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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask if this sounds like a panic attack/low blood sugar/heart issue?

9 replies

WeeCharlotte · 26/07/2019 00:06

Backstory: I suffer from anxiety and have just started taking Citalopram again (about a week ago) but other than mild nausea I've never had trouble with it. I've also been doing a strict low carb diet for a month and lost a lot of weight.
Woke up this morning, after one of the most stressful weeks of my life, and immediately felt sick. I've been having trouble sleeping all week because of worry, although this has started to improve. I've also been struggling to eat.
I'd fallen asleep on the sofa last night, so got up to go upstairs to the bathroom. I was feeling very lightheaded and dizzy. I had to hang on to the banister and basically thudded down on to the loo seat, resting my head against the tiles. My vision was blurry and I thought I was about to pass out. I was running with cold sweat and trembling all over.
Finally, after what seemed like a minute, I started to feel a bit easier, and managed to get to the landing where I lay very still for about twenty minutes. I felt fine at that point, but maybe still a touch dizzy. After that I made it to the bedroom without incident and slept for a couple of hours. I'm feeling much better now, and have had a lot of carbs and sugar today in case that was it.
My worry is my heart. Although I haven't had any symptoms in the past, my dad's family basically all died from cardiac arrest. I had no chest pain/tightening/shortness of breath, but this is doing my anxiety no good.
Can someone who has had panic attacks or low blood sugar attacks say if this sounds similar to what they experience?

OP posts:
OwlBeThere · 26/07/2019 00:12

My guess would be a combination of new meds and the low carb diet messing with you. I’ve had weird turns when I’ve been struggling to eat that sound pretty similar and I always put it down to low blood sugar.

Calic0 · 26/07/2019 00:30

I can 100% say I have experienced the exact symptoms when starting again on anti anxiety meds. I could have written the scenario you described. Let’s be clear - that is not to say there’s not some other underlying condition but I definitely recognised your symptoms as a GAD sufferer with no other known issues.

WeeCharlotte · 26/07/2019 00:38

Both replies are very reassuring. Thank you and best wishes.

OP posts:
HonestTeacher · 26/07/2019 00:40

These are the symptoms I have when my anxiety is really bad and I have been struggling to eat. For me, anxiety is 100x worse when my blood sugar is low. When I am going through a bad patch, I keep individually wrapped digestive biscuits next to my bed and eat one as soon as I wake up to prevent the dizzy sick feeling (takes me about half an hour to eat it but it works for me). I hope you start to feel better soon but remember this too shall pass Flowers

WorkerBee83 · 26/07/2019 00:42

Hi citalpram can make you feel dizzy and sick especially in the first two weeks of taking it but mine settled down after I’d say week 3 also it can make you feel so much worse as in anxiety and feeling down before it works so hopefully you will see the benefits of it soon. Hope you’re ok xx

itscallednickingbentcoppers · 26/07/2019 00:42

I'm not a medical professional but I get vasovagal syncope from time to time and it sounds similar. Very scary - feels like you're going to die!

AquaPris · 26/07/2019 00:48

If you're in the UK it could be the heat. I panic and faint at the doctors and the heat has been giving me the same fearful reactions

Weedsnseeds1 · 26/07/2019 01:16

You are starving yourself, it's boiling hot and humid ( assuming UK) and you seem to suffer from anxiety anyway.
If you are generally healthy, you probably haven't experienced anything life threatening.
Make sure you are hydrated, get some rest. Open windows and reduce bedcovers if it's very hot where you are

Weedsnseeds1 · 26/07/2019 01:20

For what it's worth, my father's family mainly died of heart failure. They were all late 90s, so I may be pre-disposed , but 97 or 98 years old seems reasonable!

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