Question:
Does anyone out there have troubles with vision when the PA
strikes? Many times my vision is all blurry and 'swims' and I can only
see through kind of a narrow tunnel. In my readings of how to deal with
symptoms I don't notice any mention of this. I have a really hard time
talking myself through the attack, trying to 'act normally' and carry
on with whatever I'm doing and get over it when I can't see anything. Any
comments or suggestions?
Answer:
This is very similar to the symptoms I had when I had migraine prodromes
(the thing that comes before the headache). I typically did not get the
headaches (it is possible to have the prodromes w/out the headaches, but
it is still the asme mechanism working), but I did have my vision narrow
down and seemed to have the look on the loweer right side of oil on
water...that sort of swimmy, colored look to it.....so, you might want
to check with a neurologist regarding this symptom. Inderal helped my
symptoms immensely and the migraines went away after a few years.
I also had a PA everytime I had the above symptoms along with a severe
bout of IBS.....so, they all seemed to be tied in for me at that time in
my life (which was VERY stressful).
A What was the 'fear' like? I could never explain this
to anyone when I was little for two reason. First I did not think
anyone would believe me. The other one is I did not understand how to
tell what the 'fear' was like. But as I grew older I could recognize
the physical symptoms. So what did it feel like. The first symptom I
would have was an unreal feeling of being afraid, I could not catch my
breath, it felt like I was suffocating, it would then progress up my
back and neck. I would feel tinging, then I would get so it was hard
for me to swallow, a tightness in the throat .I would feel I could not
swallow and I was going to choke. I would then get cold so very cold
and shake. By this time I was very scared but I never knew what I was
afraid of. I would shake and nothing would help. The surrounding world
would become detached from me. It was like I was in a dark tunnel and
the more I mentally ran, the further I got into this tunnel. My
surroundings would become a blur! I then would be so afraid I could not
get back to the real world. Then as fast as it came on it would leave.
But the experience I had been through would be burned into my memory. I
could have attacks like this or a minor version but how ever they came
I always would feel the 'fear' which came from no where. If you were
standing near me You would not know what was going on with me. These
were all internal within me. As I got older I learned how to somewhat
over ride the symptoms and you would not see any change in me. You
would not see me shake, or feel me as being cold. Although as I got
older the less and less this worried because I got so I didn't care.
Sometime I get so tired of fighting the battle I wish I would just go
'poof' and away I would go to where ever it is I go. When you are small
and have these feelings you begin worry about having another and then
the anticipatory anxiety gets so bad you do not want to do anything,
which will bring this about.. So you regress from society into your
own little world."
Mee too! The NIMH has a brochure/pamphlet out that
actually has some pictures of what we often see during a panic attack.
There is a grocery story picture in there that is me, and you, and
apparently many, many others of us, viewing the world during an
attack!
