[mack21]

I am a 40 year old male I have been dealing with Anxiey for about 4 years, along with the occasional panic attack, I take Xanax and kinda just deal with it, but there have been several attacks that border on seizure like. I have been to my GP and to a Neurologist, had a MRI and EEG and blood work work, it all came out normal. These attacks usually start with tingling in my hands and feet that moves to my stomach and face, the muscles in my hands start to contract and pull my fingers either toward my palms, or away, making it very difficult to move my hands, the muscles pull so tight its painful. At this point all I can do is lay down, this usually lasts close to an hour. The last time this happened I was visiting a friend in the hospital and next thing I know I am on a stretcher on the way to the emergency room. My heart rate never got higher than the 80's and my blood pressure was normal. This time I even passed out (that had never happened before) The ER doc said I was dehydrated, but thats it.

Has anyone experienced this type of panic attack? This is about the fifth attack like this in ths last 4 years, doctors keep saying its a panic attack, but wouldnt my heart rate go up? I have not started SSRI's but they are looking like my only option.

I am really glad I found this forum, I have been reading it for hours.....

[gimmeice]

Hello Mack, welcome to psych central. The only thing that I have experienced close to what you are talking about is a flashback but that also involves terror so I would imagine that your heart rate would go up but I am not sure I have never had mine tested during a flashback.
Anyway I wanted to say hi and tell you that if you have any questions while navigating this site feel free to private message any community liaison or moderator, here is a link to a list of forum leaders.
http://forums.psychcentral.com/showgroups.php

[ceepei]

Originally Posted by mack21

I am a 40 year old male I have been dealing with Anxiey for about 4 years, along with the occasional panic attack, I take Xanax and kinda just deal with it, but there have been several attacks that border on seizure like. I have been to my GP and to a Neurologist, had a MRI and EEG and blood work work, it all came out normal. These attacks usually start with tingling in my hands and feet that moves to my stomach and face, the muscles in my hands start to contract and pull my fingers either toward my palms, or away, making it very difficult to move my hands, the muscles pull so tight its painful. At this point all I can do is lay down, this usually lasts close to an hour. The last time this happened I was visiting a friend in the hospital and next thing I know I am on a stretcher on the way to the emergency room. My heart rate never got higher than the 80's and my blood pressure was normal. This time I even passed out (that had never happened before) The ER doc said I was dehydrated, but thats it.

Has anyone experienced this type of panic attack? This is about the fifth attack like this in ths last 4 years, doctors keep saying its a panic attack, but wouldnt my heart rate go up? I have not started SSRI's but they are looking like my only option.

I am really glad I found this forum, I have been reading it for hours.....

Hi Mack,how are you? I am 44 yrs old and also have experienced panic attacks...and they can be dreadful. There is nothing worse than something physically happening tp your body that you have no control especially when they are at the intensity as yours are.
I cannot say I have them at that level but I can certainly understamd when you go into the hospital and have all the same tests you have had done and they say there all normal! I went to the E.R by ambulance when I first had mine.
It scared the heck outa me and so started my journey of research and my own self therapy, which consisted of excercise, vitamin B complex, Omega 3-6-9's, multi- vitamin and Cognitive Therapy, and practised mindfulness, yoga which I'm sure by now you have read up on most of it and then some.
I have been there and all this works it's to be consistant on your therapy and do this for the rest of your life, I still have episodes not as bad but I don't want to take SSRI's ( I did breifly 9 months) and decided I don't like the cost, side effects, and there had to be a more natural way to fix this.
Have you thought about seeing a Natuopathic doctor? Take care and I will say a prayer ( if that's ok?)

[Can't Remember]

it could be a seizure. The EEG is like an EKG, its only good for the 30 minutes they're recording you. I would get with your neurologist and see if they can do a longer one, (there's a name but I can't remember, surprise surprise). You go in and they hook you up with the electrodes and wrap your head and you have it for usually 3 full days. The machine is portable and usually goes in a backpack. You also get a journal and a "panic" button to signal to the reader when you start to feel tingly and you can tell them what you're doing, eating, etc. I went to school for EEG and you'd be surprised at the wide range of seizures. Sometimes the activity is coming from so deep in your brain that a regular EEG can't record it.

[mack21]

Thanks for the replies, I have seen a neuorologist twice, two MRI's and two EEG, one was the stress EEG where I stayed up all night. All came back normal. I am seeing my GP next week and will see what he says. Its wierd that during the last attack I was on a monitor and my heart rate never climbed above 90 bpm, and blood pressure was normal, but I passed out. I am lucky to have a wife that understands and helps me deal wth it.

Many thanks gimmeice, ceepei, and Can't Remember, its nice to have somoeone kinda identify with what is happeneing. I will update this thread if I get any news. I think I will have to start something different, maybe therapy, for now I am am sticking with the xanax, it seems to help.

thanks again and I hope we all get better......I will keep checking this forum.