Hey guys! I have no idea what is going on with me :-( I am a 29 year old female who suffers from anxiety, but for the last 2 years I have been off medication, and did pretty well...up until now that is. Recently I had a breast lump that needed investigation and although it turned out to be nothing, it brought back all my health anxiety. To top it all of I work full time and have 4 kids ages 2 up to 11 and my stress level has been awfully high.
Please forgive the length of this and please take the time to read. I wanted to be sure I didnt leave any details out.
So what brings me here...for the last couple months during all this anxiety, I have been dizzy daily and extremely exhausted. Then out of the blue one day while I'm driving, I start to feel this weird sensation from the top corner of my eyebrow down to my nose. Almost like a burning. I dismiss it and a moment later I feel very warm and shaky, especially in the core of my body, I got an extreme tingling sensation all over, and felt off balance although I was sitting. I pull over and my breathing speeds up a tad, but not much, but I try calling my mom and it was like I couldnt think clearly, and it took great effort to concentrate to call her. Once she answers I could talk but it was like I had a fat tounge and it was scary!! I could say what I wanted to but it took me a min to really think about what I was trying to say. I felt the back of my neck muscles tightening and the back of my head felt pressurized. But no chest pain at all. At that point my mom came and took me to the ER.
I was able to walk in but felt weak. The left side of my body still felt like it wasnt "mine" if that makes sense. I was able to sort of answer their questions, but I had so many symptoms and they were all brand new to me...I just couldnt completely describe it. Fast forward and they check me over...squeeze my hands, smile, do this, do that and during all this I'm starting to feel better, but I'm getting an awful headache...and then they decide a head ct is best to check for stroke just to be safe. It came back totally clear.
About 2 hours from check in, they send me home and tell me it was a mini stroke, migraine or possible seizure. I was baffled...they seemed totally calm about it. At that moment I mentioned that I have bad anxiety and have been very stressed lately and asked if it could have been a panick attack. They said "oh, I doubt it...panick attacks dont tend to present more so on one side of the body." So I grabbed my discharge papers and left.
I got home and laid down, with an awful headache and feeling exhausted from it all. I did not have a headache at the time of the symptoms, only after the rush of it all. I felt pretty normal other than being scared and went to sleep. The next 2 days were ok but I was still dizzy and scared, googling symptoms and trying to take it all in. My dad calls to see how I'm feeling and I'm talking and all of a sudden I feel the tingles, I feel flushed, the back of my head and neck tense up and I start losing my words and I get very dizzy. As he's jabbering I try to calm myself, try to breathe and it goes away within minutes...but again I'm left with a headache and feeling exhausted.
This has happened 2 more times in the last week, but both times were not like the first. I try to breathe and calm myself and it goes away. Daily I am still often dizzy, feel like my eyes are straining and constantly have a headache which seems to either be behind my eyes or in the back of my head. I also feel like I have a constant pressure in my face and head, especially the right side. I'm sure a lot of it is anxiety but I keep fearing it's something more and I dont have health insurance to go in and check.
I apologize for the length, but does this sound like a panick attack? Can anybody relate to the headaches and pressure afterwards? I have heard panick attacks cause chest pain, which I have not experienced thus far. I just feel so lost and scared daily and I know doctors know best..but I feel like they totally dismissed my anxiety. Any input would be greatly appreciated.