Fainting??

[Sonya]

Has anyone passed out during a panic attack? Im not sure whether its due to my meds or not but my docs taken me off them, he said my blood pressure was low but thats a good thing. I still feel really light headed and really edgey today, im hoping it will go away because all sorts is going through my head im convinced theirs something seriousy wrong with me.

[megan143]

Hi

I have never fainted during a panick attack although have felt close to it, hanging on to my husband, thinking I am going to faint or almost staggering out of a shop rying to find my car as quickly as possible. That is once of my biggest fears, fainting or collapsing but it hasn't happened in 20 years of panick attacks, but try telling my body that he next time it happens:ohmy:

love

Megan

[karenb]

Hi there,

My PA's started after fainting in Cyprus - although I know it was the heat and dehydration that caused it.

Fainting and PA's feel almost the same. My doc has told me that it is almost impossible to faint from a PA because when you have a PA your BP goes up and when you faint it goes down. Try telling my body this though!

Good luck and take care

Karen x

:yesyes:

[missacorah]

Ive never actually fainted in a PA though like the others have said, you swear that every time you have one this'll be the time you do :D .
Fainting is actually by biggest worry when it comes to PAs - well, the thought of fainting in front of other people.

[miss_moo]

That's my biggest fear too, fainting, collapsing, and because i worry too much about it i cause myself to have PAs. My Doctor says it won't happen but if it ever did and it won't, so what? Thats how im trying to get through it by thinking so what?, its hard to actually believe it but up to now i haven't, and i find that when i do start thinking 'i need to get outta here' in the supermarket, by saying it out loud to myself helps as it calms my breathing too.

[Martin Ell]

I've read that panic attacks cannot cause you to faint, or in the very rare cases that it happens, it's due to low blood pressure. The lightheaded sensation that sufferers feel is often confused with feeling faint.

Please don't feel like there's something wrong with you, as most panic sufferers feel faint during an attack.

Some reading you may be interested in:
http://www.panicend.com/pfa.html

[clarissa]

This might help you. If you feel you are going to faint, you need oxygen & quickly, this is often a result of hyperventilating (rapid breathing) causing you to have to much CO2 (carbon dioxide) in your body. So everyone tells you to "put your head down" well try this - YES YOU who are reading this. PUT your thumbs of each hand up your nostril - the next finger on the outside and HOLD the nostril and pull out together BREATH IN release the grip and take a normal breath and repeat - this allows both sides of your nostrils to open and take in more oxygen. Do you feel any better? Just remember it in future, but also try to take regular deep breaths.

[nikkipops]

Some people say it's impossible to faint during a panic attack, but I know for a fact that since I've been having regular panic attacks, it's more likely than not that it'll cause me to pass out. As embarassing as it is in front of other people, and how scared I am of hurting myself or becoming vulnerable around strangers, it stops the panic attack, and when I come round, I'm only nervous rather than going through full-blown panic. My blood pressure has always been fine when checked normally, or by the time I see a nurse after this happening, so I believe I've no other health problems to worry about, even if it is an extra inconvenience (in the sense that I don't like being alone and am sometimes scared to go where I need to.)

Nikki

[Ryan82]

Despite what Nikkipops says, i believe it is almost impossible to faint during a 'Panic Attack' as to faint you need to have low blood pressure and during a panic attack your blood pressure is soaring high. I thought i had fainted from a panic attack before - but when i explained this to my CB therapist he said that because my body felt like it was going to faint that it kind of imitated what it thought fainting would be like - but that i wouldnt have had that actual blackout you experience with fainting.

Its still so weird though as even though i know and understand this now - in that moment i still feel like i could faint - but i know its just the hyperventilation from the panic attack making me feel dizzy! Why is the brain so disregarding of all this knowledge at the time?!

[clarissa]

They also say you can not faint lying down - but you can. I had menieres disease & was asked by the Dr. to move my head to the side for him to look into my ear! - I fainted- so you do not always need to have low bloodpressure to faint!

[mummy4]

fainting is my biggest fear.....esp while out in public and my kids are with me. thankfully ive never fainted during a panic attack but i feel like im going to every time x