OK, ladies, this is a good one! Now, let's see, where to begin...
back in '96 (when I was 39), one very cold Feb. night, (i live in Fl., but on occassion in Jan. and Feb, it'll drop down at night somewhat, and this was a cold one!), I had been out driving around and when I came home, I went into my bedroom and plugged in the hair dryer to warm myself up. OK, within a few seconds, all I kow is that I THOUGHT I had gotten an electric shock from the dryer, which i hadn't, because I litterally lost all leg power,collapsed on my bed (I kind of sat down on the edge of the bed), and my brain felt like it was "vibrating", and I had "tires" around my eyes, like when you're going to pass out! Now, this went on for maybe about 20 seconds. I flipped! I sat there, trying to keep myself conscious. I did. God was with me. When this was over, I got up, I was shakey, I felt very strange, and the left side of my head and face were tingly and warm, and "weird". I didnt have any speech problems, or slurring, or whatever, I was just very shaken up! It took me a few days to get back to myself.

This happ. once again in 2000, so 4 yrs. later. One cold FEB. night (I know, FEB. again) I was driving....and here we go!
This was not as bad, I was able to pull over and park. This time it came on me like a "wave", two actually, about 5 seconds apart.
I didn't loose any muscle power that time, thank God.
I felt totally spaced out, and weird in the head, detached, withdrawn. I hopped out of my car, and walked around that parking lot for about 25 minutes, till I stopped shaking, and felt I could drive home. It took me a few days again, till I felt like myself. Now, remember by this time, I was now four years older, so now I was 43.

The third time this happ. was just last Feb., YES, FEB. again!
Yep, I was in a drive through, and suddenly, you guessed it...here we go again! Now, this was the third time in 10 yrs, and by this time, it didn't hit as bad. I had my sons in the car with me, so I acted casual. It was lke a wave came over me again, made me feel really deatched, werid, spaced, "not there", and that really weird feeling in the left side of my head was there again. I felt somewhat shakey, but not to bad. Nothing around the eyes that time.

Now, my whole point is this. I was told by my GYN, and my family dr. that this was ANXIETY! YEAH! Now, I have taken xanax on and off, not since '96, when it first happ. but only recently, but I coudln't believe that could be anxity..I thought it was some kind of stroke. I have since found out that, during peri, this can happen....are they kidding?! NOw, yeah, I had one dr. at the ER tell me he thoguth it was an ischemic attack, ok, but then my GYN said "nah", and our family dr. said the same thing......my GYN said it's HORMONAL, holy cow! so, my question here is.....anyone else ever have anything even SIMILIAR!!!???

interesting, huh?................

mydarling: Hey girl, how're ya doing? I've had the same thing happen, and to be honest with you, I don't know what it was. I lost my legs, got warm and tingly, couldn't move my arms, etc. Here's what I think these episodes could be (in order of likelihood)...remember, this is just my opinion, I'm not a medical doctor (I just play one on t.v.LOL):

1. Severe panic attack
2. Petit mal seizure
3. tia (mini-stroke)

I think they are severe panic attacks; our adrenals going whacky. I've had three of these attacks, and each one landed me in the ER (they were that severe). Unless you've had this happen to you, you have no idea how incredibly debilitating and scary they are. They're not just "anxiety" or "nervousness"...they are PHYSICAL.

I read that a test of whether or not you are having a stroke is: Smile, raise your hands above your head, and speak a complete sentence out loud. If you can do all these things, according to this article (which i read in some ladies magazine, of course), then you are not having a stroke.

Hi Robin!

Hey, how are you? I was beginning to wonder! LOL

yeah, well, ok, my GYN at that time told me it was Hormonal, meaning that, I think the estrogen or something gets whacky and then that triggers somethnng else off....now I've looked all this up over and over...and I've spoke to other dr.'s since then, it does seem it would be a TIA, (ISCHEMIA) but, not necessarily. UGH!
Now, the three times with ME, were i believe having to do with car exhaust fumes. Let me explain. The first "episode" back in '96, was a cold FEB. night, and our van, at that time, had a bad, and i mean BAD exhaust problem, you could smell it in the car! So, we had to drive around with the windows open that night, just to air it out. NOT GOOD. (esp. since it was so cold that night, esp. for FLORIDA!) BUT rem. I was inahaling all those exhaust fumes, then when we got home, and back in a WARM enviornment, I think that between the temp. diff., AND the exhaust fumes I was breathing in, I believe that did it. The exhaust fumes probably robbed my brain of oxygen, and maybe I didn't really feel that till something else triggered it off.

Second time, same thing, like I said in the earlier post.....our car at htat time (this was 4 yrs. later, so we had gotten rid of the van and bought anohter car..) ALSO acquired an exhaust leak, but this was diff. in that, it didn't smell as badly in the car, but that doesn't really make a diff., because you can still have very bad reprocussions from inhaling that! That's what happ.! There I was, driving, and POW, out of nowhere, that "wave" came over me and all....oh yea, and the "wreaths" of Light aruond the eyes....I knew it was nerological, but I tend to think it's BEING CAUSED BY the car fumes, see?

The third time, last FEB. (again, always FEB.), our car was ok, but we were waiting for a LONG TIME IN A DRIVE THRU, behind abother car, and of course, the fumes are blowing righ back at us. That's when it happ....a smaller "episode" but sickening none the less. See, don't you think it had something to do with car exhaust fumes? Now, this last time, just the other night, was really a vry small little "episode", but it felt werid and sickly. I had just gone into my bedroom, and turned on the heater, and within a few minutes, it felt weird in my head, and queasy, and I start to sort of stare. But, this one, passed easily, I was left with the queasiness.

You didn't tell me the circumstances of your attacks, were you out, home, what? Any similar surroundings (like the car fumes, for me). Yeah this is n't a good feeling, thinking that could happen at any time! I was reading on this anxiety site though, that someone was explainng their anxiety symptoms, and this woman said, something similar. Basically, that she gets these electrical shock feelings up her body, like lightening. So, I think anxiety can do a lot. Aslo, read into the VAGUS NERVE, it's a major nerve in the body, and it branches off into the arms, legs, brain.etc........and if you're under severe enough stress, this nerve can react appropriately, and "loose it", if you know what I mean. Which then, sends signals to all diff. parts of the body.

Ok, did you actually almost collapse like I did? Did you completly pass out, or what.? Did you see those tires around your eyes? Give me the details, maybe we can figure this thing out!!!!!!

PM me and let me know how you're doing!

later alligator.........my darling