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20828044 tn?1526016866

Vague to Describe but Tangible and Agonizing Head/Breathing Issue for 5 months Now

-Have already seen two physicians and a doctor, hopefully getting an MRI soon
-Has been going on since I quit Clozapine (antipsychotic) cold turkey (was only taking 100 mg or so a night) Dec of 2017, was prescribed by a psychiatrist to treat bipolar
-every time I used it I got so incredibly drowsy but simultaneously couldn't breathe so I couldn't fall asleep (nodding off to a degree but afraid to let go) and lost sense of identity for 6 hours and eventually would be able to sleep after tea, washing my face with warm water, and pacing around consistently, that's why I had to quit it, even 50 mg caused this issue and that's considered a very low dose
-Also quit drinking alcohol simultaneously, was drinking about 3-4 drinks per day after work and was completely inactive socially and physically unless I was at work, overate and didn't eat well and treat my body with the respect it deserved as far as health goes. Hopefully it's not too late I've changed a lot of my habits already and can see a bright future ahead of this if I can surpass it
-after I quit the clozapine and the alcohol I felt sick for a week, then my head started buzzing intensely inside out every day all day for a month and a half, it was awful, and I had to take a leave of absence from work, but the buzzing/tingling is gone and to see the issue please read further.
-I know that drinking didn't help, but I'm not looking for hindsight, just positive changes I can make, etc.
-Don't use any other drugs besides below
-Am prescribed lithium carbonate 600mg and clonazepam 2mg a day for bipolar/anxiety, but sometimes take up to 3 mg within a day to subdue the following issue or to help me fall asleep
The issue is as follows:
I literally can't breathe unless I treat it with clonazepam. It's not my airways whatsoever. It's something in my head. Like dead spots, or numb spots, or pressure spots, or air bubble spots that move around throughout the day but rotate through main areas around the back of the head to the top sides and around ears. It's physically hard to take in a breath. When I try, the head issue just temporarily gets more intense and feels like it is preventing me from breathing. It gets hard when I lift heavy objects or take a short jog to breath. I'm constantly clearing my throat when this occurs to try and restart the breathing process. It's harder to breathe in through the nose then the mouth. It feels like I need to breath in when I'm breathing out and breathe out when I'm breathing in. My head can feel congested or constricted in certain areas at times as well. It's all one issue but I'm describing it using different words in the hopes that someone can relate, understand, and/or help.
Things that help: washing my face with warm water, tea, being at home, taking clonazepam, eating food quickly (munching on some type of somewhat healthy snack)
Things that make it worse: DRIVING! I have to stop almost every time I can at a restaurant or gas station to use their restroom to wash my face. Dealing and/or talking with customers at my job, I work as a kind of clerk/salesman and consistently deal with people.
Some days (or couple of days) it's not as intense (in the background, is manageable, I can function) and it feels like it could get better and I should not take as much clonazepam but then it attacks very intensely and the clonazepam can take about an hour and a half to kick in.
You can imagine that going that long having a tough time breathing would be agonizing.
I have eustachian tube dysfunction and it plays into the issue. I went to a doctor for the eustachian tube dysfunction and he gave me oral and nasal steroids that actually helped a lot with the breathing issue but didn't get rid of the inflamed areas causing the dysfunction behind the ears. I get anxiety from the breathing issue (who wouldn't?), but the issue itself is neither anxiety nor Eustachian tube dysfunction directly and overtly. It appears to be of a different caliber. I have dealt with anxiety before this and am able to manage that to some degree. This issue is of its own grade and type and can't merely be dismissed as anxiety as I tangibly feel this deadness in my head. It's hard to talk and open my mouth all the way sometimes, and my teeth are sensitive. When I bite down, I can feel the pressure intensify. This is all I can think of right now, please help, this is a plea! Thank you, much Love!
3 Responses
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20828044 tn?1526016866
started taking CBD oil, I'm on a nasal steroid for ETD, drinking a lot of water, exercising and eating well and it is slowly getting better. slowly :) let's hope for the best! thanks for nobody responding it's been great! lol
Helpful - 0
20828044 tn?1526016866
Got an MRI and all is well, but the issue still persists to some degree.
Helpful - 0
20828044 tn?1526016866
thanks in advance for at least reading it if you did, even if you have no comprehension or understanding or relation or recognition to or of my issue. I appreciate it and am extending myself out starting here and with and MRI to get past this BS.
Helpful - 0
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