update
started taking Tribulus about 2 weeks ago. almost immediately started getting shortness of breath, but I did not associate it with the Trib. it would be just a 5 second instance occasionally a few times.
by about the 1 1/2 week point (last thursday) the shortness of breath turned into an all out anxiety attack type thing. I had my brother take me to the ER and they put me on an EKG to check me for a heart attack. my symptoms were very tight painful chest, shortness of breath and that's probably about it, but I was also feeling the adrenaline just shooting through my body. extreme fear. it was CRAZY. I've never been a person to get anxiety/panic attacks.
my resting heart rate at the ER was between 40s and 50s. they said it was low even for an athlete, especially for being in the ER. the EKG said i was healthy. the xray of my heart said it was healthy. my oxygen levels were all healthy. so basically my brain told me i was dying and my body was completely unaware. i thought my heart was racing and I couldn't breath, and yet I appeared to be a perfectly healthy athlete on paper.
that was at 6:30am. I slept the REST of the day.
Friday I tried to go to work and had an episode on the way to work. I didn't leave my car. tried to drive home... got 3 minutes away before another attack. came back to work and sat in the car for 10 mintues. then went home and slept all day long.
Saturday I tried walking to a cafe for breakfast. the 1 mile walk was fine. I sat down and ordered coffee (decaf). I had an episode before the coffee arrived and I took off like a bat out of hell (fight or flight). I went home and slept till noon.
I was getting frustrated and did not want to accept this life style so I tried jogging. i jogged to starbucks. the further and harder I went, the more it felt good to get my heart pumping. I had a slight episode at starbucks, but stuck it out. got my decaf latte, spinach wrap, and walked 2.2 miles home.
Sunday I went grocery shopping and kept total control over 2 small episodes that tried to take me down.
monday I had a slight one on the way to work, but made it to the gym and did OK on the drive home.
today, Tuesday, is my best day yet.
there is limited evidence to support Tribulus as the culprit, but its the only new supp i've never taken before and I stopped taking it Thursday morning and ever since i stopped, i've been recovering.
I was so miserable friday and saturday I was afraid my life was ruined. I had zero control over these anxiety attacks, which were a totally foreign concept to me.