HEAT INDUCED PANIC ATTACKS - please share your experiences

[hopefulsmile]

Hello everybody!

I am new here tonight, and have come to search for some others who may feel the same as me - as my boyfriend really does an amazing job of looking after me, but I need to talk to people who are in the same situation and understand.

I was diagnosed with anxiety about 5 years ago, and depression 1 year ago.

I certainly have many anxiety triggers, but one of the main ones is being in any hot environment and feeling too warm.

When I get overwhelmed with heat and feelings - I get panicky, shaky, feel like I cannot breathe proper air, feel like I have to rip all my clothes off to my underwear, feel like I’m living an outer body experience, I feel dizzy and weak, and I cry...A LOT.

I used to have fainting episodes when I was younger due to low blood pressure, when I was around 10/11 (I am 24 now), and I always associate the feeling of being too hot, with how I used to feel before I would pass out (even though I have not passed out in over 10 years)

This hasn’t been a trigger in years, until last year when I was at work and someone passed out due to heat, and it brought everything back.

I have been seriously struggling, especially the past week, with the humid weather.

I have my safety behaviours - I have ice packs at the ready to put on my back and forehead, a huge water bottle, ice in the freezer, a portable fan and a large plug in fan, and I just have to hide away in my bedroom with the blinds closed, lie down and watch some Netflix or something to distract myself - or I just sleep.

I get so miserable. I feel like I can’t do anything - exercise, cooking, housework, go for picnics, any form of physical work or movement as I get so anxious. I avoid being outside, I have never been to a hot country on holiday, I never get the tube or fly, or take an elevator in case I overheat and can’t get out into fresh air. I sit near the exit of restaurants, cinemas and theatres. It’s ruining my life.

I have never come across anybody who has this problem, but I KNOW there are people out there - and I finally decided to look for a forum. So here I am! I just need some support from others who experience this...

Please can anybody share their experiences and how they get through, so I don’t feel so bad about myself and that I am a failure to my boyfriend and a burden. He always assures me I am not, but I feel like I am.

Thank you xxx

 

[Tawny]

I find i panic with the heat but i think it is the humidity making it harder to breathe.

Ice cold bath!

 

[Zoe1]

yes cold showers, run cold water over your wrists
and accept that you cant do much !

 

[LizBo]

Hi and @hopefulsmile!

The basis of anxiety is adrenaline. If you think of your body's processes when being triggered, it's usually a post 'thought' event. Whatever increases your heartrate has the capacity to induce anxiety.

Apart from a medical condition (which I'd get checked with your GP) a memory is more likely the culprit. Is there anything in your past that might influence this symptom?

 

[SunnyDaze]

Hi there @hopefulsmile

Im assuming you're female? Have you ever had your hormone levels checked by a doctor? I know you're only 24 but this:

. When I get overwhelmed with heat and feelings - I get panicky, shaky, feel like I cannot breathe proper air, feel like I have to rip all my clothes off to my underwear, feel like I’m living an outer body experience, I feel dizzy and weak, and I cry...A LOT

Sounds exactly like my hot flashes,except for the crying part.

I went through an early menopause and when I was in my late 20's the doctor told me I was in perimenopause. I thought he was way wrong but it turned out he was right.

Im not saying it's early menopause for you,just that hormones can definitely play a huge role in anxiety and panic attacks and many other problems, including what ypu described. Are you on birth control pills? Is your monthly cycle regular?

Maybe a trip to the doctor and a complete check up might be a good idea?

Hugs

 

[Julie41]

Hello everybody!

I am new here tonight, and have come to search for some others who may feel the same as me - as my boyfriend really does an amazing job of looking after me, but I need to talk to people who are in the same situation and understand.

I was diagnosed with anxiety about 5 years ago, and depression 1 year ago.

I certainly have many anxiety triggers, but one of the main ones is being in any hot environment and feeling too warm.

When I get overwhelmed with heat and feelings - I get panicky, shaky, feel like I cannot breathe proper air, feel like I have to rip all my clothes off to my underwear, feel like I’m living an outer body experience, I feel dizzy and weak, and I cry...A LOT.

I used to have fainting episodes when I was younger due to low blood pressure, when I was around 10/11 (I am 24 now), and I always associate the feeling of being too hot, with how I used to feel before I would pass out (even though I have not passed out in over 10 years)

This hasn’t been a trigger in years, until last year when I was at work and someone passed out due to heat, and it brought everything back.

I have been seriously struggling, especially the past week, with the humid weather.

I have my safety behaviours - I have ice packs at the ready to put on my back and forehead, a huge water bottle, ice in the freezer, a portable fan and a large plug in fan, and I just have to hide away in my bedroom with the blinds closed, lie down and watch some Netflix or something to distract myself - or I just sleep.

