Panic Attack?

[nygrl]

I'm a 30yo mother of 2, in good health. I suffered from some postpartum depression and anxiety attack safter my son's birth 18 mo ago, and although things have gotten better I still suffer some anxiety. Last week I was having some problems in my hands, muscle twitches, numbness, tingling, weakness. My mind jumped to all the scary stuff of course but when I saw my dr he said he didn't see any signs of a neurological problem. That didn't relieve my mind at all but I convinced myself maybe it was carpal tunnel and tried to not obsess over it. Last night I just didn't feel right. I felt like I was buzzing or vibrating somehow and kind of nauseous. It was really weird. Then I started getting cold and eventually I started shaking so violently that I could not even hold a glass of water without spilling it everywhere. I was convinced I was going to die but I took a Xanax that I had from a long time ago and waited it out. After about 20 minutes the shaking slowly went away. I called a friend who's an RN because I was terrified it was a seizure but she said she didn't think so. Was it a panic attack? I have been living for almost 3 months with my 2 young kids and my husband gone 4 nights a week. We're moving out of state this coming weekend. Could it be that the worry of whatever is going on with my hands and the move and the stress just drove me over the edge? I've been feeling like I'm on the verge of it happening again all day. I can't go to the ER if something's wrong because I have no one to watch my kids. I just want to know i'm not in danger.

[anxietyellie]

In my experience, anxiety can manifest itself in many, many different forms.  The best websites I can tell you to check our are www.anxietycentre.com and www.medical-diseases.info/anxiety.htm.  I have found comfort reading both those sites.  I am a 25 yr. old female, no previous medical problems.  In fact I used to be so confident in my health that I never even went to the doctor, even when I was sick.  One day I just started thinking I was dying.  I can remember it perfectly.  I was downstairs in my bedroom and I was in bed lying down and my heart just started pounding like crazy and I thought I was having a heart attack.  I took an aspirin just in case .. (they tell you to do that if you are having a heart attack) so I did.  I waited up until 5:30am, afraid to go to sleep because I thought I would not wake up.  The next day I woke up with a terrible headache and had this pain and pressure in my head.  I went to the ER and they gave me a Xanax and sent me home.  I finally got some sleep.  Then my symptoms went away until recently.  Here lately I've been suffering with numbness, twitches, tingling, head pressure, trembling, difficulty breathing, all kinds of symptoms.  I've been to 4 different doctors and all have given me anxiety as a diagnosis.  I have been placed on Lexapro with Xanax as a backup if I am having a bad attack and can't get through it.  I'm telling you, anxiety is a real disorder and its really unpredictable.  You can't explain it and sometimes there seems like no reason for you to be suffering.  Good luck and keep the faith that you will be fine.

[Pum]

It sounds very much like a panic attack.  You should book in to see your doctor and get someone to mind the kids.  Even if you just mention to your doctor what happened.  There are some conditions (treatable like thyroid or blood sugar problems) that can cause panic attacks or similar symptoms.

You do have a lot on your plate.  Try to look after yourself with a treat every day (magazine, chocolate, bath, whatever). Eat regularly, exercise, don't sleep in the afternoons, practice breathing techniques (heaps of sites on the net) and stop researching your symptoms.

Good luck.  You will be fine.

[uomoforte]

Not to scare you, but check this link. I think some panic attacks are really partial seizures. They are not diagnosed nearly as much as "panic disorder".

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/321/7267/1002