Please diagnose me. Please help me. It happened again.

[rayo de sol]

In the middle of the night I woke up and went to the bathroom. It took me a few minutes to realize that I was uncontrollably shaking and couldn't stop. I just kept violently shaking (sort of like shivering) for the next two hours, and it was completely involuntary. I dressed myself very warmly thinking that perhaps I was cold, but that didn't help. I tried to keep myself from shaking, but I couldn't control it at all.

The other symptom that went along with the shaking was (warning, *tmi*) a constant urge to go #2. I kept going #2 (not diarrhea) about every 1/2 hour, but I still felt the urge to go.

I also had a weird sensation on my face, as if my face had broken out in a cold sweat, but it hadn't. I had weird sensations all over my body, sort of tingly sensations.

I still don't feel right today although the shaking has gone away. I feel weak, exhausted, and jittery.

I am totally freaked out and scared. What's wrong with me? I thought I was dying last night, that's how horrible I felt and how scary it was.

[pianojazzgirl]

My first thought is virus. Did you have a fever?

[Vancouver Mommy]

Do you think it could have been a panic attack? I have had a similar experience to the one you describe.

[Annie Mac]

If it were me having those symptoms, I'd just about guarantee it was caused by a panic attack, especially given the tingly sensations, the feeling of dying, and the weakness today. I it were just shivering and bowel movements, I'd be tempted to say virus or food poisoning, something along those lines -- but altogether? Yup, anxiety gets my vote.

[leafwood]

sounds like panic to me as well.....at least that's been my experience? did you feel like your heart was racing at all? for me the "shivering" or "trembling" is a huge anxiety attack symptoms and the entire experience can be exhausting. hope you feel better either way!

[SquishyKitty]

I've had something similar when a virus hits suddenly. It's very sudden, the BM's are pretty strong and continuous, and I get sweaty and tingly and shaky and lightheaded.

I'd keep going on the clear fluids and just rest for a couple of days, if possible. If you had a lot of BM's, you could also get dehydrated pretty easily.

I am also kind of weird in that, when I get hit with a nasty virus like that, I tend to get very dizzy and I've sometimes fainted, so just be careful and pay attention to your body. Again, lots of fluid and rest.

Hope you feel better soon.

[iamme]

Are you near ovulation or AF? Sometimes reproductive problems can look like this-it did for me yrs ago.
I'm sorry and hope you're feeling better.

[rayo de sol]

Thanks, everybody, for the responses and support and sympathy! It really means a lot to me.

I suppose it could have been a panic attack, but the fact that I woke up already shaking, and the fact that I kept having to go #2, makes me skeptical about it being a panic attack. Is constant pooping a symptom of panic attacks?

I didn't have a fever, and my heart wasn't racing, and I'm neither near AF nor ovulation time. All my muscles, especially my thigh and stomach muscles, just wouldn't stop contracting rapidly. One thing that was interesting was that after each time of going #2, the shaking would start to subside a little, but then it would build back up again, and the urge to go would get stronger.

Maybe it was just a digestive upset because I did sort of have a little sensation of heartburn too. What's weird, though, is that I didn't have diarrhea at all. I did have the stomach flu about 3 weeks ago, although it was nothing like this. Could it still be affecting me?

When I googled "involuntary trembling" (never a good idea, right? ) I got scary possibilities like hyperthyroid, kidney failure, and multiple sclerosis. Aaaaaaaaah!

[rhiOrion]

Could it have been a bit of food poisoning, perhaps? I mean, lack of diarrhea is weird, but there were some digestive issues, obviously.

I could also see how a panic attack could cause something similar, but the lack of racing heart and the fact that you were asleep make it seem like maybe it's not that.

[spring978]

Everything but the pooping sounds like a blood sugar issue. Did you overload on sugar before bed, lots of carbs or skip a meal?

[tinuviel_k]

It sounds similar to when I have a panic attack. I get absolutely shaky, jittery, and yep, I have a strong urge to poop.

[Annie Mac]

I've woken up in the middle of the night to find myself in the middle of the panic attack. Panic attacks are not strictly psychological phenomonena; there's definitely a mind-body relationship there, but there a physiological chain of events that happens, just like when you bang your knee or stub your toe. And yup, pooping is for sure a sign of panic attack. Your body thinks it's being attacked -- one of the first things it does it get all those pesky bodily functions out of the way while it is still safe. You don't want to have to stop for a bathroom break WHILE being chased by the lion; best to get it out of the way (repeatedly) while the lion is still some ways off.

I'm not saying that's what happened to you. I don't know what happened to cause your symptoms, but as described they fall neatly into the panic attack category.

[zeph11]

My guess is that you had a bout of food poisoning, but your body sensed the presence of the foreign invader promptly and got it out promptly, before you ever got diarrhea.

Keep in mind that the enteric nervous system (nervous system in your gut) can communicate with the nervous system in your brain and cause all sorts of weird symptoms when it's distressed. I'd imagine shaking or chills might be among them.

[rayo de sol]

It happened again over the last 4 hours. My muscles still feel twitchy. This time there was diarrhea. And I still have a tingly sensation of digestive disturbance. This time is during my AF (the previous time it was a week and a half after AF).

I felt kind of yucky (in a vague, hard to pinpoint way) physically before I went to bed, and then, just like last time, I woke up after an hour of sleep with a strong need to go to the bathroom. And then the shaking started. I took my temperature (which was difficult because my teeth were chattering uncontrollably), and it was normal. My muscles felt so painfully uncomfortable, like they needed to be stretched, but no amount of stretching relieved the feeling. The shaking persists for hours, mostly in my thigh muscles and abdomen muscles. I haven't been able to get back to sleep because my muscles feel so uncomfortable and twitchy, and the tingly digestive feeling is very distracting.

What is this?

I haven't had any illnesses lately. I've had panic attacks in the past, and they've never been anything like this. I haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary.

Could this be a weird side effect from ibuprofen? Could this be a symptom of diabetes, lupus, hyper or hypo thyroid, gall bladder disease, liver disease, kidney disease, addison's disease, hypoglycemia????

[KimPM]

It sounds like some sort of reaction to either a food or a medication. The sensitivity could have been initially triggered by whatever stomach bug you had a few weeks ago. You could try journaling all your food and medications and when you get this. See if anything correlates.

[blessedwithboys]

i have IBS and there are times when my gut is fine all day and then in the wee hours i wake up and feel like i am in labor again. it comes in waves like contractions and i just sort of have to sit there and rock back and forth and cry until each wave is over. i get very shaky and weak and its hard to walk back to bed after each wave, but its not really comfortable to be on the toilet either. in the morning i am fine.

[rainbringer]

My uncle had something like this a few years ago - it turned out to be diverticulitis. Sorry I don't remember the details but wanted to mention it for you to look into. Hoping you figure it out soon!

[WuWei]

Vit C, selenium, magnesium help to bind and excrete mercury. Epsom salt baths help too. Molybdenum in beans and legumes are benefical for safe heavy metal detox.

These are beneficial to help you to feel better. Salt water flushes help too. Like a teaspoon of sea salt in water, drink down and chase with 16 ounces of water (early in the day, so you're not peeing all night).

In bed by 10pm, sunlight and walk for at least 15 minutes by 10am (earlier preferable).

Consider Liver, it is magical for feeling better.
http://editor.nourishedmagazine.com....actor-of-liver



Omega 3 fatty acids help too. Small amounts of fermented veggies is fine. I'd cut back on the coconut oil.


Pat

[mbravebird]

Could it be some kind of intestinal inflammatory condition, underlying? And you're having a "flare"?

[Tummy]

I have never suffered a panic attack so I cannot agree or disagree there. I was also thinking blood sugar at first. Do you have a way of testing? I do not have any wise words of wisdom. I would suggest seeing a professional if it persists. Best wishes hon!