Mommy's Health

Reading your description sent bells going off in my head. My 16 year old son recently had a few episodes like yours. Like you, he was resting when these things happened. My concern was his heart, he was born with a mild heart murmur, and although I am trained in the med field, I listened to his heart and heard no murmur, I still took him to the doctor. They told him the same thing, panic attacks. The doctor even appeased me with my concerns for his heart by putting him on a 24 hour heart monitor. But, the results were still, panic attacks and meds recommended. I told them NO meds for my kid! No way. He is too young, and there has been way too much go wrong with that stuff.
I have begun to believe that those drugs are what they use when they cannot figure it out.
So.. on to help you... Son and I looked at what he had been eating/drinking prior to these attacks. The common thread we found was caffeine and high sugar intakes. So, no more caffeine for him, and we drastically reduced his sugars, including processed foods. He has not had an attack since.
One thing he was drinking that was sorta a 'sneaky' caffeine in my mind was those Monster and Jolt type energy drinks.

My advice is to take a long hard look at your diet. Everything you put in your mouth. Try to go as natural, organic and fresh as possible. I know it is expensive, but your life is priceless! It would probably have added benefits in your families health too. Best of luck to you!

I haven't had a chance to look at your other responses yet, and I'm sure you've already had some great ones, but I'll just chime in with my experience. Several years ago I decided I needed something to help with my severe PMS so I went to the doc and got meds for it (basically Prozac, but whatever name they call it when it's for PMS). She gave me the WRONG advice about it, said I should just take it the two weeks before my period, then stop, do it that way every month. Well, when I stopped it, about two days later I had a very scary experience -- racing heartbeat (120 beats/minute), nausea, dizzy, etc. I was trying to get my son ready for school, and I thought I was having a heart attack! I called the doc's office, they said to come in, so I did and they said it was a panic attack and prescribed Paxil to help me with it. (I don't recommend Paxil, there are better meds.) Anyway, in the six weeks or so that it took the Paxil to kick in, I had several more of these panic attacks, and every single time I thought I was going to literally die. A couple of them happened when my husband was out of town and all I could think about was what would my son do when he came into my room in the morning and found me dead. (And this was even knowing they were "just" panic attacks!)

So I'll bet your panic attack was brought on by all the switches in meds. It just screwed up your body and that was the result. It does feel like you're going to die, but you won't! Definitely get medical help for it, though (maybe a different doc?) I did keep having problems with the occasional attack for about a year, even after going on the Paxil, but I'm happy to say now I haven't had a panic attack in the several years since then.

But, again, DON'T take Paxil -- it has waaaaaay too many side effects, especially going on and off it, and you have to be extremely careful to taper on and off. If your doc ever recommends Paxil for anything, ask for something else.

I hope this helps you feel not so alone! You're okay, your body's just a bit confused after all the med changes, so get it some help to straighten out, and you'll be fine after awhile, I promise!

Hi! My MIL went through that too...and she eventually found out it was food allergies! She's allergic to eggs, gluten, milk, sugar (she had a very high yeast count which is fed by sugar) strawberries and watermelon and vinegar and some other things. She eliminated them from her diet and felt MUCH better. NO MORE HOSPITAL TRIPS! She was in the hospital several times a month with 'panic attacks.' She said some of these things (like strawberries) she was sensitive to as a child but thought she had grown out of it. She is slowly adding some of the things shown that she wasn't AS allergic to, like gluten, to see if she still feels well, and so far she does. But she said she'll never have sugar again.

How she found out was her chiropractor had blood drawn at a lab and sent to this company (info on purchasing kits listed on this site.) so, it very well COULD be allergies but allergy meds may not help. I'm also having a lot of problems with dizziness ect and am certain it's allergies because fluid builds up in my ears (probably the ringing you heard.) I've been drinking milk, though, and I do think I have a milk allergy (I have allergy symptoms much more when drinking milk.)

http://www.foodallergy.com/

Another possible allergen, particularly if you had damage from Ike or evacuated for a while, is a mold allergy. Many people are allergic to mold. I do feel better when I have the air at 75 or below. That's what my allergist told me to do, and it works. I go to "allergy an asthma associates."

