Im 18 in less then 2 weeks. I've been suffering from mild panic attacks since I was about 10 years old. They were never too serious that I had to go on medication, I just needed someone to take the time to calm the atmosphere down. I'm an athsmatic, was disagnosed in the first year of my life. My parents spilt when I was about 6 and of course I did the whole every second weekend procedure. My mum also is athsmatic so I felt more comfortable with her then my dad. But once my dad met someone new and she tried convincing him I had grown out of my condition I was forbiddin to take my ventolin spray. So at night trying to sleep I would feel tight in the chest and short of breathing! Which led my body to start shake and my head started to go numb, only being 10 years old I was petrified. So I would hop into bed with my step sister and she would lay there with me until I started to settle down. Well ever since then I've suffered from anxity attacks. Well last monday I started eating my dinner with my boyfriend and out of nowhere I got this weird feeling in my stomach and my head felt dizzy. I layed down not knowing what was going on and then my body started to overheat. Well I got through the night after a few attacks but woke up the next morning with the same feeling in my head. It hurts every now and again but mostly it's just numb feeling, like theres just a block sitting in my head. During the day it's not so bad because I'm not paying much attention to it but when I try to sleep It just sits there and I just keep thinking the worse. I really want it to go away, especially before my 18th! I went to the doctors and he did reflex, coordination and balance tests on me to see if it was anything to do with my brain or interfering with my brain but he said nothing took his attention that could be serious. I've got terrible ears so he said it could just be an ear ache even though he checked them and couldn't find an irritation. I got them flushed hoping it would help but it didn't. So for the past week I've had this foggy, numb, irritating feeling in my head. My mum said that maybe it could be the pill, because I got put on it for my severe period pain about 5 months ago and she was allergic to it so I could be too. So I stop taking that for about 4 days now but the feeling is still there! Can anyone help me please!
I have been feeling the same! This feeling is the worst! when i try to go to lay down and go to sleep i start feeling the numbness then as im falling asleep i feel as if i fade away and come back. i get the numbness more when i sit or lay down and also when im on the computer. i just got glasses and some times when i use them it goes away. so im thinking it could be something with my eyes. Please if anyone is feeling the same and know whats the cause comment!
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npita wrote:
I hope someone can help me. Ill try to make this short. Ive had panic attacks for about 9 years now. I was puton Paxil in 1998 and then switched to Effexor in 2003. I have basically been fine the whole time being on meds exept for the occasional panic attack. In November of 2005 I started getting classic panic attack symptoms again....shortenss of breath, lump in my throat, heart palpitations, the whole bit. Then recently ( Id say a few months ) Ive been getting these strange feelings in my head. I think at first its a headache cause its hurts at the top of my head or at the base of my neck and then quickly it turns into a foggy feeling. Its also kind of numb as well, but no more pain. I kind of have to think of were I am and then I start to panic because its a new foreign feeling for me. Ive been to the doctor twice and the first time he said it could be the Effexor giving me these strange feelings because he had recently put me on a higher dose (225mg ) rather than 150 mg. These feelings last all day but there are only certain parts of the day were I panic about it. Last time I went he was concerned that they might be seizures, so now I have even been more panicky thinking that a health proffesional actually thinks something might be wrong. Has anyone else ever experienced these sensations before, I need help fast !!!!! Thankyou
WELL, i can't believe it, everything you have written I get exactly the same feeling, I have been diagnosed with panic attacks and migraines, When iI get that headache, which then goes and get that numb, dizzyness, weak, dizzy feeling in my head, I have been told that is the affect of a migraine, People think migraines are a huge headache which is true but you can suffer from little ones too, which give you that same effect after the headache goes. I hope the doctors are right because it is a horrible feeling that makes you feel as so you are dieing or something, but is it because we suffer from panic attacks that we think the worse???
npita i had the same thing well actualy i have it still :-( but theres nothing 2 worry about its nothing serious unless you have serious symptoms like having panic attacks every hr or passing out your stressed try to relive your self of this reading or exercising usually helps but every ones diffrent :-) so get some rest read a book and go for a jog it also takes time to go away so you should be fine in about a week hope your feeling better
-stress101
-stress101
I BELIEVE MINE IS DIAGNOSED!
