chest panic

Bucci:
I had this problem last year, but it went away without treatement. Sweating went away also, as I started treatement. I think we can all agree mold is not good for anyone. My neighbor cleans houses (BIG houses) and she said some of them have mold. She has Lyme also. She takes carcoal (SP?) and she says that helped her with mold exposure. She takes it the day she goes to clean a moldy house.

Hope you will feel better soon!

Hi Bucci,

Sorry to hear about your new symptoms! I get the sweating/hot flashes all the time; my LLMD says that's the Babesiosis. Lyme can definitely cause heart palpitations and other heart symptoms. But mold is very toxic too, and I'm not sure about the symptoms that it can cause....I just know that it can really mess you up. Especially your breathing.

Are you still seeing a doctor regularly? Can you get in to be seen for this?

Please take care of yourself!
((((((hugs))))))
JoAnn

I used to get them esp when going up the steps eg at the end of the night, I'd have to climb up the steps to the 2nd fl to my bedroom.  It was really annoying, I was out of breath and my husband could hear me breath.  I tried to hide it but I was short of breath and anyone in the room could hear me breath, even when breathing through my mouth.  The heart palpitations were a little easier to hide, although I felt like the whole bed was moving.

My laundry is in the basement, and the same thing would happen when I would come up the steps from the basement.  I need a ranch LOL

Bucci:

I used to put 2 pillows under my head because otherwise, I felt I would choke (I just remember this). Funny thing: If it is a panic attack, that is really strange bec I almost never panic and I stayed calm when this was happening. I sort of have this attitude that if God wants me to die, I will, if not, whatever comes my way will go away. The ears have been bugging me for 4 mo, and just recently, I am now fine with that, including being more tolerant to noise.

In regards to "I just can't remember what I did do or DIDN"T do to turn it off.", obviously I can only talk about myself, but I know for a fact I did NOTHING! I did not know I had lyme, so I did not know that is what was causing it, did not get treated, and did nothing! Maybe you are in a bad cycle or something that is causing more burden to your body. Maybe is toxins for dead bacteria? I have no clue, just a thought! Does it happen in cycles or is it every day?

often ringing in the ears (and panic attacks) are caused by stress. when your neck and shoulder muscles get tight, they pinch the ear and the auditory nerve, which can cause inflammation and thus ringing. I've been having terrible ringing lately. We learned in class today that using acu point Kidney 3 reduces it. .... I had moderate success with it in class. Although, I think some of mine is coming from the lyme & co have taken up residence in my auditory nerve.

I also have the hot flashes, sweating, and heart pounding when I try to go to bed. I changed my bedtime routine and included 20 minutes of relaxation techniques right before bedtime and that helped a lot. I also usually will wake up 15-20 minutes after I fall asleep with the same symptoms, so I have learned to make myself a snack before I go to bed and when I wake up, I eat it. Digesting the food distracts your body so that it can't get into fight/flight mode and it calms me long enough that I can fall asleep and stay asleep.

also, as you lay down/prop yourself up in bed, try to be mindful of what feelings you experience right before the panic attacks happen and start breathing slow and deep. if you reduce the fear of those feelings in your life and practice slow, deep breathing the whole day, panic attacks tend to go away or come less often. I was not sleeping for fear of feeling this way when I laid down for 6 months and was getting so desperate I was hurting myself and thinking of suicide. I seriously consider simply breathing exercises to what saved my life.

bucci and ellbell,

Please just disregard this if it is not what you are trying to describe or talking about. I experienced a lot of this much more in the past than now. (Now I take drugs to knock myself out). My daughter frequently experiences the same thing, altho hers includes the feeling of an evil presence in the room.

It used to happen regularly, almost daily, and usually happened if I was overtired or STRESSED. It only occurs/ occurred while on my back.

It is a paralysis, accompanied by the feeling of not being able to breathe, infact, sometimes I've felt like I was not breathing. Usually there are loud noises in my head and again, the feeling of not being able to breathe, but also, not being able to speak -- like I used to try to call for help, but could not make any noise come out of my mouth, it was all inside, just as if I was paralyzed. And, yes, my heart will be pounding.

It is a terrifying experience, except that I have learned to sometimes leave my body when this happens, and at these times, if I think just right, my body will rise up off the bed, go thru the ceiling, thru the attic and roof and then I am out and free. I will rise above the house and the trees, and at times was able to zoom thru the air, and one time went zooming thru the universe and it was exhilerating. But I was never able to do this at will (leave my body).

