Wellness

[Drythe]

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@tarsmom wrote:

I am 61, slim and just took a less stressful job (was in management).  I am learning a new computer system which requires me to switch screens back and forth all day long.  Last week, I was sitting at my desk and I felt dizzy and said that.  Next thing I know I have all these people looking at me (I was still sitting) and I said why is everyone looking at me?  So I was told I passed out for about 35 seconds.  Ugh!  They called 911 and after the EMTs asked me about meds they ended up taking me out of there on a stretcher.  I felt so silly!

I was all checked out, EKG - blood work and everything was fine.  Doc said it was a vagal reaction.  Of course, now I'm concerned that it might happen again.  

I wonder if it might be because I am using my eyes back and forth and inputting constantly and I just had some kind of reaction?  PS  I know you're not doctors but they don't know, either.  I never did this before.  I've been on BP meds for years.

The funny thing is, in my previous job sometimes we'd go to events where I would have to stand for hours and never felt faint.  I do work around tons of young people so now this makes me feel like the "old lady" even though I look young.  

Anyone have any experience with this?  TIA!

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@tarsmom

Not my words, straight from Wiki

"A vasovagal syncope, vasovagal episode or vasovagal response also called a neurocardiogenic syncope[1] is a malaise mediated by the vagus nerve. Vasovagal syncope is the most common type of fainting.[2][3] Vasovagal syncope is most commonly found in adolescents and in older adults.[4]

