[JokerJo]

Hello everyone,

I just joined this amazing site a couple days ago to see if I could seek help/advice/comfort in my odd body problems (I assume it would be called anxiety. I have never been to a doctor for it.) BUT ANYWAYS... NOT THE POINT OF THIS POST TODAY!

I'm here to ask if anyone has experienced the crazy aftermath of passing out, and the madness of when you first wake up.

I am known in my family for having a history of passing out. I've been to several doctors and had several blood tests, they could never tell me what was wrong and would give me a piece of candy assuming it was low blood sugar. (Which I highly doubt. I truly think it is anxiety-related somehow.)

Anyways, as someone who passed out a ton as a kid and teenager, (I'm 20 now.) I can pretty much say I'm used to the feeling. But this morning brought a whole new feeling to it. It was scariest thing I've ever experienced. (besides being stuck in an elevator) Because after passing out, then suddenly waking up, I am still half dreaming, but I have no control. I am conscious, but I cannot stop the dream-like vision. One time when I woke up, my doctor was standing over me, and when I looked at his face, I saw it as the long white scream mask. It didn't necessarily scare me, but it was random & eventually faded.

This time was the worst one I've ever experienced though, this morning, I passed out alone on the bathroom floor. Just before I passed out, I flicked the switch that turns on the bathroom fan because usually a humming noise would calm me. But it didn't help and I ended up on the floor. I dreamed a really fast-pace fight sequence of some sort. So fast, that I can't even recall the movements of the characters in my dream. (I think I was out for a couple minutes. I'm not sure.) When I woke up, I felt my eyes were open, but everything was beyond blurred. It was like I was in another world. I could see the colors of the walls and ceiling, but that was it and the bathroom fan was the loudest thing I have ever heard in my life. It was so loud to me that I tried to scream and cover my ears, but I couldn't scream and when I lifted my hands to cover my ears I realized I was violently shaking and I couldn't see my hands no matter how much I waved them in front of my face, I just saw the motion blur of my hands, but not the hands themselves. I had absolutely no control. And I couldn't call for help for fear that me screaming would make me pass out again. So I laid there for a long time and finally managed to crawl all the way to the stairway and call for my mom, who happened to be drunk, but still managed to help me down the stairs somehow.

Needless to say, it was the scariest moment of passing out I've had. Ever. And I've had a LOT of passing out experiences.

The main point of this post is to ask if anyone else deals with this sort of thing? Have you had a really bad experience with it? do you remember your dreams that you have when you pass out?

[optimize990h]

Hey JokerJo!

Just dropped by to say I read your post. So, there is no medical reason for the loss of consciousness? not enough oxygen to the brain for some reason. not seizures?
Hopefully someone who has had same experience will read your post soon.

[JokerJo]

Originally Posted by optimize990h

Hey JokerJo!

Just dropped by to say I read your post. So, there is no medical reason for the loss of consciousness? not enough oxygen to the brain for some reason. not seizures?
Hopefully someone who has had same experience will read your post soon.

It's a long post, so thank you for reading it! D:

Doctors never gave me an answer. They couldn't figure it out. I personally think it's anxiety and too much stress build up, so I just shut down, literally. But ya never know!

[roads]

Has anyone observed you during this "passing out" episode? Have you had any sort of neurological exam afterword?

[JokerJo]

Originally Posted by Roadie

Has anyone observed you during this "passing out" episode? Have you had any sort of neurological exam afterword?

Yes and yes! It's a distinct feeling for me, so I can usually make it in time to warn someone before I'm out. Doctors even witnessed first hand. I'd pass out, wake up, they'd ask me questions, and I'd pass out again. One doctor said he looked at my eyes and such while I was out, and all he could say was, "I've never seen eyes that dilated before." That's it.

