Fainting from panic?

[BeeBee]

Hello!

I wonder can anyone give me any help or advice?

I've had panic attacks and anxiety for a while now and have started to become frightened to anywhere too far away without my partner. The problem is that several times I've fainted and been very sick at home and in public and this has made me feel anxious and panicky about going out by myself, even going to work. I wondered is this part of a panic attack or is it something seperate? Everyone reassures me that you can't faint from panic but is this really true? Has anyone else ever fainted and been sick from panic?

I'd love some reassure or to hear other people's experiences as I'm starting to feel so helpless and isolated.

Thankyou so much. x

[devon_guy]

Hello and a big warm welcome to the forum:D

It is very rare to faint but if you look at other postings you will see its not impossible to faint during a panic attack. Unfortunately for a lot of people including me it's our biggest fear, so I'm probably not best qualified to advise!

It's hardly surprising you don't want to go out given what's happened in the past but you really should seek help to prevent it becoming a major stumbling block. Have you seen your gp and had a good check up to make sure there's not another cause? If you haven't I suggest you do. S/he can also advise on a route to recovery. Most of us on here are really big advocates of Claire Weekes books too, you can get them from Amazon, they might be worth a read.

Tim

[chucklehound]

Hi Bee and welcome to NMP. I agree with Tim, I personally have never fainted during a panic attack but I am sure it's possible.
Hope you feel better soon...

Take care

Chuckle

xxxx

[chedda]

Hia BeeBee,
I have panic attacks and agoraphobia,i often feel like im going to pass out of faint but i never have.Like devon gut i suggest you should have a check up at the docs there could be another problem why you are fainting and being sick,there are lots of reasons why this could be happening and the majority have simple solutions:D
Take care and good luck cheryl xx

[Molly]

Hi Beebee,

It is possible and happens to me - but not all the time, only in my biggest attacks - so maybe just twice a year or so. (though about 5 times during my finals at uni...but that makes sense as stress levels were through the roof! )

However - twice now I have controlled my breathing and used distraction methods and have managed to make it stop before I pass out so maybe I just need more practice. I'm doing yoga whenever I can to try and improve my breath control as I manage a combination of random breath holding and hyperventilating which I imagine doesn't help me very much....

Is there any common link between all of the fainting episodes - mine seem to be related to blood pressure as most are in the morning when I get up....

Haven't been sick though - my sympathy for that one as it must be pretty nasty.

[pinkpenny1uk]

i have fainted a few times when having major panic attacks. it got me to the stage that i wouldn't go out alone as i was scared of what might happen if i had an attack whilst alone.
as time has gone on i have felt a bit more confident about being on my own but i would prefer someone with me.
my fainting fits tho were due to panick induced posterial hypotension.

they too always seemed to be worse first thing in the morning.

[Wannabeloved85]

its possible yes, but its not common, as when your anxious and panic your blood level rises, when fainting occurs, its when the blood level drops. Fainting is a huge fear of mine. Mainly cos im blood phobic and passed out 4 times already, in public! Blood phobia and injury phobic are exceptions to passing when it comes to phobias and anxieties. If you feel that sinking feeling {the one you get before u pass out} tense your fists and release and tense,release,tense etc to get the blood pumping back to the brain.works wonders!

[Molly]

Thanks for the tip Wannabeloved...I shall try that next time, usually I focus too much on trying to breathe...and hyperventilate !

Sounds silly but I did once try waving my legs in the air and everything started to come back to normal - I thought it worked as distraction, but it was probably blood flow as well !

[Laura xx]

Hi,

I have fainted a couple of times when I have had a panic attack, I asked my Doctor and he said it is the fear that makes me pass out and not the panic attack itself!!

I think he means the fear of the feeling of panic, which would make sense to me!

[april tones]

Hi, i had that sinking feeling today! thats what really scared me! i didnt pass out tho! xxxx

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