Anxiety attack

[nightowl]

well today i had one for the first time. Im on the swim team and the first practice starts in a week so i went to the pool for the first time in about a year. Blood came out of my nose when i blew it, so thats always great . Then after a total of 6 laps or more and pushing myself i got one. Ive never had one so i didnt know what it was but i just couldnt catch my breathe and kept trying to breathe for more air, my muscles kept shaking like i was still excersizing, and dizziness ensued. this went on for about a half hour. yea so...is this a bad sign guys? Im not sure at all what caused this and well...i just dont want to have another one when i go to practice(which will be more intense) advice..comments?

[Damascus]

ouch man, i feel for you. i hope you dont quit the team for it... this is one of those things you should ask your doc about, professional advice is always good, asking people on t'internet isnt always reliable. just a quick chat to your GP would do, and good luck to you.

[Kaniaz]

I can't run more than 5 seconds without running out of air. I snack all day, and I probably have cholosterol levels that rival that of a sumo wrestler. I hated swimming lessons. Espcially the creepy old lady who ran them, her teeth were like, always yellow. I was like "I'm not swimming in the same water as those teeth. No way."

[Dylan]

My friend has been getting really bad anxiety attacks lately, he has no clue why either... He's talked to his doctor and now he's on drugs... I mean, I think he's starting to do better, but I really am still opposed to taking drugs to solve problems like that... unless, obviously, if its absolutely necessary. What you resist will persist. Taking drugs to solve a problem will only set it aside for later. Or it could help it completely ? who knows, but that's my opinion at least. Was there anything that triggered this attack? At all? A memory of something? My friend said that most of his anxiety attacks came after remembering fearful situations he's been in. Dylan

[nightowl]

Originally posted by Damascus this is one of those things you should ask your doc about, professional advice is always good, asking people on t'internet isnt always reliable. yeah, my mom was there and she got worried to. She said shes gonna call my doctor about it. Im going to the pool again later this week and ill see what happens then. Was there anything that triggered this attack? At all? A memory of something? My friend said that most of his anxiety attacks came after remembering fearful situations he's been in. [/b] I have no idea. I know its not something like memory. I just talked to Reala and he said that one of the ways you can get one is if your brain or body thinks something dangerous is happening and will cause one even if you dont realize that its happening? Im sort of going along with this because during swimming i was sorta having trouble holding my breathe and when i was trying to get some air while swimming my head wasnt all the way up so everytime when i would be trying to breathe in air, i would be breathing in air and water so maybe my body thought i was drowning? I know how to swim and i know that i wasnt drowning, but maybe my body was fooled? do you think possibly this could be the reason for it? oh and kaniaz, thank you for sharing your wonderful exprience

[dextrometh orphan]

Yeah, it's from having an over-active amygdala. Cognitive behavior therapy can work really well. Panic attacks suck.

[Torcher]

I'm panic prone. An attack does suck, especially if you're alone with no one around. I used to have those "This is it, I'm dead." panic attacks. Sweaty forehead, shaking, can't think, can't talk. For me it's a social thing. I cured my panic by taking Kavakava. It isnt always easy to find, but it does the trick and it's not habit forming like what a doc might give you. Also, if you're taking any caffeine, drop it altogether. Caffeine, if you're panic prone, can act like a nuclear weapon on your nervous system. Take kava, it ro0ls, AND it accelerates REM sleep. Again, ro0ls. It's cheaper, again, ro0ls. Seriously, panic attacks can be temporary or permanently occurring events, and they're usually triggered by a certain stressful situation, such as competitive swimming or, in my case, retail (OMG). If you feel safe with your doc, then trust 'em. I've used xanax before for anxiety (given to me by a friend) and it did come in extremely handy, but these things have a tendency to sllloooowwwww you down something fierce. Anyways, good luck with this thing called panic. It suxors. Let us know what happens. -Torch

[LewisM]

What constitutes a panic attack? Did you fear for your life or what? Cos I was just thinking, maybe it was a seizure. There is a type of seizure which is brought on by lack of oxygen (I like to think Ive had one). Non-epileptic seizures exist and can be the result of strange oxygen/blood-sugar levels or blood pressure. I was once watching a documentary on phobias and panic attacks... that's the only instance Ive heard of them existing. Btw Im not trying to say you're a faker or anything, Im just trying to learn about panic attacks.

