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Panic Attacks, Fainting - Drugs? Hormones? Help!

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Posted 2/3/2012 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

I'm brand new here. In fact - never been on a forum or anything like this online. But I'm desperate at this point.

I am a 32 year old female. Beginning about my senior year in high school I started having panic attacks. Went through an MRI, tilt table test, and a host of other blood tests. The only actual "thing" that was found regarding my health was that I have mitral valve prolapse - basically a crooked heart valve - and something that is fairly common and shouldn't cause me any major issues. Also my blood pressure is typically a bit low. Since then, I have been on a variety of anti-anxiety medications from Paxil to Zoloft to Cymbalta. These have helped me to a degree. I haven't been cured of panic attacks though. I still have had fairly frequent episodes of light headedness, heart pounding, and mostly feeling like I am going to pass out over the years. The worst time has been when I drive on the highway. No matter how much I tell myself there is no reason to panic - inevitably I will start feeling light headed when I am driving at higher speeds and then the thoughts of passing out and causing a major accident flood in and I can't stop the cycle. For the past few years - I would say that my panic has been fairly under control other than those infrequent times I am on the highway and occasionally in a setting such as a meeting or church for some reason. I hate being dependent on a drug - espeically one that I think makes me not myself and makes me tired. So I've been wanting to get off of the Cymbalta. I recently spoke to my doctor about weening myself off of the cymbalta. And then by coincidence about two weeks ago, I actually passed out... I think from a stressful situation where I was helping to take care of an injured friend. But really - I wasn't having anxiety or anything. I had been lying down for a long time and then was standing up... but other than that - there is really no explanation for why I passed out. So now - I am pretty much back at square one with my anxiety. My lightheadedness and heart pounding is horrible - even when I'm in a relaxed state and

I am on my period now and when I actually passed out it was close to time for my period. So I am wondering about the effect of hormone fluctuations on my anxiety and feeling like I am going to pass out because it seems to come without warning and at times when I'm not in stressful situations. I read a couple of posts on here where some ladies were talking about getting on hormones, or birth control or the depo shot to help with this. Does anyone else have any more incite for me on that option or other things including prescriptions or homeopathic remedies that may have helped you with this constant feeling of lightheadedness/ feeling like you are going to pass out? And has anyone else actually passed out along with this?


I would be grateful for any incite or words of advice anyone might have. Thank you so much!

Posted 2/3/2012 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Painic McFainty and welcome!

Well your screen name made me smile...but I know that anxiety is no laughing matter when you are going through it!

I have had a few fainting episodes as well. My family seems to have the 'fainting gene' and I think that for some people it just happens occasionally. I would say the the low pressure, added with the sudden standing after being in the prone position would be a logical reason for your fainting episode. Of course I would check in with the doctor if you haven't already for peace of mind, but I have had this happen before in the past.

Have you had any therapy for your A/P? Especially if you are wanting to wean off of your meds, I recommend it! CBT in particular can have a very positive effect on those suffering panic attacks. Ask your doctor for a referral to a therapist who offers it.

We also have a great Resource Guide here (main page 3rd post) with links to all sorts of self-help sites...check it out:)

Post with us anytime. It is great to have the support of those who understand what you are going through. We are here to listen and help!

Talk to you soon,

Scaredy Cat
Posted 2/3/2012 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hello and welcome to HealingWell.  I agree, your user name is catchy :)

 

You posted "my blood pressure is typically low" and I think SC recognized that you may have experienced postural hypotension.  To avoid this when you change from lying to standing take time to sit for a couple of minutes to let your body adjust to the change in position.   That being said,  I will share that I was on Cymbalta at 120 mg back a couple of years ago as my Pdoc felt I need to be on a high dose and I felt really awful.  I would get dizzy and have to lay down on the floor.  When I had my BP check at the clinic it was 89/40 which for a person with known hypertension (me) is really low.  So I weaned off the Cymbalta under my Dr's direction and started  Celexa which I actually liked.   I would doubt that your dose of Cymbalta is that high and if it is then call your Dr. and tell him about your fainting.

Therapy has been very good for me as well as being a member of this forum so please know that there is always hope and do keep talking with us.

Kindly,

Kitt

 

Posted 2/3/2012 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Scaredy Cat and Kitt! It does help to just hear other people talking about going through some of the same things. Kitt - I did talk to my doctor's nurse about the fainting episode but, we don't have a follow up visit scheduled yet because I just had my blood drawn and tests ran for my normal annual physical so she is waiting for those results and also, I already have a routine EKG scheduled as a check up on my mitral valve prolapse on Monday. So with all of those tests in the works already I guess I am ruling out other problems and there is nothing else that they can say or do medically right now. I will probably follow up with her about just changing my medication - maybe trying celexa as you suggested. But I also am really curious about the hormone related episodes prior to and during my period that could be helped with another form of birth control maybe?.... I'm already on a low estrogen pill... maybe something higher in estrogen would help? I don't know.


