Medrol Trigger

About a week and a half ago I went to my doctor for a cough that I had deep in my lungs that wouldn't go away. She prescribed me Cephalexon(?) and A 5/6 day Medrol dose pack. Four days into taking the dose pack it was late at night and I was watching tv when a SEVERE panic/anxiety attack struck. Now I have never had one of these before and so, ofcourse, I was even more frightened. It lasted the rest of the night and I eventually passed out from exhaustion. The next day I awoke to the same anxiety attack still going on. My heart was beating at an alarming rate, its almost difficult to breath, was shaking, couldn't stand still, nasuas(sp?) chest is a little tight. Survived that day but not without the dibilitating effects of this CONSTANT PANIC/ANXIETY attack. The next morning I woke up feeling, again, the EXACT SAME WAY. This frightened me even more so I eventually went to the ER where they presribed me Ativan, took an EKG and said everything looked normal and sent me home. When I handed the ER doctor the meds I was taking he IMMEDIATELY said "oh, that'll do it" to the Medrol pack. He told me this can trigger panic/anxiety attacks. It is now the fourth day of this attack and it still will not lessen. I am taking my ativan which helps a little but doesn't make me feel normal at all. I stopped taking the Medrol the night the attack started so my question is, and forgive my language, but WHEN THE HELL IS THIS GONNA STOP!!?!? Am I going to have a constant panic attack for the rest of my life?? When will my heart calm down?? When will these steriods be out of my system!?!? I took up to 18 of the 21 pills from the dose pack and I weigh only 93lbs. I don't feel any sadness, depression, suicidal thoughts (besides shooting myself just to make this stop!). I understand I most likely have anxiety and didn't know it and I have to figure out what is giving me anxiety, but I can't seem to be able to even think straight with all this going on all day constantly. I am drinking water and eating slightly normally (given the nausia). Haven't slept more than 30 min straight for the past 3 nights. I don't take any meds regulaly and am a pretty healthy 22 year old. Please give me some other advice than "your just gonna have to caaaaalm doooown"

[nursegirl6572]

One of the most common side effects of steroids is anxiety, so most likely, as you've indicated, the Medrol Dose Pack triggered your anxiety symptoms.  I have to say, though, that if the anxiety was strictly a side effect of the steroid, I think you should have seen some improvement by now....which leads me to think that there is more to it than just a medication side effect.  If you said that you've never had a panic attack, this could very well be the onset of an anxiety disorder, triggered by the Medrol Dose Pack.  Or, the continued anxiety may be a reaction to the initial very frightening feelings of a panic attack.

My advice to you is to continue following up with your doctor, both about the reaction, and also about the new anxiety symptoms.  Keep taking the Ativan as prescribed, while keeping in mind that Ativan really is best used as a short-term regimen.  

If after a sufficint amount of time goes by and you are still experiencing the anxiety symptoms, then you may need to consider that you are developing an anxiety disorder (like panic disorder) and would want to seek out the care of a mental health professional who can help you formulate a plan to address the anxiety.

Best of luck, and be sure to let us know how you're doing.