Relapse! Coping, Symptoms and Tips.

[Darksky]

That does explain a lot, why you have the triggers you do now.

I do think it was a spell of intense anxiety. Maybe not panic but it can certainly freeze you so you literally can't move. Of course I'm not a doctor so my knowledge is limited. Did you go to the dr when you were back on your feet and tell him about the episode?

[Carnation]

Thank you Darksky for braving to read my post today. x
No, I didn't go to the Docs, I know now I should have and now too much time has past.
Obviously I'm not asking for a diagnosis, but more an understanding on why I am how I am.
I've spent the day so far going over that day with Mr C, who is reluctant to understand why it still affects me nearly two years on. And my aim is to solve that fear.

[Darksky]

You're as bad as me. Avoid the docs like the plague. If it was something medically serious you would be very aware of it after 2 years...I'm mean physical stuff.

im still convinced it was a episode of severe anxiety, which naturally you want to avoid a repeat of. It's like someone has a panic in Tescos and before they know it, every Tesco in the country is a no go area, simply because they want to avoid the symptoms again. And thus is born the phobia. Fear of fear

Everything reminds you of that day, you have multi triggers. You feel dizzy..that reminds you. You feel hot..that reminds you. Someone asks how you are...that reminds you.

i think these are almost phobic reactions and the only way I know how to reduce phobias is by bite sized chunks. Exposure done carefully in the knowledge that these sensations can't harm you. When you think about it, that awful episode did end, Mr.C said it would and it did. The only cure is losing the fear of the feelings. I wish it was easier, but then 90% of the people wouldn't be here if it was. Me included.

[Carnation]

That's a good point Darksky. If something more serious, it would have surely shown or grown by now. I never thought of it like that.
It's hard to believe that anxieties presence can be so strong and dare I say, effective.
And like you say, if it was that easy to cure, we wouldn't all be on here, would we?
My phobias, because they are phobias are apparently curable and I do think exposure is the only way. The pain and suffering in dealing with those phobias is exhausting, so I need to master a balance. Sue's suggestion of directing my mind on to other stuff to relieve those periods of overthinking is a good idea. But I feel its a long road to feeling any relief as its been nearly 2 years already.

Thank you again for being there Darksky, I'm sure you don't need my problems as well as your own.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Wow.... I read the whole thing, yes, it spiked some adrenaline and anxiety, but hey, that's life. I can now practice the techniques I've learned to get it back down again. Also, I can TOTALLY RELATE, and I may have suffered from the exact same thing as you. I can still remember that it was February 18th, 2006. (Wow, this stuff really gets embedded in our brains!)

Trigger alert and warning, don't read if you're sensitive.

I was driving to work and I felt a slight wave of dizzy. Figured it was low blood sugar or my vision not being focused properly yet. Got to work, was in the kitchen area getting coffee, and another wave hit. OK, now I'm starting to panic. Tried to distract myself with work but felt another one and thought I might faint so headed to the ladies room, kinda leaning to one side. Once I got into the stall, I was in a constant state of dizzy, to the point I sat on the floor with my face against the cold toilet paper holder trying to keep myself conscious. I was thinking it was severe anxiety or possibly low blood sugar, so I somehow got myself back to my desk, grabbed a bag of almonds, and got back to the bathroom stall (handicapped one this time). I was actually laying on the floor because I couldn't keep myself vertical, and trying to stuff almonds in my mouth. When the dizziness let up a little, I managed to get back to my desk, grab my purse, and head for the exit. I actually fell down twice on the way to the stairs. I called my husband and told him to come get me because there was no way I could drive. I was holding wet paper towels to my forehead trying to stay conscious. When I got home I laid down and immediately called my doctor, and told him I was having the worst panic attack of my life and asked what I should do. He asked me to describe what it felt like, and he then said "You're not having a panic attack, you've got labyrinthitis." He called me in an anti-dizzy prescription and told me to get an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor.

I got an appointment but it was four weeks out, but on the phone they confirmed that it did sound like a virus of the middle ear and that all I could do was wait for it to pass. It lasted, in it's severe phase, for 3 weeks!!!!! I needed help getting to and from the bathroom and other than that I barely moved because everything would spin and I'd feel faint. Eating was hard because when you're dizzy, you're also sick to your stomach. When I got to the ENT doctor a month later the symptoms were a little better, but I still couldn't drive or walk un-assisted. They put me through a myriad of horrible tests and finally confirmed labyrinthitis. I was out of work on disability for 5 weeks and when I went back I still had lots of trouble. There were diagonal stripes on the carpeting and looking at it made me swoon. I was at my desk and would still get waves of intense dizzy to the point where I would grab onto something so that I wouldn't fall off my chair. When my boss noticed, he got in my car and drove me home.

