can someone please help? worried about my health...

I have no idea about your symptoms, but if I were you I'd be on the phone to nhs direct for reassurance as well as ringing your gp in the morning. I'm also not one for ringing the doctor (which i know is daft thats what they are for) but nhs direct are there to advise you and you wouldn't be wasting anyone's time, better to be safe than sorry. Hope you get sorted and feel better soon x

Sorry you're feeling like this. I think the best thing for you to do is to get on the phone to the doctor and let them give you the help you may need. Even if they just check you over and tell you you're ok at least you won't be worrying anymore. Hope you feel better soon

Sounds very much like an anxiety / panic attack to me. You don't need to be panicking about anything in particular for them to come on - I used to find it hard to believe when I first got them because I felt there must be a reason for it happening. I thought that I must be really ill and was worried it was a heart attack or stroke but after seeing the doctor and doing lots of reading I found out this is really common. The body's 'fight or flight' response can be triggered by lots of things and it brings on all the symptoms you mentioned.

Of course it might not be this in your case and your doctor will tell you but please don't let it panic you further in the meantime as worrying won't help - and if it is anxiety, although the symptoms are real and not in your head, there is nothing physiologically wrong with you so although it feels scary, it will pass. It's actually really common - once I started talking to people about it I realised that lots of people go through this at some stage or another. Feel better soon!

ETA: I don't mean this to sound like a diagnosis! Reading it back this morning, I realise it might sound like I am telling you that is definitely what it is, and obviously I am not an expert. I just think your symptoms sound very similar to what happened to me. As I said though, your doctor will tell you so hopefully you get to speak to them soon and put your mind at rest one way or another.

I didn't want to read and run. Self diagnosis is not a good thing and the internet doesn't help. There could be 1001 reasons for your symptoms including anxiety/panic attacks but they need a proper consultation and diagnosis so you can get the right form of treatment. Panic attacks can be very acute and contain some of the symptoms you describe. NHS direct is there to help and provide an initial triage for you so don't be afraid to call them. Even if they tell you to call your doctor straight away, or in the morning, then you have that comfort of some expert guidance giving you some direction.

Hoping your feeling much better this morning and that you manage to get in with your doctor asap so that if nothing else, you can put your mind at rest.

It does sound like panic attacks but again I advise you see the doctor before self diagnosis. The good news is that panic attacks can be controlled and just knowing what is happening can help. Good luck xxx

Let us know how you get on xx

Thanks everyone :-)

Went to the docs, had a mini episode there :-( I was fine waiting for half hour then it all started to kick in again. He thinks its anxiety attacks, and I need to have a blood test to rule out anything serious. This sucks, I hate feeling like this. This is all new to me. If anyone has any advice on how I can manage it, it would be greatly appreciated x

Well done for getting yourself there. I am a sufferer of panic attacks and anxiety and have had really bad episodes in the past. I have been in a similar situation to you and had a really bad panic attack in the doctors waiting room which was awful as I was physically shaking and everyone was staring

In terms of managing it, personally I have learned to *sort of* control it. If I feel a panic attack coming on (feeling short of breath, shaking, palpitations etc) I grind my teeth or tap something which I know isn't the best way but it works for me. I also find being in the company of others helps.

My doctor also sent me to McDonalds to get some paper bags to breathe into which strangely helps!

Thanks for the advice everyone, I just can't seem to snap myself out of it, and it is even more 'eeeep' when I am home alone with my toddler, I don't want him to get scared or upset if I have a moment... It would be sooo much easier if I knew what triggered it.... thanks again

I get fairly awful panic attacks, often brought on when I 'think' I'm about to get involved in a confrontation - this is not necessarily going to happen you understand, I just think it is!

I find that reminding myself that panicking won't actually help, making sure I control my breathing and gripping my hands together until they physically hurt helps me and I also take a low dose antidepressant - but that's because I have suffered from severe depression before and the doctor wants to be absolutely certain I don't drop into that again.

