the question that no one seems to be able to answer

[Adamj]

The one thing over the last 5 months that still baffles me is why does my anxiety and panic feel so much different then it use to like 3 weeks before having my panic attack that felt so much different I was having really bad anxiety and such and panic when I had covid because of course I thought I was gonna get worse and those felt like I know as anxiety and panic. Then I left my job because I was so stressed that they transferred me to somewhere I hated a couple days later then I was in an interview I got the weird tingling that come over my right side of my body tunnel vision just felt funky I stood up started pacing heart pounding ended up having them call the ems the ems checked me out my bp was sky high but was coming down ended up just going to my pcp after the ems said they were fine with that pcp did an ekg looked fine so that’s when they just said just panic and anxiety. Can adrenaline and the chemicals that are released for fight or flight or freeze be so depleted that your body just feels different when they do get released. Like I know what adrenaline feels like I dealt with adrenaline I’ve done things that got my adrenaline pumping like being in traffic or watching the end of the F1 season last year. this does not feel like adrenaline. Yes I’ve talked to doctors about it you know what all I get from them is “hm” your blood work looks fine. I got told to stop trying to find the answer to this but like this is one thing idk if I can just let go and not have an answer. Right now it does feel like the panic and anxiety have slightly eased but I still just feel so off. Been dealing with a lot of derealization depersonalization brain fog

[blackcat64013]

Every time when we find ourselves in a stressful situation, there is something different, either in the environment or in our thinking process, before or during the event. Consequently your experiences will vary. To the best of my knowledge, PA symptoms reach a peak as your brain struggles to stay safe then calms down to your baseline measure over 15-20 minutes.

You may then have another PA when your brain has enough energy to trigger the HPA axis again. Otherwise you have a complete physical meltdown as other body systems struggle to cope.

You really do need to develop an acceptance that life usually gives us stress and that it will always pass. Keeping your nervous system on alert means less stress is required to trigger PAs.

As your therapist for some mindfulness training to cope in the moment.

Best wishes 🐨

[Dolphin14]

Hi Adam

Like you, I tried to use my intellect to find all the answers. The answers weren't there. I had to search my soul for all the answers.

I did notice my episodes of anxiety and panic had some slightly differing symptoms. I think it was the degree of stress the situation put me under. Sometimes easier to work through things than others.

🐬

[Blueruth]

Idk if you will like this so proceeding methodically. It reminds me of the newer research and treatment of chronic pain. Chronic pain is real. It usually stems from an event. In order to cure meds make sense and they help. Over time, when the immediate physical trauma has mostly healed, there is a cyclical pattern. Meds do help a lot of people but they are not a cure and it can be intermittent.

So they have started doing research addressing how much is in your brain. This isn’t a “it’s all in your head” mantra. The pain is real. This more like a “is your brain sending or receiving correctly?” Even hunger is susceptible to this. How often have you felt hunger illogically? Most of us have. Hunger is actually a group of chemicals that can be manipulated by things like carbs. It stands to reason (not a scientist of course) that adrenaline is similar.

I have heard multiple stories of people getting over chronic pain with one or more *mind* and body treatments. One was someone who went through a study on chronic pain and healed. Many more including myself (cyclical back pain) changed their lives through yoga which is holistic. If exercising alone worked then body building and swimming should have worked. I also changed my weight trajectory by learning when and how to ignore those hunger cravings safely. I am down 30 pounds as of today without feeling deprived in any way.

How does this relate to you? Doctors can’t find anything. You legit feel anxiety. Just want to validate that. Therapy hasn’t helped so far. Maybe it is too much into behavior. Maybe that just means you haven’t found the right thing. You bicycle. I bet that feels good. So maybe there is something there. Maybe your brain was rewired by COVID. They really only know it hits every organ. There is a saying that when what you are doing doesn’t work try something else. In your case the pattern seems to be have an attack, go to the doctor. Get some test or take some med.

Now none of those are recommendations of things you should try. I think the solution is inside you already. So I say look at what helps even a little bit. Log behavior and feelings every day. Build on it. If therapy would help I think it would be around success not failure.

Finally was the “event” Covid? (Timing) There is a large grassroots group for survivors. It is actually unprecedented because they are feeding information back to research to investigate. No symptom is ignored. It might be worth putting this out there to see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Reading below I see trends in this and what others say.