paralysis during panic attack

[smo]

hi there,

two days ago, i had a panic attack in my bed and i was completely paralyzed - my body was in full flex and i could barely move my arms or legs. It took about 10 minutes to get any feeling back / move my body again. My body is still hurting from it.

during the attack, i had loads of flashbacks like a flashback attack on steroids. I've never had such an intense experience like that with my CPTSD before.

once before about 2 years ago, I had a panic attack with paralysis but I attributed it to smoking too much weed lol. 

anyway, has this happened to any of you? i'm going to bring it up to a doctor, but I'm wondering if it is more normal than I think!

[Armadillo]

Hi yes I've had this exact thing happen to me and it WAS very scary and disturbing but ultimately, it's ok. Even though it is scary.

I think it even has a "duh" name like sleep paralysis or something.

For me I had been thinking in bed, then it slipped into like almost meditation where i was observing and sort of half dreaming half thinking. First something happened in my dream and it shocked me in the dream and I tried to flee because I needed to puke, but couldn't leave because someone was blocking me. But then the observing part of me also was nauseated in real life and I needed to get up and puke, but couldn't. Then my brain kept it up and I ended up with very bad body flashbacks too that made it very hard to walk once I was able to get up.

The sweetest way my T has taught me to deal with these disturbing things is to soothingly talk myself through them like I would if I were talking my young kids through a nightmare.

It's terrible and it's ok. I'm sorry that happened to you, and you are not alone.

[smo]

Hey @armadillo! Thank you for sharing that with me i've had sleep paralysis before but this felt different. i had just gotten into my bed to chill and it happened... i wasn't sleeping or anything. just laying for maybe 3 or 4 mins before my body started to tense up. and then it got exponentially worse throughout the 10 mins (my estimate)

there was a very loud thudding noise from up upstairs and i think that maybe have been a trigger for me too. it's was a very strange episode. i'm still really disoriented and keep forgetting the days or the month.

[Armadillo]

That sounds really upsetting! I hope your doctor has some reassurance reassurance said you and it doesn't happen too often. Being scared sucks. Being scared while frozen sucks even more.

[sanmagic7]

hey, smo,

i recently had a paralysis attack while out walking w/ my D.  someone let 2 big dogs run loose from their house, and they came straight at us, barking for all they were worth. i've been around dogs a lot, my D even more, and we stopped still.  one woman tried to get the dogs under control, but was unable to, and i froze in the middle of the street.  one arm was out in a defensive position, my legs stuck in a walking position.  she asked what she could do and i yelled at her to get the dogs under control, get them out of there, that i was having a panic attack, and she finally had to call someone else to help her.  in the meantime, i was frozen solid, stayed that way about 10 minutes, even after the dogs were back in the house.

it was a horrible situation, one i'd never experienced before, and hopefully, never again.  i'm sorry you've gone through it.   

[smo]

i love dogs, but if some aggressive dogs came my way i'd be terrified too. many hugs to you both, thank you for your support 

[Armadillo]

San that sounds awful! I feel so sad to think of you stuck there.

[Kizzie]

SMO, it sounds like you may have had a psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES)

"Flashbacks, recollections, or sensory triggers often initiate psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Often, there is a history of severe childhood or current abuse."

Here's a link - https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/diagnosis/imitators-epilepsy/psychogenic-nonepileptic-seizures-pnes-cause-diagnosis-and-treatment, but you can just Google PNES  as there's lots of info about them.

Sorry you went thru that, it must have been scary!    Good you're going to let your doc know.

[smo]

thanks for linking that kizzie. definitely gonna show it to my doctor because most of the time docs skip over more psychological symptoms...

ps: I joined the study you posted! I'm gonna try my best to do it daily, but I'm not the most regulated person.

[Kizzie]