Unexplained Freezing Episodes: Seeking Insight
Hi there! I’m a 30-year-old woman, standing at 5 feet 4 inches and weighing 108 pounds. For the past few years, I’ve experienced sudden episodes of fear, but it’s become notably more frequent over the last month or two. Friends and family have pointed out that I sometimes freeze, displaying a terrified or distressed look, yet I have no recollection of these events afterward and simply continue on as though nothing occurred. What could be the underlying issue? I appreciate your patience with my lengthy message! These fear episodes first began a few years back. I recall a moment when my family mentioned I hadn’t had my blood tested, prompting a visit to our family physician for a blood draw. After the nurse finished the procedure, she rushed to get me a drink—either milk or juice, I can’t quite remember. Initially, my mom and I were grateful for her kindness until the nurse observed how pale I looked, prompting my mom and I to realize something was off. Later that day, I developed a fever, which eventually subsided, but since that incident, I’ve been experiencing these fearful moments. Typically, these freezing episodes last under a minute. I’ve somewhat acclimated to them, allowing me to push through daily activities. For example, I can generally keep driving or engage in routine tasks. However, when I’m playing video games and one of these episodes strikes, I often can’t remember the controls, even though I know it’s just a transient fear response. It’s bewildering; I might be aware of the fear, yet my mind goes blank regarding the game. During these times, I frequently experience goosebumps. If someone is nearby, I’ll often ask them to feel my pulse, and they usually notice that my heart rate has increased. To complicate matters, my blood sample ended up being deemed unusable, so we never received any test results. Early on, my family was understandably worried about these incidents and took me to the emergency room. However, the ER staff assessed me and said I was fine, without addressing any issues related to blood samples. I returned home with no additional answers. At one point, I learned that Ashwagandha and magnesium supplements might support those dealing with panic attacks or anxiety. I began taking magnesium daily and opted for Ashwagandha on mornings when I didn’t have time for breakfast. Interestingly, these supplements seemed to lessen my fear episodes for a while, although I noticed that their frequency increased during my menstrual periods. Recently, though, I’ve found myself freezing again, sporting a frightened or distressed expression. Others around me have noticed these spells and bring them up after they occur, but I have no memory of the experiences. I’ve asked them to pinch or lightly hit me when they see me frozen, and they’ve confirmed they do so, yet I remain unaware of those moments. I plan to seek out a new physician soon. My current family doctor has a notably low rating of 1.4 stars on Yelp and 1.5 stars on Google, while the ER I visited has a mediocre 2.0-star rating. I'm eager to find a more suitable doctor. If anyone has experienced something similar or knows a good recommendation, it would be greatly appreciated. Additionally, I’d like to clarify a common misconception: when I share my story, some people jump to the conclusion that I have a fear of blood. That’s not the case. These moments can happen completely independent of blood, and I usually do not experience general anxiety or fear regarding anything else.
Answers (1)
8/25/2025, 4:02:15 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you are experiencing distressing episodes that involve sudden feelings of fear and freezing, which can be confusing and concerning. Let’s break down what might be happening and focus on actionable steps you can take.
Main Points:
- Symptoms Suggest Possible Episodes of Dissociation or Panic: Your experiences could be related to conditions like panic attacks, dissociative episodes, or even a possible neurological concern.
- Hormonal Influence Noted: You mentioned that episodes increased around your menstrual period, indicating a potential hormonal link.
- Next Steps Involve Seeking a New Healthcare Provider: Ultimately, a thorough medical evaluation is needed to explore these episodes further.
Explanation:
The freezing episodes you describe might be associated with acute anxiety or panic attacks, where the body responds to perceived threats with a fight-or-flight response, and in some instances, a freezing response. This can sometimes lead to temporary disconnection from reality or a blanking out of memory for the episode. The increase in symptoms around your menstrual cycle could be influenced by hormonal fluctuations.
The lack of recollection during these spells suggests that they may not be typical panic attacks as you are aware of the fear but not of your reaction. The increased pulse and feeling of freezing also align with the body's acute stress response.
Prioritized Next Steps:
-
Document Episodes: Start keeping a detailed journal of your episodes, noting when they happen, their duration, any triggers, and your cycle phases. This information will be critical when you find a new healthcare provider.
-
Seek a New Healthcare Provider: It’s great that you plan to find a new physician who can offer you better care. A healthcare provider with experience in neurology, psychiatry, or holistic health may be particularly useful in evaluating your symptoms.
-
Consider Lifestyle Adjustments: Continue with your magnesium and Ashwagandha as they seem to have helped, but monitor your reactions. Regular sleep, hydration, and stress management techniques such as mindfulness or gentle exercise may also help reduce the frequency of episodes.
-
Avoid Self-Diagnosis or Assumptions: While seeking answers, remember that self-diagnosing can lead to unnecessary worry. Focus discussions on your symptoms without jumping to conclusions about specific conditions.
-
Emergencies: If you ever experience extreme symptoms, such as prolonged freezing or any physical distress like chest pain, seek immediate medical care.
Let me know if you have further questions or need support as you navigate these experiences!
Related Questions
Unexplained Left Chest Pain, Electric-Like Jabs in Lower Back, and Unusual Headaches
Hi there, I’m a 15-year-old experiencing some peculiar health issues lately. A visit to my doctor led to a diagnosis of anxiety and poor posture after I complained about headaches and strange, electric sensations rising through my head. However, after that appointment, I became aware of pain in my heart and strange discomfort in my left chest accompanied by difficulty breathing. Initially, I thought these symptoms aligned with anxiety, but they persisted long enough to cause concern. To rule out any serious conditions, I underwent a blood test, which fortunately came back normal. Despite the positive results, I continued to feel unusual pains in my heart region and a peculiar ache in my lower abdomen. The doctor had previously mentioned my poor posture and identified an issue with my occipital nerve, which I’ve somewhat addressed. Now, though, I find myself having intermittent back pain and brief discomfort just beneath my left lung. These pains are indeed strange; they don’t always last long, sometimes just fading after five seconds or they might stick around for several minutes. I tend to spend a lot of time in bed and don’t often leave the house, yet when I do, these pains still occur. Thankfully, they aren’t debilitating, but I can't help but feel anxious thinking something might be significantly wrong with my health. It’s unsettling and I’d prefer not to dwell on such thoughts. To summarize: I experience chest pain in my lower left quadrant, specifically near my lung, alongside a mild but uncomfortable sensation that waxes and wanes. Additionally, I suffer from headaches located on the upper left side of my head. I apologize for any grammatical errors as I used voice-to-text for this message. Another detail that might be relevant is that I have recently quit vaping, now almost 22 days ago, and I wonder if this could be part of the recovery process.
Expectorated Large Tissue with Blood
At 28 years old, I experienced a fever the previous night, after which I had no other cold symptoms. To my surprise, today I coughed just once and expelled a significant piece of tissue mixed with blood. Following this alarming incident, I sought medical attention at an urgent care facility because I developed a headache immediately afterward and felt a peculiar "butterfly" sensation in my chest. The healthcare professionals did not conduct any laboratory tests or imaging studies, instead opting to prescribe antibiotics for what they suspected might be an infection. Is this an appropriate response to my situation? This is quite concerning.
Experiencing Uncertainty: Possible Ischemic Attack?
Greetings, everyone, including healthcare professionals. For the past year, I've been managing high blood pressure, and I'm currently prescribed a regimen that includes Amlodipine at 10 mg and Bisoprolol at 5 mg. At 44 years old, I’m a woman who is classified as overweight and also deals with hypothyroidism, low ferritin levels, liver issues, and slightly elevated cholesterol levels. Typically, my medications maintain my blood pressure within a range of 110/70 to 140/80. However, two days ago, I experienced a stressful episode, causing my systolic pressure to spike to 155/95. Upon standing, I sensed weakness in my left arm, which felt as if it were slightly twisting. A wave of panic hit me, and I feared I might be incapacitated or having a stroke. Despite my anxiety, I was still able to grasp a glass and tightly close my fist. Briefly, my right arm felt a mild sensation that lasted only a second. This peculiar feeling persisted for roughly a minute. I then consumed some mint tincture mixed with alcohol and engaged in deep breathing exercises, which remarkably alleviated my symptoms and brought my blood pressure back to a stable level. I contacted my physician, who inquired about my symptoms and their duration. Aside from the discomfort in my arm, I wasn't experiencing any additional issues. A second doctor relieved me of any immediate concerns regarding the necessity for an MRI, and since I underwent one a month prior that showed no abnormalities in my cranial blood vessels, I felt some reassurance. Now, back home and with lingering fears of having experienced an ischemic attack, I wonder if an ultrasound of the neck arteries is warranted. Do my symptoms indicate a potential attack? What steps should I take next? Has anyone faced a similar situation? Thank you all for your insights.
