Monday 5 March 2012

Panic Attack

Yesterday was a horrible day!
It started out fine, the kids had spent the night at their Aunties and my man and I had a bit of a lie in (first in years).
We then got up, got dressed and had a nice peaceful breakfast, all lovely.
Then as we went to leave, to go and pick up the kids, I suddenly felt like I had been stabbed in the chest with a knife. The pain was unbearable, my whole chest got really tight and I couldn't breathe. Everytime I took in a breath it felt like I was being stabbed again.

I have suffered with panic attacks since I ws 16 and have learnt over time how to handle them. I'm use to the shortness of breath but I've never had pain like that before and because of that I paniced and then proceeded to have a full blown panic attack as well as the pain.
Before this I had gone nearly 4 years without a single panic attack and thought they might have gone for good, obviously I was wrong.


I don't really remember much after that, I think the adrenaline had kicked in, but I know we went to the hospital.
When we got there they did all the necessary checks, blood pressure, heart monitor, lungs etc and all came back normal.
They decided that I must have a trapped nerve either in my back or neck. I had know idea that a trapped nerve could cause you that much pain and make you unable to breathe. I had convinced myself that I was having a heart attack. Clearly I wasn't.
They said it could take up to a week before I feel better and it hasn't helped having the two little ones hanging off me all day. I feel worse now than I did yesterday. So I shall drug myself up with pain killers, fill up my hot water bottle and go to bed.
The only thing I'm worried about now is that because I have had that panic attack I now might have more, it's almost like once you have one you then have a whole load in one go. Also now that i'm worried about having another panic attack, I ultimatley will have another one becausee I'm tense and worried about having one, it's a vicious cycle.
However just getting that off my chest has helped. Does anyone else suffer from panic attacks? If so what do you do to control them?

2 comments:

  1. Big hugs to you, relax and remember you got through it before, you can do it again x x

    ReplyDelete

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