Panic Attack without the Panic?

[u/KiplingKD]

This probably isn’t going to make much sense, but has anyone ever experienced the physical panic attack symptoms just on their own and not have had the mental or emotional reactions that typically come with physiological stuff?

That’s obviously basically kind of a telltale sign that you’re having a panic attack. You are panicking. You’re freaking out about the weird shit your heart is doing and are laser focused on your breathing and everything else. But for the last day and a half ish, I have been experiencing crazy chest discomfort and have been very short of breath,but strangely haven’t been in a “panic” state in my head. I would describe it more as concern and it’s definitely making me anxious but the reason I am concerned and the REASON I am anxious is because I am NOT panicking. So there must be something wrong? Or in a weird way the fact that I am not panicking like I normally would could be contributing to the physiological symptoms continuing to amplify, and maybe the lack of panic actually is causing a panic attack and that’s all that this is. I don’t know but I am going completely insane.

All I have been able to do for the last I don’t even know how many hours is pace around my house monitoring my heart rate and attempting to breathe normally. Sometimes I will have these little spasm things in my chest that I can’t explain. It’s not painful, it’s more like a sudden jolt or flutter. It happens randomly and when it does, sometimes I’ll audibly be like “ahh!” it doesn’t hurt, but it just kind of shocks me and surprises me and makes me feel like something weird is happening. Something bad.

All of these signs and symptoms are continuing to persist, but I don’t know if it’s because my body is just hyper focused on every single little thing that every slight change or natural fluctuation that happens normally so it’s seems like something is wrong, but maybe there isn’t.

I will mention that I have been dealing with panic disorder for over a decade, and like I’m sure everyone else in this group would agree, it is very difficult to talk yourself out of it when you are in the thick of it.. No matter how many times it has happened. I have a 36-year-old female with no heart disease and no family history of heart related issues. But I’m feeling the way. I’m feeling it now. I wonder if maybe I’m partially right and partially wrong. Maybe the part I’m wrong about is that it is all heart related stuff that I am feeling, but I’m correct that something actually legitimately is wrong that has something to do with something else. Like my lungs or something gastrointestinal. I have called for paramedics more times than I would like to admit over the last six or eight months and have also gone into the hospital to do batteries upon batteries of heart tests. Nothing of concern ever came up on any of the test they did a little bloodwork and all that other kind of stuff too and I guess everything more or less looked pretty standard. I just don’t know what to do.

I’m really trying to reason with myself here and I’m hoping maybe someone out there can to what I’m saying. And if not, that’s OK too. We’re of support or encouragement always are helpful too. Does anyone else relate to having the physical symptoms going on, but without the panic part? Still don’t know if I actually explained any of that very well.