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

It's been going on with me from age 6

No patterns , no diagnosis, no specific triggers. I have no stress ever in my life and because it started so early in life drugs use is out

I am new here and I just want to add to this as I felt like I was alone and crazy.

Over the past few months, I get these "episodes" where I have extreme DejaVu of these thoughts/memories that I can't quite recall what they are or mean but as the episode takes place, they seem very familiar to me. Most of the time, they seem like memories I have had as I just drift off to sleep. At first , they often happened as I was showering but now, they seem to happen anytime. When I do get them, I then get very queasy and I often sweat. Depending on how hard it it me, it can take several minutes to several hours to recover. I went to my doctor and he put me on a very mild dose of Clonazepam that I have tapered off.  Clonazepam seemed to work for a while but I began to have the spells with it too.

":To me, it feels like I have been dreaming what I see for some time, and then the universe aligns and I have a moment of clarity and understanding. I recognize the people/things/places involved and it all makes sense, I know who they are and where and understand what is going on... Unfortunately once it subsides, to this day I have not been able to grasp any memory of the details that seemed so clear only seconds before. As much as i have tried, I still have no clear picture of what I have seen. "

Ding ding ding ding! This is EXACTLY it for me. I know what it is at it happens and then bam, when it is over, I don't know.

I almost feel like it is something I am trying to block out from remembering.

Hello, and prayer has brought you to this site, that's how He works. ; )

I too am an anxious person, and for those 18 - 20 years I diagnosed myself as having anxiety attacks, but that wasn't the case. After starting to have grand mal seizures in my sleep a year & 1/2 ago, it was then FINALLY discovered that I had been have simple & complex partial seizures all those years.....not anxiety attacks. The DeJaVu and memories that you just can't quite recall is exactly as I had it. I went to many doctors to help with anxiety......no relief. I have a lot of tinnitus, though I don't believe it's related. Find a neurologist and explain your DeJaVu episodes, how long they last, and how you feel during them. It you are found to be having seizures, they will be able to tell you what kind you are having: temporal lobe, etc, and medicate you according to this. I spent many years trying anti-anxiety medications (which can make seizrues worse!), MRIs, bloodwork, EEGs, etc., with nothing showing up to explain what was going on with me. After being diagnoses properly, the only EEG taken that showed seizure results were the testing that took placedirectly following a seizure, otherwise, it was always normal. I encourage you to see a neurologist. I'm glad I did. ; )

I had the exact same experience for over 18 years. The visions came through and just when I would begin to understand them they would fade out & another one would come. One day I forced myself to write down what I was 'seeing' and when the episode was over & couldn't remember any of it.......nothing came back at all! I was diagnosed with simple & partial seizures. This is exactly what happens during them. They last about 1 minute. I also felt HORRIBLE during that minute. The doctor believes that the visions/memories that were fading in & out (they were wonderful childhood memories as I could remember just a bit of a few of them) where to combat the horrible feelings going on deep in the pit of my stomach during the episodes. You should decribe these episodes with a neurologist. I have been on anti seizure medication for a year this month and haven't had another attack since the very first dose.

Renee wrote:

Elizabeth Mattick wrote:

Wow! As so many other's have said, "IM NOT THE ONLY ONE!" Mine started as a teen. I've never done any drugs or smoked. Had my first glass of wine a year ago and nit another drop since. I'm 32 now.  I've read through all 8 pages on this. I do notice a lot of people seem to start this during adolescence. I experience the same intense dejavu, and fear coupled with the cold chill in the stomach, and what one person said was a weird *smell* in my nose. I've not seen anyone mention a strange metal taste in their mouth? Mine last for maybe a minute. And then a headache after sometimes.  They can sometimes come many in a day... I've had 4 this morning, sometimes occurring at night. And sometimes I can go months with no problems. They a always triggered my something mundane, washing the dishes, simple conversation, listening to the kids talk. My husband thinks I'm nuts, LOL, the only other person that knows about them is my Mom. The seizure thing sounds incredibly scary.

I thought the seizure thing would be scary too, but that's what I was finally diagnosed as having after 18 - 20 years. They were simple & complex partial seizures. The horrible fear in the pit of my stomach was the worst feeling I have ever experienced, and after the first day on medication almost 1 year ago, I have had NONE. They would come randomly, and especially when life was more stressful, and I too could be simply talking to someone when one would hit, and last for about a minute. I searched & searched the internet for answers but never came across the right site. It will be worth seeing a Neurologist about it. Don't be afraid to! : )

I have experienced the same thing same symtoms etc...finally had an eeg this morning...but I am new at this and a retired lady...I am suspecting too much computer time when I should be sleeping..lol,,,they are scary and difficult to explain...best health to all of you...but...get checked out for your own peace of mine...its' easy..

