Nightmarish Deja-Vu and anxiety attacks. What's going on?

DinMN · Newbie Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I am both relieved and frightened to read these posts. Relieved that I am not the only one having these experiences. Frightened because it sounds like a seizure disorder which is made worse by stress, anxiety and lack of sleep. I have been going through a stressful phase (several life changes at once) and just had one of the "episodes". Haven't had one for over a year -- that time it occured the day after I was in a bike accident. So, again, could have been stress/lack of sleep related. I want to know about treatment options. Is there something to take when the sensation is coming on? Do we have to be medicated all the time? I hate taking any kind of medication.

Well, I'm pretty freaked out about all of this. But I appreciate the connection with others...

Emily209 · Newbie Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

I'm a 16-year-old female and I suffer from the "extreme deja-vu episodes" as well. They started when I was 5, but they went away for most of my later elementary-school and middle school years. A couple years ago they came back. I recognized the feeling the second it hit me, and it was really quite terrifying. They were the same as when I was little, but much much worse. I can be doing anything and all of a sudden I feel like I've been in this situation before. I can vividly describe a scene that took place there, but it obviously never happened, so I have always called them past "dreams". I feel like the room I am in is the only room in the universe, that I am the only living being, like I am the only human left. Sounds and sights around me only make the "sick" feeling worse. I usually get very dizzy, and my head gets 'buzzy'. Like someone else said, I can understand what everyone else is saying, but it almost feels like I just barely can speak the language that is needed to respond to them. If I have multiple ones through the day, I usually get a headache in my right or left temple, but almost never in both at the same time.

I've had an MRI, 6 or 7 sleep-deprived EEGs, and just this past year I had a 24-hour ambulatory EEG. Everything came up normal, perfect alpha-waves, and no tumors Smile

Maybe if I was hooked up during an episode, then they'd catch something, but that opportunity never seems to arise... Then, just this morning, I was driving to school and I had another deja-vu episode, and had to pull over because the 'buzzy' feeling was too strong to handle. I ended up having between 15 - 20 episodes in the 7 hours I was at school. It was very overwhelming, so I ended up calling my mom crying, telling her I was calling in at work and that she should schedule me an appointment with my Neurologist ASAP. Luckily, they got me in within the next few hours, and I did a 1-hour EEG. Of course, it picked up nothing. Actually, the time I was there was the only break I've had from them for the past 18 hours. I just got back from the hospital no less than 3 hours ago, and I had one in the car on the way home, over 5 just sitting here at the computer, and 1 just while typing this up.

To leave the neuro's, knowing that what they had just recorded was once again totally pointless, was aggravating enough. But what really bothers me is that I felt like I was the only one going through this, that nobody know what I was talking about. So I decided to do a Google search, and this is where I landed. I just found this webpage today, and it gave me such an amazing feeling to read that other people are experiencing the same thing as me. I now feel more confident when I tell my Neuro. about what's happening, it's reassuring to know that my head isn't making this all up. I would just like to let other people know that they too are not alone with this, and that there is always at least one other person in the world that is going through the same thing as you, no matter how difficult of time you are going through. Nobody is truly alone. I hope that someone can get some insight from what I have said, maybe have a better idea of how to explain it to people that just don't understand.

-Emily[/code]

lalabelle · Newbie Joined: 20 Nov 2007 Posts: 18

hey, are you sure you guys aren't experiencing panic attacks? I suffer from panic attacks and from what I've read it sounds like this could be what you're experiencing ... dreamlike feeling (scientific word is depersonalization I think), dizziness, nausea etc plus a few people have mentioned feeling stressed which may have triggered these attacks. I'm really not sure about the de ja vu feeling you're experiencing but maybe that could be a feeling of unreality and dreamyness that you've interpreted as de ja vu simply because it feels so strange and cut off from everything else?

Hope this has helped.

Emily209 · Newbie Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

I thought about that too, but I also experience "normal" anxiety attacks. These episodes feel nothing like a panic attack. The feeling is difficult to compare to anything else.

Thanks for the feedback, though.

Valp · Newbie Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

I too have had some of the same experiences, as recent as today in fact (at least 3 times). Dating back to 1999, I actually passed out in the shower (then) and since I was taking Sign Language classes at the time, when people asked if I was ok, I responded with the Sign for "Yes"... they took this to mean my hand was shaking as if I was having a seizure. They did the sleep deprived EEG which found nothing. But because of the hand movement, the Dr. thought Trileptal would be the best option. Emily, be careful, if the Doctors put you on anti-seizure medication, your driving privileges can be suspended. I experienced that for about a year after the episode above.

