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??

[SirDrums]

not exactly as I dont hace claissic type panic attacks,(mainly just the symptoms).

Though sometimes, when I get done with a particuar grueling jog i can feel a lump in my chest and tingling in my cheeks which at first scared into thinking I was about to have something bad happen to me. I think it has to do with the temp outside. It onsl has happend when the weather is warmer.

Does your attacks happen regaurdless of temperature? maybe your getting to hot and that is setting them off?

[bryanguy]

This exact thing happens to me alot when i exercise.  I get shortness of breath, and feeling almost as if my heart is stopping, just a really wierd feeling, so i stop, just as you explain and i get an anxiety attack i guess you would call it. my heart starts beating real fast and i get all shaky and its hard to even walk. I have been working out and exercising for years, and i have had almost every non invasive cardio workup there is from doctors because i have been dealing with this problem for almost 2 years.  I guess it is just anxiety since anxiety symptoms are very similar to exercising side effects but its just such an awkward feeling, and it makes me scared to exercise.  I am slightly relieved to see that i am not the only one with this problem.  Any input or Anything you have found that helps you out?

[killtac20]

maybe your body is surprised about all of the work your putting it through, and thus is scared and panics, thus leading you into a panic attack, iv had this same thign happen to me, it was on a cold day though, and i ran straight from my house to my cousins(a few blocks non-stop) and it lead me into a small panic attack when i reached his house and tried to relax...i think this is kind of common, and you shouldnt worry


=)

[ladybug008]

When we excerise hard our bodies put out adrenaline which comes from our adrenal glands. This is what I have come to know.  I had to stop my spinning class because of these issues. I had to slow it down and do other things. (exercise wise)  I have been dealing with my issues for four years. It does get better it just takes time.

[eire86]

yes yes yes i taught i was the only one getting this i would do a small bit of exercise and i would get a fast heart and dizzy then i would become very aware of my breathing and feel im breathing all wrong then my heart would get even faster and you know the story after that its a full blown panic attack.. dont let this discourage you start off doing light exercise and once you feel safe with a eleavated heart rate and heavy breathing then push it more next time,, i done this and now i can exercise as hard as i want and its cool.. exercise can mimic panic attack symptoms it gets easy`r.. take care.

[nicksad]

Read the book "The Anxiety Disease" by David Sheehan.

He describes how this can happen from Lactate build up while working out.  They were able to duplicate panic attacks by injecting Lactate into some panic attack prone people.

[danny225]

I have never had panic attacks before but since Dec.2010 I have had them several times and once when I was exercising.I am afraid to exercise now or sometimes even drive.I have been taking clonapam and atenelol but they don't always work.If you have any new advice please feel free email me at:***@****.
I am desperate for help I have gained about 30-pounds!

[buttondownlip]

I just had this happen to me for the 2nd time...always while I run.  I wasn't feeling anxious either so it really caught me off guard, but I will try again tomorrow.  

[compnet]

It's probably your electrolytes/minerals: Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, and Calcium.  Athletes have been known to drop dead from extreme shortage of Magnesium.  That's why they tend to use "sport drinks" -- they have electrolytes, though in small amounts, and I only know of one new brand that contains magnesium as well.

Magnesium and Potassium are very important for proper muscle function, and in your case, breathing muscles and the heart muscle, which relate to shortness of breath, hyperventilating or air hunger; anxiety, panic, etc.

You can ask your doctor and look into foods rich in these minerals, supplements, and/or Epsom Salt bath soak (magnesium sulfate.)  

Good foods for potassium include: bananas, OJ/oranges, potatoes, etc.  Dried seaweed has a lot of minerals.

[snipes909]

sorry compnet but panic attacks have nothing to do with your vitamen levels, it is a severe disorder that can't be taken lightly, it is actually more a phsycological thing then a medical issue, although there are some tips.  I reccomend trying a book its better to get to the source on why your having them and embracing them rather than to fear them otherwise they'll always be there.  Im not a medical doctor but ive been fighting panic disorder for almost 8 years now and finally learning to cope.

[ellylikeslemonyogurt]

I am training for a marathon having been keen on fitness for several years and have recently for the first time completely out of the blue experienced exactly what you describe whilst running. My chest went tight and I had palpitations, I couldn't breathe properly and when I realised I couldn't breathe properly my throat closed even tighter and it felt like I was trying to breathe through a pinhole. I was able to continue my run but only at cooldown pace, and since this experience I have worried about a repetition so much that it has happened (though to not such a bad extent) an subsequent runs. I am a very anxious person. For me, while running my mind clears and I really start thinking about the stressful aspects of my life in detail where I usually avoid thinking about such things. Most likely controlling your thoughts while running and especially at the onset of symptoms is the only way to deal with this. If anyone with a similar story has experiences with medications I'd be very interested.