[Alric]

Could always be from stress. There is a decent chance it had nothing to do with swimming though and since it only happened once, I wouldn't worry to much about it.

[nightowl]

Also, if you're taking any caffeine, drop it altogether. Caffeine, if you're panic prone, can act like a nuclear weapon on your nervous system[/b] thank god i hate coffee P: What constitutes a panic attack? Did you fear for your life or what? Cos I was just thinking, maybe it was a seizure. There is a type of seizure which is brought on by lack of oxygen (I like to think Ive had one). Non-epileptic seizures exist and can be the result of strange oxygen/blood-sugar levels or blood pressure.[/b] I wasnt afraid of anything, i was just practicing swimming. i hope it wasnt a seizure though Btw Im not trying to say you're a faker or anything, Im just trying to learn about panic attacks.[/b] hey dont worry about, that thought never crossed my mind Could always be from stress. There is a decent chance it had nothing to do with swimming though and since it only happened once, I wouldn't worry to much about it.[/b] you're probably right. Im a little over it now and more calm about it. like i said i'm going back to the pool thursday and and then the real swimteam practice is on monday and im just going to see what happens, if anything at all. thanks guys for the help.

[Dylan]

Were you perhaps subconsciously afraid of your performance? Because you hadn't been in over a year you said... it's a possibility. Were lots of people watching?

[nightowl]

Originally posted by Dylan Were you perhaps subconsciously afraid of your performance? Because you hadn't been in over a year you said... it's a possibility. Were lots of people watching? probably...i was somewhat worring over how im going to be able to swim well because i have some difficulty with some of the different styles of swimming, but it didnt bother me that much at all...and no, not a lot of people were watching..probably like 10 in the pool..they were all old anyway so i didnt care

[Amethyst Star]

My advice, personally, just take it slow. Maybe try working more on drills to get the technique down rather than pushing yourself too hard. Did you run into the wall at all? or get the water up your nose? BTW, yesterday I got in the pool for the first time in a while, so I feel the pain. 800 yards in 20 minutes... -Amé

[jacobo]

Originally posted by nightowl i just dont want to have another one when i go to practice(which will be more intense) you're only setting yourself up for another one with that thought. there are a couple forms of therapy for it... -behavioral therapy -cognitive behavioral therapy (best in my opinion) -psychodynamic therapy -medications: valium, zanax etc... or antidepressants like prozac/floxetine, paxil etc. but these slow reuptake of seratonin in the brain. just try to overcome it psychologically... healthiest and safest.

[Sparky]

Espcially the creepy old lady who ran them, her teeth were like, always yellow. I was like \"I'm not swimming in the same water as those teeth. No way.\" [/b]

[nightowl]

well good news i suppose. I went to the first two days of practice with no attack, but i did throw up on the first day(as did other people). I guess from now on i'll be careful as to what i eat for lunch. thanks adidas for the advice. Ive contacted my doctor to see whats happening and im going back there for an inspection on tuesday

[theroguechemist]

I'm sure you could throw it out almost immediately; but do you believe it could be some sort of sickness or ailment that you may have attained? Having a bloody nose sounds odd with an anxiety attack a short while later; I didn't know they could be "physical". I once had one of these; only once. I was laying awake on my bed before school one night long ago and was hit with a wave of anxiety, panic, and somewhat paranoia. In about 5 minutes I calmed myself down enough. Since then I've been pretty well off with that philosophy of just not caring if something is making me feel upset, unnecessarily.