[roads]

What makes you thinks its dreaming and not hallucinating?

hi jokerjo, how disappointing that no doctor could give you any insight or help to deal with this. have you already consulted a mental health specialist? i have anxiety and i have passed out from it in the past. i also have hypoglycemia so sometimes i'm not sure if its that or anx that makes me pass out. one pdoc i saw said that when i have too much anxiety built up, my body shuts down to protect itself. That is one explanation. Another explanation for me is that I tend to either hold my breath or I overbreathe. When I overbreathe and I black out I get the oddest sensation after I wake up. The oxygen/carbon dioxide balance is disturbed and that can give me the feeling that i'm in a trance. That can last a few hours or even a day or two. I have been to quite a few doctors for these issues but they couldn't really help me either. Some suggested I do CBT in order to learn to cope better when I get panic attacks. Others have said I should move on and not focus so much on my anxiety I really hope you can get some help soon. Take care

[JokerJo]

Originally Posted by chocmouse

hi jokerjo, how disappointing that no doctor could give you any insight or help to deal with this. have you already consulted a mental health specialist? i have anxiety and i have passed out from it in the past. i also have hypoglycemia so sometimes i'm not sure if its that or anx that makes me pass out. one pdoc i saw said that when i have too much anxiety built up, my body shuts down to protect itself. That is one explanation. Another explanation for me is that I tend to either hold my breath or I overbreathe. When I overbreathe and I black out I get the oddest sensation after I wake up. The oxygen/carbon dioxide balance is disturbed and that can give me the feeling that i'm in a trance. That can last a few hours or even a day or two. I have been to quite a few doctors for these issues but they couldn't really help me either. Some suggested I do CBT in order to learn to cope better when I get panic attacks. Others have said I should move on and not focus so much on my anxiety I really hope you can get some help soon. Take care

Ah! That is exactly how I was trying to explain it! It is indeed like a trance. And you said exactly what I thought as well about it being apart of anxiety. You've pretty much confirmed what I figured the deal was. Thank you! & Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone. Really, you're the first to explain your issue almost exactly how mine is for me. So it means a lot to know.

[JokerJo]

Originally Posted by Roadie

What makes you thinks its dreaming and not hallucinating?

I actually think it is both. Because when I first wake up, I am definitely hallucinating things. Everything is very warped and freaky. Very unreal.

The reason I think it's dreaming is because when I'm knocked out, people around me always tell me (after I'm awake and can comprehend what they're saying.) that my eyes were closed and I seemed "asleep"

hi no, you're definitely not alone! i hope you will find some way to successfully deal with the anxiety. take care

[IMissMaggie]

If it were me, I think I'd find a neuro clinic that specializes in some of the less common seizure disorders. That doesn't mean there is no anxiety component to what you experience, but I have a friend with a seizure disorder that went undiagnosed for the longest time because the psych doctors kept going with a psych diagnosis and ignoring the physical aspect until the seizures got so bad they couldn't ignore them anymore.

Don't rely on just any doctor. Find someone with a lot of experience in seizures, because many family practice and internists, even some neurologists, just aren't familiar with the more rare kinds of disorders.

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

My first thought was seizure. But I just started getting seizures a couple years ago so it's at the front of my mind always. But seizures can look like anything.

When you have these episodes, do you ever wet yourself (you don't have to answer, just think about it) have a headache? Have ringing in your ears? Vomit?

Disorient is common after a seizure, and seizures can manifest in many ways, when I come out of them I get this charlie brown effect, you know the teacher who sounds like "Waa waa waaaa" when she's talking? That's how everything sounds, and it takes a while for my eyes to focus, for my hearing to come in, it can take a very long time to snap out of it.

I'm also wondering about narcolepsy. It could be a possibility. There are a number of possibilities but I highly recommend seeing a neurologist. Go over all of your symptoms. Start writing them down before they happen. What you are feeling before it happens, what you were doing, the feelings you get that let you know it's coming (often for seizures people get an "aura" before the seizure and they know the seizure is coming, I've gotten that as well but only 30 seconds before the actual seizure), what you felt like during if you have any consciousness and what you felt like after the episode, document everything you can of what happened and it can help the doctors guide you.

It can be anxiety related, but seizures can be anxiety related. Studies show a good portion of those admitted for seizures into hospitals are having stress seizures, non epileptic seizures. There's no telling unless you see the doctor, and hopefully a neurologist. This could be something serious so please don't hesitate to cover all your angles when trying to find out the cause.

