Today I stood up to get out of the bath tub, everything

Hi

Sounds like you had a vaso-vagal attack ( simple faint).
These are more likely to occur if we are warm and standing ( getting out of bath is fairly typical.)

Another cause is "postural hypotension."
When we stand up our blood heads towards our feet and if this is not compensated for we feel lightheaded - again being warm with dilated blood vessles ( getting out of bath) exagerates this normal physiological experience.

However if you have been getting numbness etc for a few weeks that would not be consistent with either of the two conditions above and I expect your Dr would want to check you out.

AI

PS - have you been feeling anxous at all?

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Some anxiety, but is secondary to symptoms of numbness. Things start tingling and I get nervous becasue of the episode I had a few years back. I also had a previous episode in 1998 while working at a health care center. One side of my body went numb, and then was unable to speak although I was thinking clearly. A glucose test revealed a blood sugar of 37 although question how accurate that was. Was taken to the ER but symptoms had already resolved an i was just very tired.

Interesting.

Are you aware that numbness is one of the most common symptoms of anxiety?
I'm not wanting to "push" you in that direction but for troublesome symtoms like these it's important to keep an open mind , especially if you have had negative investigations.

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23069094/

How long did the numbness and inability to speak last?

AI

I understand that this may present as an axiety disorder, although I can't wrap my head around why I would go from waking up feeling good, taking a relaxing bath to having what would be considered a pretty extreme anxiety attack. I really don't have any major stressors in my life, good relationship with my husband, finances are good, kids are happy and healthy. I guess you would know better than I do about anxiety disorders though.

As for the mubmness and inability to speak that episode was so long ago, I really can't be sure. I'm certain it was less than an hour. The more recent episodes noone has been in the room with me so not sure about any inability to speak but the episodes last for a minute or less and then I have some residual decreased sensation. Right now I have decreased sensation right cheek, nose and under eye and it even feels a little itchy??? though overall I feel okay.

Hi

Certainly if I saw you with reduced facial sensation I'd run all the usual tests ( CT etc) but the mind can work in odd ways and produce all sorts of physical symptoms.

Diagnosis is 90% history and your symptoms started after you stood up after bathing , this produced common sensations none of which are serious or long lasting. You said yourself that you felt scared. What were you scared of , what did you think was happening or going to happen to you?

AI

I did accept your last answer after some thought. I realized that you were suggesting that the hypotensive episode triggered an anxiety attack. That makes sense. I was scared. When I couldn't see anything and my arms started flailing I thought I was having a seizure. I think you are right about the anxiety. Thank you so much for all the time you spent helping me. I wish I could afford to give you more. I really do appreciate it.

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