Experiencing Widespread Muscle Weakness
I’m a 36-year-old male and have recently been facing a troubling situation where the muscles throughout my body seem to be losing function—including my eyelids. The trouble began in May 2021 when I lifted a heavy garbage can with my right arm in a shrugging action. Following that, I felt a combination of pain and weakness concentrated in my right shoulder blade, as well as my shoulder and collarbone. Soon after, I noticed my shoulder began to pop and click. Afterward, I consulted with an orthopedic specialist who conducted x-rays on both of my shoulders. He informed me that everything appeared normal and dismissed the popping sounds as inconsequential. I also mentioned experiencing neck pain, but he indicated that addressing neck issues wasn’t his area of expertise. He diagnosed me with bilateral shoulder and neck discomfort and recommended physical therapy. The day after my appointment, I attempted to adjust my position in my desk chair by leaning on the left armrest, putting my forearm under the weight of my body. Suddenly, my shoulder jolted, and I felt a sharp weakness in my arm, accompanied by popping and clicking noises, similar to what happened with my right arm. I reached out to the orthopedic office to inform them about this incident, but the physician assistant who responded said the doctor would not see me again simply due to how I was sitting, and suggested I attend physical therapy first. She mentioned that if I continued to experience weakness, a neurologist might be necessary. Feeling concerned, I returned to my primary care physician for a follow-up appointment and recounted my experience. He didn’t appear worried, and my blood tests returned normal results. During the summer of 2021, I began physical therapy where the therapist diagnosed me with strains in my trapezius and rhomboid muscles. The subsequent therapy sessions consisted of painful exercises and stretches, yet I observed little to no improvement in terms of strength or stability. Activities like using the arm bike and weight machine were excruciating, and I frequently inquired whether my symptoms could be attributed to a tear or nerve damage, but the therapist insisted that was not the case and dismissed my concerns. After my tenth session, I decided it was best not to return. In April 2022, I visited a neurologist. I struggled to lift myself onto the examination table and needed assistance from a step stool. He didn't suspect any neurological issues when I asked him about an EMG or other assessments, he declined to proceed with those tests. Disheartened by these experiences, I chose not to pursue further medical consultations. Fast forward to April 9, 2025, I misstepped while descending some stairs, causing my right heel to catch, and I landed hard with my toes pointed. I had no visible signs of injury such as swelling or bruising, but soon after, I began to experience persistent pain and weakness, especially in my toes and the arch of my foot. By April 13, I instinctively elevated the toes on my left foot, and to my dismay, the same pain and weakness emerged, again without any visible signs like bruising. Since then, both feet have lacked strength, and my big toes feel unusually floppy. In July 2025, I had a troubling experience after having my hair washed at a salon. I held my neck in an awkward position for the duration, which resulted in a burning sensation. Regrettably, I didn’t express my discomfort, fearing a scene. Following this, I noticed significant weakness in the muscles at the front of my neck, under my chin, which gave the appearance of a receding chin. Additionally, my facial muscles, particularly in my cheeks, felt weak and could easily be pressed in with minimal resistance. In January 2026, I bought a new game controller for my laptop, having not played video games for a long time. Initially, it was manageable, but soon after, my hands and forearms began to feel uncomfortable and painful. This discomfort escalated significantly to where I had to discontinue use completely; my hands felt drained of energy and experienced achiness, tingling, and numbness. Then, on February 3, 2026, while seated and using my laptop, I noticed a peculiar sensation when moving my eyes. My eyelid muscles felt weak, and one of my eyelids began twitching. I found it increasingly difficult to open my eyes as widely as I used to. I plan to see a primary care physician once more, but I’m uncertain how to communicate all of this effectively to receive proper care. My circumstances have reached a point where my parents must assist me with everyday tasks, including driving, opening doors, and even lifting light objects. My ability to raise my arms above my head has become severely limited as well.
Liver Mass Assessment
Patient Profile: - Age: 61 years - Height: 5'9" - Weight: 240 lbs - Gender: Female - Lifestyle: Non-drinker, non-smoker, no illicit drugs Current Medications: - Atenolol 10mg (morning and evening) - Rosuvastatin 40mg (evening) - Duloxetine 60mg (evening) - Spironolactone 25mg (recently added) - Jardiance 10mg (recently added) Medical History: The patient has a notable history of multiple pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas, having undergone surgery on eight occasions. According to scans performed three years ago, two subcentimeter retroperitoneal masses were identified, suggestive of potential paraganglioma. Additionally, she suffers from secondary polycythemia and possesses the PHD1 gene mutation. Previously, she received treatment at a prominent research institution in the United States. However, her endocrinologist has since retired and returned to their home country. Current Condition: At present, she is mostly asymptomatic. However, in January 2026, she experienced a concerning event requiring an ambulance transport to a local emergency room, where her oxygen levels registered at 88-89%. This incident was unsettling, given her extensive medical history. The emergency physician initially diagnosed her with congestive heart failure (CHF), but upon discharge, her family medicine doctor suggested pneumonia. During her hospital stay, a cardiologist—who has never managed a pheochromocytoma patient—recommended a chemical stress test. A CT scan performed on her chest revealed a 3.2 x 2.5 cm mass located in the left lobe of her liver. Her blood tests typically show elevated levels related to pheochromocytomas; however, the laboratory does not conduct resting catecholamine testing, which leads to unreliable results, despite them being consistent over time. Furthermore, she has received care at major hospitals in Minnesota and both leading hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio. Unfortunately, when she required her last surgery, the tumor board declined her case, citing an unfavorable risk-benefit ratio. This leaves her without a specialist in pheochromocytomas. Request for Guidance: The patient is seeking advice or recommendations for her current health situation and management of her conditions.