[JokerJo]

Originally Posted by PurpleFlyingMonkeys

My first thought was seizure. But I just started getting seizures a couple years ago so it's at the front of my mind always. But seizures can look like anything.

When you have these episodes, do you ever wet yourself (you don't have to answer, just think about it) have a headache? Have ringing in your ears? Vomit?

Disorient is common after a seizure, and seizures can manifest in many ways, when I come out of them I get this charlie brown effect, you know the teacher who sounds like "Waa waa waaaa" when she's talking? That's how everything sounds, and it takes a while for my eyes to focus, for my hearing to come in, it can take a very long time to snap out of it.

I'm also wondering about narcolepsy. It could be a possibility. There are a number of possibilities but I highly recommend seeing a neurologist. Go over all of your symptoms. Start writing them down before they happen. What you are feeling before it happens, what you were doing, the feelings you get that let you know it's coming (often for seizures people get an "aura" before the seizure and they know the seizure is coming, I've gotten that as well but only 30 seconds before the actual seizure), what you felt like during if you have any consciousness and what you felt like after the episode, document everything you can of what happened and it can help the doctors guide you.

It can be anxiety related, but seizures can be anxiety related. Studies show a good portion of those admitted for seizures into hospitals are having stress seizures, non epileptic seizures. There's no telling unless you see the doctor, and hopefully a neurologist. This could be something serious so please don't hesitate to cover all your angles when trying to find out the cause.

Thank you for your response and advice. I'll definitely write out everything as it comes and goes. That is a very good idea.

I don't wet myself, aside from one time when I was very, very ill. (TMI ahead) I did both wetting myself and vomiting at the same time while I was knocked out. I also do get the "waa waa waa" effect if someone is talking, but I just happen to hear a particular sound in the room that should be the quietest sound. I hear it amplified many times more than normal, which is pretty scary. I also get like you said, the "aura" about 30 seconds before I pass out.

I think visiting a neurologist/doctor for this kind of thing may help a lot more than just going to a "typical" family doctor that might not know as much as another doctor. What you described sounds a lot like what I deal with.

Onward to my search for this doctor in my area!

[JokerJo]

Originally Posted by IMissMaggie

If it were me, I think I'd find a neuro clinic that specializes in some of the less common seizure disorders. That doesn't mean there is no anxiety component to what you experience, but I have a friend with a seizure disorder that went undiagnosed for the longest time because the psych doctors kept going with a psych diagnosis and ignoring the physical aspect until the seizures got so bad they couldn't ignore them anymore.

Don't rely on just any doctor. Find someone with a lot of experience in seizures, because many family practice and internists, even some neurologists, just aren't familiar with the more rare kinds of disorders.

I hope your friend is doing better! Thank you for your input on the situation, I really think I will hunt for a good doctor that knows their stuff. It was obvious that the past doctors really had no clue how to handle the situation.

[secretk]

I thought about narcolepsy too to be honest.

I had to look into some time ago because of unpleasant experience that is for sure not bad as yours (lucky me). In general during the early hours once I wake up, but decide to carry on I have weird experiences. The last one disturbed me to the point where I didn't want to fall asleep anymore.

I was pretty aware where I was and how I was positioned in the bed, I was aware of my surroundings, but I couldn't move at all. It was really like trance. I was in some dark place (there were lights from time to time but not enough to see something) and everything was happening really fast. People were talking to me all the time, I couldn't even understand what they were saying. Then there was loud music, like really loud and just like you I wanted to cover my ears but I couldn't move my hands.

And then all those people were whispering and approaching me and I started shivering and in this moment I exited the trance. I felt it physically though. I had noise sensation in my ears and they were hurt even though I know that there was no real noise there. And I really felt cold and felt the shivers. In fact I was cold after this.

Anyway that's why I looked into narcolepsy. It sounds like you have something like that. Maybe your brain really does try to shut out your body, but it doesn't do it completely. Which is why you have something like sleep paralysis. You know what's going around you, but you can't move and you still dream. They say that some people enter REM phase far rapidly (it's abnormal) and that combined with the paralysis might make you feel this way.

I hope that you will find solution to your problem because it sounds horrible.