Panic attacks are a "deadly cycle":
First fear -> Adrenaline/hormonal reaction -> physical effects -> more fear
-> hormonal reaction -> physical effects -> more fear
-> hormonal reaction -> physical effects -> more fear
-> hormonal reaction -> physical effects -> more fear
Quote:
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I started getting heart palpitations in my chest and in my neck, my hands started to shake, I started sweating, my face flushed, and my vision started to blur.
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These are absolutely classic effects. What's happening behind the scenes is that your body is producing adrenaline in preparation for what it thinks is going to be a stressful event.
In caveman times, a "stressful event" meant facing a predator or other danger; and so we adapted this reaction, what some call "fight or flight". Your body is literally preparing for a physical situation where it may be called on to act quickly and with maximum force. Hormones are giving signals: tighten the muscles. Quicken the heart. Stops the involuntary processes not needed, like digestion, and move blood to the head, face, etc.
You are not facing a speech, you are facing a sabre-toothed tiger.
In the case of public speaking, you are faced with a double-deadly situation... you know that people could sense your fear. So you're already in a situation where more fear produces more fear - not just hormonally, but psychologically.
There is a connection between panic and depression; they seem to be different aspects to certain types of brain chemistry. Antidepressants are also generally good for panic, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and obsessive/compulsive disorder. This is not to say you should be on meds, but only the head doc should say, for sure, at first. There are other temporary solutions, talk therapy is possible, reading up on coping techniques, etc.
Also, I would mention all this to the prof, they should be more understanding about the situation and help out.