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Anxiety Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to generalized anxiety, anxiety and eating, anxiety and sleeping, mood swings, and phobias.
Photophobia and Anxiety
by wiggyhoo, May 12, 2008 01:07AM
Hi, I am a 27 year old, female and am in relatively good health, however, 4 years ago I was diagnosed with GAD and placed on lexapro. A week prior to my diagnosis, I was on an outing with friends and had a seizure and or passed out. I had all the test done, EEG, EKG, CAT, MRI, blood... the works... and other than a slight bump in the readin on the EEG (which was later dismissed), and my potassium level being low, nothing was ever worked out as to why I had a seizure or passed out. 4 and a half years later, I have not had another, but have had plenty of anxiety and panic attacks to fill its place. Before all that happened, I was also told I had astigmatism after a visit to my eye doctor due to me squinting and sensitive to light. So, I got glasses as well. The day the big event happened, I was not wearing them and light was bothering me...so now light is always what triggers my anxiety because I think about that day. My question, is all of this related some how, or is astigmatism related to light sensitivity at all? Can anxiety cause someone to pass out or have a seizure? Also, is light sensitivity a symptom of anxiety, I've heard it was? Thanks in advance!
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Now, you may very well have anxiety and panic as independent conditions which should be treated as such. And the most effective treatment is usually a course of meds together with theraoy, all by a psychiatrist who can handle BOTH.
But that leaves the fainting, seizures, etc., which are the proper domain of neurologists, and I'd line up a consult with a top person ASAP. If you have a GOOD GP, that person will sort of manage the other two and help keep you -and them- "on program." I'm hoping that the psychiatrist and neuro play golf and drink together so they can really do the 2 heads are better than 1 thing with you. Tell 'em I said so.
MEANWHILE, you seek whatever light conditions are best for you, for heaven's sake. And finish up your profile so we all have a better image of you and your situation, OK? Finally, hang out HERE -ask and answer questions, read journal entries and get familiar with the territory. Active participation, you will find, will be helpful in the pursuit of your own mission.
Give me a shout if I can be of any special assistance -I've been around here for quite awhile.
-JSGeare
I don't know how LOW your potassium was before the seizure, but that surely could have been the culprit in that situation.
Do you feel as though you are frequently "worried" about light causing another episode? If so, the mind is terribly suggestive...and may be adding to your photophobia.
If you haven't had a thorough medical work-up recently, it may be time to do just that, as JS suggested. If not to rule out any further seizure issues, then just because we should all have a physical annually. Also, it may put your mind at ease a bit.
Also, definitely seek some help with the anxiety....and if you are consistently "obsessing" and worrying about having another seizure (which I wouldn't blame you, it was probably very frightening for you)...then you may need to work on how to decrease the excessive worry.
Welcome to our happy little anxious home...you're in the right place. Feel free to ask any questions, and share anything you are comfortable sharing.
Tale Care.
:0)
I have a condition called fatfingeritis. VERY hard to treat. ;0)
Sunlight, generally doesn't bother me as bad as fluorescent lights do or computer screens that are not calibrated right. I can generally talk myself through the light situations after a while, but my worry through that is extreme. Light and my eyes is always what on-sets my panic and anxiety. Then I start feeling embarrassed because of it and that just makes the situation worse! yuck!
I actually was doing pretty good with my anxiety up until about a year ago when my grandmother passed. She lived with me for several years before she passed and although i was taking care of her, she was the one who helped me through my anxiety. Since she passed, its seem to take a plummet and the lexapro seems to not be doing its trick any more either. My mind seems to be working constantly.
Recently, I have started working out 3-4 times a week to help out with my anxiety. I am in descent shape, but mainly doing it to keep my mind on track. Of course, when I first start working out... there my mind goes again, but after a while of working out... it eases up and when I leave its pretty much gone, which is great (all though temporary).
I'm thinking of trying xanax xr or something to take the edge off of it since I seem to have become immune to lexapro... or so it seems. What do you think?