Having the same experiences that built up to an incident at work passing out at and waking up in an ambulance. The doctors could not diagnose this definitely as a siezure, but put me on dilantin anyway. I came off of that after 2 weeks when the doctor said he'd look at me again in a year. No way I was taking something that they were not sure about. Here it is 6 years later and I'm starting to have the minor episodes again. After looking long and hard and taking all the advice from my family not to self diagnose, I felt I had know choice since doctors could not diagnose it. I think many people are being misdiagnosed as panic attacks or siezures.
I believe I and most likely you who have some of the same symptoms have some level of Vasovagal Response. Mine ended up leading to Vasovagal Syncope which is passing out.
Quoting Wikopedia:
"Among people with vasovagal episodes, the episodes are typically recurrent, usually happening when the person is exposed to a specific trigger. The initial episode often occurs when the person is a teenager, then recurs in clusters throughout his or her life. Prior to losing consciousness, the individual frequently experiences a prodrome of symptoms such as lightheadedness, nausea, the feeling of being extremely hot (accompanied by sweating), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), uncomfortable feeling in the heart, fuzzy thoughts, a slight inability to speak/form words (sometimes combined with mild stuttering), weakness and visual disturbances such as lights seeming too bright, fuzzy or tunnel vision, and sometimes a feeling of nervousness can occur as well. These last for at least a few seconds before consciousness is lost (if it is lost), which typically happens when the person is sitting up or standing. When sufferers pass out, they fall down (unless this is impeded); and when in this position, effective blood flow to the brain is immediately restored, allowing the person to wake up. Short of fainting a person may experience an almost undescribable weak and tired feeling resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain due to a sudden drop in blood pressure. Tabor's describes this as the "feeling of impending death" caused by expansion of the aorta, drawing blood from the head and upper body.
The autonomic nervous system's physiologic state leading to loss of consciousness may persist for several minutes, so:
1.If sufferers try to sit or stand when they wake up, they may pass out again;
2.The person may be nauseated, pale, and sweaty for several minutes."
There are a number of tests that doctors can do to confirm it. While I haven't had mine confirmed, I am 90% sure this is what it is as I have no cardio issues, being hooked up to EKG's a couple of times for this. When I'm ready to afford another doctor bill I will have it confirmed, but in the mean time I am looking to do those things that will help with it to see if I can keep them from happening. Eat right, drink plenty of fluids, get more than the 5-6 hours of sleep I've been averaging, and reducing the stress in my life.
I know the dangers of self-diagnosing, but I also know the dangers of misdiagnosing at the hospital. The last 3 times I have been in (all in the last 10 years, hate to go). I have almost had an appendix burst because I was sent home, I had a testicle removed that was thought to be cancer and wasnt', and given anti-siezure medicine for something that isn't a siezure (imo).
Good luck all, I hope you all work towards solving your episodes!
Having the same experiences that built up to an incident at work passing out at and waking up in an ambulance. The doctors could not diagnose this definitely as a siezure, but put me on dilantin anyway. I came off of that after 2 weeks when the doctor said he'd look at me again in a year. No way I was taking something that they were not sure about. Here it is 6 years later and I'm starting to have the minor episodes again. After looking long and hard and taking all the advice from my family not to self diagnose, I felt I had know choice since doctors could not diagnose it. I think many people are being misdiagnosed as panic attacks or siezures.
I believe I and most likely you who have some of the same symptoms have some level of Vasovagal Response. Mine ended up leading to Vasovagal Syncope which is passing out.
Quoting Wikopedia:
"Among people with vasovagal episodes, the episodes are typically recurrent, usually happening when the person is exposed to a specific trigger. The initial episode often occurs when the person is a teenager, then recurs in clusters throughout his or her life. Prior to losing consciousness, the individual frequently experiences a prodrome of symptoms such as lightheadedness, nausea, the feeling of being extremely hot (accompanied by sweating), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), uncomfortable feeling in the heart, fuzzy thoughts, a slight inability to speak/form words (sometimes combined with mild stuttering), weakness and visual disturbances such as lights seeming too bright, fuzzy or tunnel vision, and sometimes a feeling of nervousness can occur as well. These last for at least a few seconds before consciousness is lost (if it is lost), which typically happens when the person is sitting up or standing. When sufferers pass out, they fall down (unless this is impeded); and when in this position, effective blood flow to the brain is immediately restored, allowing the person to wake up. Short of fainting a person may experience an almost undescribable weak and tired feeling resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain due to a sudden drop in blood pressure. Tabor's describes this as the "feeling of impending death" caused by expansion of the aorta, drawing blood from the head and upper body.
