Panic Attack or something else?

[Beth35]

The other day I was driving to my son's football game when I began to get a numb tingling feeling through my forehead and then down into my cheeks and lips.  I got really scared and thought that maybe I was having a stroke.

They called an ambulance when I got to the field and they did all types of tests and couldn't find anything.

Then a week later it happened again at home and I went to the ER yet again.  Same thing.  Nothing abnormal.  This time I also got it in my hands and feet. 

I went to see my regular doc today and he says he thinks they are panic attacks.  I am stressed because of my medical issues and some money issues but I was not thinking about any of that at the time of the attacks.  Could they still be attacks?  Could it be anything else?  Anyone have this happen to them?

I am not on dialysis yet.  I had two fistula operations recently and the new one has now died so I will need a graft now.  This whole thing has been very scary.

[Sunny]

Maybe medications you are on could cause this. Or your labs might show some high levels of something that could cause this.Ask your doctor

[Beth35]

Both my reg. doc and my nephrologist didn't find anything in the labs.  It's a mystery.

[MooseMom]

It is a good thing that nothing showed up in the labs!  But I do realize that that doesn't give you any answers.

I've always felt that our health care providers underestimate the stress that goes with being pre-dialysis.  I know I try hard not to think about it, but each morning when I wake up and I know I have to struggle to get through another day, my stomach immediately begins to knot up and hurt.  I know that ongoing, unrelenting stress caused by a situation over which you have no control (like the progression to dialysis) can be so corrosive, and I do believe that it is inevitable that the body will react in the form of all sorts of unpleasant physical symptoms like stomach aches and panic attacks.  In the absense of evidence that would point to any other cause, it's reasonable to expect that your symptoms could very well be caused by such attacks.

[cariad]

Sorry to hear this, Beth. The tingling sounds like what I experienced on the apheresis machine due to low calcium. I assume they checked for that, though....

[sullidog]

I had this happen only once at the end of treatment and they thought it too was a panic attack.
Troy

[Beth35]

It totally could be a panic attack.  I am under a ton of stress.  Being a single mom and being in renal failure is scary.  I am so afraid of something happening to me when my kids are there. 

I'm hoping they would have caught anything such as low calcium or what have you, but I will mention it just in case. 

I'm really upset about my second fistula not working and hate the thought of having more surgery.  Yuck!

[pamster42000]

Panic attacks are sneaky things. You can just be driving down the road and all the sudden you feel like you are possibly having a heart attack. You feel numbness in your hands and arms, your heartbeat increases and you start sweating some...or at least that is what it was like for me. You can talk yourself out of panic attacks....just reassure yourself all it is stress overwhelming you..take deep breaths and concentrate on remaining calm. If that doesn't help your Dr. can prescribe medication to help. I made a couple of stops at ER's because I was scared, just cost alot of money to find out  I was having a panic attack.

[MooseMom]

I'm really upset about my second fistula not working and hate the thought of having more surgery.  Yuck!

Just this would cause me to have a panic attack, I'm almost certain.  Put this on top of being a single mom and worrying about how you're going to look after your kids, well, that would be overwhelming.  I'm surprised a panic attack is "all" you've had.  Do you have any support at all?

[Brightsky69]

Sounds like it could be a panic attack. My counsler told me that even though you may not even be concerned about anything at the time your body is still gonna react even if your mind is not in the same place.

[gothiclovemonkey]

It totally could be a panic attack.  I am under a ton of stress.  Being a single mom and being in renal failure is scary.  I am so afraid of something happening to me when my kids are there. 

I know exactly how u feel. I am a single mother of a special needs 6 year old wonderful boy! it is scary, and depressing that i dont feel well enough to play all the time. he couldnt be more wonderful and understanding tho! Im very open and honest with him, i think that helps, and occationally if im feeling really sick, thinking something will happen to me, ill ask my dad or brother if we could come stay the night.
I have had alot of set backs finding childcare, because of his special needs, and also money probs, so if u havent procured that yet, id suggest lookig into it before !

I hope the feelings ur having arent anything more than a panic attack, which can be helped by anti anxiety pills... Which are also great for taking right before treatment... helps alot!!!

[MooseMom]

...even if your mind is not in the same place.

Yeah, unless you've already lost your mind...

[Brightsky69]

Good one Moosemom