From my very own experience, from living with the awful deja vu/overwhelmingly awful sad feeling and complete misery (add a horrible feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach) for nearly 20 years, I was finally correctly diagnosed with partial seizures. I've been on medication for almost a year and have had NONE since. I would get them almost every month, especially during stressful times, as much as 16 in a month, or as few as 0 -2 attacks. A neurologist can help you with this. ; )

Mine are something about a video game too. That's weird.

This is exactly what happens to me, except I do have another episode. I can even be awaken in my sleep by the tv and have an episode because some time or another I had previously had one in my sleep due to the same commercial or infomercial playing. It is so strange. I'm kinda of scared to go back into stores or places where I know I have already experienced the episode, due to the fear I might have another one. Mine only started this year after my Dad passed away in February.

Cravings for ice is a symptom of anemia.

I have been experiencing the same for about five years now. It starts with Deja Vu of a vision I am suddenly having, nut I am too confused to recognize the vision, but it seems so familiar. Then I begin to feel nauseated and a sense of rising fear. After the visions/deja vu has stopped I am left feeling sick to my stomach, shakey, and afraid, as well as confused and paranoid. It is the same cycle of events each time.

Yes, you explained it well, better then I have ever been able to do: 'too confused to recognize the vision, but is seem so familar' 'sense of rising fear'. Mine always started with Deja Vu suddenly. I would always describe these to a doctor, stating they were anxiety attacks, so I thought. I finally was diagnosed with simple & partial seizures after I was 'caught' having grand mal seizures which happened in my sleep. I had been having the simple & partial seizures (just the same as you described) for nearly 20 years!! I have been on medication for 1 year and haven't had another one since. I would have 3 - 4 a month on average, pretty much occuring during times of stress. Describe your symptoms to a neurologist and also suggest the simple & partial seizures to him/her. You are definately describing them. I wish I had found a site like this one years earlier so I could have had a correct diagnosis. Seizures can affect ones memory and such after a period of time. Hope this helps you! ; )

mcwolf wrote:

Hi,
Over the past two weeks I've had 5 attackes that feel like terrifying deja-vu. They leave me sweating, heart pounding and depressed. They are very intense and have all been before noon.
I've never suffered from serious anxiety before, but since getting these attacks, I'm very anxious, and distracted, especially on days that I've had an episode.
I had an MRI and EEG which were both normal.
Any one have any ideas of what's going on?

Yes, these sound very familar because I experienced the same terrifying feelings coming from deja-vu. You are experiencing simple/parital seizures. My MRI & EEG came back normal, except for the EEG that was administered within 24 hours of having a grand mal seizures. You can't always rely on these tests unless the seizure(s) have happened within hours, or that same day. I hope you have found your answers by now since this was posted over a year ago. If not, a neurologist can help you. : )

I have to say I only started getting these feelings two years ago every months or so and now I take sezures I am epileptic so I do think it is somewhat involved

Wow, at the risk of sounding very repetitive, and following the crowd...

It is such a relief to know that I am not the only one getting this.

I have passed out and fallen to the floor a few times from it,

so I know from experience that when I start to get them,

I need to sit down or just stand still and let it ride out.

 

It is very weird, because it seems almost nastolgic when I get these, and I have an image of an

old playground in my head, one I used to play on when I was a younger child (but not that exact one, if that makes sense,

it just feels like it is, even though the image is completely off).

I am now nearly 22, and I have had these quite often ever since I was around 13 or so.

 

For me, I believe it is triggered because of things that are repeating in my life.

I am a website developer, and I handle a lot of code, and a lot of it is the same stuff,

over and over and over again day after day. This also has happened to me with games as well,

but games are even repetetive to a certain extend. I.E: Textures repeating, same music, same sound effects,

same levels, etc.

 

The best way I can describe my feelings, as others have, are simply just really strong feelings of deja vu.

I wish that I knew exactly what is going on, it does have me worried to a certain extent.

But, as some of you have stated, I would rather not waste money on a doctor just for

them to laugh at me and tell me it's "All in my head", etc.

 

Also, I'm quite curious as to whether or not most of you have spent prolonged periods of time in front of a computer,

or playing games, or just... Doing the same task in general all the time.

 

I know that I need to get out more, and I need to quit working so much, etc.

But... When this is how you make money, you really don't have a choice.

 

On one last note... It is very strange, but I have actually been able to predict things before they have

happened when I have this strange feeling. Or so... At least that's how it feels.

Is it possible that your brain can see or hear something, then trick you into thinking you knew it was gonna happen before it did?