Is it Tunnel Vision? and is it a panic attack?

[AnxietySufferer]

Okay, so i have been suffering from anxiety and have been a part of this website for about a year now, in the last 8 months I have used the sight less an less. I have had many anxiety symptoms over the time I have been on this website and at my worse I was convinced I had bowel cancer.

Anyway recently I have been working a lot, and I'm proud of myself with how I have come on in the last year. But anyway today i was out doing some food shopping (on my only day off in the week) and my vision went all funny, for example if i was reading a sign say, the first too letters would be blurred out and it is really quite scary. Anyway I have noticed this symptom before and it usually appears a busy day and i can usually sleep it off and my vision will normally return too normal. Anyway, this time i decided to sit down and get a drink and eventually within about 45 minutes my eye site returned back to normal, but this has been accompanied by a headache which still hasn't gone away, and whilst I was finishing my shopping my hand on the right hand side went number, this also passed after about 20 mins but the headache has stayed and I'm finding it hard to think properly. Anyway, obviously this was rather scary for me and really I need some support.

I was wondering, is this a panic attack? I have never been able to put my finger on a time when i have had an actual panic attack probably because i have been thinking of all the other things that can possibly be wrong with me. I really don't want to go backwards, but then i also have other worries on my mind such. I know I have bad eye site anyway and it makes me think what if I'm losing my site or something. I know i have been over doing it, so I'm trying really hard not to over think it too!

Thank you in advance for your support, I don't like telling family about these sorts of things because then they worry about me which usually makes my anxiety worse, but at the same time i feel as though i need to talk to someone about it so your help really is appreciated. I really don't want to go backwards but i am feeling a bit like that today :(

[feelthelove]

migraine aura for sure .

It's harmless and is called a silent migraine .

[GingerFish]

Yip that is a migraine aura. Mine start out with a black dot in my vision and then it gets bigger and then I can only read and see half of things and within 10 mins, I see horrible zig zag lines that take over my vision. I've only ever had two migraine auras like that and they scared the absolute **** out of me. Took one of the worst panic attacks of my life after the first one because I was sure I was having a stroke. I don't get a headache after them usually. In fact with my last one, I had the migraine pain hours before the aura started and then had no pain when the aura came and ended. Usually I just get migraines without aura but when I get the vision changes with an aura, they are terrifying.

[AnxietySufferer]

Thank you for your responses! but I'm a little confused, is this an anxiety symptom or?? I have never been done to headaches in the past but i have had two of these in the last month or so! should i be worried / go to the doctor??

[GingerFish]

Migraines do tend to happen more when you are stressed and if your anxiety and panic attacks have been getting worse then it could be stress that is causing the migraines but I wouldn't say the migraines are a symptom of anxiety, more a reaction to prolonged anxiety if that makes sense? I would recommend going to the doctor and getting a check over. Migraines usually aren't anything to worry about but can be very painful and if they become regular, there are medications for them that may reduce how many you have. An eye test would maybe be useful too as I noticed I got more migraines before I got glasses. I never realised I even needed glasses but turned out I was constantly tensing and squinting trying to see things and that caused migraines as well as stress and the fact they run in my family.

[AnxietySufferer]

Okay, thank you!! i am panicking a little bit about seizures and stuff as one of my hands went numb and I had a headache. I thought the numbness was anxiety but now I'm worried its all related and i know I'm making myself anxious and I don't want to go backwards :(

[GingerFish]

Numbess and tingling go hand in hand with both anxiety and migraines so I wouldn't worry though I know easy for me to say that! I was convinced I was having a stroke when I had first aura.

[feelthelove]

I 've had these for 26 years had eyes tested all fine perfect 20/20 vision , been to the doctors tons of times they don't seem concerned no damage done just a nuisance and very scary , you will be fine x