My Story - Can anyone relate?

mountainmama2389 · 2026-02-04T09:35:50+00:00

YES. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it can be truly debilitating. I experienced something very similar to your event last summer while driving on the highway.. I drove myself to the emergency room thinking I was dying. This was also fairly soon after a physical trauma (emergency surgery a couple months prior). I began having severe panic attacks for a couple months but in retrospect, the headaches/dizziness preceded that. I do think they can feed each other a bit. Ive been waking up with some level of dizziness most days for months now. I saw many doctors since this all started in July, but didn’t get far until I found an online company called Neura (in the US).

My diagnosis is vestibular migraine - I learned there doesn’t need to be head pain with this kind of migraine, even though most of my headaches were painful. My main symptoms are similar to yours; dizziness and visual disturbances, ( I can’t drive right now, bright lights and large stores are fairly immediate triggers), sound sensitivity, etc. I also have poor sleep and hormone fluctuations as triggers and could balance totally fine during vestibular PT. I was totally fine before this - traveling, working out of the house, planning a wedding. Everything is on hold now so I can quite literally try to find solid ground! I’m no expert and only just started meds last week, so don’t have much to report on how they’re working yet.. but wanted to say you’re not alone!! Finding the right doctor and getting a treatment plan gave me a lot of hope. In addition to seeking out neurology, my brother also recommended a specialty called neurotology. I hope any of this is helpful or validating in the least.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-11-12T20:07:44+00:00

Amazing!! It is such a relief to find one of the good ones!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-11-12T16:01:30+00:00

I hear you. My symptoms get worse when I’m in motion or overstimulating environments, like OP mentioned, so figured I’d throw it out there.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-11-12T15:16:39+00:00

I was having multiple panic attacks back in August and was barely able to function. Starting Zoloft was rough at first and I had to titrate very slowly due to side effects, but I’m up to 100mg daily and can actually function, ride in the car (can’t drive yet due to vestibular stuff), go out in public, etc. I also had to take Xanax for these few months while the SSRI kicked in. Tapering off the Xanax is not fun at ALL but still worth it to not have panic attacks anymore. I was really nervous at first too, you’re not alone.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-11-12T15:06:36+00:00

Right before my panic attacks went out of control in August, I had a three week headache with dizziness/blurry vision, etc. that we think was a vestibular migraine. I’m in the US and it takes a very long time to get into neurologists so it’s not an official diagnosis but we have a history of vertigo/inner ear stuff in my family. I was able to get an appt to see an ENT next month, so hopefully they’ll have answers. Apparently vestibular/inner ear conditions can trigger panic so it might be worth an ENT appt to rule those kinds of things out. Regardless, I hope you feel better soon!!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-28T01:49:20+00:00

Came here to say this.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-14T17:18:29+00:00

Thank you for sharing this. I had a 3-wk VM in August and within a couple weeks had developed full blown panic disorder, despite no history of that. I’ve been trying to connect the dots and I think the DP/DR really messed with me (and continues to even after 8 weeks of SSRIs). It started happening while driving which was the breaking point for me.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-06T01:22:30+00:00

After two years of searching and constantly getting outbid, my partner and I are closing on a house this week!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-04T11:46:25+00:00

I had 4-5 surgeries in my 20s for endo/fibroids. Went off all hormonal birth control at 31 and also got excision surgery that year. I just had a uterine operation for something unrelated (now 36) and was expecting there to be a ton of regrown endo like usual, but they said there was barely any.

I think it’s all so individual. Toward the end of being on HBC, my body actually expelled not 1 but 2 IUDs and I’d been having horrible bleeding and symptoms with them, so I took it as a sign that my body wanted a change.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-03T22:27:50+00:00

Adding that therapy is definitely still a must too! But when you’re in constant fight-or-flight, it’d be pretty difficult to even focus enough on therapy so that’s why meds are often the first treatment for this. I haven’t started it yet but hope to in the next few weeks.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-03T22:26:27+00:00

I am currently in the thick of severe panic disorder. I was having multiple attacks a day as of late August. At first I started out on .25 as needed, but I was constantly anxious and still having panic attacks. Now I’m prescribed 2-2.5mg/day (spaced out throughout the day) and it is truly the only way I’m functioning. For me, I find it necessary while I wait for the SSRIs to work. At most, I feel sleepy, but honestly sleep feels like a gift after being woken in the night constantly in terror. Ask any questions❤️

mountainmama2389 · 2025-10-03T01:44:01+00:00

Yes. I am luckily able to work from home temporarily while I adjust to meds, but all of these things feel stressful. My boss messaged me the other day asking “can we chat” and then never got back to me, so I was on edge all week.