Blood tests seem to be standard for most doctors these days - I think every time I see my doctor, she sends me for tests! It's a good job I don't go too often lol

I used to have panic attacks fairly often but have learnt to manage them a little (although I do still get them). Mine always used to happen when I was away from home or felt stuck somewhere e.g. on a train, on the bus, in the cinema... somewhere I couldn't get out of quickly and easily. I've sat in tears on the floor in shops before because I felt too ill to move. I also had them in hotel rooms, I would wake up in the middle of the night heart racing and feeling sick because I was in strange place. I read a lot of things when I was first starting to suffer with them which said keep a diary of them, where you were when one came on, how you were feeling, how long it lasted, what happened etc. You should then be able to see if there is any kind of pattern to them and also start to recognise when an attack is starting. A certain thing happening or a certain feeling causing one. Good luck and hope your doctors can recommend something to help you overcome them. x

Thank you!

I have to go back to the Dr's in 4 weeks to update him on how I am, and I have managed to wangle half hour out of my shift tomorrow so I can get my bloods taken.

I will definately keep a diary though, that is a very good idea. For those who keep one, do you write in it every day, or just when you are feeling anxious?

I tried to do some research online about it all, but it just got me feeling a little worked up instead

However, I have downloaded a brilliant yoga app Did about half hour earlier and I felt much better, so I will probably do another session now before bed.

I am actually looking forward to my 5am shift tomorrow, as these 3 days off have been a bit odd, so work will be a great distraction (and it is good exercise).

On the plus side, because I have been on edge all day, I have only had one cigarette! Haven't craved nicotine at all Yay

Thank you so so much for your advice and support everyone, I really really appreciate it

Good for you hun. Try and chill when you can and do what makes you feel good. Doing great with the cigarettes to so think about that bonus! xx

Glad you got to the docs and you feel a bit better. I was sure from what you said that it was anxiety as the way to described it was so similar. For me, I used to get them at random times - sitting on the tube, watching TV, in the middle of working (but not doing anything particularly stressful) and as such it took me a long time to accept that it was anxiety and not something else that was undiagnosed - apparently that's common.

There was some reading I found useful and I will look out the proper links for you over the weekend - a book, a handout from the doctor (available from NHS Scotland I believe) and a website called No More Panic or something similar. All very encouraging (not scaremongering like some internet reading can be) with people who have been through similar things and how they manage it. It's amazing how many people are affected by it - in fact this thread shows just how many people from a relatively small sample have experience of it.

I still get them randomly but I can manage them now. What I find useful is to remember that whilst the symptoms can feel scary, there is nothing physically wrong with me and the best way to feeling better is to accept the symptoms and not fight against them (you can make it worse by trying to control your feelings). I just sit down and relax (if I can!) and remind myself that it's perfectly normal and that it will soon pass - and it does. Occasionally I have had to regulate breathing with a paper bag but that's quite rare.

At least now that you know what it is (and your blood tests will help identify / eliminate any other possible causes) you can put your mind at rest.

I used to just write in my diary when I had an attack, I knew I wouldn't commit to filling in a diary every day. Do whatever works best for you though, if you want to write a diary everyday then go for it. It might actually help getting any worries/thoughts down on paper and seeing them written rather than just keeping them inside you.

A coping strategy which works for me is whenever I know I am going to be somewhere which could potentially set an attack off I make sure I have a bottle of water with me. If I feel an attack coming on I'll take small sips of water and concentrate on breathing deeply. I don't know why it works but 99% of the time it helps me massively. I hope you find something which works for you!

Yeah I am just going to write down my thoughts after each attack, just had another one, managed to dive off of the till before all hell broke loose. It lasted about 10 mins, but the symptoms were there for about an hour before it kicked in. I just sat in the loo, breathing deeply, and my boss has ordered me to chill out over a cuppa. I am so lucky to have a patient workforce behind me. It is still super scary. I just dread having a funny turn in front of my gorgeous little boy...

Strangely enough I feel my normal bouncy self now (ish), although my chest still feels a bit tight. But I dont feel...anxious!

Sending you a hug! They are horrid things, I had my first one on my 18th birthday. Fortunately they are few and far between now, although in the run up to the wedding I had multiples daily, especially when I was at work. For me a good coping mechanism is to take myself away from people as the thought of having a 'melt down' and people seeing used to freak me out even more. I used to go to the toilets and get cold running water on the inside of my wrists for a few minutes - literally cooled me off/down!

Deep breaths and I hope you find something that works for you.