[thinkerg]

im a 20 year old male, healthy, fit, no social anxiety. ive been working out for almost three years intensely with cardio and weights and ive never had a problem untill just the other day i lifted weights an then a little cardio, i was fine throughout the whole thing till i stopped, it seemed like my heart rate wouldnt go down so it freaked me out and it went up more causing a full out panic attack ( ive had anxiety for almost three years now but only several attacks)  now every time i work out im still fine during the work out but then it feels like my heart is beating so hard an i can feel it through my chest an then i panic....i cant just not work out forever idk what to do. am i alone on this? does anyone's heart feel like its beating to fast after they work out, i dont know if its normal an im just freaking myself out or if i should get seen. id appreciate feed back thanks!

[How2buildMuscle]

Exercise is one of the best physical activities that you can do to increase your health but too much exercise can cause negative effects on your body. By exercising too much, you can disrupt the chemical balance in your body. This can cause certain health problems and stress on your immune system.
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[bballer9]

No bro your not alone, i am 29 year old male and have been experiencing this for about several months already, same exact situation as you.i consider my self very healthy,fit as well. theres days when i work out i feel great, good intense workout. Now there is days when i worried so much about getting a panic attack that when i feel my heart racing i have to slow down the workout and tell my self im ok youve felt this before its just anxiety, and the feeling calms down after a few minutes of resting...now the reason for you or should i say us feeling this way is are breathing patterns while exercising  ,it can throw off oxygen levels and carbon dioxide levels off the roof....something else that has helped me was ive noticed i have been slightly dehydrated so i have incresed my water consumption, (the other way of your brain of telling you that you need more water is by anxiety.)hope this helps you young bro, take it easy, slow down and listen to your body you dont have to completely stop what you love doing:)

[rich1971]

This thread was very helpful!!! I've been experiencing the same symptoms to the point I had to go to a cardiologist to get myself checked out. I've been dealing with panic attacks for the better part of 18 year, but panic attacks while exercising is relatively new to me. I guess the only solution is to take it slow and keep at it!

[justmeiguess]

This thread really makes me feel better that I'm not alone on this one. I've been exercising regularly and it wasn't until a month before Christmas when I was running in my treadmill at home that I had a full blown panic attack. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack! I called my husband and he immediately came to my rescue. I was so panicked I thought I was going to die that night so he called 911 and by the time they got there I was half way to feeling better. My husband just calmed me down and helped with my breathing and relaxation. I'll never forget that night! It was awful! My 5 year old saw everything including the paramedic and it was scary for him too. After that incident I've been more anxious. I was never really an anxious person so this is something new to me. I've gained a few pounds because I'm scared now. I feel like this has taken over my life. I'm now on anti anxiety medication. It has regulated my symptoms and I feel normal again, kind of. Then a week ago I started lane swimming, just taking it easy. About halfway through my routine I started panicking and this time I don't have my husband. Another full blown panic attack, I sat in the change room and calmed myself down and remembered to take steady deep breaths. It helped a little but it's making me sad and angry because it feels as if I can't do the things I used to enjoy. I'm slowly trying to accept this but it's hard.

[deez719]

I seem to get the same thing, whenever I seem to walk up the stairs or power walk, my heart beats irregularly, then I feel this sudden panicky feeling and I stop. I haven't went to see the cardiologist but I'm going to see what I can do with natural medications. My heart tends to beat really hard after this happens. It sometimes happens when I'm sitting in class trying to focus. I just need a solution for this because its seriously interfering with my grades; by the way I'm a First year university student

[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.

[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.

[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! :)

[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.

[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!  

[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!!

[brainskars]

Ive just experienced this now at the gym. I was working back and after my sets I started getting dizzy. The dizzyness grew into a slight blindness and reached a peak and vanished (which normally happens but not this bad) I obligated myself to stop and take a breather after my right ear plugged up for some reason. Then it happened. I felt as if my heart stopped and I was going to really pass out I actually thought to myself this is it. But my heart then started to race wich made my panick/anxiety even worse. I started to tell a trainer at the gym then it faded away. But it had to be the most horrid thing thats happened to me in a long time