I get so miserable. I feel like I can’t do anything - exercise, cooking, housework, go for picnics, any form of physical work or movement as I get so anxious. I avoid being outside, I have never been to a hot country on holiday, I never get the tube or fly, or take an elevator in case I overheat and can’t get out into fresh air. I sit near the exit of restaurants, cinemas and theatres. It’s ruining my life.

I have never come across anybody who has this problem, but I KNOW there are people out there - and I finally decided to look for a forum. So here I am! I just need some support from others who experience this...

Please can anybody share their experiences and how they get through, so I don’t feel so bad about myself and that I am a failure to my boyfriend and a burden. He always assures me I am not, but I feel like I am.

Thank you xxx

Hi
I am the same ! I have anxiety & depression
As soon as I know that tomorrow will be hot 🥵 l go into worry mode - keep looking at the weather to see how hot it will be ... constantly on my mind
I get lightheaded- shaky- feel as though my body is overheating burning skin- scared
I just want to lay on my bed with my fan on & sleep
I put my feet in a bowl of cold water & face wipes in the fridge for my face neck & arms which helps cool me but depending on how much Ive got myself in a state as to how long it takes to calm down

 

[Zoe1]

today I didnt look at the weather report all day
I know it will be the same until Thursday
so I dont need to keep looking at it , which I found helpful

 

[Antimatter]

Hi smile and welcome to the group. I have the same trouble as you, few of us out there and it is horrible. Truly horrible! Smells like aerosols or just plain dust can set me off. Jewelery around my neck or tight fitting clothes.

Feel free to ask away privately or openly, I have been suffering with this for almost 30 years, I am now 46 and have been through alot with it.

 

[AshleymarieIsMe33]

I can also relate to this , knowing that half is from my body being overwhelmed snd the other half being whatever this underlying health condition is that I have. And the more I think about it the hotter I get. I suffer from syncope episodes with tachycardia so my heart will just escalate on its own with no warning and sometimes it’s so bad i pass out. But heat is another story. It can be 69 degrees but I still need a fan on me because I feel like I’m choking. And the more I think about it the worse I get and then it’s a vicious cycle. Someone explained to me during one of my hospital stays there is a nerve in the back of the neck that can calm you down. So when I feel like I’m having a heart episode or the heat is getting to me I put the ice on the back of my neck or even cool water and breathe through the nose. I also find breathing through my nose extremely hard when the heat almost hot flashes happen. Another trick I learned is to hold one nostril down while doing a breath in and out with the other. It works sometimes for me. I can tell you that if I have a mask on and the hot gets to me it is about 100 times worse I start to hyperventilate as well I have to excuse myself to a corner or a bathroom pull the mask down snd do some breathing. Between the cold on the back of my neck and deep breathing I feel like I have improved a marginal amount but always like to shre what worked!!!

 

[AshleymarieIsMe33]

I also wanted to add to someone else’s comment about hormones. I very recently found out that my thyroid was destroying itself via an ultrasound. And due to a weird feeling in my neck for the investigation. Anyhow , the hormone levels were checked and I was off on a few. But it’s definitely worth going to a doctor to see if you can have hormones ruled out as well !

 

[Komorebi]

I was also going to mention thyroid issues and perhaps getting that checked out. I have the same problem in the hot and humid weather and basically waste a solid 3 months laying and watching Netflix with the aircon on full blast. It has been so much worse with masks!! When I first felt this I was on a rush hour train and had no idea what was happening, so my doctor mentioned possible anxiety but also since it was hot he mentioned testing for thyroid issues.

Wet towels, water, fan, and knowing I can get away and just crawl up somewhere are the only ways I feel alright.

 

[Bobbinsky]

Hello everybody!

I am new here tonight, and have come to search for some others who may feel the same as me - as my boyfriend really does an amazing job of looking after me, but I need to talk to people who are in the same situation and understand.

I was diagnosed with anxiety about 5 years ago, and depression 1 year ago.

I certainly have many anxiety triggers, but one of the main ones is being in any hot environment and feeling too warm.

When I get overwhelmed with heat and feelings - I get panicky, shaky, feel like I cannot breathe proper air, feel like I have to rip all my clothes off to my underwear, feel like I’m living an outer body experience, I feel dizzy and weak, and I cry...A LOT.

I used to have fainting episodes when I was younger due to low blood pressure, when I was around 10/11 (I am 24 now), and I always associate the feeling of being too hot, with how I used to feel before I would pass out (even though I have not passed out in over 10 years)

This hasn’t been a trigger in years, until last year when I was at work and someone passed out due to heat, and it brought everything back.

I have been seriously struggling, especially the past week, with the humid weather.

I have my safety behaviours - I have ice packs at the ready to put on my back and forehead, a huge water bottle, ice in the freezer, a portable fan and a large plug in fan, and I just have to hide away in my bedroom with the blinds closed, lie down and watch some Netflix or something to distract myself - or I just sleep.

I get so miserable. I feel like I can’t do anything - exercise, cooking, housework, go for picnics, any form of physical work or movement as I get so anxious. I avoid being outside, I have never been to a hot country on holiday, I never get the tube or fly, or take an elevator in case I overheat and can’t get out into fresh air. I sit near the exit of restaurants, cinemas and theatres. It’s ruining my life.

I have never come across anybody who has this problem, but I KNOW there are people out there - and I finally decided to look for a forum. So here I am! I just need some support from others who experience this...

Please can anybody share their experiences and how they get through, so I don’t feel so bad about myself and that I am a failure to my boyfriend and a burden. He always assures me I am not, but I feel like I am.

Thank you xxx

You are not alone. I am extremely heat intolerant and have stroke-like attacks when the temperature gets over 70 degrees. I have many symptoms that come from this attack which are belles pals

Hello everybody!

I am new here tonight, and have come to search for some others who may feel the same as me - as my boyfriend really does an amazing job of looking after me, but I need to talk to people who are in the same situation and understand.

I was diagnosed with anxiety about 5 years ago, and depression 1 year ago.

I certainly have many anxiety triggers, but one of the main ones is being in any hot environment and feeling too warm.

When I get overwhelmed with heat and feelings - I get panicky, shaky, feel like I cannot breathe proper air, feel like I have to rip all my clothes off to my underwear, feel like I’m living an outer body experience, I feel dizzy and weak, and I cry...A LOT.

I used to have fainting episodes when I was younger due to low blood pressure, when I was around 10/11 (I am 24 now), and I always associate the feeling of being too hot, with how I used to feel before I would pass out (even though I have not passed out in over 10 years)

This hasn’t been a trigger in years, until last year when I was at work and someone passed out due to heat, and it brought everything back.

I have been seriously struggling, especially the past week, with the humid weather.

I have my safety behaviours - I have ice packs at the ready to put on my back and forehead, a huge water bottle, ice in the freezer, a portable fan and a large plug in fan, and I just have to hide away in my bedroom with the blinds closed, lie down and watch some Netflix or something to distract myself - or I just sleep.

I get so miserable. I feel like I can’t do anything - exercise, cooking, housework, go for picnics, any form of physical work or movement as I get so anxious. I avoid being outside, I have never been to a hot country on holiday, I never get the tube or fly, or take an elevator in case I overheat and can’t get out into fresh air. I sit near the exit of restaurants, cinemas and theatres. It’s ruining my life.

I have never come across anybody who has this problem, but I KNOW there are people out there - and I finally decided to look for a forum. So here I am! I just need some support from others who experience this...

Please can anybody share their experiences and how they get through, so I don’t feel so bad about myself and that I am a failure to my boyfriend and a burden. He always assures me I am not, but I feel like I am.

Thank you xxx

You are not alone. I have extreme heat intolerance. I have stroke-like attacks induced by heat when temperature rises above 69 degrees. A few of my symptoms during the attacks are bells palsy, spasms, extreme weakness, pain, and I can collapse and sometimes faint. The symptoms mostly subside when I cooll off again but, I'm not %100 well enough to be a functional mother for a good 24hrs after the attack. They are similar to Uhthoff’s phenomenon, though my doctors assured me I don't have m.s. but, I do have migrains. I've felt alone in this for so long. I can't go anywhere or do anything 9 months out of the year and my husband and 5 kids suffer from me being so debilitated. This has completely ruined my life.

 

[rjdb]

I'm not too bad in the heat. It's the cold that terrifies me, especially snow. I think i'll die when it snows.

 

[Littlerose8]

I understand completely!! I definitely get anxiety when it’s too hot. I actually just had a full on panic attack. We are at a resort and there’s an indoor/outdoor shower. It’s chilly out so I had the showers super hot. My heart starting beating faster (which is normal with this), but it felt as if it just got worse & didn’t stop! It lasted for 30 minutes, because of course I got in my head and I thought it was physical health related, in a very bad way. I felt like I was going to throw up, pass out, got dizzy, and blurry vision somewhat. It was scary. I had to open all the doors, drink a lot of water and really try with breathing techniques. Ice cold wash cloths often help too. I actually stay away from the outdoors mostly in the summer because of the way it affects me physically, which has turned into panic attacks. I have to keep telling myself “you’ve been through this so many times, it’s not different,” although sometimes it feels worse or “different this time.” You got this!