The feelings of Deja Vu are very much like feeling as though I've been there, heard the same things, had the same conversations, food, smells, etc, and never had been there before. I feel like all the blood is draining from my face and a little nauseated. I think stress, lack of sleep and possibly anemia could have something to do with this. Another thing I notice when I experience these, I chew ice. A lot of it, I just get a cup fill it with ice and a little water or soda, I'm more interested in crunching the ice than the drink. Does this happen with any of you?

The deja vu's have been happening more lately, but for about 3-5 years prior, I didn't have them. It is nice to know that there are other people experiencing the same thing. Just wish we could figure out why.

Guest · Guest

I started having these intense Deja Vu episodes in my twenties. They grew progressively more intense and more frequent over the next twenty years. By the time I was 43, the episodes happened least once a week...sometimes two or three times each day. The total episode lasts no more than 45 seconds or so. The episode starts with a very distinct feeling of memory...and I struggle to remember what it is I'm thinking of---a dream? something that really happened? What??? As this memory feeling is happening, I get an increasing sense of fear. The neurologist calls this "epigastric rising"...like a rising sense of fear in your stomach. Then it settles down, and I can't remember what I was trying to remember, and I feel scared and shakey, and I feel like I never want to experience this sort of thing again.

VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE: I had a Deja Vu at age 43 while driving, just prior to a full-blown seizure. Thank God that I was on a dirt road, with no other cars around. I hit a tree, totalling my brand new mini-van. I was taken to the hospital and after one more seizure and many tests over the next 24 hours, I was diagnosed with "Mesial Temporal Sclerosis"---a build up of scar tissue, likely due to a forceps delivery when born. This is often due to other minor head injuries, too.

I take medication daily, which has eliminated the Deja Vu episodes, and I've never had another seizure.

Please have these episodes checked with a neurologist, preferably at a large research / teaching hospital system.

kimba19 · Newbie Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

I am so glad I found this sight. I have been experiencing these exact symptons for a few months, sometimes a few times a day. I just had an episode 20 mins ago, which affected me so badly I had to walk away from my 2 year old daughter, and now have a roaring headache. I have tried to explain this to my husband and I'm sure he thinks I'm crazy. I was starting to think so too, I thought I was imagining the panic attacks that seem to happen at the same time as the deja vu, didn't think I would actually find any information on this, so glad I'm not alone. What isn't good is there seems to be nothing to do about it. I have been experiencing alot of stress lately and not sleeping too well. Is this the only reason this is happening. I did find some information before also that mentioned partial seizures and epilepsy. That's scary. And is there actually any doctor's that will take this seriously, even as anxiety attacks?

Guest · Guest

I have just started getting these nightmarish deja vu episodes for the first time today. It scares me because i had about ten episodes just last night that woke me up, and were followed by a horrible stomach ache. I had three during the day that left me really dizzy and with the horrible stomach ache. no one else here seems to not had so many in one day, specially there first day. I was taken off the anti-depressant Lexapro, steadily, this past November, and I suffer from a severe depression that is pretty under control right now. Is this some kind of problem that could be caused by withdrawal or depression? Or is it just an anxiety attack? Any feed back is highly appreciated. ****

**edited by moderator**

Guest · Guest

yeah i have this too, only in the mornings, usually when ive got shit on my mind. i smoke a lot of weed too, maybe this makes it worse. seemed to start when i met this bitch, she triggered it all. havent seen her for over 2 months, still causes me to vomit and deja vu.

realmestup · Newbie Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

I've experienced this exact same thing, and the first time I had it I absolutely FREAKED. It was my first time trying marijuana and after I smoked I thought my friends were playing a joke on me because everything they said or did seemed like they had done it already and were doing it to mess with me. Then I realized that it was just me, and that made me think I was going crazy. The effects lasted probably about 2 days and then I tried marijuana again to see if it would be better and I got the same thing. Ever since whenever I smoke I get severe cases of deja vu and everyone I've talked to about it just gives me a blank stare or laughs at me. I don't want to go to the doctor because he'll just tell me to not use recreational drugs. Does anybody know anything that they do or any medications they take to alleviate this horrible experience? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Nightmarish Deja-Vu and anxiety attacks. What's going on?

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK