had a panic attack in the ER
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| Sat, 02-18-2006 - 7:29pm |
ahhh....
I have been sick since monday with realy weird symptoms (dizzy, sick to my stomach, head ache), and went to my dr wednesday. he told me if it got worse go the the ER. well i've been out of work for a week and felt pretty badly this morning, so i took myself to the er. the dr there put me on an IV, and gave me benedryl????? why??? I'm still not exactly sure myself, but it made me feel DRUNK! and well, then i began to panic, what if I'm having an allergic reaction, what if I die, and i turned to the nurse (whom i did not already like) and said, i am feeling really weird and worse, he goes, whats wrong? well, in the mist of a panic attack all i could say is i just feel really bad, he said, well, i'll come check on you in 30 minutes! just left me there FREAKING out!!!!
it really sucked, i was there all alone, and just JUMPING out of my skin! anyone else taken benedryl and felt really weird from it, or had an experience like this?
heather

dizziness and headache. I did not like taking Benadryl when
I took it for allergies either! I felt really out of it when I
took it! It stopped when the med wore off--- some of your dizziness
may be from the anxiety?? I have been really dizzy from anxiety
and have had headaches also.
I have panic disorder and take Paxil which helps me with my anxiety
symptoms. I hope your doctor can help you find something to help you.
How are you feeling now? Hugs! Judy
I hope you're feeling better, Heather. That is an awful time to be left alone when you're frightened out of your wits. The nurse should have been a bit more sensitive. Maybe next time, you can say that you had this feeling before & it was a panic attack. I know that's hard, but it has made me feel better knowing I would be treated properly. I have had reactions from meds, not necessarily allergic, but side effects or just sensations that sent me into a spin. Panic soon followed. It really bites): I have learned to breathe & positive think my way through. Some people take benadryl for sleep, so it isn't surprising that you felt drunk. The dr. or nurse should have told you what to expect.
Please keep in touch. I hope this never happens again. Good luck & GBU! (((hugs))) jan
Heather,
Hi, I am so sorry that you had to go through that on your own, it is always awful when something like that happens at a place like that where it is supposed to be "safe and helpful". I am suprised to that your doctor gave you Benadryl, I can see it given for the dizziness and nausea but it seem slike not-allergy related illness, phenegren would have been a much better choice for you. As far as your panic attack, I think you suffered from some common side effects from the Benadryl and that triggered it. I have copied and pasted common side effects below that I got from the CD-Rom that accompinied my med book for one of my college classes (I'm a psych major). These appear to happen more often when given for treatment to non-allergy relate illnesses. I hope this helps a little. Did they ever come up with a diagnosis? I am assuming they did blood tests? I hope you feel better soon, let us know how your feeling. P&PT til then :)Oh yeah, one last question are you on any anti-depressents or anti-anxiety meds, specifically any SSRI's? Benadryl inhibits the effectiveness of those.
Here are the side effects:
Like many other first generation antihistamines, is also a potent anticholinergic agent. This leads to profound drowsiness as a very common side-effect, along with the possibilities of motor impairment (ataxia), dry mouth and throat, flushed skin, rapid or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia), blurred vision at nearpoint due to lack of accommodation (cycloplegia), abnormal sensitivity to bright light (photophobia), pupil dilatation, urinary retention, constipation, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss, visual disturbances, hallucinations, confusion, and delirium.
Again, I hope this eases your mind a bit. :)
Andrea
Andrea
anyone else taken benedryl and felt really weird from it
Yes I have, and for me that is the classic side effect from benedryl, feeling drunk, lightheaded and out of balance.
Judy
(((Heather))) I'm sorry you had to go through that.
Sheri Ann
Hi Heather-
Sorry you went through that. Like everyone doesn't already fell anxious enough in the ER, and then to leave you alone during an attack! I can sympathize with ER frustration...I went in with what I believed was a sugar crash (though having had PA's now it could have been one of those....). As soon as I got there I asked the ED nurse to check my blood sugar. She asked if I was diabetic. WHen I said no, that I believed I had hypoglycemia, she gave me a dirty look and refused to check my sugar until the doctor had seen me, which ended up taking over a half hour. By then, of course, I felt fine.
I can't take Benadryl. When I was in high school, my mom said I had allergies so I took it for three days. By the third day I was dizzy, drowsy, nauseous and feeling a little freaked out. I haven't taken it since and hope I never have to.