Hi M. D,
It seems you have received a lot of responses... all of which suggest different things to consider. I can only offer my humble opinion based on my personal experiences. I, myself, have suffered from panic attacks and I know how utterly horrible they can be. If you've never experienced one, you simply cannot understand how truly awful they really are. I think it's a good idea to make sure you are seeing a good doctor and that they are doing all the tests necessary to rule out any other possible scenarios. If you went to the emergency room and they released you, then that would suggest that they didn't see that anything else was wrong. I can tell you that the symptoms you describe sound EXACTLY like what I have experienced when I have had panic attacks in the past. If that is truly what you are experiencing, then I would suggest you get help right away. Panic attacks are like a vicious cycle. They can get worse and worse if you aren't getting help for them. Thankfully, I have not had a panic attack in over 3 years. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my doctor and my therapist for that! I hope this helps you! Feel free to contact me off board if you have any questions.

Have you had a thyroid function test? Ask your doctor to check your thyroid levels. Sounds like hyperthyroidism could be to blame...? Doesn't hurt to "rule out." It's just a simple blood test.

HTH

God Bless!

I get occasional migranes, too, and I take allergy meds for them. I don't have allergies, though - my problem is with weather changes. If a cold front is moving in, I know that if I don't take my Claritin or Zyrtec, I'll have a migrane by the end of the day. Apparently, the allergy meds help keep the sinuses from swelling enough that I don't get the pain. So check the weather, too, if you have another migrane.

Hi there. I can only speak from my experience but here's what I can offer. I had a baby almost a year ago and within 12 hours they were telling us that she had congenital heart defects and that she would require open heart surgery. Being a new mom and having only spent maybe 3 hours thus far with her (she was in NICU), I go into a major emotional state. For the next several days, I get these serious chest pains that hurt so bad that I can hardly breathe. My blood pressure goes up and I get hot flashes. When I called my OB, they were instantly sure over the phone, that it was panic attacks and I "felt" like they were right. Given my state of mind, and the fear I had for my newborn that she'd have to endure something so difficult was too much to handle. I will tell you that I did have an attack even at rest and when I wasn't even thinking about it, which surprised me and made me call the doctor. So I'm not surprised by you having your issue while watching TV. I did too. The bad news is there's nothing you can do about them I'm afraid......the one thing I learned through all of our trying times is to trust your gut. Whatever you are thinking, see it through via another doctor or get clear confirmation of the diagnosis. Don't settle. Pardon me for saying this, but no one is going to care about this as much as you do so you have to be your own advocate. I hope I've helped in some small way.....God Bless You!

Hi M. D

Hope this finds you feeling better. www.creeksideherbhouse.com is a website that would be very informative to you about the conditions you are talking about in your correspondence.
Go to the "theory" page of that site and understand how natural healing actually works. Usually when you have a head ache it is because the blood flow to the brain is restricted at some point. Massage can help move the circulation along.
The body needs maintance, we were not taught this, so we have to learn when we start getting sick.

If you have questions or need more help with your understanding, please do not hesitate to contact me at the email address on the home page of the site.

Blessings to you and your family
J. M

Hey M. D,

You do have a lot going on. You've gotten some wonderful responses and clearly have a lot of support available on this forum!

Since you mention being scared one of the first things to do is to look for answers and ways to put your mind at ease because 'not knowing' is only adding to your stress level.

Are you familiar at all with energy medicine or the alternative therapies that have been around and used successfully for thousands of years in many cultures? Perhaps you have heard of medical intuitives or people that can help provide insight without a lot of costly and invasive procedures?

I raised five daughters utilizing a lot of natural remedies and primiarly alternative medicine. Not sure what your background or experience may be but we know how that everything is comprised of energy. The body is electromagnetic in nature. Our thoughts, feelings and emotions have a cumulative affect on the body, and vice versa. Stress is one of the hardest things affecting all of those areas.

