Anxiety Attack while Exercising?

[xanaxed]

Have any of you experienced an anxiety attack while exercising?
Lately while i've been running, I start getting shortness of breath and it feels like i cant quite catch my breath, then I'll need to slow down and when i do i experience a panic attack.  I've been exercising on a regular basis for about 2 years now and only recently i've been experiencing this.  I've had anxiety attacks for about 2 years also.  Has this also happened to anybody??

[hhj1970]

i am not sure if i'm having either but i get anxious when i'm doing cardio like 30 to 40 mins. in i start to just feel anxious.  I had a vertgo experience in the gym in 2005 and it was really life altering and scary, come to find out it was vertigo and vestbular neuronitis, the most scariest thing i have ever gone thru, i felt that it was behind me, but i am nto sure if i'm over-exerting myself and confusing that w/the onset of vertigo or what the deal is, it's occurring more & more and i don't want to stop working out, what do i do?? i asked my doctor for anxiety meds. she gave me dizziness pills and something to help me relax near bedtime; but i don't want to be dependent on those.  

[Tommy2015]

Working out is so weird for me and here is why. What happens to you, happens to me as well but with mine there is an extra kick to it. I work out like for example ride the bike for 100 minutes and stop, then go lift weights for 15 mins only but non-stop. I wash my hands and walk home from the gym at my complex. As I am walking my heart goes faster then it was when I was putting a "DEMAND" on my heart physically. So if my heart rate was 100 to 135 bpm, now it's 135 to 185 bpm. I go home and check my BP and heart rate with a very accurate machine I purchased and checked it with my doctors BP machine and they were the same. So my heart one hour later is still in the 90's to 100. Though that is normal, it is not normal for me. I take one Atenolol 25mg every night at 10:00pm for sinus tachycardia due to panic attacks, palpitations and I was waking up with very heart beats from dreams or eating before going to bed. Anyway, bottom line is that when we work out the heart is asked to do more than just relax. A huge demand is put on it and of course the lungs kick in and you breath more, oxygen levels increase and the feel good hormone is supposed to come out and give you a "natural high" and we are designed to feel good because of this good hormone being released. Though it does happen to millions of people, there are some of us that also get Cortisol ( stress hormone ) and adrenaline released which triggers fast heart beats, sweating more and feelings of lightheadedness or spinning feeling. While our bodies are in motion even if it's not a strenuous workout, we also "ADD" fear or 2nd fear to it by having conscious or subconscious thoughts of many "what if's". What if I pass out? What if I die? Why is my chest hurting? Is this a real heart attack? Who would help me and save me should I be in big trouble? Will they call for an ambulance? Am I going to meet my maker? Why do I have to leave this planet and everyone behind? Where am I going next after this? Who will be there? This *****!! And on and on and on........the list is very long and some people just think and think and over think which causes more stress hormones to be released and our workouts turn out to be a disaster as some of the feelings of working out mimic anxiety and or panic attack feelings. That's just my opinion.  

[Nic845]

The same exact thing is happening to me!

[Nic845]

Hey everyone! I also have panic attacks while working out and it's def scary!  Here's what I ask myself to calm myself down.."would I be feeling this way if I were down my basement?" If the answer is no, as it always is, I remind myself that it's just a panic attack.  People having an actual heart attack won't care where they are, they're in pain and want help. These simple self-talk techniques can help stop your attacks!  

[dyelongjustice]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! I'm 27, going to Grad School, just got married, and just bought my first place. I've had anxiety before (when I was 20), but it's been very manageable up until the past 3 months. I've worked out 5x/week since I was 16, but in the last 2 years, my workouts just haven't been the same. Since having these worsened panic attacks, I have occasional panic attacks while working out, mostly when I lift weights, but occasionally when I run as well. My breathing changes a lot when I'm nervous or if I'm lifting, which is why I think I'm getting anxious symptoms. I usually feel light headed or "off", my heart pounds a little harder or fast, occasionally I get a weird tingle sensation in my hands, my hands sweat, and I can't stay still.

What ***** is that I feel like my workouts are suffering. I used to run 6 miles with no problems, and now most of the time I run a few miles, then walk the rest. Working out used to make me feel great, but now it just makes me wish I could workout hard again. I also have a fear that not being able to work out like I used to is going to lead to me getting out of shape. They always tell you to workout if you have anxiety, but what do you do if you have already been working out?

Lately I've been working on focusing on my breathing, positive thinking, and accepting that I'm going to have weird a$% symptoms. It has been helping some for sure, but I just wish all my symptoms would go away now! It's good to know that other people are in the same boat.

[millerclan1972]

I'm glad I found this site as well. I've been fighting this for several years. I've had a stress test, a nuclear stress test and a heart cath. All came back negative and the cardiologist stated I had less than 15% blockage and the heart of a 15 year old. I was 38 when this came to an unbearable breaking point.

Stange thing is I'm an ex-triathlete but still very active cycling, lifting weights, surfing, etc.

I still get them. I'm not sure what everybody's intake of alcohol is on this form but i'm starting to research "acute alcohol withdrawal". I don't drink much through the week and I train two times a day. However once Friday comes, I can tend to put it down. I'm going to take the advice of an earlier post and realy watch my electrolytes.

I have noticed that it comes on when I am 95% of my Max HR for more than 30 seconds. I've just realy dialed back my work out to 80%-85%. It doesn't always feel that I'm pushing as hard as I can but as we age (I'm 41 now) it might be a reality of life for those of us who fight this daily.

All the best to all on this post. Keep sharing any success stories.