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Suggest Treatment For Severe Anxiety, Dim Vision And Panic Attacks
Question: I asked the question to Dr Fejko here on this site, but the question closed before I was able to post a follow up question, so I must ask again.
I am a 41 year old male that unexpectedly presented with a Panic attack 14 months ago, and since suffer daily with extreme debilitating symptoms such as blurry and dim vision, severe anxiety, panic, dizzy, derealization, dissassociation, muscle twitching, strange head pressure and more. I generally feel "off" and it is constant. I get no relief. Thoughts were it is anxiety, but I have never shown any sign of a mental illness in my life, and I live a very happy and secure life until this happened. I also have not rsponded to Medication or therapy for anxiety. I demanded an MRI and it showed 12 small foci. I am extremely concerned about these lesions and what they could mean. I seen an MS specialist and was assured it is NOT Multiple Sclerosis. I have no other reason for these lesions. I never suffered headaches in my life either. I was a smopke for 17 years though. The main thing I am wondering is if these lesions could explain my symptoms? Most specifically the head pressure and vision problems. Or could it be inflammation in the brain? I have attached a report showing both my Brain MRI. I also had a follow MRI 5 months after this one and it showed zero changes. I am very concerned about what these lesions could mean.
I was also told by a US doctor it could be Lyme Disease, but Canadian doctors say no, and there is alot of controversy around Lyme disease, so I do not know where to turn. I have been suffering greatly for many months and my wife and young children need me back. I am desperate for answers.
I am a 41 year old male that unexpectedly presented with a Panic attack 14 months ago, and since suffer daily with extreme debilitating symptoms such as blurry and dim vision, severe anxiety, panic, dizzy, derealization, dissassociation, muscle twitching, strange head pressure and more. I generally feel "off" and it is constant. I get no relief. Thoughts were it is anxiety, but I have never shown any sign of a mental illness in my life, and I live a very happy and secure life until this happened. I also have not rsponded to Medication or therapy for anxiety. I demanded an MRI and it showed 12 small foci. I am extremely concerned about these lesions and what they could mean. I seen an MS specialist and was assured it is NOT Multiple Sclerosis. I have no other reason for these lesions. I never suffered headaches in my life either. I was a smopke for 17 years though. The main thing I am wondering is if these lesions could explain my symptoms? Most specifically the head pressure and vision problems. Or could it be inflammation in the brain? I have attached a report showing both my Brain MRI. I also had a follow MRI 5 months after this one and it showed zero changes. I am very concerned about what these lesions could mean.
I was also told by a US doctor it could be Lyme Disease, but Canadian doctors say no, and there is alot of controversy around Lyme disease, so I do not know where to turn. I have been suffering greatly for many months and my wife and young children need me back. I am desperate for answers.
Brief Answer:
unlikely that MRI changes be related to anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Read your question and understand your concern. I also read the MRI report.
In my opinion the MRI changes are not related to your complains. The changes seen in the MRI are stable, not active and scattered. The anxiety problems which are frequent after a panic attack are not usually related to any MRI change, nor the panic attack itself is associated to any radiologic feature.
These two conditions should be considered separately, and should be dealing with both of them. There is no reported study to think otherwise.
Lyme disease as well does not present with these signs in the MRI. Generally it is associated with enhancing lesions more caudally. Still, you can do some immunological and serological test to rule it out. Talk to your GP about this.
The anxiety is not simple to treat and you need a prolonged specialized treatment from a psychiatrist, but I want to assure that this is not related to the MRI changes.
I recommend to focus on the anxiety.
Wish you good health
unlikely that MRI changes be related to anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Read your question and understand your concern. I also read the MRI report.
In my opinion the MRI changes are not related to your complains. The changes seen in the MRI are stable, not active and scattered. The anxiety problems which are frequent after a panic attack are not usually related to any MRI change, nor the panic attack itself is associated to any radiologic feature.
These two conditions should be considered separately, and should be dealing with both of them. There is no reported study to think otherwise.
Lyme disease as well does not present with these signs in the MRI. Generally it is associated with enhancing lesions more caudally. Still, you can do some immunological and serological test to rule it out. Talk to your GP about this.
The anxiety is not simple to treat and you need a prolonged specialized treatment from a psychiatrist, but I want to assure that this is not related to the MRI changes.
I recommend to focus on the anxiety.
Wish you good health
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Thank you so much Dr Fejzo. I tried to post a follow up in the last message but I was away on business and the topic closed, so thank you for answering again. I did several tests for Lyme disease. A test I did from a lab in the US called Igenex came back positive. However, Canadian specialist said there is controversy surrounding Chronic Lyme Disease and the lab in question, so I have been focusing on anxiety. The problem is that I have had some tell me it's anxiety, and some tell me to search for a biological cause. My psychiatrist told me that My constant blurred and dim vision does not fit into anxiety, but yet I have heard others say it can. I have been told so many different things, all the while I suffer daily.
But if you truly believe the white matter lesions are insignificant in terms of causing anxiety, blurred and dim vision and head pressure, than I will take your word for it. Could it be related to brain inflammation?
But if you truly believe the white matter lesions are insignificant in terms of causing anxiety, blurred and dim vision and head pressure, than I will take your word for it. Could it be related to brain inflammation?
Brief Answer:
Your main concern should be anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello again. I think anxiety is your major concern. The MRI changes are not related to anxiety for sure. Regarding the blurred vision the lesions should have been in the occipotal lobe (posteriorly) in order to have clinical significance or somehow related to the vision.
I would also exlude inflamation because such lesion have other features in the MRI, mainly regarding enhancement.
The head pressure is definitely not related to the lesions, and more likely related to the anxiety.
Hope my answers help on your better understanding of the situation.
Best regards.
Geldon Fejzo M.D.
Your main concern should be anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello again. I think anxiety is your major concern. The MRI changes are not related to anxiety for sure. Regarding the blurred vision the lesions should have been in the occipotal lobe (posteriorly) in order to have clinical significance or somehow related to the vision.
I would also exlude inflamation because such lesion have other features in the MRI, mainly regarding enhancement.
The head pressure is definitely not related to the lesions, and more likely related to the anxiety.
Hope my answers help on your better understanding of the situation.
Best regards.
Geldon Fejzo M.D.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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