Terror at 40,000 feet. Well, 5'10 actually

[BaronC]

youtu.be/Pz8LQ8skEco(Not working as expected?)

[cat3]

I hate to say it Andy but that's a perfect description of a panic attack. I had them for over 3 years and had to give up a career I loved because of them. They're truly incapacitating and terrifying (I ended up in A&E countless times having all those checks you've described) but, most importantly, I would NOT accept the diagnosis for a long time and insisted I had some dreadful undiscovered condition.

I'd taken Diazepam for many years, but it wasn't 'til I was given a particular antidepressant that the panic attacks stopped happening. But before then, I discovered that the key to controlling them was something which felt so counter-intuitive that it seemed absurd at first, and that was fast walking.

Panic attacks are caused primarily by lack of carbon dioxide which leads to an excess of adrenalin, sending the system into overdrive ; all a result of poor breathing. By walking fast, through the pain and fear, we are forced to breath deeply. And deep breathing over a period of 5-10 minutes fills the lungs with oxygen efficiently enough for its conversion to carbon dioxide................and balance is restored.

It was always exacerbated for me when blue-lighted to A&E, as the first thing the paramedics always did was slap an oxygen mask on me ! It was a wise African doctor named Xavier Mono who taught me all this and I've always remembered his name because it worked, every time.

I guess you're poo-pooing all this but, as it rings such massive bells for me, I'll leave it with you. Hope you're feeling much better !! E xxx

[BaronC in reply to cat3]

Hi, E. No, I don't poo-poo anything at all, I'm always open to any suggestions/help. The only reason I don't think it was a panic attack, besides never having had one before is that it felt so much like a seizure before and after, even during to a lesser extent.

[cat3 in reply to BaronC]

I never had a panic attack 'til I was in my 50s m'love..................just saying. xx

[BaronC in reply to cat3]

And ANY help is greatly appreciated x

[peaches2 in reply to cat3]

You really have been through the mill Cat! The more I read about you the more I admire your strength! xx

[cat3 in reply to peaches2]

It's the old saying 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger'.................. so perhaps I should be thankful ! xx

[sospan in reply to cat3]

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" in which case with my wife's cooking why aren't I superman - "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!"

[barny1]

Certainly anxiety was part of the equation whatever it was. I've had so-called anxiety attacks and nervous fidgeting is one thing that often occurs. I know a lack of oxygen or low blood sugar can raise anxiety besides other things, but i'm only speculating. Hope you get answers soon!

[RogerCMerriman in reply to barny1]

I agree the symptoms over lap, for example as a seizure starts some folks will pluck at their hands i.e. nervous fidgeting sounds.

The problem with lot of this even if your there is symptoms partially if say it's not a Tonic-Clonic (which is the seizure most lay person knows about) is the symtoms can over lap with panic attacks/mirgraines and so on

[peaches2]

Oooo, that sounds blooming awful! Poor you! I don't know what to say, it def sounded like a typical panic attack but who would know...I remember my granny saying after she had a heart attack that the pain she got was not in the area she ever imagined it to be, which was very strange, she thought at the time that maybe it was anxiety but knew she wasn't feeling anxious before it happened. It's all very strange and I don't envy you at all! If Cat feels it is the same as what she used to get then that's worth holding on to that thought as I'd much rather prefer it to be that than a hear attack!!! I mean Andy, who would be able to make such indepth videos for us to watch on here if you got put to hospital!!! Haha! ;( .... Joking aside mister, I wish you all the best and pray that doesn't happen again, you poor guy and your wife too, she must've been ripping her hair out with worry! You take care and try as best as you can to not keep thinking about it as it's just awful! God forbid if it did happen again, don't leave hospital until you are happy with the diagnosis!! xx

[BaronC in reply to peaches2]

Aah, I'll be OK, don't worry about me. Where's there's a will and all that

The films will keep coming...

[peaches2 in reply to BaronC]

That's what we like to hear! Take it easy tho! xx

[BaronC in reply to peaches2]

Always

You too

[malalatete]

And no neurologist in Lincoln (shire) to be able to give any clues...we are in trouble if we are not well here, aren't we...Ironically you would have been better off if you had heart trouble.

Hope it was a one off, Andy and your seizures remain in their 'normal' pattern, if that isn't too awful a thing to wish, if you see what I mean....

I'll go away, shall I?

Take care, look after yourself and rest well, chum.

Me, I'm off to Sheffield to find a neurologist....

[BaronC in reply to malalatete]

You're probably right, there does seem to be a lack of sense over here. Neurology is now closed to new referrals in Lincoln. Good luck in Sheffield!

[angelite]

Hi Andy,

So sorry to hear of your scary episode. Adrenaline - useful stuff but can also be annoying too ! My experience of adrenaline and what I like to call my body's 'emergency system' kicking in :

During suspected brain infection I had several emergency boosts. I would stand up and either my blood pressure would fail to rise as it should immediately or I might get a few minutes on my feet before it randomly dropped. My head would go fuzzy, feeling like it had just gone down in a fast elevator and my legs would collapse. A few seconds later and whoosh ! Here comes the cavalry ! A surge of adrenaline, allowing me to get back up and giving me a roughly 10 minute window of energy and function to finish what I was doing and get back to bed again : ) When I have had what appears to be MS type relapses since then, I am prone to autonomic dysfunction so am used to how my system works and grateful that it compensates in this way : ) It can prevent sleep if my BP is low - BP automatically drops in sleep, so if it is already low and drops below what my body considers tolerable it will keep giving me taps of adrenaline to correct it and wake me up, sometimes repeatedly until it evens up again - v. tiring and annoying but bless it, it is doing it's job !

My sister's experience : identical ! Legs going down, whoosh of adrenaline and 10 mins to get your stuff done before it subsided and exhaustion set in again. This was due to her Thyroid failing ( Hashimotos - she's on T3 and T4 now, so doing better but still gets the odd problem if her levels go awry )

It is possible that if your brain was trying to seize but got 'stuck' in limbo, your emergency system kicked in to try and correct the problem. The symptoms created fear, which might have caused even more adrenaline - vicious circle !

If you have a BP monitor at home, you can check your stats ( I borrowed my sisters, which is how I found out the collapsing legs thing /adrenaline was related to BP drops ). Most of them have a heartrate monitor function too. Also get your thyroid checked. Be aware that standard conventional thyroid tests can appear normal, although in reality it may be struggling. You may have to pay privately for more thorough tests. Have you ever had a 24 hr heartrate monitor ? Since heartrate, breathing and BP is controlled by the nervous system, dysfunction or damage to certain areas of brain or spine can affect it.

Not all adrenaline rushes are for medical reasons. If your brain decides to randomly set off adrenaline, without medical reason is it considered a 'panic attack'. This can be triggered by a psychological fear stimulus or just by chemical imbalances. Any way, should it happen again, you now know that although uncomfortable and scary, you are not in any imminent danger. Do get your basics checked out to rule out some of the better known medical causes.

I'm sorry you've has this scary start to the New Year. I got lucky with my latest relapse - no autonomic dysfunction, Yay ! Just my core, legs and balance this time. Improving slowly : )

Sending my best wishes and may I be so forward as to offer you a big virtual hug : ))

Angela x

[BaronC in reply to angelite]

Angela, you're a diamond, thank you x