What may be the problem if having chest discomfort off & on but then one night felt like my breath was taken away; like i was about to pass away; what would that indicate?

Hi Anon,

Have you had a lot of stress lately? This could possibly be a panic attack.

Panic attack symptoms can make your heart pound and cause you to feel short of breath, dizzy, nauseated and flushed. Because panic attack symptoms can resemble life-threatening conditions, it's important to seek an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Panic attacks typically include a few or many of these symptoms:

A sense of impending doom or death
Rapid heart rate
Sweating
Trembling
Shortness of breath
Hyperventilation
Chills
Hot flashes
Nausea
Abdominal cramping
Chest pain
Headache
Dizziness
Faintness
Tightness in your throat
Trouble swallowing
Panic attacks typically begin suddenly, without warning. They can strike at almost any time — when you're driving the school car pool, at the mall, sound asleep or in the middle of a business meeting. Panic attacks have many variations, but symptoms usually peak within 10 minutes and last about half an hour. You may feel fatigued and worn out after a panic attack subsides.

One of the worst things about panic attacks is the intense fear that you'll have another panic attack. If you have had four or more panic attacks and have spent a month or more in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder, a type of chronic anxiety disorder.

With panic disorder, you may fear having a panic attack so much that you avoid situations where they may occur. You may even be unable to leave your home (agoraphobia), because no place feels safe.

When to see a doctor
If you have any panic attack symptoms, seek medical help as soon as possible. Panic attacks are hard to manage on your own, and they may get worse without treatment. And because panic attack symptoms can also resemble other serious health problems, such as a heart attack, it's important to get evaluated by your health care provider if you aren't sure what's causing your symptoms.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/panic-attacks/DS00338/DSECTION=symptoms

https://www.empowher.com/panic-disorder/content/panic-attacks

Hope this helps,

Rosa