Was this a panic attack???

I'm 41yo, male.

During the last year, now and again, i had the odd sensation that my heart was beating very hard. It didn't seem to be beating any faster than usual but it felt very strong. It was almost like it could feel it in the lower part of my throat and also in my diaphram area. This would only last a few minutes.

A few days ago I stayed up late alone at home. I sent to sleep about 4am. About an hour later i suddenly found my self awake and sitting up. I was a bit disoriented and after a few seconds lay down again.
Almost instantly though i felt extremely strange, almost as if i was in a nightmare although i was still awake.
I got out of bed and turned on the light. I felt very confused and kind of lost. In some ways i was thinking clearly and in others not. It's very hard to describle the sensation but i kind of felt that i was set adrift from time. Even though only a minute or so was passing i felt like hours were going by.
I sleep in my underwear only but found myself going into the other two rooms in my home and turning on the lights. I was getting very worried because i expected the feeling to pass in a few seconds as a bad dream fades after you wake up but it wasnt subsiding at all. I felt very panicked and was terified that i had suddenly gone crazy and wouldnt be able to get back to normality ever again. I walked around fretting about this terribly. By now i was fully awake but at the same time nothing felt real. it was like i was still ruled by dream logic which is a kind of unreal feeling.
In my underwear i even opened the door to my home and half stepped outside. I came back in and stood by a book case feeling terrible. I felt so alone and lost, i think it was the worst feeling i have ever had in my life. I was totally terrified, even convinced that that was it and i was stuck in that crazy state for good.
After what was probably just a mintue or so the feeling kidn of subsided. But i felt miserable and despressed for the next few days. Like all the colour of life had been drained.

I hope somone can give some advice on that these experiene could have been.
I'm not a hypocodriac and don't even go to the doctors when i have a bad flu. I've heard that panic attacks cause people to worry terribly that they are going to get more of them. Actually as long as i know that they are rare and only last a minute or so i won't worry at all. I just wonder if i'll remembe that during one if i have another.

Some back ground that might be relevant.

In the last five months i have quit Coke cola and sweets. I used to drink 3 cokes a day and eat about 3 candy bars a day. I don't eat any now but now and again i have a re lapse, about every six weeks or so. A day or so before the experience i ate 'a lot' of very sweet coconut macaroons.

Also, i have bad back pain this month and have been taking prescription pain killes. they are not the high end ones but still can cause some stuffy head and drowsyness. I have a bad habit of taking them with only a glass of water rather than with food as advised.
Also, I almost never drink, maybe one beer a month. The night of the attack I went to the cinema with a freiend and we had a snack and a small glass of beer after. I forgot i was taking the pain killers. I don't know if the small glass of beer with the drugs caused some reaction.

Hi,

Firstly am sorry you had such a bad experience - it can be really terrifying when it happens.

I think the first step is to make an appointment with your doctor and have a general checkup, but also to talk to him/her about anxiety. It does sound somewhat like an anxiety attack however I do think it is best to see a GP and not rely solely on what people here might say.

A few questions to ask yourself are what circumstances did you experience this in before (you said you had had this feeling to do with your heart before), also have you been experiencing stress over the past couple of years - be it caused by anything family problems, work, relationships, things specific to you only, etc. Do you find you have any other problems associated with it?

If it turns out to be anxiety it is important to realise you are nt going mad. I know when i first experienced it I thought I was losing my mind and was too embarrassed to get help straight off. You are definitely not losing it and most definitely are not alone in feeling this. BUT it is really important to get yourself to a doctor and also try and find out the root cause of this. Most anxiety and stress is rooted in something, even if you cant see it at the moment. I think if you can get some help sooner rather than later you will be able to deal with this and put it behind you.

Best of luck mate and try not to worry too much, it can and will get better with proper help. Please dont make the same mistake many do of ignoring it at this stage. All the best.

Hey man, i can understand what you have because i have it too. Alot of us do. Thats called Depersonalization/Derealization. Its basicly a symptomof anxiety disorder and other similar htings 9Depression social phobia etc.) and its completly normal. What happens is you have alot of overhwelming fear (that you may not even notice!) and your mind reacts by making the world seem fake in order to stop the fear in the real world. Ive lived with anxiety for years and now that kicked in about a month ago and hasent stopped since. It can be verry scary at times and much better at others. Otherwise, it is completly normal and theres nothing for you to worry about. Hope you feel better soon. -Dave

yes it was a panic attack,remember they can come back, and if they do,seek a doctor for some good pills!!! i find that's the best wasy to deal with it, like you said, it was scary!! almost like you wanted the world to know you exist and your all alone, help stay with me,comfort me,am i right? get pills quick!