Can you have "silent" panic attacks--i.e. when you think you are calm?

[JamesAA]

So l have GAD (general anxiety) and I'm an agoraphobic.  I take Klonopin in certain situation but am usually not on meds.  Lately (past 2-3 weeks) I've been getting lightheaded AFTER meals (not after simple snacks, though like a Power bar or something like that).  Today I hate a big bowl of cereal, sat down to watch Jeopardy and was feeling good til the lightheadedness came on.  I swear it only happens after I eat and when I'm sitting back in a chair.  Anyway within minutes I got nervous.  Then I got nauseous and felt like I was gonna faint and throw up.  I immediately went to my bed where at that time I was in a a panic state.  After a while 30-45 minutes, in and out of light sleep, I felt ok again.

Can the panic make you feel like throwing up and/or fainting?  But what about the post meal dizziness?  I wonder if I"m expecting it to happen sort of subconsciously then minor anxiety makes it happen.  But I literally went from feeling fine, relaxed, and enjoying Jeopardy to feeling spacey.  I don't think it's low blood sugar or low BP cause I've checked both during these spells in the past few days and both results came back in normal ranges.  

I'm scared and very confused as to why this is happening.  Could it really be just anxiety??

Thanks,
James

[liquidbluev]

I agree with the first poster that these sound like typical anxiety symptoms.  However, if i were you I would also look into blood sugar issues.  I have anxiety but also have reactive hypoglycemia- this means that if I eat a simple sugar and no protein or fats, my blood sugar can fall very fast shortly after a meal and lead to symptoms that are very much like anxiety.  They can cause each other- anxiety causing hypoglycemia and hypoglycemia fueling the anxiety.

It's an easy fix- just making sure you always eat a protein and fat with your meals.  I am not saying that anxiety isn't a problem- it could very well be, but if you're questioning your blood sugar, try to eat as I described and see if that might help your symptoms a bit.

[kickanxietysbutt]

Hi James,

I hate to say this, but welcome to the world of anxiety.  I've been an anxiety sufferer for the past eight years, but my onset came mainly with a goofy head feeling.  The strange feeling led me to have heart palpitations, vomit, and feel like I was going to pass out.  When this happens, about the only thing that can calm me is running my wrists under cold water (because I am usually sweating profusely) and taking a Xanax and going to bed.  I think you're probably right that a lot of this happens on a sub-conscious level.  My anxiety is always the worst when I'm sitting around thinking about it.  Nobody in my family understands how I can have anxiety, but not know what I'm anxious about.  I recently saw a therapist who said that most people have panic attacks for no reason whatsoever.  Hope this helps.