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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Anxiety and Physical Symptoms
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.
Anxiety and Physical Symptoms
by ag3982, Jun 08, 2006 12:00AM
35 y/o male with no history of mental issues before 12/05. Healthy, but exercise doesn't occur as often as it should. Just started counseling due to anxiety/possible depression (1 session so far). My anxiety has been focused almost entirely on possible health issues I "believe" I'm having. This anxiety has been huge the past 2/3 months but I did have an anxiety/panic attack back in early December 05 that required a trip to the ER. I thought I was having heart issues (sweaty hands, tight chest, dizziness, heart pounding, nausea), but after numerous tests, I was eventually given Xanax. After 20 minutes I did settle down-no other attacks since. About a week before this "attack" I had blood in my stool and this was addressed with a colonoscopy in late Dec (no issues found). During the last 2/3 months I've also changed jobs (moved from a high stress job to one that is MUCH more reasonable), moved my family (wife/twin 4yr boys/8 month boy). Currently, I'm on .25mg of Xanax (however, I barely average 1 tablet per week/most times less than that). I also have severe allergies that play havoc on my sinuses and I'm currently taking Flonase/Claritan-D. The physical symptoms that are really concerning me are dizziness, intermittent difficulties focusing my eyes w/ some sensitivity to brighter light, tightness in my muscles (jaw, buttocks especially), a perceived issue with my walking (sometimes lose my balance and I feel like my walking is not “normal”) and muscle twitching. The perceived awkwardness walking and muscle twitching are the biggest concerns (I don't recall muscle twitches in the past). The walking has only been an issue over the past month or so and the twitching has been all over-feet, calves, thighs, buttocks, arms, elbows, and other places. I tend to notice them more when I'm at rest. Yesterday I had a twitch in my right rib cage that went on for nearly an hour. After 10 minutes of twitching, I took Xanax and after another 30 minutes or so it stopped-along with the other twitching I was experiencing. My 2 questions are more specific to the twitching/Xanax and my walking “issue.” (1)If I had some other type of Neuro issue (like ALS), would Xanax or my “less anxious” moments have an effect on the twitching, or would it likely continue no matter how anxious or calm I was feeling or given the Xanax I was taking? Could Xanax stop muscle twitching if I had a true Neuro issue? These muscle twitches SEEM to “come and go” with my anxiety, but even when I’m relatively relaxed I still get them. I’m experiencing no muscle weakness, spacity, or anything like that. I’m able to do everything I’ve always been able to do and just recently did a 20mile bike ride (long ride for me) w/o any problem (just rubbery legs which went away). (2)Is awkward walking/tense muscles in the butt a possible symptom of this anxiety? I’ve had a PA and a MD examine me in the past 2 months (1 full exam/1 consult) and no sig neuro issues were noted during these exams. Thank you...
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Jun 11, 2006 12:00AM
, Jun 11, 2006 12:00AM
I think the answer to all of your questions is the same. It all adds up to anxiety rather than a neurological disease. What you have to be careful of now is focusing so much on the twitches and awkwardness that you make them into something that they are not. With your counselor, stay away from the symptoms and focus on what is going on in your life, and what about it scares you.
I take xanax too now and then and within a few minutes my symptoms dissappear. I stopped taking xanax for a few months to rid myself of the addiction I had to them (took them for 3 months). Now that I know I don't have a dread heart disease or lung disorder and that it is anxiety, I work with myself. But on the days that are really bad (once every few months) and I just dont feel like fighting, I take a .25 of xanax and poof, the anxiety leaves.
As much as I hated the addiction to xanax and it was hard as hell to get off of them, I now understand why these pills are to be taken as needed. I think now that I just have them in my purse, I do very well not taking them. I rather have and not need, then to need and not have.
Good Luck!
I had a lot of the same symptoms you have been experiencing and I'm really sorry you are going through this. I know how yucky it makes you feel; and I know it can make you feel helpless and maybe you feel like it won't ever go away, but it will.
Counseling really helps and I'll tell you why; because during one of your sessions your therapist is going to say something that is going to make all the difference in the world to you. Sometimes getting better from anxiety and depression is as simple as hearing the right words at the right time and I mean that. Medication really does help, especially when you are in the depths of a deep depression and anxiety that is consuming your life, but words play a big role in getting well too. I hope you have a good counselor.
I never liked it when my pyschiatrist used to ask me questions that I think she should have already known the answers to, it bugged me and made me think I was wasting my time with her. I eventually stopped seeing her (after 18 months). I am fully better from depression and anxiety and I give her some of the credit for my getting better, but not all of it. She wanted me to stay on those meds forever and ever and I didn't want to take something unless I needed it. My depression and anxiety went away within 4 months of getting medication and therapy treatment, but I took the dang pills for 18 months. I've been off of them for about 4 months now and my withdrawls from the effexor are what brought me to this website. I feel perfectly fine without those pills and if I ever get depression and anxiety again, I suppose I will take some meds again, but I don't want to take them when I clearly don't need them, I think that is silly.
But I want you to know that you will get all better and that someday soon the first thing you think of when you get up in the morning will NOT BE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION! Anxiety and depression will be the furthest thing from your mind and you will wake up happy (or grumpy, depending on how you slept!!) but you won't think about it first thing when you wake up, you will have too many other wonderful, beautiful things to think about and to enjoy in your life.
You will be in my prayers; please sit and read your Bible a few minutes everyday, it will make a big difference in your life. God wants you to feel good and happy and healthy, everyday. When you are feeling especially vunerable to depression and anxiety, read Psalms 91. It got me through some tough times and it will help you too.
May the Lords face shine upon you and give you peace.