Also - I already scheduled a therapy appointment for next Wednesday with a Panic and Anxiety specialist who was recently in an article in our city's paper about her practice and the fact that she too overcame anxiety and panic with therapy which is what lead her to go into the field. So I am looking forward to meeting with her. I know that the panic cycle is all in the mind which is what the major issue is with this "disease." But I wish that I could get rid of the actual physical symptoms - the light headedness and all of those feelings that cause me to panic... Because I get those feelings even when I am not in a state of high anxiety. So, I am hoping that there is a way to figure out what is causing me to feel that way and if there is something that I can do or take to stop those feelings all the time or just around my period. If I could get rid of those symptoms that seems like that would take away my panic. Maybe I am being unrealistic... I'm not sure. It just seems like there must also be a physical explanation for why I have these feelings that goes along with my psychological response which is to panic and think I am going to pass out. I feel confident that a therapist can help me to deal with my psychological response to the physical symptoms so that will be better. But if I can't control the physical symptoms I'm afraid that I will actually pass out at a very inopportune time. sad

Posted 2/4/2012 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
PMF,

I am so glad to hear that you have an appointment with a specialist next week! This is great news! I am sure that you will recieve a lot of help from this person as he/she is known for their work with A/P. Awesome!

As far as your concern regarding symtoms...it is entirely possible to have isolated A/P symptoms even when you don't 'feel' stressed. Learning to combat the negative/scary thought processes...that we sometimes aren't even conscious of, will help to break the cycle.

Keep us posted as to what you find out from your doctor, and how your meeting with the specialist goes.:)

Take care,
S.C.
Posted 2/16/2012 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone! I thought it might be helpful to someone if I post my updates on the help I have been getting in the past week or so. Last I posted, I was going through a real rough patch. I passed out a few weeks ago and had been back to square one with my panic attacks brought on by feeling so lightheaded that I thought I could pass out at any moment. Feeling so hopeless and desperate, I decided I needed to really attack this from all angles. So I went to a therapist specializing in anxiety and panic. I liked her and found it nice to at least talk to someone about my problems who understands and knows what I'm going through. We talked about the physical symptoms that anxiety and panic attacks can cause that make you think that something is really physically wrong with you. Things like cold and numb hands and feet. I have always had that issue and it made me feel like I was losing feeling and about to pass out. She said that many of her clients/patients who have anxiety and panic attack issues will have ice cold hands when they are having a panic attack. Or they will start fidgeting with their feet because they will be having a lot of anxiety and they will tell her they can't feel their feet. So strange. It was really nice to hear that I'm not crazy when I feel those sensations. We only had the one session last week and I have another one tomorrow. She said that the issue with my situation is that I HAVE actually passed out. So my fears aren't completely irrational as is the case with some of her patients who have these fears. I have been validated in my fear of passing out. She said anxiety and panic attacks themselves don't usually cause you to pass out. So she suggested that I continue to follow up with my doctor on the physical side of things to see what the cause of my passing out could be.

So I had an echocardiogram done to check the status of my mitral valve prolapse. And I also met with a cardiologist. The echo showed the cardiologist that my MVP is not a benign case and should not be causing me to pass out or feel constantly light headed. Once I described how I felt and my passing out episodes to the cardiologist, he said that it sounds like I have a classic case of vasovagal syncope. Basically that means that the nerves that are connected to my vascular system hyper-react to certain situations like extreme fear, emotions, pain, hunger... could be any number of things.. and they cause my blood vessels to contract and dialate quickly which has caused me to pass out on those five occasions in my life. Once an episode of passing out happens like it did to me a few weeks ago, those nerves are basically on high alert -which is why I have felt like I could pass out at any moment and have not been able to get over the light headed feeling ever since I passed out. Then he gave me some good news! He said that there was a drug that he could give me that could calm those nerves and stop this cycle of me feeling light headed and like I was going to pass out! shocked Really??? And, he added, its something I won't have to take forever! He prescribed Beta Blockers! A low dose beta blocker - 25mg - of which I take half of in the morning and half at night.

I have been taking them for about 5 days now and I actually feel a lot better. yeah I have not been panicking while driving. I have not been feeling like I could pass out at work and at home. Knock on wood - I think that this may be helping me. The only issue with the beta blockers is that they do make you feel sluggish. But I will take temporary sluggishness and loss of energy to stop this cycle of feeling liked I was going to pass out all the time. He also had me wear a heart monitor for 24 hours which I did yesterday. I meet with him again on Monday to get that result and see what his suggestions are for how long to keep me on the beta blockers etc.

I am thankful that I seem to be getting some relief of the actual physical symptoms that were causing me to panic. But I definitely know that my battle with panic is not over. So I am going to continue with the therapist to help with the psychological side of things. I'm feeling hopeful!

Posted 2/16/2012 3:53 AM (GMT 0)
Great news PMF! It sounds as if you are on your way to taking care of business in both the anxiety, and physical health departments, awesome!

Very well done on being pro-active and getting the answers that you needed! It sounds as though you are in good hands with all of the professionals that you see, so that is great.

I am so glad that the combination of the medication, and the great start to your therapy has given you some hope, and that you are starting to feel better. I am really happy for you!

Thank-you for updating us...it is the best thing when members let us know what is working for them. It allows us to celebrate with you, cheer you on...and even gives hope to those who may be facing the same circumstance!

Keep posting with us, ane keep up the good work:)

S.C.
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