The autonomic nervous system's physiologic state leading to loss of consciousness may persist for several minutes, so:
1.If sufferers try to sit or stand when they wake up, they may pass out again;
2.The person may be nauseated, pale, and sweaty for several minutes."
There are a number of tests that doctors can do to confirm it. While I haven't had mine confirmed, I am 90% sure this is what it is as I have no cardio issues, being hooked up to EKG's a couple of times for this. When I'm ready to afford another doctor bill I will have it confirmed, but in the mean time I am looking to do those things that will help with it to see if I can keep them from happening. Eat right, drink plenty of fluids, get more than the 5-6 hours of sleep I've been averaging, and reducing the stress in my life.
I know the dangers of self-diagnosing, but I also know the dangers of misdiagnosing at the hospital. The last 3 times I have been in (all in the last 10 years, hate to go). I have almost had an appendix burst because I was sent home, I had a testicle removed that was thought to be cancer and wasnt', and given anti-siezure medicine for something that isn't a siezure (imo).
Good luck all, I hope you all work towards solving your episodes!
I am a 49 year old female (will be 50 this year). I've had the same problems for a year and 9 months. I had never had anxiety or a panic attack until a year and 9 months ago. One day while driving to work, I had to pull over and call 911. I too, thought I was dying. I had been under a lot of stress refinancing my house, husband retiring which would decrease the finances, job changing. Major stress factors! For 3 months my doctor did tests (including a heart monitor since I had open heart surgery 15 years prior to close a hole in my heart). The tests revealed everything was normal. For 3 months he tried to tell me it was hormonal, but I couldn't believe that the physical symptoms I was having could be related to hormones (heart palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling like blood was rushing to my limbs and away from my head, lump in throat, muscle twitches and ringing in my head). Thoughts of dying consumed me. I really did think I was going crazy. He wanted to put me on anxiety meds and hormones. I agreed to take the hormones, but didn't want to take anything that would alter my personality. The first year was awful and I still have good days and bad days, but they are nothing like they were in the beginning. A year and a half later I'm working on getting off the hormones. Just recently I started getting the weird pains on the top of my head. They aren't exactly painful (maybe a 1 on a 1-10 scale). Anyway, I think I can chalk them up to anxiety after reading everyone's blogs. By the way, the first step to conquering the panic attacks is to realize that you are causing them. That's how I've been getting through them and they are nothing like they used to be. I just try to calm down and say "it's me and nothing else". I hope this helps someone. I know the pain emotional and physical that you are going through. It's a living hell!
Wow, Im 18 and have recently started having the exact same symptoms in the last 2 years, waves of panic when there's clearly nothing to panic about, my jaw and face sometimes go tingly and numb (which sends me into greater panic mode), but I've noticed that the whole face tingly thing usually happens when I've been sitting for a long period of time, I think I might see the physio about strengthening my neck and back muscles as mentioned before.
Has anyone felt better or seen results from going to therapy/councilling?
Hi - this is just coming back for me too. Now 60 and working very hard to not take meds. I find that getting on the exercise bike helps, but I can't be on it all of the time. At work I just try to "act" normal so no one will see what's really going on. It doesn't help to work at a nursing school because they feed the whole scene. I sure agree with you about stress causing all kinds of illnesses and symptoms - it has always been this way but for those who don't suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, they don't know that other illnesses might also be caused this way. Best of luck - WE ARE FINE!
thank you for this post! I needed this tonight last night I suffered 2 major panic dissorders and litterly put me in the hospital! TONIGHT i have been having all this weird symptoms threw out my head and neck! anyways thanks for your time i hope u can get better! GOD LOVES! remember that!
Yes, I have been expierencing the same thing for over a month now. I have been to the Urgent care the first time it got really bad, and they said it was a panic attack. The last couple of weeks I have woke up feeling fine and then by the time I get to work I feel like I'm in another world. Light headed, dizzy, can't focus, pressure in my head and my heart feels like it is racing. Sometimes I feel like I'm underwater my hearing is all funky. Your the first person I have read about that seems to be expierencing the same thing. I wish you could tell me what is wrong with me......
Yes I have and I am only 15 please help me this is taking over my life please I beg save me somehow I need to talk to someone who feels the same things I feel please I pray that you will respond to this is there some social network site I can talk to you on?