faint and so scared...

[mila]

I am sat here hoping someone's around to read my post coz there is nobody i can call right now and am feeling so scared Just took my little one to the childminder and was on my way to treat myself a nice facial and haircut finally having a day off and minutes from the house i suddenly started feeling like i lost my balance,an just vey lightheaded, i was not 100 but 200% sure iam about to pass out. I ran back and ran into a hairdressers and just sat there hoping i'll come myself down bu now the back of my head was pulsating,i was hot and hyperventilating with panic and just really overwhelmed with panic, although the fainting feeling was what started it and not the other way around for sure! I was asking if they have somewhere to lie own and how i am going to faint but they were all looking at me like i'm crazy and weren't willing to help. I somehow managed to get to my doctors in a taxi. He couldnt find anything wrong,even my blood pressure was alright,and he sent me home to put my feet up, saying he doesn know what started it but panic made it worse. I am on my period but that never made me feel this bad,maybe a little dizzy. I am now still feeling crap, dont know what is this pulsing head feeling, and feel like i am swaying,it's horrible. i was scared well still am, that something bad will happen to me (i am actually scared to say what exactly i am scared will happen ,but i am pretty sure u'd all know what i mean). I am suppose to go pick my baby up in an hour and i am too scared to get up... i was doing well, and look at me now, like i am right back at the beggining. Just keep asking myself wht is going on and wondering how i can feel so faint that i cannot believe i actually didnt end up on the floor, and my blood pressure is fine, what happened to me. And my only day off is ruined as well, dont get to do anything.

[lisa12]

Hi mila i have this all the time thats my 1st sympton im about to have a panic atack i always feel like im gonna faint then panic like mad i have had this for over 10 years and never fainted...and even when i calm down i have the dizziness/offbalance feeling for a while it freaks me out but it is only anxiety playing tricks wiv u you will be fine and try not to get worked up and constantley think about it as this makes the dizzy feeling stay longer so try relax and take u mind of it hope u feel better soon xxx

[debs71]

Hi Millie.....sorry you are feeling so rough hun.Don't be scared. It'll be ok.

Subconsciously, there is something that has triggered this and it defo sounds like a big panic episode. Sometimes you can start the day feeling ok and then out of the blue these things occur. I too have had episodes like this - feeling lightheaded, all the blood drains from me, I feel hot,my heart pounds, head pulsates and I feel faint, or that I'm going to. I have had many episodes of this and have fainted only once so far. Sadly, it was at work, but luckily I was in the right place as I'm a nurse!!! That time I was under a lot of pressure at work and in my relationship, on my period and my blood pressure was very low,but I know it was triggered by anxiety as I was being interrogated by my boss at the time and feeling VERY anxious!

First things first. Lay down with your legs raised higher than heart level on cushions or a chair or anything that raises them up. Secondly, BREATHE in and out slowly. Close your eyes and try to relax your muscles, hands, shoulders, etc. This REALLY does help, honestly. Distraction also helps so switch the tv on, but remain lying down while you are feeling like this at present.

I can TOTALLY relate as I suffer episodes like this myself. It has happened many times when I am out shopping, and even at the hairdressers last month, when I was SITTING as well!! It is a vasovagal episode when you actually faint, exacerbated by anxiety/panic. Please don't be frightened and it will pass, as apparently most episodes we only THINK we will faint, but we actually don't, and it is just the anxiety playing tricks, so I think I was unlucky when I did!

I combat these episodes by trying to distract myself from the immediate things I am feeling, by conversing with someone, chanting something silently in my head like 'you are ok, it will pass' , basically ANYTHING that calms down the physical effects.

Just know too that this is NOT A FAILURE on your part, so don't chastise yourself as you will wind up feeling worse. It is a temporary glitch.

Just take your time and trust me, it will pass hun.xxxx

[mila]

Oh Lisa thank you so much xxx I was panicking like mad but more coz the panic didnt come first,i was perfectly happy walking down the street and then i am suddenly having to hold on to things to get up, even sitting on the chair i felt my head was going towards the floor and just blacking out. And thinking there is no one to even help me up the street or no one at home plus those people just ignoring me and looking at me like i'm crazy, what type of people is that??? i would at least ask the person if they r alright,if they need water or anything!
I need to go in a bit... how do i get up and go....i am now scared something will happen to me while i am alone with my lo

[bluesparkle]

hi mila
you are not back to the begining hun honest ...its just a blip.
trust me...

i have made a really good recovery but about 2 weeks ago i went into work and it was a training session and i felt exactely like you did today...
i had to leave (never done before in the 4 1/2 yrs i been there)
i was gutted and distraught that i had gone right back to square one so i came in to chat ...
it came out of the blue like yours...
it did knock me about for a day or two but i am now back to were i was...
so i guess what im trying to say is hang on in there and try not to dwell on it.
go and get your little one and try not to think about what has happened.
rach
x

[mila]

Thanks girls (Debs, Rach) I am gonna get up and go... my head still feels like swimming... You know the feeling when someone is telling u oh yeah i felt exactly the same but u keep thinking there's no way they actually felt as bad, maybe i didnt describe as well how i really felt, i know this sounds horrible and ppl may think why do i bother saying anything then, but it actually helps so much, xxxx it does sink in after a while.

[Lou 1]

Mila.. I have been feeling the EXACT same for nearyl 4 weeks now.. it seems to come and go and it is horrible when it happens! :(

[mila]

Lou,have u been to the docs? How r u coping? I can sort of cope with feeling off- balance a bit, i feel all washed out now really, but i was feeling for almost an hour like i'm defo gonna faint any second, was getting myself ready to lie down on the floor coz i thought better than to fall down.

[chai]

Mila... how many times have you had a panic attack?
it is SUPER SCARY but now you know what it is. it is PANIC and thats ALL. don't worry...
next time it happens you can fight it off..
thats what i do now.
when i first started to get panic attacks i used to freak out and it would spin out of control.
now when i feel like i am going to faint... and funnily enough i never have- i just think to myself.. NO i will not let this happen to me. and i breathe deeply, drink water, talk positively to yourself, try relax, stretch..if you are at home cold showers are the way to go.
and eventually the feelings will stop being as strong. it won;t feel as scary because you will know what it is and how to deal with it and know that you won;t faint.. nothing will happen and it will pass.
xxx

[debs71]

CHAI, I completely agree. I really feel that if the power of our mind creates a panic attack response then we also have the power to bring ourselves out of it too, and that is what we need to get a handle on by loads of positive 'self-talking' and positive thinking like you mention.

I have to say, when I fainted it frightened the hell out of me and that brought on more near faint attacks, but as time goes on and although I still get them, I feel more confident in dealing with them now, and like you, I say to myself 'THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME. I AM OKAY'

It is so hard to do, but it really can be done.