Utilizing energetic therapies you can accomplish in a few sessions what can take months or more to accomplish using other traditional modalities.

When the body's energy system is balanced, many functions return to normal rather quickly. The body is designed to heal itself given the proper and necessary elements.

It is totally private and non-invasive. You could try a treatment and evaluate the effect you observe in your state of mind and over-all well being.

If you would like to read more about the options and the process, please visit www.focusedenergyhealing.com There's a video on there from a local news broadcast about energetic healing and therapies. You can also read people's personal experiences. This particular person is someone I have known for many years and he has helped our family tremendously.

It works on the energy system in a way that is similar to accupunture but it does not use needles.

In your case you could try one session or you could get an energy scan to see what the energetic condition of your body would currently indicate.

If you have any questions or would like further insight please let me know.

Many blessings to you M. D!

.

I would also recommend getting a second opinion.

Have you been taking your blood pressure since you've gone off meds? If it is still high I'd see a cardiologist or an internal medicine doctor.

As far as migraines I'd see a neurologist or headache specialist.

Good luck, I hope you feel better soon.

It could be a multitude of things. Make sure you are hydrated and don't have low blood sugar (make sure you're eating). Also, I would start a log of what you're feeling and when you're feeling it (while resting, after eating, 2 hours after eating, 1 hr after meds, etc.). After you have a good log, keep going to the doctor to figure this out, you may have to go to more than one. If you want a more wholistic and natural approach, you might consider a DO instead of an MD. It's hard not knowing what's going on, but you are your best researcher. Make sure to rule out pregnancy too! Hope you figure it out soon.

I want to respond to your question about panic attacks. I have experienced them since I was a kid. And you description sounded spot on to how I feel when I have one. In fact, my first thought when I was reading your symptoms was, "oh dear, she had a panic attack." Considering you had been changing medications it could be that. But it does sound like a panic attack so I am not surprised by the ER's diagnosis. I would find another doctor for a second (or third) opinion on how to deal with your blood pressure, migraines and to determine if you have allergies.

I use to get migranes all the time. Since you seem healthy I wonder if you are drinking diet drinks is contributing to it. Try cutting those out read the word that is usually in red or bold print under the ingrediants that starts with the letter p. Look up all the side effects those contain and realize how much stuff is using that. My migranes quit when I went on a insulin resistance diet. I would definatly recomend going to get a second opnion. My father was taking natural meds for his high blood pressure and diebeties. It worked till he slacked of on exercise and diet. To me it sounds like your not on the right meds for your blood pressure yet. Go find a different doctor. Our emergency room sounds like yours. Go again if you have the same reaction dizzy and all that. My father had a seizure. Blood pressure is noting to take lightly like it sounds like your doctors are. Good luck and I pray you find the right doc.

You are way too young to be so sick. See about getting a complete workup while you are well, so, before the next migraine or whatever it may be. I would also find out about food allergies and any sensitivities you may have to environmental factors, like chemicals, cleaners, perfumes, anything you come into contact with often we wouldn't otherwise suspect as something that may make us sick.
Now, this is along shot, and not to freak anyone out, but I also saw a show last night on Discovery Health channel about a woman with non-stop migraines that ended up being linked to a small hole in her heart. The kind of hole between the two sides of the heart that babies are often born with then the hole grows closed by itself soon after birth, hers just didn't. Those TV medical cases are the rare ones, of course, but if you are getting a complete physical (or even an MRI or something) in your search for answers you may want to check your heart health. Especially with your blood pressure history. I hope you have good insurance. Take care of yourself!
P.

