Severe anxiety - out of the blue!

[davem]

I'm 45. Have a successful career (stressful job,tho), happy with marriage,home, although plenty of stressers with those too. past 9 months or so, have been mildy depressed, and mildly anxious (have always been what I consider anxious,over-worrier), but not to the point where I felt I needed to seek help. By mildy depressed, I just feel 'nothing' most of the time. I Don't get excited about doing anything, even things I enjoy, and dread any social interaction, outside of people at home. I also think/worry  about dying a lot. Also in the past year or so, I've had two attacks, where I felt dizzy, nausea, etc. Both were work related, and I snapped out of them in a couple of hours.
Now to switch gears a bit.
I had arthroscopic surgery(rot. cuff) Tuesday before last (10 days ago). I felt ok, had some trouble sleeping for first 4-5 nights, was eating good, no fever, no noticebale probs with surg site. This pas t Tuesday, three days ago, FULL week after surgery, I got out of bed at 5:30am (to go back to work-first day since surgery), and had Nausea, dry-heaves, and here is the part i really don't get, but a SEVERE, 100 times worse than any previous problems,  ANXIETY attack. To the point of tears, not knowing what to do, not being able to identify source...a huge foreboding.....
not much appetitite, and way more sleep than usually, since then 12 hours versus normal 6.5 to 7.
yesterday held down some water and toast. today managed to have
coffee, and some cookies. I am tired constantly since Tuesday morning.
I have not been back to work yet, but have worked from home a few hours each day.
Today about 2.5 days after the big ANXIETY attack, I have mild anxiety remaining, that gets worse, and upsets my stomach if I start thinking about specific issues, or worrying that I'm going to have another BIG anxiety attack.
I took 6-7 Percocets/day (1 or 2, 4 times a day were instructions)
I took 1 Oxycotin at night for 1st seven days. Instructions were every twelve hours, but felt I was doing fine with pain during the day.
I have not taking ANYTHING, since Monday night, afraid that it will make my stomach worse.
My main concern here was/is the Anxiety. Do I mention this to the Surgeon in post-op visits?
Is is liklely to happen this bad again? Should I pursue it with
a mental health prof., or my primary care Doctor?
Any other advise, or help? thanks

[KEEKEE757]

THIS IS DEFINATLY G.A.D.  ....LOOK IT UP..THE ONE THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE CONTROL.  PUT IN YOUR MIND THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE ATTACKS THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU!!!ITS ALL IN YOUR HEAD. YOU ARE HEALTHY AND YOU ARE FINE.  IF YOU DONT CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS,....YOU WILL CONTINUE TO WORRY AND STRESS OVER HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS.   ANXIETY IS NOTHING TO PLAY WITH..IT STARTS OFF MILD AND GETS WORST IF YOU WAIT TOO LONG.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK SOME MORE EMAIL ME.  GOOD LUCK.

[davem]

thanks. thats encouraging

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I would definetly pursue this with a psychiatrist.  Here's what I think is going on from the sketch you have given.   You have had a big load on at work, and have managed to keep that anxiety in a compartment with a reasonably tight lid on it, but basically have been living in an overload situation.

Time out for the surgery.  Time to go back, and your whole body rebelled.   This is what you have to work out.

You can start to get some help immediately at my online therapy site; www. masteringstress.com.  But you eventually should see a therapist face to face.

[puma]

It sounds like you are having some withdrawal symptoms from the two pain meds you were on. Even a week or so can addict some people. Those symptoms sound like opiate withdrawal. It sounds like you are through the worst of it, except the anxiety may linger some. The withdrawals even for heavy addictions are usually about one week worst symmptoms subsiding slowly over that time period, than just malaise. You may want to go over to the addiction forum for a moment, scroll down a little since today's posts were kinda useless, but there is a recipe called the Thomas formula of vitamins that will help you. It is posted on most threads farther down that site.

The main thing for tiredness is L-Tyrosine. I don't suggest benzos since they are addicting too, but your doc should know best. If it continues, you may want to see a psychiatrist. They have many things for depression and so on. Good luck.

Chatahan