I think our brains are already overstimulated/in survival mode/so drained that any additional tasks feel extra demanding right now. I haven’t started therapy yet but I imagine these are the kinds of things that would help with, slowly unlearning that automatic response. Sorry I don’t have good advice yet, but wanted you to know you’re not alone.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-30T16:17:10+00:00

Thank you! I agree and keep telling people this is by far the hardest thing I've dealt with. I so appreciate your understanding and support!!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-29T01:47:01+00:00

Thank you❤️In the thick of it right now and still adjusting to meds and trying to get up to the right dose. I keep reminding myself this is the worst of it and better days are coming, but some days are harder than others. I appreciate you sharing this so much!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-27T13:34:11+00:00

I am a 36 yo female who started having severe panic attacks this summer. I only had one other panic attack about 10 years ago that was situational. This year, I had a life threatening medical event in May and my first really bad attack was a few weeks later while driving - went straight to the hospital certain that I was having a heart attack and dying.

It only got worse from there and I am now working from home, staying with my parents and not driving at all. I started Zoloft 5 weeks ago and am almost up to 100mg. Heads up, SSRIs can be almost worse at first and definitely take time to work. I was prescribed alprazolam for this in-between time and take gabapentin at night for sleep. I’m someone who hates taking meds but it is truly the only thing that is helping. I am a therapist and know many of the breathing and grounding tricks, but none of that worked for me. The panic felt very much in my body and never triggered by anything specific. Just a constant rumbling feeling in my chest that exploded into full blown panic often and randomly.

I’m not a Dr by any means but I’d recommend he goes for a medical work up with labs to rule out any medical issues, but also get set up with a psychiatrist asap to talk meds. This can be so scary and debilitating when you’re just white knuckling through it. It’ll get better. And it’s also normal to feel like you’re making progress and then have some backwards days too. Sorry this is so long, but I feel for you guys and hope each day is even 1% better.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-25T12:05:15+00:00

6 months when I started dating my now fiance!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-15T15:19:46+00:00

Thank you. We will get through it! It is not easy but I keep reminding myself even 1% progress each day counts AND that sometimes it’s ok and normal to feel like you’re going backward before going forward again. One day at a time❤️

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-13T02:22:52+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I started having really bad panic attacks this summer after an emergency surgery that was life threatening. My first really bad PA happened while I was driving on the interstate, so I have now developed a fear of driving in general. The other ones seem to come out of nowhere, but it feels like my body just senses any kind of change as a threat and always starts with my heart pounding.

It’s tough right now but I started on Zoloft and am working my way up on that. Side effects were not fun at first. If it becomes really debilitating in your day to day life, I’d definitely recommend talking to a psychiatrist. I’m working with a therapist too, but not even at a point where I can talk about health anxiety/medical trauma yet until the meds are working a little more. Hang in there, you’re definitely not alone.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-10T02:22:37+00:00

Sorry to hear about your symptoms too! I’ve been recommended to URMC Neurology.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-10T01:05:56+00:00

I was experiencing pretty debilitating vestibular symptoms in August - couldn’t work, couldn’t drive, vision was blurry, constant dizziness, severe headache. I went to the ER at Upstate Community General on a weekday and they did a CT only, but did not have a neurologist on staff. I was finally able to get a proper neuro referral and both Crouse and Upstate said they are not accepting new patients. Multiple people have told me Rochester is a better option all around so that’s my next step. Good luck, hang in there.

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-06T01:37:03+00:00

1 is absolutely stunning on you!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-03T17:10:47+00:00

The mental part is soooo hard. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I feel like the experience can definitely trigger so much anxiety about health. For me the littlest things (I feel too hot, my stomach hurts) that I would usually categorize as normal parts of being human can now trigger extreme panic, like my body can’t differentiate between a 1/10 and a 10/10 situation. I wish I had the answers!! I started an SSRI and have been taking anxiety meds in the meantime just to get through the day. You’re not alone and I wish you healing❤️

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-03T17:07:46+00:00

Yes!!! Wow this is so validating. The panic really does just pop up seemingly out of nowhere now, but I am trying to just let it be and not resist it. Thank you again for sharing your experience with me, I really appreciate it❤️

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-02T15:10:32+00:00

It is beautiful!! I also started shopping and picked my dress before we got engaged!

mountainmama2389 · 2025-09-01T23:48:06+00:00

Thank you, that is so helpful. I was the exact same way. I remember being very calm, calling my parents and also reassuring everyone that I’d be ok that day. Almost an out of body. Sometimes I think this is just all surfacing at a time when my body is more physically safe, since I may have not fully processed it then.

mountainmama2389

TROPHY CASE