally my panic attacks would come and go. But for the past 72 hours I've been stuck in panic hyper mode. I've been to the ER and then to my GP today. For the first I ready to try meds. I been able to take my Zoloft yet. Scared of the side effects. What has caused me to hit rock bottom is my 7 year old saw me in middle of a panic attack. The shame I felt was unbearable. "Don't worry Daddy you won't die". I was trying to talk myself down out of the panic state, but she was obviouslly watching me.Man I wanted to jump off a cliff. i was crying non-stop. I tried to stop but I could not. The anxiety has been bad the past year but I've kept it hidden from my kids) Two days later after just holding holding on. I broke down in the car while driving with my wife. She is trying to be supportive as can be. But I feel like this anxiety is putting a wall between me and those I love. Once again I asked where is the closest cliff. I'm serious if it wasn't for family and being a devout Christian I don't think that could go on. I've got this fear that meds could push me over the deep end. ONCE AGAIN IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE STUCK IN A PANIC ATTACK ALL DAY, with constant chest and breathing problems? I'm constantly gripped with feelings of terror. i'm convinced I've got some medical disorder that is causing me to have trouble breathing, but my blodd pressure is fine, heart rate is fine, and oxygen level is fine, and lungs sounded ok. But as a hyperchonriac that is not enough reassurance. I've got an appointment with a p