Having a panic attacks WHILE you exercise

nightline · Post by **nightline** » Tue Feb 26, 2002 6:55 am

I usse to have panic attack back in 1996, and I bought the tape program then. I started having them again recently. (I am soooooo glad I still have the program!!!).

Anyway, the intial attack hit (and it was a WOPPER) while I was exercising. Since then I can not exercise (even a little) without having an attack. I have started the program again from scratch.

Has anyone else had this problem?

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John Jacobson

Silvana1 · Post by **Silvana1** » Tue Feb 26, 2002 7:13 am

John,

I had one experience with this about 2 months ago. I was on my elliptical machine and was goiny way too fast (i smoke) and had also eaten before doing this, which I normally don't. I don't know if it was a panic attack really, but I felt pretty weird and I couldn't lower my heart rate for awhile. It did make me afraid but I did not let that stop all the progress I have made. I excersize 5 days a week 30-45 minutes and believe me, we need the release. I am not pushing myself too hard (cardio0 but i am not giving in either. I excersize first thing in the morning, a drink alot of water and I do not eat before. Don't let the panic win this one. Start slow, walking and weight lifting, without alot of cardio until you get comfortable again. I hope this helps.

Silvana

DJ · Post by DJ » Tue Feb 26, 2002 4:38 pm

Gosh, I can totally relate and believe me you are not alone with this one. Isn't it just the pitts?!! Here I am controlling all this stupid anxiety and wham, I have a problem with exercising now. I cannot let this take over because our bodies need it desparately and so does our vanity! The brain is so powerful from suggestion that I know since you've had one once when exercising, then your mind thinks it's suppose to have them all the time when you're exercising. The key is to deprogram the brain. Now this is the tricky part. How does one accomplish this complicated task? Well, since you know that a panic attack won't hurt you, you must train your thoughts to actually believe this. This will take time and repitition but it will decrease and eventually go away. Remember your heart rate is suppose to accelerate while exercising, and tell yourself you're suppose to feel this way. The key is to not to give in to the fear. Once the fear is gone, the panic will have no power and will be gone. Be well and keep exercising...DJ

demarse · Post by **demarse** » Mon May 04, 2009 6:53 pm

the same exact thing has been happening to me! It happened once almost a year ago and i just dismissed it, but 3 times in the past week had me so scared that i fled to the emergency room for no answer. I 'convinced' myself that i had a panic attack, but had no idea what a panic attack was and only after reading online did i realize what it was. They all occurred while exercising, but each time it required less and less effort to cross the line. Let me tell you that it is a wake up call to start living your life the way that you know you should, whatever that means to you. 'You get what You deserve'...so lets unite and nip this in the bud before it takes over your life. Who's in?

Veronica327 · Post by **Veronica327** » Fri May 08, 2009 4:21 am

Yes, we need to overcome the fear. I just started the program. And sometimes my panic attacks even when I'm just sitting down relaxing. And I hate it. But we will all overcome this. We need to wake up with a positive attitude. And that should get us through the day.

BookOfPsalms · Post by **BookOfPsalms** » Sat May 09, 2009 3:37 pm

OMG! I am soooo glad I logged on tonite!
This is something that I have been dealing with for several months now.

I had depression and panic attacks to strike again last June (2008). I was so fatigue,sad, emotional, etc. I had no energy to even 'think' about going to the gym to workout, but I heard over and over again from my physicians that I really needed to exercise to relieve the stress. I finally got a lot better a few months afterwards. I decided that I would go to the gym with my husband - since I had not gone in several months! I went, got on the treadmill, walked for 20 min (at a good pace), decided to get on the bike. When I got on the bike I could feel that I was getting anxious and worked up. I had these crazy thoughts that I would pass out or have a heart attack while trying to exercise. I was already feeling fatigue and had no appetite, but my husband talked me into going to try to workout to feel better. Anyhow, after about 3-4 min of pedaling on the bike, I looked at my heart rate and it was 130, and then it went to 140, from there it was 145---I immediately jumped off of the bike, I ran to a nearby couch and sat down. My heart was beating so fast and so hard that I just KNEW I was having a heart attack! I have had panic attacks numerous times before but never while exercising! I am not sure if I just got nervous about my heart rate or what, but that day has caused me to avoid any exercise. However, I did walk with my mom once since then, and I did fine! It took me weeks to even get the nerve up to walk with her. I was so afraid that I would have another attack and that is so scary while working out. It made me think I was overworking my heart or something. After about 10 minutes of resting on that couch, it slowed down, but then I was just drained. I felt so weak, and out of it. I was crying, and we had to leave the gym. I was so humiliated and I was really thinking something was wrong with my heart--although I had recently been checked out by a cardiologist who assured me that everything was perfectly normal. I also have had EKGs,bloodwork, Cat Scans, MRIs, etc. and everything has always been normal.

I am glad that you all posted this, because I have been dealing with this for quite sometime now. I want to exercise, but I am just afraid now.It's embarrassing also when people ask me to workout because I am afraid of this happening again. I have avoided all exercise and strenous workouts due to this.
I pray that I will get thru this very soon and can return to the gym soon!
When I do, I will post it and let you all know!

Corinna Lee · Post by **Corinna Lee** » Sat May 09, 2009 5:39 pm

U are not alone on this. I had my first panic attack while I was at the gym lifting weights. My vision got weird and my heart started pounding and I thought I was having a heart attack. I sat there for a minute and it just got worse. I fled out of the gym and started driving really fast to get home and I was totally freaking out and my heart was still pounding, I was sweating like crazy and felt really weak. I stopped at a convienence store to get an energy bar and water thinking I was dehydrated and while I was in there I almost screamed somebody please call 911. I finally made it home and ate like crazy thinking maybe I was dying of starvation. I didn't go to the gym for a few days but when I finally went back, a few minutes into working out, it happened again and again. Finally I went to the doc and had all sorts of tests done and everything came out normal and I was healthy. This made me feel better so I tried going to the gym again...with no success. Finally I quit the gym all together. After finally having discovered that I was having panic attacks and that they can't hurt me, I now can workout again, but I do it at home. I bought myself an elliptical and weights and I have good workouts everyday. Sometimes I will feeling a panic attack coming on, but now I know what it is and I exercise right through the feelings. Someone on here also suggested to me to by a heart monitor to wear while exercising since the ones on the machines aren't very accurate. This helps ease the mind a little. I found it was all in my head and that it can't hurt me. I know it won't hurt u either, so don't let it beat u!!! good luck!

steve ross · Post by **steve ross** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:13 pm

I can feel your pain.I go to the gym but i dont push myself like i used to.I use energy and lose focus by my false thinking and cant wait to get out of there.I think my sugar might be low or im not in good shape to push it.But dealing with this over the years i earned my 3dan black belt and instructer at my school.

Vegetarian4Life · Post by **Vegetarian4Life** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 1:20 pm

I have the same problem. In fact, the reason I don't exercise is because I am scared when my heart races, which seems a lot faster since I have a faster heart rate anyway. Despite doctors' reassurance, I get scared exercising. Sometimes it takes my heart a while to slow down after exercising. So the exercise part of the program is something with which I'm still struggling. The good thing to remember, though, is that the more you exercise aerobically, the slower your heart will beat over time because as it gets stronger, it doesn't have to work as hard.

woodbridge · Post by **woodbridge** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:10 am

I feel your pain. I too get a bit freaked out exercising. I've been down this path before, so I know I can do it. It's an issue of mind over body.