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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Constant muscle shaking...anxiety disorder
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Constant muscle shaking...anxiety disorder
by hangin'in, Feb 02, 2004 12:00AM
Four months ago, I started having vertigo attacks with muscle shaking, out of the blue, short lived. My PCP diangnosed me with reactive hypoglycemia even though my blood work was in normal range. I then started havign the symptoms separately, and thought it could be something else. Then I noticed muscle shaking that never totally went away. Does not shake at rest, seems postural, worse during anxiety, worse in the mornings,and is usually just my arms and hands, but can be my thighs and back...very similiar to a typical nervous shaking, but less intense. PCP sent me for brain MRI which was normal, thyroid and liver blood work normal.So since I am a general worrier, he decide to try Zoloft. 2 Days into the Zoloft, I woke in the night to extreme shaking, then waves of sweats, and bunring sensation over my body that came in 30 second waves over an hour or two,but no feeling of doom, or total panic, but high levels of anxiety.I felt I was having an adverse reaction to Zoloft. I stopped taking the Zoloft after two doses.Anxiety built for several days worrying over this "attack". Eventually put me on .5mg low dose of Xanax XR, and that helped after several days. Now seeing a therapist for anxiety, and tried to stop taking the xanax twice...was fine at home, but away from home anxiety was high, though no specific fear. Although each time the anxiety was slightly better. I feel just like myself and at ease even away from home with just this small dose of Xanax.
Two questions...most important, could this constant muscle shaking(which the xanax helps) be just built up anxiety over worrying about my medical condition? I've heard of isolated muscle shaking, but not constant. It would help greatly if I could put my worries about the likelihood it being something more complicated behind me , so I would like your opinion. I think the shaking started after I was worrying about soemthing like MS, but I was under control and happy...did not think I was stressing enough for that...maybe I've become good at hiding it from myself, and the Zoloft uncovered the true anxiety disorder?
Second, I have been a worrier all my life. I tend to dwell on the things I worry about(although I don't worry about everything, just the things I attach to I worry excessively over) and that has been the big problem with this incident. I was happy and coping with my worries before the "Zoloft" reaction, and now it's difficult to deal with the anxiety without the Xanax. Should I just take a few weeks while using the Xanax to heal? I am so eager to get off the med and be back to the way I was just a few weeks ago, I think I may be making it worse by trying too soon, worrting if I can handle without the Xanax, then feeling like I've failed. WIll I have withdrawl probelms later on with such a small dose of Xanax? (.5 mg XR) Thank You!!!!
Two questions...most important, could this constant muscle shaking(which the xanax helps) be just built up anxiety over worrying about my medical condition? I've heard of isolated muscle shaking, but not constant. It would help greatly if I could put my worries about the likelihood it being something more complicated behind me , so I would like your opinion. I think the shaking started after I was worrying about soemthing like MS, but I was under control and happy...did not think I was stressing enough for that...maybe I've become good at hiding it from myself, and the Zoloft uncovered the true anxiety disorder?
Second, I have been a worrier all my life. I tend to dwell on the things I worry about(although I don't worry about everything, just the things I attach to I worry excessively over) and that has been the big problem with this incident. I was happy and coping with my worries before the "Zoloft" reaction, and now it's difficult to deal with the anxiety without the Xanax. Should I just take a few weeks while using the Xanax to heal? I am so eager to get off the med and be back to the way I was just a few weeks ago, I think I may be making it worse by trying too soon, worrting if I can handle without the Xanax, then feeling like I've failed. WIll I have withdrawl probelms later on with such a small dose of Xanax? (.5 mg XR) Thank You!!!!
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Feb 03, 2004 12:00AM
, Feb 03, 2004 12:00AM
Yes, the shaking can definetly be just from anxiety...in fact, as you read through previous notes in this forum you will see plenty of descriptions just like yours.
Any anitdepressant can have a paradoxically effect of creating anxiety because of the stimulating effect of the medication, and this is probably what happened to you. I would stay on the xanax as long as you need it, not rush to get off, and taper off slowly even though you are taking such a small dose.
Any anitdepressant can have a paradoxically effect of creating anxiety because of the stimulating effect of the medication, and this is probably what happened to you. I would stay on the xanax as long as you need it, not rush to get off, and taper off slowly even though you are taking such a small dose.
In one of those visits the ER Doc prescribed Xanax .5mg... what a relief! Finally something to calm me down. I get stress build up in the middle of my upper neck between the shoulder blade. I now experience pain in my left side of my arm as well as some slight numbness. My next thing to worry about... gotta go see a neurologist.
I felt so ashamed to have gone to the ER so many times thinking I might be having a Heart Attack! I'm 43yrs old. I feel like I need 3 months off of work just to get better. I'm already menopausal and feel like I'm 50! I'm on HRT(hormone replacement therapy) and that makes me anxious! (the fact that I'm taking the pills not the treatment itself). All kinds of test have been done, chest x-rays, blood work, ct scans, mri's , stress test ... you name it I've done it and all NORMAL! (dont get me wrong i'm happy about this) but then i worry somebody is missing something.
I've seen my cardiologist who says I'm fine... I do have heart palpitation from time to time (which also makes me anxious) was told I had a very small heart murmur. Sometimes I get dizzy spells for whatever reasons, some chest pain but not a squeezing pain.
Been told I might have Panic dsd... ~sigh~ what a way to live your life! I hate it and want to stop worrying so much... What do you all recommend?
I dont know I should do......