JessieCT

Panic Attacks and CMP?

Posted on 01/21/09, 08:16 pm

I have recently been diagnosed with CMP after a year of seemingly endless tests and doctors. I have panic attacks associated with my pain and was wondering if anyone else experiences this. I am also wondering if anyone experiences cognitive symptoms, like what I've heard is called brain fog. I feel like my brain is processing everything slowly and I spend a lot of time spaced out. Am I alone in this? Thanks.

Jessie

• Reply #1 01/22/09  12:35pm
  
  blue22
  Hi Jessie,
  I'm really glad that you've joined the group! Welcome! Know that you've found a place where others understand what it is like to daily battle terrible pain- and just keep on trudging!
  
  I sometimes find that my meds can cause me to feel really spaced out. Last year, I was on first Gabapentin and then Lyrica- and while they did absolutely nothing for my pain, they made me extremely exhausted, unhappy, and spacey- not like myself. Once I went off of them, I felt a lot more like myself.
  
  However, sometimes the pain is so bad, that it's hard to think clearly. I just read about a medical study in which they determined that people with Fibromyalgia (which is related to CMP) often have trouble with concentration, and cognitive stuff- and once they go on sufficient pain meds, their concentration improves.
  
  I don't have true panic attackes, but I do have "episodes" where I experience flashbacks, my heart starts pounding, and I feel an extreme level of anxiety. Maybe that is a panic attack, I don't know- but I've never had them diagnosed. However, I think that my "episodes" (or whatever they are) are more related to the cause of my CMP (5 car accidents, falls, and getting hit in the head with a bat), then an actual part of my CMP if that makes sense. I talked to a therapist for a while, and that was somewhat helpful (and somewhat not) in dealing with some of my issues.
  
  While I've never seen any good solid research on the issue, one of my philosiphies on my own CMP is that I have trouble with "sensory processing". As a "highly sensitive person", I am extremely sensitive to sensory stimuli- including pain (amongst other things). As a result of being in constant pain, my nevous system is constantly in a state of "high alert"- meaning that I get overwhelmed extremely easily (which can make my brain "shut down" as it's hard to process things.
  
  One final thing- were you ever tested for MS or Lupus? Both of those conditions can cause pain, and both of them can have cogntive symptoms (including trouble concentrating, spaceness, processing issues), as well as things like emotional symptoms (perhaps including panic attacks).
  
  Take care, and wishing you as little pain as possible today!
  JC
  
  
• Reply #2 01/22/09  5:51pm
  
  JessieCT
  Thanks for writing back. I honestly can't remember if I was tested for MS or Lupus...I had so many tests done. I had a lot of blood work and everything came back normal.
  As far as the panic attack thing goes I thought mine were associated with my pain, but then it happened without any pain at all. And of course it happened just when I thought I had a handle on all of this. So now I'm searching for answers again and trying not to feel so alone in my experience of this.
  
  Thank you again.
  
  Jess
• Reply #3 02/03/09  10:53am
  
  blue22
  Jess,
  I really hope that you find some relief and can get the answers that you seek. Have you tried talking to a therapist about the panick attacks? I talked to one for a while, and that helped. You are not alone.
  Gentle Hugs,
  JC
• Reply #4 02/03/09  10:54am
  
  blue22
  Jess,
  I really hope that you find some relief and can get the answers that you seek. Have you tried talking to a therapist about the panick attacks? I talked to one for a while, and that helped. You are not alone.
  Gentle Hugs,
  JC

This group is for people who have Myofascial Pain Syndrome- anyone with a diagnosis of MPS is welcome to join. Our mandate is to provide support, information, and friendship to people with MPS.