Suddenly Felt Loss Of Control, Drank Water. Feeling Fast Heart Rate And Dizzy. What Is Going On?

Posted on Mon, 3 Sep 2012

Question: Hi. Im 17 years old and yesterday i was driving down to los angeles and it was really hott out, and all the sudden i had a feeling of just like i was going to pass out and i nearly did, it scared me so bad because i felt a loss of control. As the day went on i felt really out of it, and I drank alot of water and went home. My urine was clear after a couple of hours and i slept through the night fine because it exhuasted me. Today I woke up and my heart was racing because it was on my mind and I felt like oh my god what if it happens again. And today I just felt like a pressure in the back top of my head and out of it, like dizzy a little bit but not the black out feeling just dizzy. I cant stop thinking about it because it scared me so much. when i get my mind off of it I feel more at ease but then all these scenarios go into my head of what ifs so im just scared.

Answered by Dr. Ashish Mittal (45 minutes later)

Hello,
Thanks for your query.

I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.

From your description I strongly suspect presence of panic attack in your case (anxiety disorder).

Other symptoms of Panic attack which may or may not be present in your case: severe anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, mild irritability, excessive worry regarding own health, tremor, muscle spasm, heaviness in body, easy fatigability, headache, sleep disturbance, palpitation, dry mouth (lead to excessive drinking of water) and fear of dying during attack. Each episode develops in few minutes and last for 30-120 minutes. Each episode followed by the fear of developing another attack in future.

I would like to consider multiple possibilities for cause of panic attack in following hierarchy:
•     Anxiety disorder: need to be rule out by detailed interview by psychiatrist
•     Vitamin deficiency: Get serum B12 level. Start multi vitamins as they are easily available.
•     Side effect of substance use: Stop smoking and alcohol use (if present). Reduce coffee use.
•     Thyroid related problem: get thyroid hormonal assay done
•     Cardiac problem: get ECG and 2D-echo done.

Apart from above advice following simple measures will help you:
-Decrease worrying about symptoms as they will cure after treatment.
-Healthy diet: Milk and fruits in diet.
-Daily morning walk and breathing exercise.

Final message to you: Do not worry about symptoms, follow above advice, stop substance use if any and take multi vitamins.

Please accept my answer in case there are no further queries and recommend our services to your friends too if you have found it helpful.

Wish you good health.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Mittal (16 hours later)

It's day two and im still having the same feeling, urinating frequently but then again I've been drinking alot of water and my right hand/arm has a tightness in it and a full tingle feeling. And a headache that formed in the back of my head again an hour after I woke up.
Is this just anxiety or should I go get tests done?

Answered by Dr. Ashish Mittal (2 hours later)

Hello again,

Thanks for follow up,

Still my first differential diagnosis is Anxiety and Panic attacks. But other causes can not be rule out without investigation and general physical examination.

You can visit psychiatrist first for relief.

Please accept my answer in case there are no further queries and recommend our services to your friends too if you have found it helpful.

Wish you good health.
Regards.

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar