Brief Answer: It may or may not be a panic attack Detailed Answer: Hi there, Thanks for your query. From the information provided by you, it is somewhat difficult to opine whether it was a panic attack or due to some other reason, such as, heart rhythm defect (called Supraventricular tachycardia- SVT) or, harbinger of an acute infection. Panic attacks usually occur when anxiety builds up gradually and you have a target deadline to meet, which you know cannot be done within the deadline. You were lying down and relaxing when the symptoms occurred abruptly. Hence, the chances of panic reaction are 50%, though it could have been a mild panic attack. Symptoms of anxiety, associated with dizziness, and rapid heart rate- with or without chills- are also seen in cases of SVT. Further, sudden onset of chills and rigors usually precede an infection, though increase in heart rate is usually mild to modest. I would therefore recommend that you get an EKG done to rule-out/diagnose a defect(such as, SVT) of heart rhythm. If you have developed fever or symptoms of bacterial infection by now, you should consult your doctor. Further, as you have been having constant anxiety for quite some time, a course of an anti-anxiety drug will do you good. Anti-anxiety drug is also the medication of choice for treating panic attacks. Consult your doctor and apprise him of my opinion. I am certain that he will agree with my opinion; order required tests, and- based on the reports- will arrive at a certain diagnosis and prescribe suitable treatment as advised. Hope I have addressed to your concerns to your complete satisfaction and you find my response helpful and informative. I will be happy to answer further queries, if any. Fond regards and have a nice day, Dr. Rakesh Karanwal

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Brief Answer: STOP stims + oxylite; Take anti-anxiety drug Detailed Answer: OK. The picture is now clear. All three drugs : stims, oxylite and caffeine have an additive effect and act as force-multipliers to not only raise the basal heart rate but also precipitate episodic transient bursts of rapid heart rate, as it happened in your case. I will therefore, strongly recommend that you * STOP stims and oxylite Pro * Start with an anti-anxiety drug (with or without an anti-depressant, depending your ER's clinical judgment), which will not only abolish anxiety but also, future potential attacks of similar nature. Consult your ER and apprise him of my opinion. I am sure he will honor my advice and prescribe appropriate drugs as advised. Take care, Dr. Rakesh Karanwal

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