If it happened after the cig you need to stop smoking forever. If before the cig this is something further to discuss with your neuro next week.
Did you get to smoke the cig or did this happen before you lit up the cig?
Let's take the smoking out of that situation for a minute. You got up and you went outside.
First, was this the normal time of day you would go outside?
Secondly, was there anything outside that was different than usual that even minutely went through your mind. Let's say (just for the sake of where I am going with this) a garbage truck went by and went over a bump which created a bang sound. Let's say the birds were crazy chirping because it was morning and that is what they do, but for some reason it caught your attention this time. Let's say a plane went over and was lower and louder than normal. Something or anything close to that happen? Something that just seemed more loud or unusual that maybe made you (for a split second even) paid attention to it, maybe something even made you jump a little. Something you didn't give your FULL attention to, it just was.
Third, have you ever had this happen before, and have you ever been told you may be slightly agoraphobic.
Finally, if it was the normal time of day and if none of these things (or anything else) stick out in your mind as something that shook you for even a fraction of a second, I wonder how awake you were. Had you had your normal amount of sleep or did you wake up kinda groggy (different from normal) Did you do just like you said, got up, took your meds and went outside (still leaving the smoking out here...for a reason). If that is exactly how it went...is that exactly how you do every morning? If not, what was different?
The reason I left the smoking out is because you "went outside to smoke" suggests this was something you did all the time. I wanted to see what was different.
Let's put it back in now. Had you even lit your smoke yet? Did you finish the smoke? If so, did you notice something right away, like a dizziness after that first drag? Were you rushing the smoke (for whatever reason), like quickly dragging on it? If so, is that when you felt the first symptom of "something isn't right". Try to remember exactly when that all started. If you hadn't lit up yet, what exactly went on that made you go back inside?
What do you mean by "drop out". Are you saying you are dizzy and feel like you are going to fall? Or are you saying your legs feel like they are going to drop out from under you. Or..are you saying you feel like you are going to black out? I don't know exactly what that means. The fact that you mentioned your legs becoming weak and you could barely walk IMO you seemed to be in a high anxiety state for some reason. What was the reason?
It is a signal to you either way. Something changed - something made you feel uncomfortable out there and you became weak. Was it a weakness in your legs that started it, or did the weakness in your legs happen as a result of something else? That is what I was getting to, but let us know more in order to try to help you. Also, once back in the house, how long did it last in total? You wrote that post close to 9 a.m. What time did you go outside?
Have you called your dr or are you planning to? It might be good to document this stuff as well so he/she gets the whole picture. We sometimes get in the dr's office and forget half of what actually brought us there to begin with. (Also for yourself - writing it down puts it all in perspective and it helps to get it out, too)
That had (has) to be scary and please know we are all trying to help you through this. My worry for you is for the next time you go out - avoidance.
If nothing else, this can be "food for thought" and maybe, just maybe you will have a light-bulb moment and realize the "something different." Then, once you find that reason, this doesn't have to turn into anything else. You have already conquered the first step of overcoming your fears. You are scared as you write this (justifiably so!) but you can stop being scared if you know what happened. That is what I am trying to help you to do...find the answer. Answers are wonderful things.
KIT and let us know, please
Amish bought up a good point.......had it been awhile since you had a cigarette? You said you just woke, then took your med.
I know when it's been awhile between my smokes I can get dizzy, feel a bit like a weeble wobblin'.......maybe that was it. Nicotine is a drug that affects your whole system. It also raises your BP and heart rate. So being it was first thing in the morning......
Quitting smoking a few months ago seemed to greatly reduce my overall anxiety. Of course, a lot of my anxiety was health/heart related so obviously I felt a lot better making a healthy choice like that. Leading up to the point where I finally quit, my anxiety would get a whole lot worse after smoking.
Anxiety can really send you into a loop...I definitely can relate. Have you been talking to a therapist throughout all of this? I am glad you are taking your meds, but they will only cover up your symptoms if you do not confront these problems.