Immediately subconscious panic stations set in and I felt incredibly weak and was sweating a LOT. White as a sheet. Immediately called am ambulance as I thought I was having major allergic reaction to either the Doxy or Levaquin.

However, after sitting there for five minutes, on the floor, waiting for this ambulance. I felt better again. Not sweating, not weak.

I then had a thought, that the "HIVE" on my abdomen is from being chaffed from the button of my shorts. Its created a little red welt. (or whatever it's called). To be sure, I put my shorts back on (as I was in my jimjams) and sure enough the "HIVE" is in the same place where the button rubs against my skin when I sit.

I felt like the biggest idiot. I called the ambulance service back and apologized and said I felt much better.

I don't think I've ever had a real panic attack, but I may have just had my first.

I didn't feel ill until I saw this "hive" on my stomach and IMMEDIATELY then felt weak and sweaty. Boy, did I feel like an idiot.

I feel OK again, so I guess even if it had been an allergy I wouldn't gone downhill by now, not got better.

Why am I publicly embarrassing myself like this? I don't know, but needed to vent about it/get if off my chest because I still feel a bit freaked out about it all. About how panicked I got, and weak and completely drenched in sweat all of a sudden.

I have taken some antihistamine just in case. Will try to go to sleep now.

DLL
 

At least you had some sense in your brain that made you investigate a little further. And it coulda been worse - you could've ended up in the duck motel where no one could really help you anyway.

I've had many panic attacks, and in our current condition (bugs in the brain) it's so easy to set yourself off.

Next time you put yourself in a freak, REMEMBER TO BREATHE. Force yourself. Breathe in for 5, out for 10. Do this 10 times in a row. The panic often makes you forget to do this, and the cutoff of oxygen only makes it worse.

------------------
Julie G.
___________
lymeinhell
 

I'm so sorry, but the judges have conferred and you will not medal in the Bblithering LD Idiot (Bblidiot) event.

Although you win points for style and imagination, your overall score was lowered by 3 major faults:

1) you recognized a potential crisis and responded to it in a timely fashion. For true Bblidiot status, the following is a more appropriate response: Your fever hits 106F, a unicorn sings you "The Flower Song", and your head falls off and rolls across the floor. You decide you are coming down with the flu and might need to go to a doctor sometime soon.

2) You remembered who you called, and called them back to correct the error. Really, need I say more?

3) You related the story with coherence and humour. Points off for failure to rant, inflected voice, and actually having a point.

The Bblidiot Monologue Marathon will be coming up soon. I'm sure, with practice, you will be able to place in this event...

[This message has been edited by minoucat (edited 15 June 2004).]
 

She just wanted to time how long it would take the ambulance to arrive.

Carol
 

But, your responses are so funny, I think I'll keep it (and the embarassment)

As you can see, no unicorns arrived to sing to me and I'm still living, breathing - just a bit sleep deprived that's all after my antics staying up late panicking.

I have never had an attack like that though. I really felt like I was quickly passing out, along with the weakness and sweating.

So, is that what a REAL panic attack is like? (you feel like you will faint and go white?).

Before being treated for Lyme and during the course of my treatment I use to get hives EVERY day!

Any pressure point would give me a hive a few hours later. A tight bra strap would give me hives on my back, tight pants would give me hives on my belly, riding a horse would give me hives on my legs. You name it - I had it!

Be patient, this will go away as more keets are killed off..... and don't worry about the ambulance service. It's a good thing you figured it out before they got there!

Cathy
 

Not to make light of your situation, you did the right thing - you thought you were sick and you called for emergency care. Then you cancelled it, which was very smart. I about fell off my computer chair with 'carol's' story!!!!

Panic attacks can be nasty, and if you can find some shred of normal thinking while in the process of them, you can talk yourself 'down', like you did.....I had them quite a bit when I was first sick. I talked to myself alot in those days LOL!

We are not laughing AT you over this situation, but laughing WITH you because many of us can sooooooo relate!!!! If I was in that situation, I would have thought the hive was a tick bite. At least you had presence of mind to check out your jammies!!!!!
cootiegirl
 

I'm glad you're okay and realized it yourself before things got too far. It's amazing what anxiety can do to even the most intelligent people -- you've seen it before on the NM forum. That little trickster, the brain!

Wishing you well,

Sue
 

My local GP failed to understand correctly the prescribing instructions for my Levaquin.

He QUADRUPLED the dose I was supposed to take. I discovered the error myself as I found an original fax from my LLMD to my GP which said Levaquin 250mg ONCE a day. My local GP put me on 250mg FOUR times a day.

My GP has now called and apologized, and that's OK - I've accepted the apology.

Geez, I'm glad I'm so obsessive and a bit of a control freak when it comes to my medical care these days. I've had bloopers happen before.......once a pharmacy gave me a HUGE dose of something by a TYPO on the label - I slept for 4 days straight.

DLL
 

Last year, my LLMD's assistant put me on 4x the normal dose of minocycline. For over a week, my herx was so over the top I could barely walk, and then my liver enzymes went through the roof, the doc took me off all abx, and my Lyme relapsed completely.

Now I'm seeing the big gun LLMD at the office, not his assistant, and am about to request a much lower mino dose.

Thanks for sharing your story. It's always helpful to be reminded that we have to stand up for ourselves.
 

I'm glad you found the error and no greater harm was done.

Sue
 

I figured ramping up was a good idea - glad I didn't get up to full speed, which might have totally stopped me in my tracks.

DLL

P.S. Glad all this had made some people laugh anyway.
 

Hey, I was taking 250mg Levaquin 3 times a day.

Trout