Fluttering sensation in back of head

Hi all

I'm having a major blip at the moment but I think I know why and so I'm addressing all I can.

Ok, work is horrendously busy, yesteday I worked for just under 10 hours with only a 15 minute break, our office is like sauna, I'm not sleeping properly and for the last week I've been weaning myself off my medication in accordance with the dr's way of doing it.

So I know that I'm being pretty tough on my body.

That said, I'm eating heathily, drinking lots of water and fluids, have cut down my alcohol intake and caffeine. Yes i had started to get naughty have a coffee and a couple of cups of ordinary tea most days. I'd run of of the decaf stuff. I've also done yoga three times this week.

I've been seeing signs over the last few weeks of my old symptoms resurging, constant tension headaches, lots of moving feelings, nausea and a fair bit more. But I've tried to be positive. Even though sometimes my head has hurt so much I could have banged it against the wall.

Then yesterday, it all went pear shaped. I was at my desk and started to keep a kind of fluttering sensation in the hollow at the back of my head on the left hand side. I tried to ignore it and it eased a bit but then probably an hour or so later, it came on suddenly and was really strong. A bit like a buttefly was trapped in the back of my head crossed iwth a vibrating feeling. Then I got like a chemical hurt feeling through that part of my head and I was off....I had the mother of all panic attacks. Though I honestly and truly thought I was having a brain haemorrage etc, especially when my left left went weak and numb.

I'm ashamed of myself cos I virtually ran out of my office, into the bathroom, splashed my flash. Still no good, then I was hot footing it to my car where I rang my husband. I had the works, hyperventilating, pain in chest, uncontrollable shaking, lead legs, burning mouth, heart pounding, flushed chest, tight face and still the fluttering. Eventually after about 15 mins, I went back to my desk, collected my stuff and back to my car. Someone said I looked terrible, so that didn't help.

I got a drink and sat there for a further 15 mins or so, telling myself i was ok etc, that it was all a pa and I would be ok.

I then drove home and burst into tears on route. Couldn't stop them but there they were. I the radio on loud to distract me.

Now I know that all of the symptoms are had are a panic attack. Apart from the fluttering feeling. I have it right now and have had it for most of the morning. Also the part of my head where it is feels tender to the touch. As it's new for me, I'm thinking well maybe it isn't anxiety. But wondering if any of you have anything the same or similar. See I got there eventually.

Part of me is afraid that this is the downward slope again, as the intensity of it all, is how it hit me years ago. I don't want to go back there and what's more I don't want to have to stay on the meds. I'm taking 75 mg of dothiepin every other day. So I'm thinking this could be down to the withdrawal. I honestly haven't felt that scared and out of control for a long long time. Yes I have symptoms but not those,

Thank goodness i have next week off work

I was totally exhausted for the rest of the evening but when I went to bed, I had fitful sleep and keep jumping out of bed in fear of something.

I'm not going to give in and I am going to fight this and I am being positive but as it's all so fresh in my mind, the fear factor is quite hard to control.

It's ok recognising the warning signals but when you do all the right stuff and it still gets you, I begin to despair.

Jules


Jules

Hi Jules,

I know how you feel. I had a bad P/A on holiday this month I was coping ok and telling myself it was just a pa etc.. then all of a sudden a new symptom appeared. My face starting tingling all over like pins and needles and i had double vision. All in all this really threw me and made me panic more which didn't help obviously!!!!

What i'm trying to say is when we have a sympton we haven't had before it throws us of course and makes you question is this panic & anxiety doing this? Normally you will find the answer is YES! Reading how overworked overheated and coming of the meds i'm not suprised you feel strange and are having lots of symptoms.

Speak to your GP if you get to concerned.

I hope you have a lovely week of work and manage to relax hun.

Take care,

Hope you feel better soon.

Love PIP'S X X

Hi Jules,

I was wondering how you were doing as I havent read any of your posts in lately... I think your symptoms are just anxiety related and may have something to do with coming off your meds but I would call your GP or speak to the pharmacist and ask them if there is such symptoms when weaning off meds. I know when I stopped taking meds a couple of years back I had horrible head symptoms for a while until they were out my sysytem....

You are also prone to head symptoms with your anxiety as I remember you and I had similar ones... I have similar symptoms myself too at the moment. In fact I have had a fluttering symptom lately but not in my head but at the side of my chest which had me a little worried but It eventually disappeared... I have no idea what it was but nothing to worry about.

I think you have been overworking lately and this coupled with coming off your meds and the hot stuffy room will be making things a lot worse. You should give your self regular breaks and maybe watch your posture etc... as sitting at a computer each day does terrible things to our bodies... stresses us out.. headaches, tension in the neck and shoulders etc etc...The fact that your head is sore to touch should give you peace to know that it is nothing sinister... My GP told me if you can locate and feel the pain then its nothing to worry about.

If you need to talk then you no you can email me whenever.



sadie

Hi Jules,
I've had the same thing many times in the past ..they began when i came off anti-depressants about 1 1/2 yrs ago....I used to get them all the time and put it down to the anxiety i was going through whilst withdrawing from the AD's ...I still get them now but not that often only when i'm really tired or really stressed/anxious. When it happens it still catches me off guard and terrifies me for a moment ..it's extactly as you describe like a butterly is trapped under the skin ..i usually get it at the side of my head.....I have told my G.P. about this and he just says it's anxiety!!! So please try not to worry..take care Jodiexx

J Baker

I have had the fluttering sensation before. As a matter of fact just last night I had it will on the computer. It didn't phase me one bit. I have had them for years and I have just gotten used to them. I don't think that they happen to often anymore and if they do I don't notice them. Somewhere along the line I realized that it was an anxiety thing and just let it go. I used to get really afraid of it though. Somewhere along the line I realized that it can't hurt me and means nothing so I let it go.

Hi all

Thank you so much for your reassurances. Jacob and Panikki, it's nice to know that I'm not alone.

I'm still struggling somewhat, lots of weird head stuff, no more fluttering though. I keep going so dizzy and have a sensation of fallling suddenly but am trying to ignore it.

Although I'm off work, I'm having trouble relaxing and am still finding I sleep one day and not the next. I'm tryng to be kind to myself too but woke up very teary today for no apparent reason.

Sadie I'm sorrry to hear you still don't feel great but hang in there.

I'm going to take myself off for a walk to see if I can make myself feel a bit brighter

Love



Jules

Hiya Jules,

I have had the fluttering sensation at the back of my head and in my chest as well - I think I possibly even had it before I became 'gripped' with anxiety.

You know why you are feeling so bad Jules - think that is half the battle

You may need to go back to 'basics' of relaxing, eating etc. you have alot on at the moment and coming off the tablets is a really big step

Take Care Jules

Lucky
x

hi! my mom was just talking about how she had the same sympton of a fluttering sensation in the back of her head. and she said the exact same thing as you, how it felt like a butterfly was trapped in the back of her head on the left side. and her doctor said it was anxiety. did you find out what caused that sympton for you? she thinks it might be like a pinched nerve or something. plz reply