Hi,

These sort of attacks can be brought on by allergy medicine. I have had panic attacks off and on since puberty but they didn't get bad until I was pregnant with my second child then they got so bad I was passing out. What you are describing is exactly what I would go through before my vision would go dark. The doctors told me it was just a panic attack. Since then I've met a woman who seems to have the same problems I do, including a blood sugar problem, possibly hypoglycemia. You should check out the symptoms of hypoglycemia and try eating more protien and in regular 2 hour intervals to see if that helps to control the "panic attacks." I know it's worked for me. Another thing that seems to have helped is getting more vitamin C. I use the powdered drink mix like emergen-c.

I hope that helps.
KT

That sounds like what I felt when I was having low blood pressure attacks (often when I was relaxed, watching TV or taking a shower). I felt like I was going to pass out and throw up and my heart was beating out of my chest. My doctor just told me to eat more salt, and drink plenty of water. The headaches can be caused by blood pressure changes too. When you feel one coming on it's best just to sit down on the floor and breathe deeply. I've never taken meds, and things just worked themselves out eventually - the salt helps though - lots of pickles and popcorn!

I am 26 years old and I also have been diagnosed with "hereditary" high blood pressure! I notice that I get headaces alot too with or without medication, I know it sounds nuts but are you taking in alot of caffene? I notice that when I have a soda or a green tea I get all jittery and sometimes have the same results you did, shaky hands, jitters, dizzy, nausea. I have asked the doctor about it and both times it turns out that my blood pressure was high. In your case, it may have been a reaction from your pressure dropping and then trying to adjust itself with the medication...I would go back to your doctor and start insisting on tests, but that is just me.

M. D, I am so sorry you are going through this.
I had similar symptoms (minus the high blood pressure, plus constant nausea and extreme throat pain) for over a year. I too went to the emergency room a couple times only to be treated rudely by the docs and told I was having anxiety attacks. They'd give me anti anxiety drugs and send me home to continue to feel miserable! Finally my insurance allowed me to get a new primary care doctor and he listened to All my symptoms. He gave me medicine which helped my migraines (then vicoden, now tylanol pm at start of headache works fine. The Imatrex and other migraine meds made my blood pressure go up and made me feel worse.) He also sent me to a gastroenterolegist (stomach doctor.) The dizzyness, throat pain, stomach problems and frequency of headaches were caused by my severe GERD and esophagus ulcers. The GI doc gave me meds for my stomach and throat problems and along with the vicodin for my head, I began to heal. (Note, The vicodin was only at the beginning to help get severity and frequency under control. Once everything else was healing, I was able to stop the vicodin as it can become habit forming.) The "anxiety attack" symptoms as the emergency room docs had "diagnosed" had finally gone!
M. D my point is to keep seeking help. Find a new doctor if you can. Maybe request a referral to a neurologist for a MRI to rule out anything with your brain, and to put your mind at ease. Keep a log of your symptoms and bring that with you when you see your doctor. If anxiety meds aren't helping you, than you should ask seek more answers from your doctor, or find a new one if you can!
Good luck to you and please update us!

Buy a blood pressure machine and keep track of your own blodd pressure at home. The reason behind this is I have a normal low blood press 100 over 80, but when I go to the doctor it can be 150 over something and that is called the white coat sydrome. This happens to most patience. If I did not know what my normal daily blood pressure was I would be taking blood pressure meds and would not even need them. After talking with alot of my friends they do the same thing. Doctors love prescribing meds, just think of the damage that could have been done if I took meds I do not even need.
And yes I agree with everyone else seek another doctor.

Personally, I would go to a holistic or naturopath dr. I had fainting spells and was told "it was all in my head" and I needed HELP!! I have since found out why, but it wasn't until I went to these type of drs that I started getting well. I can recommend one to you in the Houston area if you would like.

Please don't just accept their diagnosis if you feel there is something wrong. Listen to your body!! i also found out that I have many allergies/sensitivities to foods that help me feel much better when I eliminate them.

Blessings,
M.
Mom to 5 Wonderful Kids
www.4MyChildrenSake.com

Hi, I'm not a doctor but, I had episodes like that years ago. I was in my 20's. I was a very healthy, fit, girl running 8 miles a day. I never had high blood preasure and never have been on meds. I am now 45 years old still extremely healthy. I have'nt had an episode for years.

