Cherry Milkshake
16-02-09, 13:25
Has anybody ever experienced this?
When I first started having severe panic attacks last summer, they were always the same and characterised by palpitations, a racing heart, tight chest and strong feelings of fear, followed by feeling low, cold and tired. Pretty standard I suppose.
I started taking Cymbalta (Duloxetine) and began learning to recognise my attack triggers. With medication and self help, whilst I have often had anxiety attacks (usually in bed at night) I have not had a full blown panic attack for five months.
In fact, recently I have been feeling much better, have returned to university and was almost beginning to feel that I was really on the way to recovery and leading a pretty normal life again.
Then last night the most horrible thing happened. I had spent most of the day on the computer and reading, and I was perhaps a little tired when I picked up a new book towards the end of the night. I was half way through the first page when my head started to feel really heavy, like lead and full of pressure, and I began to feel woozy. All my limbs felt disconnected to my body (probably the only way I can describe it), and I felt almost drugged - like I was out of it. I figured I was over tired. Told my partner and we went upstairs to choose a DVD to watch in bed. As I stood at the cabinet I felt more and more heavy and surreal, and next thing I knew, although I didn't actually pass out, I collapsed to the floor.
I didn't put this down to anxiety as I'd never experienced this before, so we phoned the NHS helpline and they rang for an ambulance. When the medic came I still felt very woozy and shaky, and it was all I could do to stay awake. She did all my obs and they were perfectly normal. She then got me to sit up and I was shaking really badly, she got me to squeeze her hands etc and although I felt really weak and my muscles were literally quaking she said my strength was fine. Then she got me to walk. Within two steps I'd dropped to the floor again - at which point I began crying (obvioulsy wondering what the hell was wrong with me).
She said that I'd not 'collapsed' but it looked like it was because of a 'mental need to be on the floor'(?) which almost made me feel like I was 'putting on' the symptoms - but even my boyfriend said he could see I was shaking and struggling to support my own body weight. She suggested I go to bed and try and sleep it off, that there was nothing physically wrong and that I might feel better in the morning. I must admit, although I felt desperately tired and have missed lectured today, only getting up an hour ago, and still feeling slightly 'heavy headed' I do feel much better, and so can only put this down to anxiety.
Has anybody ever experienced this? I was under the impression that whilst feeling faint was common, actually physically collapsing wasn't? Any thoughts would be much appreciated in helping me to understand what's happening. Thanks.
Hannah x
When I first started having severe panic attacks last summer, they were always the same and characterised by palpitations, a racing heart, tight chest and strong feelings of fear, followed by feeling low, cold and tired. Pretty standard I suppose.
I started taking Cymbalta (Duloxetine) and began learning to recognise my attack triggers. With medication and self help, whilst I have often had anxiety attacks (usually in bed at night) I have not had a full blown panic attack for five months.
In fact, recently I have been feeling much better, have returned to university and was almost beginning to feel that I was really on the way to recovery and leading a pretty normal life again.
Then last night the most horrible thing happened. I had spent most of the day on the computer and reading, and I was perhaps a little tired when I picked up a new book towards the end of the night. I was half way through the first page when my head started to feel really heavy, like lead and full of pressure, and I began to feel woozy. All my limbs felt disconnected to my body (probably the only way I can describe it), and I felt almost drugged - like I was out of it. I figured I was over tired. Told my partner and we went upstairs to choose a DVD to watch in bed. As I stood at the cabinet I felt more and more heavy and surreal, and next thing I knew, although I didn't actually pass out, I collapsed to the floor.
I didn't put this down to anxiety as I'd never experienced this before, so we phoned the NHS helpline and they rang for an ambulance. When the medic came I still felt very woozy and shaky, and it was all I could do to stay awake. She did all my obs and they were perfectly normal. She then got me to sit up and I was shaking really badly, she got me to squeeze her hands etc and although I felt really weak and my muscles were literally quaking she said my strength was fine. Then she got me to walk. Within two steps I'd dropped to the floor again - at which point I began crying (obvioulsy wondering what the hell was wrong with me).
She said that I'd not 'collapsed' but it looked like it was because of a 'mental need to be on the floor'(?) which almost made me feel like I was 'putting on' the symptoms - but even my boyfriend said he could see I was shaking and struggling to support my own body weight. She suggested I go to bed and try and sleep it off, that there was nothing physically wrong and that I might feel better in the morning. I must admit, although I felt desperately tired and have missed lectured today, only getting up an hour ago, and still feeling slightly 'heavy headed' I do feel much better, and so can only put this down to anxiety.
Has anybody ever experienced this? I was under the impression that whilst feeling faint was common, actually physically collapsing wasn't? Any thoughts would be much appreciated in helping me to understand what's happening. Thanks.
Hannah x