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Is this an anxiety attack or something more serious?

About 2 weeks ago, I went to bed and I started to experience this feeling like Im falling and I wake up from a shock that makes my heart race. This would last anywhere from 10 minutes to a whole hour. Eventually I would fall asleep and stay asleep until my usual wake up time.
This would happen rarely and I wouldnt mind them until they started happening to me every night, to the point where I would have a fear of going to bed knowing I would have to go through all of it again. This entire week I would go to bed feeling fine, until I close my eyes and I can feel this pressure in my head, I'd feel myself falling and wake up with a shock again, my heart rate would go from slow to fast thumping, my arms would feel like I've lost control of them. My breathing would be heavy and fast too. I'd feel fine the second I open my eyes or sit up. I'd also experince muscles in my legs twitching while I dose off.
I've had heart palpitationsrfor a few years now, it gets worse due to caffeine, but I've stopped consuming caffeine, and my diet is healthy enough. In terms of eating, I ate too little, so It might be cause of that.
On friday I experienced a feeling that was the worst thing I've ever felt. I started to have a tight feeling in my chest, followed by short and heavy breathes. I felt light headed, and I had cold sweats all over my body, my heart wasnt racing but it felt like it was gonna stop any time soon. I tried to eat something but I felt like I was gonna pass out. I felt like I was on the verge of death. My dad told me to calm down and to lie down, so I did that, and after 20 minutes I felt better. After friday I still experience slight chest discomfort, aswell as breathing difficulty, but thats because I think about it all the time. Im going to the GP tomorrow but my appointment isnt gonna be for another week. Im so scared with whats happening to me right now, and I want my life to go back to normal.
I dont know if this is anxiety acting up on me because I do think too much and worry always fills me, or if its something more serious.
Im 17 and I feel like my life is spiraling out of control at this point.
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Avatar universal
Likely nothing physically wrong at your age, but doc can figure that out when you see him. the sweats are probably from fear since you are wondering why you are having problems, but consider that you might not really have anything wrong to see if you can relax.
Since you are young, you are exposed to new life experiences and haven't enough experience for some of them to seem acceptable, so it might just be that you started thinking something was wrong a few weeks ago then over-analyzed your body since then, and adding up all the "symptoms" you self diagnosed.
Try to relax until you see doc, and maybe see the school counselor for now, as they might be able to help you through this period.
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Avatar universal
Shortly after being in bed and having the feeling of falling, then suddenly waking up, is very common and totally harmless. It's called a hypnic jerk. Search it and learn more about it. It seems as if that's what's started your anxiety. You also mentioned eating too little so perhaps low blood sugar is also involved because it can make a person feel anxious. Try a small snack before bed, like some yogurt. And above all, relax. Try some relaxation techniques and/or audios before going to bed, or listen as you go to sleep. God bless you!
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