what happened to me?

I am brand new to this forum, though I've been posting on the AvPD forum for a while (self-diagnosed- too scared to talk to anyone). I was just on a five-day cruise in the Caribbean, and having a pretty good night, when all of a sudden I felt like I had heartburn. I tried ignoring it, thinking it would go away, but it just got worse. I got a bit concerned, and as the pain increased, I took a Zantac and an aspirin (I'm 21, so it's extremely unlikely that I'd be having a heart attack, but who knows?). I waited for that to kick in, but the pain only got worse and I was getting more worried by the minute about what was happening. I call the ship's infirmary, and by that time I was experiencing the slightest shortness of breath, and a bit of tingling in my fingers. I went to the infirmary and for the next 30-45 minutes experienced the most excruciating pain I've ever had in my abdomen and back, up into my chest. I was uncontrollably moaning in pain, felt very short of breath to the point of gasping for air at times, experienced full-body parasthesias, alternated between hot/sweaty and cold, felt very shaky on my feet, and felt like I was half-conscious. I feel like I had a panic attack, but it went undiagnosed by the ship's medical staff (who diagnosed abdominal pain, wrote up a report that made me sound like a drama queen, and sent me on my way with a huge bill). I am also unsure if I actually had one or if it was something else because I didn't really feel any fear. I was worried for a few seconds that I might be dying, but that went away almost immediately and I was able to talk myself out of it- and mostly I was just in too much pain to think about anything else like fear. Additionally, my symptoms didn't peak in 10 minutes, they peaked closer to 15-20 minutes. I know what that wave of absolute terror feels like- I've felt that many, many times before but it goes away for me in about 30 seconds or less (I haven't talked to anyone about that either). I didn't feel that this time. I felt it at other times during the cruise, but not at this time.

Can anyone help me out and let me know what happened? I hadn't been feeling any more anxious than usual (which is generally more anxiety than your average bear) and I'd had a great day, headed into a great night. I've never had anything like this happen before, and the staff ruled out other things like gall stones and heart attack. Does anyone know if this is related to Avoidant Personality Disorder in some way? Is it possible that I'd have another one like this? Should I talk to someone about it? Part of me really just wants to forget it ever happened, but part of me is worried it will happen again. It's bad enough to get those little waves of terror and fear, which are unpredictable on their own, but to worry about getting another one of these too... I'd rather pretend it never even happened.

I'm so sorry to read about your horrific experience. I think you experienced a Panic Attack, but the abdominal pain is something different. Unfortunately, I have plenty of experience with panic attacks. I have been getting them, on and off, for the past two years. I never had stomach pain though. Although I can relate to that tingling feeling. What you felt inside was your body responding to an unknown threat. Or as I like to call it, "A Subconcious Thought." At some point while on the Cruise, that subconcious feeling was building up inside of you. And there is no way that you could have possibly seen the signs. The danger of these attacks are they usually strike at different times, under different circumstances. For example, I use to get them while in the shower! Anyway, since you experienced that abdominal pain, definitely make that your top priority. I would make an appointment with a Doctor as soon as you can. Forget the Psychiatrist for now. Let your Doctor give you a complete checkup first. In all likelihood, the stomach pain was related to the panic and shortness of breath, but it should not be taken lightly.