So now I know you know I am crazy! But I understand this to be a sleep stage during which we are for all intents and purposes paralyzed, supposedly to protect ourselves from jumping out of bed or attacking the venetian blinds (like a guy I know) or acting out anything we are dreaming.

So, I ask is it possible that you are experiencing/ being aware of this stage of your sleep?

Also, I will add that I have a lot of heart pounding most of the time, even while awake -- more than is comfortable.

I have mitral valve prolapse, which is not uncommon in women, that causes the heart pounding and feelings that your heart is doing summersaults and about to jump out of your chest. I have come to believe that this is one of the heart problems caused by Lyme. It is painful for some and just scary for others.

Bucci,

I have not been tested for cpn. Do you think I should be? Unfortunately, I am a smoker, as always and constantly in the throes of trying to quit. I have much more shortness of breath than before and attribute that to smoking plus Babs.

I was only tested once for Bart and it was negative. Are those tests more reliable than for Lyme? My new Dr didn't seem to think it necessary to re-test for Bart based on that. It was a titre test from Quest.

Med: was on synthroid, but stopped taking it when I started taking LDN, which I am taking for Lyme. Also Augmentin for Lyme. I'm taking an old anti-depressant, amiltriptyline (sp?) -- even tho it has not relieved my depression, I am afraid to experiment. Also amil is supposed to take the edge of of chronic pain. That was one reason I asked that my dose be increased. I take xanax, only in the evening and at nite, for sleep. There are occasions that I might take one during the day -- like flying or if my stress is painful.

Many days, beginning late afternoon, my body begins stressing/anxiety. It is often not related to anything, occasionally it is. My entire back will become very tight and tense, then my whole skeleton (it feels) tightens and stiffins and it is painful. At these times, when it has started before I have left work, I'll go as long as I can w/o a xanax, and try to wait til around 7 pm to start taking it.

If I feel extremely bad, I will take one a little earlier. Then I will take another, then other, and often another, preparing for bed.

I take about 150 mg Amil, plus 3-4 xanax and still do not sleep thru the nite. If I did not take these, I would probably not sleep more than 2-3 hrs total -- at least not at this time -- I've been thru this before.

Bucci, it's strange that you say you feel like you are being turned upside down. So even tho you have not entered that first stage of sleep, if I enter it while on my back, I will (in my mind) almost do a sommersault. But it will be me trying to dive into a darkness, which is used to be terrifying, but good if I am able to get thru it.

I avoid laying on my back. I think I am almost always on one side or the other, w/ knees drawn up.

bucci, even tho you say this happens while on your side, I think you should avoid laying flat on your back. I'm not sure why I feel this way, but if you do have cpn, it's probably not good for you to lay flat on your back.  I don't think sleeping on  your back is good for breathing, it seems, anyway.

I need to loan you my 'sleeping dog' for awhile! She is solid muscle and VERY warm to the touch. She knows how to put a nice, warm, firm support against your back while you sleep! Doesn't make me sleep better, but makes me more anxious to get to bed! By then, my drugs are knocking me out.

I know that's all very bad, but I'm in no mood to deal w/ sleep problems at this time.

I attribute my pounding heart to mitral valve, smoking, and LYme. It is the Amiltriptyline that takes the edge off of my heart pounding.

I have night sweats and hot flashes w/ sweats during the day also. I was well past menopause when I was bit, so I attribute this to babesia.

I wish I could help, bucci. Hate to be a drug pusher, but maybe just a little xanax would help? Might help you look forward more to going to bed? Also, my mother had a lot of sleep problems. She took sleeping pills for a few years (not every nite, just a couple per week). When these stopped working, the Dr put her on a very low dose of Amiltriptyline -- 10 mg. It was for sleep, she does not have depression. This has helped her tremendously!

Because at this low dose, it is very helpful for sleep, and much more natural than sleeping pills. Also good for allowing you to go back to sleep if you awaken a lot.

Have you tested for cpn?

Please answer what questions you can, anybody, OK?

I feel like if I leant Bucci my dog and a xanax for awhile, she might look forward to going to bed!

Post Edited (+Lyme) : 10/31/2010 11:48:11 AM (GMT-6)