Passing out

[CC83]

I was at an event, which I was nervous about attending for no real reason, my son's school parade. My husband was talking to a friend who just had a stent put in due to a blockage. One of my major fears is a heart problem. I've had ekg, echo, holter, and blood tests. All came out fine. Well after seeing a picture of his heart blockage and him talking about, I had a wave of fear and nausea and became hot, felt like even my vision was messed up and just had to sit down but barely got to a step to sit down. I didnt lose consciousness and once I sat down and calmed down a few minutes I was fine. I'm making an appointment with my cardiologist, but has anyone had this happen with a panic or anxiety attack? I'm so embarrassed and so worried it will happen again now. I've never felt that bad in public. I've always been able to hide it. This time I couldn't and literally nearly passed out.
Please help if you have experience with this.

 

[Steven]

If you’ve already seen the doc about these fears and all your tests came back fine as you say, then this has to be anxiety related. Hearing your friend talk about their heart issues stirred up your anxiety it sounds like.

 

[triceps]

Hi CC. It looks to me that you had a severe panic attack. I've crumbled onto the nearest chair, couch or bed many times from the dizziness, nausea and the pure panic from a panic attack. I've been getting them regularly for over 50 years and would say it's been a small percentage of times where I thought I was going to passing out. I agree with Steven and you who believe that the panic was brought on by that picture. Certainly embarrassing but please don't feel ashamed or at fault in any way.

 

[Concernedgal]

The actual medical term for this is (vasovagal syncope) .
It's where your blood pressure gets so high that the blood is pumping too fast into you head ( according to the er doctor I seen about a year ago over the same symptoms ) . They explained that's it's your bodies way of forcing yourself to calm down basically. According to a Co worker....I was talking to her 1 day and she seen my face turn pale and suddenly my eyes rolled to the back of my head and then I went down. She called an ambulance and I was even more embarrassed that all of Co workers had to watch me be put on a strecher and hauled off to the er ( pardon my wording. ..i'm from the south .lol). So ...yes. I have been there. And when I was at the er ...my blood pressure was sky high.

 

[CC83]

Thank all of you so much! I'm just so afraid it will happen again. I'm still so embarrassed and when I see these people again what do I say? Sorry, I had a total panic attack in front of you? I know they probably don't even care, but I'm consumed by the thought of it happening again. My greatest fear has been passing out in public and it basically happened. I've always been able to hold it in and hide it.
Thank you all for your responses. It makes me feel so much better.

 

[CC83]

The actual medical term for this is (vasovagal syncope) .
It's where your blood pressure gets so high that the blood is pumping too fast into you head ( according to the er doctor I seen about a year ago over the same symptoms ) . They explained that's it's your bodies way of forcing yourself to calm down basically. According to a Co worker....I was talking to her 1 day and she seen my face turn pale and suddenly my eyes rolled to the back of my head and then I went down. She called an ambulance and I was even more embarrassed that all of Co workers had to watch me be put on a strecher and hauled off to the er ( pardon my wording. ..i'm from the south .lol). So ...yes. I have been there. And when I was at the er ...my blood pressure was sky high.

My husband is a former ccu nurse and he told me the same thing about the vagal response thing. It's just frightening when you have health anxiety. I hate it. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

 

[Concernedgal]

My husband is a former ccu nurse and he told me the same thing about the vagal response thing. It's just frightening when you have health anxiety. I hate it. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

Ugh...neither would i.

 

[Guen]

I totally get the nausea with a panic/anxiety attack. My appetite will practically disappear for even days if the attack is severe enough. Also I'l get the racing heart & lightheadedness too. To echo the other people here, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. You just had a literal extreme chemical reaction occur in your body and you can't really control much beyond your breathing which can lessen the effects but not eliminate them.

 

[triceps]

My husband is a former ccu nurse and he told me the same thing about the vagal response thing. It's just frightening when you have health anxiety. I hate it. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

I wouldn't straight up wish my anxiety disorder on my worst enemy but if they didn't have it already I'd be willing to trade.

 

[CC83]

I totally get the nausea with a panic/anxiety attack. My appetite will practically disappear for even days if the attack is severe enough. Also I'l get the racing heart & lightheadedness too. To echo the other people here, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. You just had a literal extreme chemical reaction occur in your body and you can't really control much beyond your breathing which can lessen the effects but not eliminate them.

I've literally lost 3 pounds since this happened because my anxiety level is high. It affects me so much.

 

[Hurt&Hopeful]

Ooooh, I've been there. So sorry. Then the fear of it happening again takes over, right? I used to have blackout periods with panic - it was bizarre. It's been a very long time since that happened to me, if that's encouraging. If you can learn to sort of 'ride the wave' when it hits and not fight it, it helps with the physical response that causes that. Slowing your breathing can also help. I haven't been on here much the past couple of weeks, so sorry if you already answered this already - but are you seeing any kind of therapist or counselor for it? Hang in there!

 

[CC83]

Ooooh, I've been there. So sorry. Then the fear of it happening again takes over, right? I used to have blackout periods with panic - it was bizarre. It's been a very long time since that happened to me, if that's encouraging. If you can learn to sort of 'ride the wave' when it hits and not fight it, it helps with the physical response that causes that. Slowing your breathing can also help. I haven't been on here much the past couple of weeks, so sorry if you already answered this already - but are you seeing any kind of therapist or counselor for it? Hang in there!

No, I'm not seeing a counselor or therapist but I am on Zoloft. I'm just nervous to go to a therapist. I'm very introverted and I don't tell people about my issues. Except here anonymously! So I haven't made myself get there. I had a traumatic childhood and I know that's where my issues stem. I have family history of anxiety and depression and other mental illness. So I feel doomed. But I take it one day at a time. I've read countless books on the subject and have tried all the methods of mediating and breathing and yoga etc. but none of that cures it. Sometimes it doesn't help at all like last week when I passed out.

 

[CC83]

Meditating not mediating!