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[cubagirl]

Well ladies, hope you can bare with me whilst I try to explain. About 8 years ago I started having funny turns. They would happen out of the blue. I would be feeling fine then have this strange zapping feeling through my body, a bit like an electric shock. My legs would turn to jelly & I'd need to sit/lie down. Never passed out, always aware of my surroundings. OK after couple of minutes or so.  It was decided I needed CBT. I was discharged from that after short time, as turns had passed. Fast forward to June this year & wham back they've come, except this time I also get a feeling like my stomach has been scalded. Plus afterwards I'm exhausted! Practised my exercises from previous CBT. Still no better. My heart starts to pound too, so went to GP & tried to explain to him. He's none the wiser, though is referring me to hospital in case it's heart related, though he doubts it.

Anyone else had similar & if so did you find out what was the cause? Surely anxiety can't be cause of all this.

CG

[Annie0710]

Well Cubagirl , first sorry you're going through this AGAIN :-(

These 'turns' sound similar to what I experience in social settings and I've put mine down to anxiety , I can't relate to the tummy issues though so there's a chance it isn't anxiety

Go for your appt when it comes through just in case it's something else

I do feel for you x

[cubagirl]

I had BP checks done at surgery. Also checked at home & GP said it was within limits. He reduced my BP meds a while back as they were making me very dizzy, but not anything like these funny turns.

[CLKD]

The less you know the more likely you are to become more worried.

When anxiety hits I get all kinds of feelings.  The head zaps I can cope with, fast enough to make me go 'oh!' ….. but the boiling belly can be a worry, fortunately it doesn't happen often. 

How is your diet?

[cubagirl]

Same as it's always been CLKD. Well I've added more things like porridge & granola at breakfast but much & such the same.

[lily]

Not nice CG. Do you feel like you could faint? I have had something similar, but not on a regular basis.

[cubagirl]

Yes lily, but have never actually fainted. These episodes can happen within days of each other, but sometimes it's weeks. No rhyme or reason to it. GP wants me to get tracings done. Says 24hr one not enough, because unless I get one of these turns during the 24 hours, then it's a pointless exercise. Apparently there's one you can wear for longer & you press a button when you have an episode, so they can trace if anything untoward has occurred.

[lily]

It was a long time ago when I sometimes experienced something like that. I put it down to hormones, the hot feeling in my lower stomach/groin usually made me wonder if it was ovulation or if I was pregnant. I used to feel faint in early pregnancy.

[CLKD]

Do you have a nerve in the back of the neck which may become trapped when you move your head suddenly?  = a feeling of dizziness with me ……..

[cubagirl]

Thanks for that sparkle, but having looked, I don't think so.  My biggest fear is that it's heart related. My father died from a coronary in his mid 40's. My mum died of a heart attack too, but she was 80.

[Elizabethrose]

Hi Cubagirl,

I'm really sorry you're feeling poorly again. Is this the same thing you had a few months ago which your GP eventually changed your meds for? Do you remember we had a conversation about Alice in Wonderland migraine? This description sounds different.

Firstly, try not to over-worry that it's your heart. We are not our parents, we are not carbon copies of them. Did the docs check your heart when this first happened 8 years ago? I'm presuming if they sent you for CBT they thought it may be anxiety related? My ex next door neighbour used to have something that sounds similar to your description; the zapping feeling, faintness and sudden weakness. It would make her so anxious that it would give her palpitations and make her stomach churn causing acid reflux. She was convinced it must be a heart problem as she had lost both of her parents to heart related diseases. It turned out to be anxiety and panic attack type episodes. It seems they can manifest themselves in a number of ways. I've just tried ringing her to find out how they treated her but she's not picking up.

Of course it's a good idea to get your heart checked and for them to investigate this in any way they can. You need to know what's going on to alleviate the worry.

I wish you well x

[cubagirl]

Elizabethrose, slightly different from what I had a few months ago. Then I was dizzy. GP reduced BP meds & dizziness went. This is different. It's quite overwhelming at times.  My mum used to be housebound with anxiety. I can still remember her sitting on staircase in tears phoning someone, possibly my father, saying she couldn't leave the house. She got so bad that she couldn't take me to school. My dad left early for work, so at about age 5, I was taught how to go on bus myself. My mum could cope with getting me to the bus stop, but not on the bus.

I've read various articles on similar symptoms, many having been to specialists to find absolutely nothing wrong. I guess knowing what happened to my dad, it's a natural reaction. Think GP thought I'd lost the plot when I said I needed someone to take me seriously.  😀 I swithered for ages, thinking I'd be brushed aside. GPs predecessor had little time to "listen."

Hubby isn't unsympathetic, but finds it hard to understand as I look OK when these episodes happen.  My daughter tells me off for having slightly  raised cholesterol, she's a stroke nurse. My GP not overly worried by cholesterol & not someone who pushes for statins either.

[Elizabethrose]

Oh blimey Cubagirl, poor you and your poor mum too!

Well good for you, taking the bull by the horns and insisting they investigate thoroughly. Hopefully it'll be something very simple that can be resolved quickly and easily for you. I've left a message for my neighbour, if she comes back with any relevant info I'll let you know.

All good wishes to you x

[CLKD]

As for a full cervical spine X-ray?

[cubagirl]

That was in the  late 50's/very early 60's with my mum. GPs just threw librium at her & she ended up popping them or others until her mid 70's, so was on anxiety meds for best part of 30 years. It was all too easy to write another prescription. Mind you some GPs are still like that. Look at condition more than the person.