Minute-long episodes of fear, along with strange sensations.

[italiancookie]

Hey guys.

I want to know if anyone has had a similar experience to the one I had last night. I've asked a question about a head rush and I guess this it kind of like that. But last night I was drifting off to sleep and realized I had to get up to use the bathroom. I'm not sure if I actually fell asleep before this, I felt pretty in between the whole time. Once I stood up, I got this horrible, intense panic. My mind went completely blank, and it was like I forgot where I was or what I was doing. I felt, not quite a headrush, but a weird flushing sensation in my head, and my heart started racing. It was so bad I wanted to run away and scream. "What's happening, what's happening?" was all I could really think. After about 30 seconds, maybe even less, it started calming down and I came back to myself.

I've had many other experiences like this one (it all really started when I ate an edible for the first time and had a straight six or seven hours of this happening off and on).

Epilepsy doesn't run in my family, but my mom has it (though she has grand mals). I've been seen by many neurologists, and have had three EEG's over the last two years (one of them being a whole four days long). The specialist I see doesn't think these are seizures, however I've just begun seeing a new neuro, and he's not too sure, so he's having me do another EEG. These episodes only last for about a minute which is why he's concerned. Not too stereotypical of a panic attack.

Needless to say, I am terrified, and everyone I've talked to who has some kind of anxiety/panic has never seemed to have these experiences. He wants me to go on lexapro for anxiety, but also said there is an increased risk of seizures while on it.

Seems counter productive to me, but I feel I'm running out of options.

Wondering if any of you lovely people can shed some light on my situation. Also want to note that as I've become less afraid of it, the severity and the frequency have both decreased.

Thank you!

[hollieedridge]

Hi i have bad anxiety and have had this before ! I get like a fizzy tingling in my head and i feel like im seeing in tunnerl vision. Kind of in a comatosed state

[Bbower67]

This has happened to me as well. I think it’s fairly common as your drifting off to sleep, many people experience it. I’ve also experienced it during the day and had it happen twice where it lasted for several hours. For me, I felt a strange sensation in my head along with the feeling that I was falling or dropping suddenly as if I was on an elevator or roller coaster. From what I’ve researched online it seems to be a form of vertigo. I’ve also seen quite a few other people post about similar sensations while dealing with anxiety. I didn’t relate it to my anxiety at first and just thought something was terribly wrong with me. The more I freaked out about it the worse and more frequently it happened. I recently started lexapro as well and have not had the sensation in going on two months. If you google vertigo, you’ll see it can be described as a falling sensation or that you feel as if your being pulled down by a giant magnet. Feeling as if your falling can definitely cause a strange sensation in your head. I would definitely continue working with your dr but I think it’s important to note that many people seem to experience similar sensations with anxiety/ panic. I’ve discussed it with two different drs. Both told me not to be concerned about it. Definitely let me know if you find anything out please!!!

[italiancookie in reply to Bbower67]

I’ve also had the dropping sensation! Thanks for responding, though that’s not really what happened here. It was more an intense attack or blind terror (dramatic, i know, but it WAS dramatic). It was exactly the same feeling I got while I was high off an edible - episodes of this lasting only a minute or so. No dropping sensation or vertigo. That’s what freaks me out. The fact that my brain literally feels like it’s seizing and I forget what I’m doing. Scary

[Bbower67]

Hmmm. Does this sound more like what your experiencing? anxietycentre.com/anxiety-s...

[italiancookie in reply to Bbower67]

No, though I’ve had these before as well! Not recently though. It’s the fear part of it that gets me. The inexplicable terror for no reason. And it kind of ends up feeling like my head is covered in pins and needles.

[Calm_mama]

I'm putting all my money on panic

Less fear of the symptoms as you describe leading to decreased severity/frequency- that's classic panic/anxiety

My daughter still sometimes gets these symptoms you describe. It's definitely panic/anxiety with her (but she's doing great with it now. I've had these symptoms. Definitely anxiety for me!

I'm very surprised that the people you are talking to with panic/anxiety do not have these symptoms. These symptoms are classic!

[Moon_Glitter]

I wonder if it could be a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stood up to go to the bathroom? I know for myself a rush of dizziness can bring on a panic attack.

[Likeabadstorm]

I just saw this post Italiancookie. Wow that is so similar to some o my experiences as well. I had one neuro want to try a seizure med and I explained to what happened with trying just one pill. Then he wanted me to try a different one and I was way to scared because of the other reaction and then googling other people's reaction side effect from the other med. he said if you have no more episodes on the med then we know it's epilepsy since how the first 24 hr eeg was normal except rare phase inverting sharp he said and said that isn't really normal so he sent me for a four day one and that was normal. Then another dr wanted to do lexapro and I was too scared as well. Funny they want to try is on antidepressants when they are still unsure of seizures and say it can worsen or increase seizures. Makes the anxiety even worse for us with all of this.

[italiancookie in reply to Likeabadstorm]

Yep lol unfortunately, I think it has to be a bit of trial and error. The brain is incredibly complex.

[Likeabadstorm in reply to italiancookie]

Yes it is, the brain is extremely complex and there is so much they still have yet to discover within he brain.