Is this anxiety?

[believes]

I have suffered from Panic/Anxiety for about 15 years now (I'm mid 40's).  In the past I've had many fears and phobias but my anxiety actually manifested itself as "classic" panic attacks. The first time it happened I thought I was about to faint although I had no idea why. I was plagued with episisodes where I would have to race out of public places time and again because I felt like I would pass out. After much searching, reading, going from doctor to doctor I finally reached the conclusion it was nothing more than anxiety and slowly the symptoms (over a period of years) decreased to where it has been manageable. Now something else has happened. I was at work and started seeing white flashing jagged lines in my field of vision. It lasted about a 1/2 hour and I got to the point where I felt like I could see very little else. I panicked and left my job for the day and promptly went to see an eye dr who said there was nothing wrong with my eyes. Has anyone else had this happen? Could this in fact be "just anxiety"? My dr. suggested maybe a migraine auro without the migraine and/or blood pressure fluxuation (I have hypertension). I don't want to go down "that road" again of panic and anxiety. Although I feel like it always lurk just below the surface, it has been manageable over the last few years. I feel like I've taken a huge step back by given in to the fear and leaving work as I did. I would appreciate anyone's help and/or comments.

[RubyWitch]

I'd give you the same advice to have your eyes checked and if all is fine there, the symptom you described, (the flashing) does sound very much like migraine without aura. But only a neuro can dx this correctly.
Floaters are very common and we ALL get them from time to time. They are nothing more than dead skin cells moving across the "goop" in our eyes, they are perfectly normal and harmless, sometimes we have just a few and other times we have gobs.....do your best to ignore them..........they soon go away as the cells are absorbed. They are nothing to be terrified of.
Get your eyes checked is my only advise.
Peace
Greenlydia

[crazycow]

Hello there, because it only lasted half an hour I think it was definitely a type of migrane, maybe an occular migrane. I know how frustrating visual disturbances can be, I am suffering with some anxiety at the moment because I have been seeing flashes and floaters for a few weeks, im terrified, but am trying to push it to the back of mind.
Hope your better soon

[RubyWitch]

It sounds as if you do suffer with "bouts" of anxiety and I can't help but say you're lucky if they come and go........you also seem educated enough about the symptoms to realize what is happening.
Since your eyes checked out fine, I think your doctor was correct in diagnosing "migraine aura without headache." It is quite common and you are definitely around the right age for this to begin. I have "occular migraines," and suffer the same zig-zaggy, flashing/strobing, lightening bolt type "light show" 20 minutes before the headache hits.............I also lose the sight in both eyes except for a small field of peripheral vision. If I look directly at something, I see nothing but a large black hole. Talk about scary!
My husband has also recently been telling me that he gets a funny "watery" visual disturbance in his peripheral vision which last about 20 minutes, but he also gets no headache. (He is 60)
Advice.............get your blood pressure checked and under control if it's not.
Think about seeing a neurologist for the visual issues. It is a neuro who deals with my migraines. It's a "brain" thing, so who better than a "brain" doctor?
Since you say that your anxiety is always "lurking" just under the surface, perhaps dealing with that will help..........how you go about that is your choice depending on how serious you think it is. You've done very well in controlling it yourself, but maybe some talk therapy would help, more exercise, less stress, more fun, yoga, meditation, time with friends & family.............
Do not feel as if you took a huge step backwards by leaving work that day when your vision got weird. ANYONE would have been spooked by that and it does not mean your anxiety is rearing its ugly head again.
Take the issues one by one.............those of us with anxiety/panic tend to allow ourselves to get overwhelmed by everything at once and soon find we are incapable of dealing with any of it.
I wish you the best and hope you let us know how you're doing.
Peace
Greenlydia