URGENT - Panic attack
had one of the most intense episodes of my life last night and I’m trying to understand if anyone has experienced something similar.
I’m currently on rifaximin + metronidazole for SIBO. Yesterday evening I had a sugary meal, then a couple hours later I took my antibiotics.
About 1.5–2 hours after that, I suddenly started feeling very hot, anxious, and extremely bloated with a lot of gas. Within minutes it escalated into a full-body episode:
• uncontrollable shaking (not from cold)
• hands and feet tightening/cramping
• intense feeling of losing control
• dizziness and derealization
• had to lie down on the floor to calm down
At the peak, I had to run to the bathroom and passed a lot of gas. Right after that, my stomach actually felt completely flat for a few minutes… then the bloating came back even worse shortly after.
After the episode:
• I still felt shaky and weak
• strong brain fog / derealization
• vision felt unfocused or “off”
• overall very sensitive system
This honestly felt neurological or life-threatening in the moment, not like a typical panic attack.
I’ve noticed that gut symptoms (gas, urgency) seem to trigger anxiety in me, but this was on a completely different level.
Questions:
• Has anyone had panic attacks this physical and intense from gut issues/SIBO?
• Can antibiotics (rifaximin/metronidazole) make symptoms worse before better?
• Has anyone experienced the hand/feet tightening + shaking combo?
Would really appreciate hearing if someone has gone through something similar, because this was honestly scary.