Massive panic attack - no triggers

Does anyone get panic attacks for NO reason?

 

I just had one for the second time in my life that happened with no known trigger.

My HR randomly skyrocketed to like 150 so I drove myself to the hospital like I was on autopilot.

They did an EKG and said my heart is FINE just fast. (It went down to like 110 after hearing I wasn’t dying).

 

I had chills, I couldn’t stop twitching my legs, and indigestion issues occurred like I’d taken a laxative.

The only relief I felt was through pacing and twitching.

They didn’t offer me meds because I’m pregnant, which is fine with me.

 

 

But I want to know, does anyone else have this happen for NO reason?

I swear, I have no idea why this happened. No triggers at all.

The reason may not be immediately evident, but think back over the past week because it may not have been in response to a recent event.  I have had this happen, and it is usually a culmination of stressors and not always just one big immediate stressor which was the trigger.  I was also more susceptible when I didn’t watch my diet, drank too much coffee or booze, overdid it at work with too much pressure, etc.

 

It is good to know our triggers so we can avoid recurring panic attacks, but it is also good to remember that they are only physiological reactions and CANNOT hurt us as bad as they may feel.  Once I believed that I rarely if ever had another panic attack.

 

Cheers,

        RR

Interesting you post this because I had the same thing happen to me about 5 hours ago.  I’ve had panic attacks for long enough that I know what’s going on but this was the scariest one I’ve had in 20 years.  Was just laying on the couch looking at my phone and all of a sudden I just got this sinking feeling and the room was spinning.  Also happened 15 minutes before I was leaving to pick my kids up from school. 

It could be because you were probably taken off benzos too fast during detox and at a high dose. You were right to go to the ER because you got reassurance that your HR is fine, and you could relax a bit. Some strange, very scary things happen during withdrawal, and especially for someone who did a fast taper.  But please try not to worry (I know, it's impossible). This is all withdrawal and will go in its own time. Your body is trying to right itself.

Thanks all

It literally felt like someone randomly shot me with adrenaline.

I didn’t feel it “coming on” or anything, so by the time I tried to stop it my HR was already super high.

I worry it’s a arrythmia thing instead, but the ER took an EKG in the midst of it and said I was ok

It also took an hour for my HR to gradually fluctuate back to normal which isn’t typical of arrthmias.

 

 

 

 

I’ve been benzo free for 2 years.

You are pregnant?

Meganz - 

 

Panic attacks are hell on earth. Changes in heart rate, palpitations, etc. are terrifying, creating a nightmarish feedback loop.  I know this from experience and I'm so sorry you've been going through it.  You describe it so well, the feeling of being randomly shot with adrenaline. 

 

It's seems impossible to know whether there was a trigger or if it was a symptom of your brain healing from the changes Benzos made to your brain function. 

 

I hope this is behind you soon and that it's a sign of a leap forward in healing.

 

Brighterday

You are pregnant?

 

 

Yes 18 weeks