ANYWAY, that may be what you had. Looking back, I had had one milder spell of that a few years previously that only lasted about 24 hours, and since then I've had two minor flare-ups. But like you, I live in fear of that ever happening again, and when I feel a dizzy, I start praying "Oh, please, no - not labyrinthitis!" Even though I've experienced a lot of uncomfortable physical ailments and diseases, I still consider that one the most horrific.

Sorry if I triggered anyone, but I wanted Mrs. C to know that I did relate to what happened to her, and that I do still remember it all so vividly that it's deeply embedded in my brain. Do I have any suggestions on how to stop being so fearful of it? Not really, unfortunately. The one thing I try to do is say to myself "So what?" So what if it happens again, then I lie in bed until it passes. And then I start fearing it will happen on the plane or at my daughter's house. And I try to say "So what?" but that scenario is a hard one to stop fearing. But I've heard of others who faint on planes and they are taken off in wheelchairs, so yes, it would be uncomfortable and embarrassing, but... "so what?"
Sue

[Carnation]

Also, you mentioned Tesco as an example and how the memory can then fear all Tescos and become a trigger, but it's far more than that. Say for instance, you were in Tescos and you were picking up toilet rolls when it happened and you were wearing a green top and it was an evening shop. You then may have a trigger when you wear that green top again, change the toilet roll in the bathroom and go late night shopping. Not always, but those unexplained times when you feel panicky for no reason, could be explained by these triggeres.
Now I have a too good a memory. I can remember finer details of events from the past. I'll give you some idea how good my memory is. When I learn a new piece of music on the piano, I can then play it from memory. It's like I walk around with a photographic mind. And that's no help to me with anxiety. I remember what I was wearing that day, what we had for lunch, the duvet cover I used, what we had for dinner the night before. It's a nightmare, because I remember too much!

[Carnation]

Sue posted the same time as you. x

[Pkstracy]

Sounds like you got overly exhausted and collapsed, I remember my mom doing that once, when I was sixteen I got a bad case of bronchitis, it was so bad that Doctor told mom I may have to go into the hospital if my lungs didn't clear a bit, anyway I remember every time I would wake up there was mom sitting by the bed and doing whatever care I needed, I forgot to mention she also worked long hours at a nursing home as well as an LPN (licensed practical nurse), plus tending to the horses we had and the two baby cows, dad was a truck driver so not home much, my mom collapsed like you did we, my aunt and I got her to the Doctor and he said she was just so exhausted her body said enough and that is what caused her collapse. I bet it was scary for you and Mr. C should have rung for someone as something could have been seriously wrong, glad you are okay

[Carnation]

That's very interesting Sue. I'm extremely sensitive but read it all. I'm not one to shy away, I'll go head in first and see what happens.
Now, first of all, thank you for taking the time to put your story on here and it is brave of you to do so.
You may have struck on something here for me.
I get the carpet thing completely! There is a stripey zig zag carpet in the chemist /surgery and everytime I walk over it to go with Mr C to get his prescription or other stuff, my eyes can't take it. I also have this with a duvet cover that makes me feel off balance. Bearing in mind I've had this for nearly 2 years.
The other thing you mentioned about cooling your face down as you were extremely hot. I did the same. I'd lie there with a cold flannel on my forehead as if it was about to combust. I did this as a regular thing everytime I felt hot. Still do.
I also had a couple of minor episodes of woozy drop myself on the bed in the run up to this horrid episode.
I also kept going deaf in my left ear and some throbbing pains. I still get those occasionally.
So you may well have hit on something here, but 2 years worth? But Mr C is still saying it's all anxiety. :(
I'm going to look into this in more detail Sue.
So sorry you had to experience that and can see this is a trigger for when you feel lightheaded or iffy, it will be a throwback, I'm sure of that. x

[Carnation]

Thank you Tracy for joining this thread.
It could well have been exhaustion
Looking after his mum continously for hours, little sleep, hefty work, not resting.
Mr C said it was an amalgamation of stuff.