New anxiety symptoms?

[SidewaySuns]

Hi all,

I've been trying to cope with incredibly anxious thoughts since my mother passed away suddenly over a month ago. I started out on Ativan, but decided I wanted to try something I would take every day to help level me out so my doctor gave me Celexa.

Long story short, I've become incredibly anxious and nervous about my health, even though I'm a healthy 19 year old female with no prior medical conditions. I honestly forget that constantly with the way that I think now.

I go through different "health issues" that I think I have - recently I began thinking I had insomnia and it scared me to think I wouldn't be sleeping enough. It doesn't worry me that much anymore - I have nights where I sleep only waking up once and I have others where I wake up a few times, become anxious and have trouble falling back to sleep. But it's starting to pass just like all of my other "issues". I just accept it.

I recently spent over a week with my boyfriend in a beach house which I was very excited for. I was anxious in the beginning about the whole sleeping thing, but it eventually subsided and I managed to feel incredibly good and happy for the first time in what felt like forever.

I came home the other day, and since then, I've been having what I'm hoping is just a new wave of anxiety symptoms.

The night I got home from his house, I felt fine and I slept through the night. However, I woke up the next day feeling like a mess. I had a headache for what seemed to be the entire day and I just felt completely drained of energy. I noticed my hands were shaking and I began to have muscle twitches. My anxiety came back full force. I started to stress about everything. I should mention that I was so stressed I didn't eat until dinner, which didn't help at all. When I ate, my headache subsided as well as some of my muscle twitches and the shaking.
I went to bed, woke up a few times and fully woke up around 8 feeling overwhelmingly alone. I don't have a headache today and the twitching has subsided significantly but I still am shaking in my hands.
I should mention something; the day I went home I had taken a long walk with my boyfriend for the first time in a long time. My legs were very sore, so I figured the muscle twitches were from that - however they happen almost everywhere on my body. My legs just feel weak which I assume is a combination from not eating or drinking correctly which I was doing while I was with my boyfriend.

I also started taking 20 mg of Celexa over the weekend - before I was taking only 10 and had been for a little over a week. I'm not taking the Ativan anymore on a regular basis - I still have it for any sort of anxiety I can't calm myself out of. I'm also taking Aviane - a generic birth control.

Basically, I'm just looking for some reassurance. None of this started happening until I was away from my boyfriend whom I feel the most comfortable and safe around.

I'm incredibly conflicted by my anxiety - I know I need to tough through it but I miss feeling like myself and the only time I truly feel like myself again is with my boyfriend or if I'm with someone else for the day. I would love to just live with him but I have three younger siblings and my dad works five days a week from 9 until 6 or so.

If anyone has any sort of advice I would be very appreciative.

[AnxiousinGA]

I'm very sorry about you mom.  I also have very bad anxiety which seems to subside when my husband is around.  When I'm home alone with our 3 kids it can get really bad or even when I'm by myself.   One thing that helps me is to have some sort of constant communication with my husband or at least know I can get in touch with him easily if I get too upset.  Also, you might try a different med and see if you feel better.  I just had to start Welbutrin today, with some xanax for when the panic gets really bad.  I wish you the best.  I know it's hard, but just remember that it will pass and you will feel better.  best wishes!

[nlr_tiff]

Hello suns,

I am so very sorry about your Mom. My mother passed away when I was 19 as well. It's very difficult. I had such bad anxiety for close to a year afterwars. The best thing to do besides giving your new dose of medication time to work(4-6 weeks) is to find some coping strategies. What I mean by this is to find things that distract you from your anxiety. The reason you need a big list of ideas for distracting yourself is that some ideas may work some days, and some ideas may not work on other days.

For example, sometimes it helps me to listen to relaxing music....and on some days my anxiety is bad enough that listening to music doesn't help. So I call a friend and just ask if I can vent a little.

Here are some of the things I do to help myself: -avoid too much caffine -reading, writing, listening to music -i call a friend -snuggle with my hubby -play with my dog and cat......just anything that is enojyable and productive. Sometimes cleaning the house helps....there is something about doing something domestic and being able to see the results immediately that calms me.

I hope this helps you sun. Be gentle with yourself, you need time to adjust. Hugs-Bradian