Yesterday I got a panic attack. I'd never had one before, but I'm pretty sure this was one. I got really jittery and nervous, and my heart started beating really fast and hard. My mouth got really dry and I felt sort of like I was suffocating. I also got sharp twinges in the area of my uterus for a few hours. I was able to keep my head about me because I realized what it must be (my mom has had them), and I went outside for a walk and laid in the grass for a while, but it took a good hour or so to defuse and my heart was beating fast for the rest of the day.
I was pretty sure I knew what triggered it yesterday: I had my morning cup of coffee and didn't eat food soon enough with it, which has caused me to feel unpleasant and scattered (though not this bad) in the past, and that was combined with a sudden stressful outside stimulus that I had to deal with. I never got this before with those conditions, but I figured the extra hormones must be making me more sensitive.
The thing that is bothering me though is that I have been having another episode this evening. I decided to wean myself of coffee since it seems to be affecting me more strongly now that I am pregnant, and only had half a cup, with a hearty breakfast, this morning. I ate well throughout the day and mostly just hung around, reading and on the computer. Felt fine until a few hours ago, when I had a stressful thought, and I felt my heart leap and beat faster. Now for hours I've been having anxiety and periods of strong, fast heartbeats when another stressful thought crosses my mind. I feel almost like I'm drowning in this undefined anxiety, like I get glimpses of how there's nothing to be anxious about and then I totally lose my perspective again.
I don't know what's causing this - is it normal with the extra hormones for stressful things to just affect you more? I do remember that when I was getting extra hormones from the bc pill I had a sort of ongoing nervousness, though never panic episodes. It's sort of worrying because if conflict situations/stress cause this kind of shoot up in blood pressure while I'm pregnant I'm going to get a high reading every time I go to the doctor
Plus it's really not pleasant. Help! Anyone have experience with this, in pregnancy or normally?
I was pretty sure I knew what triggered it yesterday: I had my morning cup of coffee and didn't eat food soon enough with it, which has caused me to feel unpleasant and scattered (though not this bad) in the past, and that was combined with a sudden stressful outside stimulus that I had to deal with. I never got this before with those conditions, but I figured the extra hormones must be making me more sensitive.
The thing that is bothering me though is that I have been having another episode this evening. I decided to wean myself of coffee since it seems to be affecting me more strongly now that I am pregnant, and only had half a cup, with a hearty breakfast, this morning. I ate well throughout the day and mostly just hung around, reading and on the computer. Felt fine until a few hours ago, when I had a stressful thought, and I felt my heart leap and beat faster. Now for hours I've been having anxiety and periods of strong, fast heartbeats when another stressful thought crosses my mind. I feel almost like I'm drowning in this undefined anxiety, like I get glimpses of how there's nothing to be anxious about and then I totally lose my perspective again.
I don't know what's causing this - is it normal with the extra hormones for stressful things to just affect you more? I do remember that when I was getting extra hormones from the bc pill I had a sort of ongoing nervousness, though never panic episodes. It's sort of worrying because if conflict situations/stress cause this kind of shoot up in blood pressure while I'm pregnant I'm going to get a high reading every time I go to the doctor
Plus it's really not pleasant. Help! Anyone have experience with this, in pregnancy or normally?
Really, just to hear comforting words is soo reassuring. You're right, it will pass, I just have to breathe. Thank you...
With my first pregnancy I started getting very frequent panic attacks, so my dh and I would go walk. I have to smile looking back because at a moment's notice I'd look at him and say, "let's go for a walk!" and right away we'd grab our shoes and head out, and we'd just keep going until I was so exhausted that I'd feel calm and tired. Good exercise, at least. But I know, it's so frightening. Exercise is a great way to deal with them. Even if you can't actually jump up and leave, you could go vigorously clean something... scrubbing the oven or floor or something is pretty tiring too if you do it hard and fast. It helps if you can shift the useless fear-energy your body is producing into some activity, channel it, rather than letting it build up and up inside until you're ready to explode with fright. I sympathize. I hope this settles down for you soon.
