Trouble convincing myself this is Anxiety...

[cyb3rd00d]

Hi,

I've been struggling with Anxiety for 8 years now. It comes and goes it seems, sometimes I will be very anxious for months on end and then have a period where I have only little anxiety for a few months straight. Right now I'm going through a period since October where I've been very anxious and have been working with my Dr. on getting a correct medication / dosage for myself. I've been on Paxil, Pristiq, and now Lexapro (Which has worked for me in the past), and also Xanax for when things get bad. I have more anxiety in the mornings than in the evenings. I wake up every morning very Anxious, Trembling, Headache, Gagging, Coughing, etc. by the time I get to work the Gagging/Coughing has subsides but I still have the headache, eyes hurt... and I find myself at my desk tapping my feet constantly all day long and feel very anxious. I've been to the hospital in the past and have had Bloodwork etc. and all turned out good (Normal White Blood Cell Counts etc.) and my Dr. has given me Physicals, Thyroid Tests, etc. I always feel like I'm out of breathe when walking long distances etc also. I am always worried I have Cancer or a Brain Tumor (My Grandma died from one) etc... which makes me more worked up. I haven't had a full blown panic attack in a couple months now but am still very anxious. Even though friends with Anxiety / Dr.'s have told me they think nothing is wrong I always go back to worrying something is. My Dr. is considering switching me to a OCD medication if the Lexapro does not work this time... Thanks in advance for your reply.

[cyb3rd00d]

+++++
I do not know how to edit my question, but forgot that I am dizzy and feel off balance alot also... and My Dr. is considering a BI-POLAR medication not OCD. Thanks!

[tryinginstlouis]

Cy:  

I'm sorry you're going through such a rough time.  I know I suffer from anxiety, and you suffer from anxiety, from what you've described.  My bit of wisdom is that the things I've always been anxious about, never happened.  .... not one, single time.  

My anxiety has and continues to handicap my life in so many ways, that I have to consciously think it down.  Like, with your fear of a brain tumor.  I'd be on the internet looking at my chances.  If I were to find that my chances were .00005%, then I would choose to live my life like it weren't possible for me.  And that I wouldn't worry about it until an EMT has to pick me up off the floor because the tumor has consumed me.  

When you do that, you create a space in your mind that is peaceful and then you run through that peaceful space and take advantage of the opportunity for the clarity to make your life better.  

Trying....

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

The trouble here is that you have to rely on medications..your mind/brain is afraid of something but only you can process that fear and put it to rest..if you rely on medications to suppress your feelings, you won't have the courage and energy and will to explore and  master your own mind....you should try psychotherapy...it is the way, and can be done along with medication.

[Jaquta]

I've found this response useful.  I've been taking zopiclone for sleep for ?several months.  I've been thinking of stopping the medication but have been feeling anxious about doing so.  Home has been extremely stressful and I have psych, surgical and oncology appointments coming up.
Even with 1/2-1 7.5 mg tablet I haven't been sleeping well and the fear of the distress laying awake all night provokes is overwhelming.
Suppressing feelings doesn't really seem to be all that effective though as it then impedes other aspects of our lives.

I thought for myself some sort of taper might help me out emotionally/ psychologically.
(I might wait till after my psych appointment as both that and the suggestion I have an independent review by a specialist in personality pathology is stressing me out somewhat.  Or I may start tonight??).

Thanks for the reminder that medication is not always the answer (although I appreciate that depends largely on the person and their situation).

J

[cyb3rd00d]

thanks for the answers all, I have an appointment with a Psychotherapist this Wednesday we'll see how it goes.

Are extreme fatigue, sore muscles, sometimes twitching or muscle spasms related to Anxiety as well? And is it common for people to have alot of symptoms?

Thanks!

[Jaquta]

Fatigue definitely is.  I expect the others are too.

From my own experience I would say anxiety can cause many symptoms -both physical and mental.

I have recently had problems with balance and co-ordination and was told it was due to blood pressure changes caused by hyperventilating.  Hyperventilating (whether consciously or subconsciously) is something many anxious people do.

Good luck for your psychotherapy appointment.  I hope it goes well for you.

J

[mr.lucky66]

psychotherapy is the way? I respect this doctor but that's a pretty bold statement. It may be if you have the right practitioner but I have had experience with this and had a good one but also have had some bad therapists. I now am taking lexapro for my situational anxiety as I don't have the luxury of a therapist and don't plan on stying on it all that long.

[Jaquta]

I believe psychotherapy is the way.  I have too or else I feel hopeless that there is no possibility of ever changing.  I wouldn't want to remain stuck, or highly medicated, indefinitely.  For once, I am going to say I don't think medication/s change us that much.

From my experience, roughly 10% of T's are good.

What will happen once you stop the medication?  Are you taking material you've learned in therapy and applying it to your life to reduce the anxiety?

I wish there were a magic pill for mh issues but to my knowledge there isn't one.  Not for my problems anyway, perhaps others are different??

I choose to put my trust in the psychological approach.

J

[cyb3rd00d]

The Psycho-therapist I went to this week was terrible. I've seen a Therapist years ago that seemed way better. The one I went to was trying to push 'Energy Healing' etc... and we just didn't click. He was also telling me that Psychologists are just really medication givers nowdays and have very little sit down time with you is that true? He mentioned that when I said I was probablly going to find a good Psychologist. Very dissapointed though :(.

[Jaquta]

Maybe see a different one.  Not clicking isn't a very good sign.  You guys seem galaxies apart.
I had someone do that energy stuff on me when I was in the psych ward and I had a reaction to one of the drugs and couldn't breathe.  I was not impressed.
If it really doesn't sound like you and you have a bad rapport, see someone else.  Therapy is way too important to play with.  Having said that, the one good T I had, had training in emdr, hypnosis, psycho-dynamics, etc.  These tools may play a part in a persons recovery.

Psychiatrists do the prescribing.  Psychologists do the talking.  Some psychiatrists are also trained to do therapy (part of the talking process).

Be selective about what therapeutic approach you engage in.  Some people find cbt, etc to be ineffective.  You may just need to look around a bit to find the right T for you.

J

[olivia224]

i too feel like off balance and dizzy and i am worried it something more...like vertigo or bppv....i went to an ent and they said they didnt see signs of it but im still very worried...i also have a hard time convicning myself its all anxiety...i need help.

[Jaquta]

It can be difficult.  It is usually only after we have our concerns checked out by trusted health professions (and we feel heard) that we start to feel reassured and then can begin to look at what may be causing our anxiety.

You could try talking to your family doctor again about your concerns and about your anxiety.

J