I thought I was dying!?!
Question: I am a 13 year old girl, no known respitory problems, asthma, pneumonia, or anything. I am very healthy! But today, I was taking a bath, and I all of a sudden HAD to get out! I couldn't breathe, my heart was beating really fast and skipping a lot too, and I thought I was going to faint, I had no muscle strength, I could barely hold the towel around myself. My mom is at work, and my step dad was busy, and I barely made it to my room before I collapsed. This was an awful feeling, and I couldn't breathe, I couldn't call for help, and I was limp and couldn't support my own weight which isn't a lot. I am 4'7'' (maybe 8'') and weigh about 63 pounds. My heart was beating in a fast manner and everytime it would beat, my whole body would move, or just shake, and I was on the ground and I managed to move myself to my bed, but I was laying there motionless and unable to breath or ask for help for about 30 minutes. I have been short of breath with an irregular heartbeat since then. What is wrong??
Answers: I am a 13 year old girl, no known respitory problems, asthma, pneumonia, or anything. I am very healthy! But today, I was taking a bath, and I all of a sudden HAD to get out! I couldn't breathe, my heart was beating really fast and skipping a lot too, and I thought I was going to faint, I had no muscle strength, I could barely hold the towel around myself. My mom is at work, and my step dad was busy, and I barely made it to my room before I collapsed. This was an awful feeling, and I couldn't breathe, I couldn't call for help, and I was limp and couldn't support my own weight which isn't a lot. I am 4'7'' (maybe 8'') and weigh about 63 pounds. My heart was beating in a fast manner and everytime it would beat, my whole body would move, or just shake, and I was on the ground and I managed to move myself to my bed, but I was laying there motionless and unable to breath or ask for help for about 30 minutes. I have been short of breath with an irregular heartbeat since then. What is wrong??
Those are serious symptoms. If I was to guess, it sounds like you got hypotensive (low blood pressure). When you get hypotensive, less blood gets to the rest of your body because your stroke volume decreases (stroke volume is the amount of blood that gets to yoru body with each beat). Since your heart rate increased, it was compensating for something, because your body needs to get a certain amount of blood to it each minute. That also could explain your weakness. Also definitely an explanatino for your shortness of breath.
Not to be mean, but next time, CALL FOR HELP AT ALL COSTS when that happens, you can seriuosly damage yoru body with symptoms like that. And with an irregular heart beat and shortness of breath continueing, I am shocked that you have not gone to a doctor.
Sounds like you had a panic attack for some unknown reason.....???? You need to call your mom at work or tell your step dad....ASAP!!
Sounds like you had an anxiety attack....see your doctor
you definintely need to go see your doctor and tell him what happened.
not sure but you need to tell your dad and fast you night need to go to the doctor today or the emergency room. tell him now
number one eat more, for thirteen your underweight.
the steam from the bath could have caused it but i doubt it. Tell your parents and go see a doctor, because if you don't it could happen again. I hope you get well!
i dont know but you need to get to the e.r.
OMG you poor poor thing!!!
You really need to see a doctor. If you are 13 and only weigh 63 pounds, something is wrong. You should weigh more than that.
Talk to your parents right away or the school counselor.
I am not sure sweetie, but please let someone know in your family and go to the E.R. now.
See a doctor.
You 'may' be experiencing a panic attack and could evolve into a cycle unless you acknowledge this point.
If you don't fret over the symptoms they shouldn't worsen. If you do fret then it increases the symptoms.
In either case, try to remain as calm as possible until you can see a doctor.
Sounds like you fainted- the bath may have been too hot. You should probably see your doctor, but keep calm! I faint in hot temperatures or if medical things are being talked about. Were you thinking about any illnesses or diseases? Call your mum and stepdad immediatley becuasue it sounds serious.
If that's the case I'd call an ambulance or get someone to take you to casualty / emergency room. Not sure what's going on, but sounds like either a seisure of some kind, very outside change of a heart problem or allergic reaction.
Whatever it is, you need it looked at very soon in case it comes back. Also if you're still having the symptoms then it'll be easier for them to diagnose.
The only other thing I can think of is if you were masturbating while in the bath then I've experienced similar things - something to do with it being warm and steam filled which makes it harder to breath.
The heart beat bit doesn't sound much like an asthma attack and that would mean it would be very hard to breath out too. My money is on an allergic reaction that was maybe speeded up by the warm water, but you really do need a professional opinion.
Edit: Panic attacks are another very possible as mentioned by a few people, but same advice applies just to be sure.
It sounds odd.
Perhaps you haven't been getting enough exercise, or are too petite.
I heard that girls who are under-weight can suffer sudden panic attacks after eating more than they are use to.
In a more understandable way:
If you constantly starve or eat little portions and then one day decide to eat much more, you can have panic attacks.
But you should contact a doctor or do research on it.
Maybe you are just developing breathing problems, some people do at your age.
Best advise is to start exercising and eating healthy, it is the cure for MOST everything.
(I find the source at the very bottom the best)
Without more information there is no easy answer.
Could be that the warm bath caused massive peripheral vaso-dialation which in turn caused your blood pressure to fall and your heart to start to race to keep up with your body's circulation needs. This would cause dizziness and all the other symptoms you described.
Any time your heart is in a fast rhythm for any length of time the heart muscle gets very tired and irritable, which could explain the residual irregularity.
You should tell your parents and have them take you to a hospital,( preferably one that deals with children,) and have an EKG that should be interpreted by a pediatric cardiologist. Just to be on the safe side.
It sounds like a panic attack, possibly brought on by the closed space of being in the shower/bath. If you can, leave a window open in the bathroom (even in winter), this will enter into your subconscious mind that there "is" an open space and it might help ease off the panic attack. I leave my bathroom door open because of this fact, I have claustrophobia. As long as I know there is an outlet, I can shower in peace.