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??

[dryfork]

Yep, same thing has been happening to me.   I've beat it before, and I'll just have to again.  All of this is mental, the physiological symptoms we are feeling is hyperventilation.  It *****, but all of us can beat this!!

[kimberly826]

I have this happen to me too.  Although I can control it if I stop running. I walk for a bit and remind myself excercise is good for the mind and won't hurt me.  Its never a full blown panic attack, but I can relate.  Walk it off is my advice!  Then continue your run!  I also sometimes cry while I run.  Don't know why but it makes me feel better when I do! Running helps me so much I wouldn't stop because of those minor things!  

[ccarr007]

Danny, I had my first panic attack while driving from Texas to Seattle, Washington.  It scared me because I thought I was having a heart attack.  After numerous cardio tests I was told I have a 2% chance of having a heart attack in the next ten years.  I have changed my diet and stay away from caffeine and processed foods.  I also gained almost 30 lbs since, because I would have anxiety attacks when I exerted myself so exercising became an issue.  I researched cures for anxiety and the one thing that kept coming up was exercise.  I have been at it for 2 months now, have lost 8 lbs and ran for 5 minutes for the first time in a long time.  I feel great.  I can feel when I start feeling anxious so I'll so down, catch my breathe, and remind myself I am calm, I am safe, I am at ease, I am at peace.  A little trick I learned in a Mindfullness Stress Reduction class.  Google it, it has done wonders for me.  Start slowly when you get back at it.  I started taking my son on walks around the block, then added another, I walk for 45 minutes now and no stress.  I am glad I looked this up to find i am not alone.  You are not alone either Danny.  Exercise does help reduce stress and releases endorphines that make us feel better about ourselves.  Plus when you see that weight coming off your sefl esteem will go through the roof giving you more confidence and motivation to keep at it.  Good luck and don't let this beat you.  You are safe, calm, at ease, at peace.

[rideod]

Thank you so much to everyone who posted. This is exactly what I was looking for this evening. I have started running regularly in the past six months and do fine most of the time. However, a week before my menstrual cycle (sorry guys) last month and this month, I experienced what I can only call internal tremors. It's like I'm about to have a major panic attack (which I have had and currently take some medication for to manage the anxiety)...my insides feel the adrenaline rush as if I've narrowly missed a big car wreck. I don't tremble externally, but it feels like my insides are, for sure.  My runs really suffer as a result and I get very frustrated with myself.  Thank you all for your replies and thank you to xanaxed who asked this almost six year ago! :)

[bigmattee]

I'm a 40 year old male and fit as a fiddle. I've been running all my life. I've been running the same route for nearly a year now. After a couple of miles there is a steep hill that climbs for about 100 metres, needless to say by the top you are breathing quite hard. Last night I did the same run as usual, got to the top of the hill and my mind decided that, on this occasion, the normal shortness of breath was my throat closing up and that I was having some sort of respiratory attack! I stopped, whipped off my headphones, and stood there wondering what the hell was happening to me, trying to quell the rising panic. Then I realised the whole thing was a panic attack. It scared the hell out of me. I tried hard to be rational, but it was not easy to take back control and I had to walk very slowly back home!

Looking back, I think the following may have contributed to cause:

I don't think I left enough time after dinner before run
I left the house in a rush
Had a disagreement with someone just before leaving
The weather was warm for UK
Body and mind are quite stressed by top of that hill
The climb in altitude plus warm weather may have changed air slightly
Have been used to a colder air, giving a "fresher" feeling in throat
Just before attack I was trying to close mouth and breathe through nose
Had more coffee than normal that day

On the walk back, symptoms disappeared when distracted by music or people, and returned if the mind was allowed to have the thoughts again. I'm very glad to see that I'm not alone in this experience.

[dejavudu]

I understand exactly what you're feeling. I've struggled with anxiety for at least 12 years but exercise was always a big help. Recently though while spinning I've started to feel my heart racing and also feeling shortness of breath while experiencing this overwhelming feeling of losing control and just wanting to cry. It's very disturbing because intense cardio like rinning or spinning have always been such a refuge and would have the opposite effect releasing stress and allowing me to feel calm again. Anyway I understand . It's great that you have your husband to support you. I could sure use some support from my girlfriend but she just sees anxiety as weakness and thinks I should just snap out of it.

Since i used to work with my mother and her psychiatrist adjusting and changing meds w various side effects plus 1 unsuccessful attempt w Remeron I've been afraid to go the meds route. Is it working for you? Which one?

Take care.