# Anxiety Attack, or, Oh My God Am I Dying?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [March 20, 2000, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954 "2000-03-20T15:43:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@okatym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/okatym)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/1 "2000-03-20T15:43:00Z")
It has happened to me several times: I’m walking through the grocery store, just driving along the road, or reading the Sunday morning paper, when from nowhere, I feel the adrenaline racing through my veins. I get this tight feeling in my chest, my heart is racing, I have to catch my breath, and I feel scared for no reason. Lately I’ve been jumpy and irritable, and it has happened at different times of the month, so I can’t even blame PMS.
I’m in my mid 30’s, in good health, with no history of any heart problems. My doctor did an ekg at my last physical and said everything seems fine.
Is this an anxiety attack? Pre-Menopause? Heart attack? Hypochondria? Any ideas?
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### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/2 "2000-03-20T15:56:00Z")
I have a rapid, irregular heartbeat sometimes, which can cause some of those symptoms. I was walking throyugh Lord & Taylor’s a few years ago and my heart started racing, my tummy tightened up and I felt like I was going to pass out.
I rushed over to the Liz Claiborne section, so in case I dropped dead it wouldn’t be in the lower-end sportswear aisle!
Have your doctor do more heart tests; a treadmill or something, mebbe. This condition is more “annoying” than “dangerous.”
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### Author:  [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/3 "2000-03-20T15:57:00Z")
I don’t know but you could’ve just described me. I get that feeling sometimes and I wonder if they might be panic attacks.
* * *
Work is fine for killin’ time, but it’s a shaky way to make a living.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/4 "2000-03-20T15:58:00Z")
Don’t ever take medical advice from the net but Im going to suggest something anyway. Sounds like panic attacks which can be treated with medication.
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### Author:  [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/5 "2000-03-20T22:25:00Z")
The symptoms you describe do sound like panic attacks. There are medications that might help.
But it also sounds a bit like mitral valve prolapse (in fact, Eve’s story sounds more like it, in my experience).
I have MVP, it’s not very serious, but it can be damn uncomfortable. My heart starts beating very rapidly and shallowly, and I get very faint. An episode usually lasts between 2 and 15 minutes, and is more likely to happen when under stress or after drinking alcohol. Consult a cardiologist.
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### Author:  [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/6 "2000-03-20T23:10:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I rushed over to the Liz Claiborne section, so in case I dropped dead it wouldn’t be in the lower-end sportswear aisle!
This is so **you** Eve! 😉
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/7 "2000-03-20T23:38:00Z")
Okatym, I think we need to talk about that will before you go.
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### Author:  [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2000, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anxiety-attack-or-oh-my-god-am-i-dying/14954/8 "2000-03-20T23:53:00Z")
I have them frequently…panic attacks.
Usually, mine start in stores or other places where there are other people (restaurants and even at family dinners)
I was treated a couple of years ago for depression that also included anxiety…both seemed to have crept back in my life recently.
ok…if you are having them you can talk to your general practitioner to decide if you need medication only or medication with therapy. I am not a doc, obviously, but sometimes they will prescribe meds with out therapy if there are no other circumstances (like my depression).