All that being said, I think it is hormonal. I think your meds affected you. You went off them and your body has to adjust to that. I say this because I did have a pregnancy that never went full-term and that is when I had these attacks.

If you have been on any meds then go off....It affects you and it is because your body gets used to having the med.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I think it will go away on there own.

Good Luck, L.

Go to a cardiologist! I know - you think that nothing could be wrong with you at such a young age.. but you never know. I am 29 and was just diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse 2 years ago!! I get dizzy, out of breath easily, minor chest pains, palpatations, and I do ocasionally have a migraine. Not saying that is what you have, but there could be something that you are not aware of. It could also be anxiety, I've been on medication for that too (off now - thank goodness, I hated it!) but you never know until you get 100% checked and feel confident in what the docs are telling you. I wish you the best, don't give up until you find out what is going on.. Hang in there girlie!! Good Luck! =)

I just wanted you to know that I had never had migraines until I was in my third pregnancy and I don't get them very often now. I am now 31 and in pretty good shape with no known health problems. It wasn't to long after that pregnancy that I started to have what I considered panic attacks. I didn't have them diagnosed and really hate to go to the doctor for anything. I would get light headed and my breathing would speed up and my chest would get tight and sometimes I would feel like I was going to pass out. It even got to the point where I would wake up in the middle of the night feeling like that. There was really nothing for me to be stressed about. I refuse to be dependent on meds so I had heard about deep breathing excercises. I try to sit quitely and just breath deeply in and out when I feel one coming on. It has helped alot. I don't have them nearly as much now. I have heard of some people using a cognitive therapist for panic attacks too instead of meds. I have a sister-in-law that has them and is on meds all the time. I just don't want to live like that. I don't know if this helps. I just wanted to share my experience.

Iagree with the other posts to definately get a second opinion. I would also start with the most obvious, your blood pressure, considering this is a known factor. Do you check your blood pressure at home? If you don't, you should be doing it at least once or twice a day (before taking your b/p meds), more often when going through med changes or having symptoms. You need to have a blood pressure monitor at home, there are several upper arm battery operated machings for relatively cheap at Walgreens or CVS. Stay away from the wrist ones, Omron makes a pretty accurate wrist monitor, if you do it correctly, and it can be tricky. The arm ones are very simple. This is something you can do to ease your mind and to give your doctors more information about what is going on. Keep a log, most monitors come with one. Bring it with you to every doctor you see and make sure he/she reviews it. Blood pressure varies greatly throughout the day, so get readings at different times of the day so you and the doctors know what it is doing. They only see the one reading at the office and it is very hard to see the whole picture based on that.
Next, make sure you are aware of the most common side effects of any meds they put you on and whether you can stop them quickly or if you need to wean off. Never change meds or stop meds without talking to the doctor. Even if you are having problems you think are related to the meds, sometimes stopping them quickly is more dangerous than weaning off over 3 to 4 days. Many blood pressure meds are like this as well as meds for anxiety/depression, and others. When you first get on the med, ask the doctor if you have problems can you not take it. Also, with any blood pressure meds, make the doctor give you parameters on when not to take it. For example "take your blood pressure before taking medication and if blood pressure below 100/60, do not take your meds." One more thing, if you have needed b/p meds for three years and now are not on anything, you should have your doctor prescribe a just in case,quick acting, short lived blood pressure med to deal with a possible spike in your pressure. The most common is Clonidine. It is usuall ordered as an as needed med with blood pressure parameters such as "If blood pressure is greater than 160/90, take one tab and re-take blood pressure in 30 minutes."
I guess what I am saying is could very well be food allergies, or panic attacks, but it is very important to rule out the obvious, or known factors first. Make sure your doctor knows that you are involved with your own health and you want everything explained to you.

