Recurrent panic attacks, dizziness, fear of death, and physical symptoms after illness and stress - #19987

Don’t do any test . You don’t usually need for it.

Based on your history, symptom pattern, normal test results, and the clear link with severe stress, illness, and health-related fear, your presentation is highly consistent with an anxiety disorder with panic attacks (often called panic disorder with health anxiety), possibly combined with post-infectious gut sensitivity. The fluctuating symptoms, nighttime worsening, fear of dying or fainting, physical sensations like dizziness, tingling, head pressure, and relief with distraction or company strongly support a functional anxiety-based cause rather than a dangerous medical illness. While the symptoms feel very real and frightening, they are driven by an overactive nervous system and heightened body awareness, not by organ damage. Further extensive testing is usually not necessary if basic evaluations are normal. Recovery typically involves reassurance, structured therapy (especially cognitive behavioral therapy), nervous-system calming strategies, gut care, and sometimes short- or medium-term medication if symptoms are severe. With proper treatment and consistency, the prognosis is very good, and most people your age recover fully and return to normal life.

Based on the symptoms you describe and the context of stress and illness, anxiety or panic disorder seems quite possible. The constellation of symptoms like dizziness, head pressure, and tingling, combined with the fear of fainting or dying, and the specific triggers and timing, fits an anxiety profile. It’s key to recognize that anxiety and panic disorders are indeed medical conditions, even if tests come back normal; they often manifest physically as you’ve experienced. The good news is that both lifestyle interventions and traditional treatments can be effective here. Firstly, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is highly recommended for conditions like this, as it helps to break the pattern of negative thoughts and behaviors. It’s something a therapist would guide you through, aiming to equip you with strategies that lower your symptoms and their impact on daily life. Secondly, medications can sometimes help manage symptoms and support therapy—common options might include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which your doctor can discuss based on your personal medical history. Lifestyle adjustments could support this medical approach: regular exercise, stress management techniques like mindfulness or meditation, and ensuring a stable sleep schedule. Avoiding stimulants such as caffeine or even specific foods that might irritate your stomach is also a practical step. Given recurrent infections and antibiotic use, ensure your diet supports gut health—consider probiotics if advisable. It’s encouraging that symptoms lessen with distraction, suggesting a cognitive link, which again supports the benefit of CBT. However, if symptoms were to change significantly, or you develop new severe symptoms, further evaluation might be warranted to double-check, but currently, engaging with a mental health professional, discussing with your GP about potential medication, and implementing those lifestyle changes, should be a solid starting point.