I Thought I was Going to Die...

[Rae Rae]

Just a few hours ago I was on my way home w/ my 3-year-old.. I was feeling great (& I'm usually anxious while driving) & then suddenly while stopped at a red light I started feeling like I was fading away & then couldnt feel my body & could barely see & then got this really intense burning in my head & it really felt like I was going to die!!! My 1st thought was that I had an aneurysm in my brain & it was about to burst, & then I thought it was from my meds, & then I just thought there's something seriously wrong w/ my brain! I pulled over into an Applebees parking lot as quickly as I could. My life flashed before my eyes & of course I started panicking more & got shaky & started crying... I was tempted to call 911 but thought I would feel stupid if it was nothing but anxiety. I only stayed in the lot for like 3 mins then drove the rest of the way home (like 20, 25 mins.) I figure it was anxiety since I managed to drive fine afterwards & am still alive, but I am still just so freaked out!

Has anything like this ever happened to anyone????   

[Cuchculan]

If this was me I would be looking at the positives of the situation and not looking back on the negatives. Sounds like a normal panic attack. Only you managed to pull the car over. You had your cry. But then you managed to drive home. What you done was see it through. Tempted to dial 911. But you didn't. Probably because deep within you knew it was something you had gone through before. But look at your situation now. You may be freaked looking back at it. But you got through it. That is a major plus. You still had the will power to compose yourself enough to drive home. Another big plus. They are the things you should be looking at. The fact that, although you might not think so, you beat thing today and regained control over it. It is far easier to see the negative. We tend to miss the positive through all the mist at times. But I would be saying well done to you. You managed to cope in a horrible situation. From it you should see that it won't kill you. It comes and it goes. Our reaction to it determines the strength of it. If we allow the mind to fight the body it may get worse. To me you done great. You came out the other side of it. You should look at that and see that you can do the same again. No matter how horrible the feelings might be at first. They will always pass. Might scare us. But they will pass. Be proud of yourself. You done great.

[Rae Rae]

I've never gotten that before in my life & I've had anxiety for over 3 years now! But thank you so much for admiration on the way I handled myself!!!   

[southernanxiety]

Sounds like you had a full blown panic attack and you made it thru it without going to the ER or calling 911!!   That's a HUGE accomplishment.  When I had my 1st one, I ran to the ER with my tail between my legs, I thought i was dying and going  crazy at the same time  .  At the ER, EKG, blood work and exam and of course my $200 co pay.... Home I went.... Diagnosis - PA!  But try to look at it in a good light, you made it thru it, no one was hurts and you made it home safely!  It's still a good day 

D

[Pug60647]

I've had attacks like the one you described RaeRae. People want to call an ambulance for you. I read up years ago and convinced myself that I wasn't REALLY gonna die from the panic attack.

It's hard to fight the thought off sometimes, but once I read that it's just a fight-or-flight thing...I realized, it was just the amygdala (the fight-or-flight center of the brain) trying to convince me that it was sending me a real life-or-death warning. It was wrong as always of course. It's just like a malfunctioning smoke alarm. These thoughts help me out of those attacks with a lot less "pain" than I used to have. Attacks this severe are shorter for me too with that in mind.

Google and read up on the amygdala and GAD...also google amygdala and bipolar. I think you'll find some stuff to help you next time it gets that bad.

[Xalatimo]

I've had attacks like the one you described RaeRae. People want to call an ambulance for you. I read up years ago and convinced myself that I wasn't REALLY gonna die from the panic attack.

It's hard to fight the thought off sometimes, but once I read that it's just a fight-or-flight thing...I realized, it was just the amygdala (the fight-or-flight center of the brain) trying to convince me that it was sending me a real life-or-death warning. It was wrong as always of course. It's just like a malfunctioning smoke alarm. These thoughts help me out of those attacks with a lot less "pain" than I used to have. Attacks this severe are shorter for me too with that in mind.

Google and read up on the amygdala and GAD...also google amygdala and bipolar. I think you'll find some stuff to help you next time it gets that bad.

^^ This.

Pat yourself on the back, Rae Rae.  You showed anxiety who the real boss is.

[teeps]

what a great victory you have had! beasty tried but you didnt let it get you. you are stonger then you think well done!
it sounds like a full blown panic attack and they are scary as hell!! i have had anxiety and panic since i was 5 and just this year it blew way out of control and everything has changed. it is the nature of the beast so to speak just when you think you know all it can do it changes and puts you on a whole new playing field. so well done for not letting it beat you.

[learning to cope]

Yes I happened to me one day on the corner downtown. I has just gotten off the train and there was a lot going on around me so I began to feel weird. At first it felt like the typical anxiety attack but then it became full blown, similar to what you described. I felt paralyzed. I became so overwhelmed I took myself to the ER for once again another embarrassing and unnecessary trip. I thought I had a blood clot or aneurysm as well. Turns out I freaked out over nothing. I was in perfectly good health, as always, but I can't seem to accept that.

[markidee]

Just a few hours ago I was on my way home w/ my 3-year-old.. I was feeling great (& I'm usually anxious while driving) & then suddenly while stopped at a red light I started feeling like I was fading away & then couldnt feel my body & could barely see & then got this really intense burning in my head & it really felt like I was going to die!!! My 1st thought was that I had an aneurysm in my brain & it was about to burst, & then I thought it was from my meds, & then I just thought there's something seriously wrong w/ my brain! I pulled over into an Applebees parking lot as quickly as I could. My life flashed before my eyes & of course I started panicking more & got shaky & started crying... I was tempted to call 911 but thought I would feel stupid if it was nothing but anxiety. I only stayed in the lot for like 3 mins then drove the rest of the way home (like 20, 25 mins.) I figure it was anxiety since I managed to drive fine afterwards & am still alive, but I am still just so freaked out!

Has anything like this ever happened to anyone????   

Heck yes! Thanks. Happened to me Thurs. I think driving can be a MAJOR trigger. I try (but often forget) to slow down, remind myself where I'm going, anticipate the anxiety, bring necessary "911 meds" (they're better than an ambulance, though I try not to take them).

Pull over; gulping water; calling someone; going into Applebees and starting a conversation with the hostess; washing your face; turning on the radio; turning off the radio...these are all good things. They make Beasty (as Sixpack calls it) quiet down, if not scram.

You're in good, suffering company. Keep on keeping on, and let's don't let Beasty steal our freedoms.

[Rae Rae]

Thanks everyone! I know in a way I sort of beat it, but for the past few days I've been kind of depressed over it.. I'm trying not to dwell but it's hard. I'm afraid for it to happen again b/c it was the WORST feeling ever! I could barely see & thought I was going to die b/c of the burning in my head. I just don't understand where it came from b/c I was driving fine & feeling good.. I was just sitting at a light doing nothing, thinking about nothing & then BAM I thought I was dying. I usually know what triggers my anxiety & I've never had an attack that felt that way before & now I'm worried if it happens again that there won't be anywhere for me to pull over at! I've been on 50 mlg Zoloft for a month & now I'm thinking maybe I should increase to 75 mlg? UGH, I'm just so sick of anxietyyy