My family is going though a pretty rough time. My parents were just unfairly evicted from their home and are literally living in a friends guest room because they have no place to go, and no money to get a new place. My dad has been struggling to find work, and unemployment here is high. They were given a few days to get out of their place. Then my sister told my mom she was moving herself and little boy far away and my mom kind of lost it. Her grandkids are pretty much all that's holding her together. I took her for a drive to get her away for a bit and in the car she had a really frightening panic attack. All the ordinary symptoms except that she was EXTREMELY confused. She started talking like a little girl, she was terrified, said and sounded like she was choking. Said she needed to sit down, though we were sitting in the car. Then tried to get out of the car saying she had to do something. I had my baby girl in the car and I was terrified. I couldn't leave the baby to chase her, couldn't leave her to stay with the baby. It was awful. I called 911 and a paramedic came out and gave her some oxygen. Said to take her home and keep her calm. He thought about taking her to the hospital but was worried that it would stress her more, because the hospital was packed that night. All in all, she was probably pretty incoherent for about a half hour. She repeated herself OFTEN, asked lots of funny questions, didn't know where she was. She kept needing to be touched and calmed and reassured, which I get, but the extreme childlike behavior and the confusion was the part that made me call 911.
Anyone know if that kind of confusion is normal for a panic attack? She wasn't just panicked or upset, she was totally lost. My mom has never done anything like this before, is always very strong, very in control. I'm just hoping someone else has dealt with this. Let me know?
Anyone know if that kind of confusion is normal for a panic attack? She wasn't just panicked or upset, she was totally lost. My mom has never done anything like this before, is always very strong, very in control. I'm just hoping someone else has dealt with this. Let me know?
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You didn't mention how old is she - that could make a lot of difference between panic attack and some other conditions that are more age related and that can be triggered by stressful and emotional situations like you have described. Panic attacks don't usually have this kind of incoherency as a symptom - did any of this kind of behavior repeat? How is she doing now?
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She is 49 and in really great health, otherwise. The behavior didn't repeat, she has been fine since then. She used to suffer from vertigo and that brought on a panic attack once but she was coherent then and the vertigo has been successfully treated. I am wondering if there's any chance that this could be partially hormonal? She's going through menopause right now. It was so far outside her normal behavior. I understand the shaking, chest pain, feeling that you are choking etc. It was how lost she seemed that really worried me...
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That is exactly where my major concern lies - this kind of incoherency doesn't fit in the panic attack, or even something that might be triggered by hormonal changes that menopause would cause. Does she have any kind of insurance? I would strongly suggest that if it is possible in any way that she does all the exams needed to find the exact cause. I wouldn't want to worry you more than you probably already are, but something like this happening could have been caused by something worse than tough emotional situation that your mother went through, although it is not uncommon at all for people to react in a strange ways when faced with, for them, extremely dramatic events.
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