Yes it could be a panic attack. And though they are stupid, you are not. You don't have to be doing anything at the time that is stressful to start into a panic attack. They are a result of just overall stress and anxiety, anxiety being just the constant worrisome attentive mom that a large number of mom's are. We don't take care of ourselves, we take care of everyone else. We think all the time and are disappointed in ourselves when something we had in our head is worked out ideally and we don't/can't follow through at that same high level. Worries: money, time, diet plan, good and bad foods, "am I fat", "is he still attracted to me", life insurance deficiencies, retirement plan, college money, family fun time, Astroworld closed and my kids cried (damn that CEO), we need a bigger house, that TV show is so funny and my kids like it but it is unnecessarily innapropriate, OMGosh lets leave for the hurricane, the kids love that dog in the back yard that won't shut up(the neighbor called and the police came), "should I go back to school), the brakes were just worked on and they still squeal everytime I stop(how embarrassing), NEED I GO ON. I am sure you can add your own list. The point is alot is going on, and their is usually insufficient time and money and really do what you would like. I suspect that if their was enough money then there would still be problems, they would just be different, I haven't had the pleasure of noticing those though. I love this resource though because it lets us mom realize that as individuals we are not alone. Our struggles are common and it is good to know that others have the same reactions to life. I have had 2 panic attacks. Mine were not as bad as yours. With my work background I knew what was happening and just knowing helped break the symptoms. I can say that you most certainly need more sleep and some exercise that is fun. Walk the dog or go to the batting cages or the park swing. Get a bike and put it in front of the TV. Something other than the gym, that just more work. Take some essential fatty acids and get enough omega 3s and 9s for brain function. You need omega 6s also but I think they are readily available in normal foods. Find a good privately owned health food store and ask the guru there.
God Bless

M. D,

Request a CRP test , this is a blood test that will tell you How much Inflammation is in your bloodstream, if it is too elevated this might be where your problems are coming from.
CRP is a C ReActive Protein test, listen to Dr. Vaughn Johnsons' audio on www.DailyHealthJuice.com , he explains WHY we need to get this done, and the results.

TIME magazine has a great article on this;
the most expensive thing in life is a . . . "closed mind".
The February 24th, 2004 issue of TIME Magazine, was all about INFLAMMATION!
Silent Inflammation is the root cause of all acute and chronic diseases ... CANCER ... heart attacks ... Strokes ... DIABETES ... Hypertension, commonly referred to as "high blood pressure" ... Dementia, the most well-known type is Alzheimer's disease and others like ... sickle cell anemia ... MS ... Lupus, and other autoimmune diseases ... Parkinson's ... arthritis ... even such simple things as dental hygiene and the consequences of irritation in your mouth.While inflammation can affect all tissues in the body, it is the primary mechanism underpinning diseases which attack muscles, joints and connective tissue.INFLAMMATION. The body’s non-specific response to infection, trauma, radiation damage, allergen irritation, etc. is inflammation

...
the article is long, if you'd like the rest of it, email me
tecuento123 at yahoo . com
I would be glad to email it to and you can show it to your doctor and go from there.

Take care of your health, without it we can't do anything.

God bless,
Oly

Hi-

First and foremost, get a second opinion....for two reasons. One if they're missing something someone else might catch it and secondly if another doctor tells you the same thing you will probably feel more comfortable with the diagnosis and then will be able to relax and let the medication work.

That being said, my husband spent about two years being sick almost all of the time. Similar to what you would describe, he would have headaches, extreme upset stomach and chills. Ever time he didn't feel well he would nearly convince himself that it was cancer. After seeing multiple specialists, undergoing two colonoscopies and other tests I finally got him to go see a psychologist who put him on medication. He has been on the medication for nearly 9 months now and no longer has any of the other symptoms. He, like you, could not believe that all of those physical symptoms could possibly be "in his head."

Again, I would definitely go see a specialist to make sure there is nothing else, but don't completely rule out what your current doctors are telling you.

Wishing you well,
K.