There are different syncope syndromes which fall under the umbrella of vasovagal syncope. The common element among these conditions is the central mechanism which may lead to the loss of consciousness. The differences among them are in the factors that trigger this mechanism."  

~~~~~

High blood pressure is one of the confounding factors.  When you were standing a lot you were moving around, now that you are sitting more blood may be pooling in your legs and feet.

You can read more there at WEB Med. but you shouldn't try to self diagnose.

I have had Vesavegal response to sudden, severe pain

@since @ age 14. I have low BP.  

Please speak with your physician'about this, because I think you can help yourself by standing up once on a while & not crossing your legs while sitting.

I am NOT a physician, just familiar with this syndrome.  If the EMT's said likely Vega, it's worth checking out.

Best wishes!

[hckynut]

Hi @LilacTree my friend,

We are exactly on the same sentence/verse and words. I am so happy you have found what is working for you. Like so many other things over which I have taken control(alcohol/gambling and smoking) I will always consider myself inr"in recovery", never cured.

I too now know when one is coming on and am able to slow it down, or halt it from becoming full blown. I am on 3 meds and have been for years now. Spelling might be off, but I will try: Chlorazapate(generic for Tranxene/Bupropion(Wellbutrin)/Citalopram(Celexa). Still see by Psychiatrist every 6 months to monitor my dosage any any problems I might have with it, or anything.

I refer to these attacks as being in a black hole, caring about nothing but how to extradite myself from it. The main issue with these things with me is, you do not know a cause or what the source, and have no clue what to do/where to go to get away from it, and how long it will take over your body and your mind.

Unlike someone coming at you with a knife, this fear has no source that can be seen or understood. It is the worst of the worst I have ever experienced of anything in my whole life, and I am doing everything to keep from ending up with them again.

Always great talking with you, and I really hope things get better for you. Right now I am the best I have been for several years. More physically fit/at my desired weight for now, and working on getting even more fit with each passing day.

Sure, I have a fractured rib which is painful, but I am dealing with that until it decides to heal. Now if bad things don't hit me again, that set my fitness back to zero again, I will be fine. In the past I would start my fitness routine, and BANG, colon/cat bite/bleeding, and another "trying to recover".

Gotta get to my exercises, so take good care and as always.

My best to you and yours,

JOhn

[Moonchilde]

@hckynut, just so you know - I have suffered from anxiety disorder all my adult life, and panic attacks for about 25-30 years, though the latter is very rare these days. So if you thought I had no knowledge of this - I certainly DO have my own, personal, knowledge. Very much so.

You must be aware that there are degrees of this disability, and that not every person would have the exact same symptoms, physically or mentally. So the degree to which it disabled you, and your thoughts about it, would not necessarily be what every other person who has it would feel, identically. Surely you know this.

When a person has their first couple of panic attacks, they don't recognize some of the physical manifestations as anxiety or "panic." And they may well not be aware they are "stressed" mentally.  So yes, clearly a person knows something is wrong, and they're scared, but they don't necessarily know they're having a panic attack until they're told. Many people are told in an ER.

Again - degrees.  I pretty much conquered my attacks with a combination of medication and my determination not to let it control me. Over the years I learned what my early physical symptoms were, and learned to stop them before they got started. I only take a rare pill these days. 

My mother, OTOH, let panic attacks control her completely. She never got a clue what was happening, each of the hundreds of times it happened over the years. She would have the severest physical manifestations every time. She had probably 15-20 different ER trips just for panic attacks. I told her things she could do to help herself, the doctors told her things she could, and should, do. Went in one ear and out the other. 

BTW - for years, before my mother ever had a panic attack, she ridiculed me and heaped scorn upon me for mine. It was my own fault, "just stop doing that", etc. But when she had them - NOBODY knew what a panic attack REALLY was but HER.  Hers were the worst, other people's paled in comparison, only she really suffered, only she really knew, yadda yadda.

So yeah - been there and done that.  Bet you can guess what my opinion is of someone who thinks that only they know what's "real" about any disorder or disease, mental or physical, and who dismiss all experiences but their own.

[hckynut]

@Moonchilde

I stick with what I posted and I won't make any snide comments to you. Think what you will of me and what I said, all I will say is this. I disagree with you and I will leave it at that.

hckynut(john)

[LilacTree]

@Moonchilde@hckynut

No illness is ever the same with anyone, and I assume panic attacks are different with everyone as well.  But just as fearsome in each of us. 

Have either of you ever read Claire Weekes "Hope and Help for Your Nerves?"  She wrote several books that I bought in the early 90s when I was going through the worst of my attacks during menopause.  These are not new books and have very little to do with meds.  She uses every day language to teach us methods to use to control them as much as possible (as you do, John). 

I read these books for five years over and over again until the pages were worn thin.  I memorized whole paragraphs . . . and she helped me tremendously.  I kept these books (paperback) in a box that is somewhere in storage.  They epitomize my struggle, as I made notes and dog-eared many pages.  I read others also, but hers were the best.

I believe her books are still available on Amazon.  As I said, they are not new, but they don't have to be, as everything she writes is common sense and gives hope and strength to panic sufferers. 

I needed the med as well, I don't deny that. 

[Moonchilde]

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@hckynut wrote:

@Moonchilde

I stick with what I posted and I won't make any snide comments to you. Think what you will of me and what I said, all I will say is this. I disagree with you and I will leave it at that.

hckynut(john)

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And I'll stick with what I posted - especially the last paragraph.

[Moonchilde]

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@LilacTree wrote:

@Moonchilde@hckynut

No illness is ever the same with anyone, and I assume panic attacks are different with everyone as well.  But just as fearsome in each of us. 

Have either of you ever read Claire Weekes "Hope and Help for Your Nerves?"  She wrote several books that I bought in the early 90s when I was going through the worst of my attacks during menopause.  These are not new books and have very little to do with meds.  She uses every day language to teach us methods to use to control them as much as possible (as you do, John). 

I read these books for five years over and over again until the pages were worn thin.  I memorized whole paragraphs . . . and she helped me tremendously.  I kept these books (paperback) in a box that is somewhere in storage.  They epitomize my struggle, as I made notes and dog-eared many pages.  I read others also, but hers were the best.

I believe her books are still available on Amazon.  As I said, they are not new, but they don't have to be, as everything she writes is common sense and gives hope and strength to panic sufferers. 

I needed the med as well, I don't deny that. 

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@LilacTree, I haven't heard of that book, will have to look it up. At the time I was having my worst experiences, Wayne Dyer's books helped me, and a couple of others. I think that whatever helps, books or anything else, is fantastic for each individual.

A certain amount of my worst time was due to (young) age and (not having years of) living experience, and I "aged out of" some of it and did my best to meet the rest of it head-on. But yeah - a pill still, once in a while ;-(

[tarsmom]

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@hckynut wrote:

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@Moonchilde wrote:

If it was indeed (vaso)vagal, there is usually a stressor of some kind involved. Anxiety, "obvious" to the person or unaware - either one, excessive heat, dread, feeling overwhelmed and as previously said, lots of other things. It is often part of a panic attack - and contrary to what many people think, people often honestly don't have a clue they're having a panic attack, or feeling stress.

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@Moonchilde

As one that spent 7+ days in a mental hospital, and diagnosed with Panic/Anxiety Disorder, I partially disagree. Unfortunately, unless a person has had a true panic attack, they have no idea what that entails 

It is not being afraid of public speaking/elevators, driving over bridges, or even close. To say they have "panic attacks when"? Those that have been in the pain of true panic attacks, know exactly what I am saying.

Stress is a part of everyone's life if they live long enough, and having stress is not always a bad thing. Hearing people site a panic attack every time they are "anxious, nervous, concerned" about something, is not a panic attack. If they only knew.

I've been as close to dying several times, but I would prefer facing those once again over still be suffering from Panic/Anxiety Disorder. That is what those that have truly suffered those attacks vividly understand.

I know little to nothing about "vagal" other than what I have read and heard. Considering suicide because of Panic/Anxiety Disorder? I know it better than I know my name. I would not wish this on anyone and I am not fond of those that say "I had a panic attack", in the same way as "I had a cold".

Nuff said

hckynut(john) 

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I agree with you 100X!  Just like people say "my ADD".  Unless they've been diagnosed with it, they don't "have ADD".  Or, "I have a migraine".  Really?  I know too well what a migraine is - the worst pain ever and I've had several serious surgeries and one childbirth.  I'll take any of those over a migraine.  Anyway, that was great of you to post that Hckynut!  

[wonderfulworld]

My sister suffers from panic attacks. It was explained to her by a psychiatrist as an over active 'fight or flight response' which was most important to cavemen but of little use now and has become much 'less' in modern man through the evolutionary and adaptive process. Some people still exhibit this response to a much greater extent than most. It also is caused by excessive cortisol being excreted by the endocrine glands.

For her they come out of nowhere but I know that my mother also had them. She takes medication daily for it. 

I am not sure if this adds anything to the conversation but I have been following it with interest and thought this might add to it.

 I know this is not the OP's issue. Good health to all!

[tarsmom]

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@hckynut wrote:

@tarsmom

What is the first physical thing the EMT/Paramedic did TO you, other than pick you up? I either missed it or you didn't say, but were you taken to an ER?

Not a pleasant experience for anyone for sure.

hckynut(john)

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John, they asked my age and what meds I was on.  (two BP meds).  I think that was the trip to the hospital ticket.  Yes, ER and EKG/blood work - all ok.