severe anxiety

katcunock

booked an appointment with my doctor to sort out my anxiety. I get anxious with no apparant reason, 90% of the hours I am awake i experience palpations, acute panic, and struggling to feel like I can breathe. I recently moved to a totally new area, and anxiety is now so bad it is affecting my college work. My tutor is understanding, but there is only so much she can do.

The problem is that other than yoga, breathing and cardio as stress management, they can only perscribe happy pills or beta blockers and i'm not mad keen on medication. I already do all the non medication stuff, so not sure what is next. Is it worth pills to feel normal? Any thoughts?

ChristiSykes

Have you ever considered going on a gluten free diet? The reason I ask that is because I was having extreme anxiety, depression, feeling tired, dizzy....I was ready to see a doctor, but did some experimenting and went off gluten. I haven't had any health problems since, except for the occasional, accidental consumption of gluten....about 1 hour after eating it I get anxiety to the point I can't breathe. Just a thought. Hope you get to the bottom without meds.

katcunock

Have you ever considered go on a gluten free diet? The reason I ask that is because I was have extreme anxiety, depression, feeling tired, dizzy....I was ready to see a doctor, but did so experimenting and went off gluten. I haven't had any health problems since, except for the occasional, accidental consumption of gluten....about 1 hour after eating it I get anxiety to the point I can't breathe. Just a thought. Hope you get to the bottom without meds.

that's interesting thanks! I have been using diet more recently and consuming foods i know help with anxiety, such as zinc and iron, but that's something i'll have to look into

derbygirl_11

Have you heard of dialectical behavioral therapy? I'm currently in it myself for my bipolar symptoms, which include anxiety. You might want to look into it, or regular therapy?

Remember it's totally okay to have anxiety, but don't let it control your life. You have control over your life, your anxiety doesn't.

TavistockToad

you don thave to take pills, there are lots of different talking therapies that may be able to help you.

NaomiJFoster

Carbs in general are tightly linked with mood disorders, migraines,and seizures. They trigger a release of seratonin in the brain. That's why their called 'comfort foods'. But...if your brain is already not managing the seratonin levels well, then a surge of carb-induced seratonin is going to be too much to handle. And it will trigger a drastic mood shift. Avoid those types of foods and the brain is able to remain more even, more stable.

My sister is severely bi-polar. She is medicated for it. But she's also not allowed to eat starchy carbs, only in very small quantities. She rarely, if at all, eats potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, cereal, etc. And she's only allowed 1/2 a banana every other day.

I have friends with migraines who were given similar restriction and noticed a difference.

All of those conditions live in the same part of the brain, it really does make sense. Maybe try a coupld of months of limiting your starchy carb intake and see where that gets you?

katcunock

Have you heard of dialectical behavioral therapy? I'm currently in it myself for my bipolar symptoms, which include anxiety. You might want to look into it, or regular therapy?

Remember it's totally okay to have anxiety, but don't let it control your life. You have control over your life, your anxiety doesn't.

thanks i used to go to therapy when i was suffering anxiety relating to post traumatic stress disorder, but that got miles better, and this has only really picked up since i relocated, with no conscious reason to be anxious. I'd be willing to try therapy but i don't have much money or know how much good it would do without a reason to be anxious? (if that makes sense!)

katcunock

Carbs in general are tightly linked with mood disorders, migraines,and seizures. They trigger a release of seratonin in the brain. That's why their called 'comfort foods'. But...if your brain is already not managing the seratonin levels well, then a surge of carb-induced seratonin is going to be too much to handle. And it will trigger a drastic mood shift. Avoid those types of foods and the brain is able to remain more even, more stable.

My sister is severely bi-polar. She is medicated for it. But she's also not allowed to eat starchy carbs, only in very small quantities. She rarely, if at all, eats potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, cereal, etc. And she's only allowed 1/2 a banana every other day.

I have friends with migraines who were given similar restriction and noticed a difference.

All of those conditions live in the same part of the brain, it really does make sense. Maybe try a coupld of months of limiting your starchy carb intake and see where that gets you?

thanks thats really interesting! I've been making an effort to consume mostly complex carbs (brown rice pasta and bread, veggies etc) would they still count?

atb0821

What about natural remedies? My doctor suggested valerian root, inositol, or kava for anxiety. Going to a therapist would also be helpful, so you could learn about deep breathing/visualizations, that type of thing.

Elle408

I've recently been going through this, I've always had a bit of anxiety, but it was manageable with breathing techniques and CBT - then I started uni and everything just got so much worse. It finally got to the point where I wouldn't leave the house because I knew I would have a panic attack so started missing lectures and things.

I went to the doc and she gave me sleeping pills and beta blockers. I was always very against medication, but had to admit defeat, I couldn't cope and needed any help I could get. The beta blockers are fine, they really take away the crushing anxiety that makes me think i'll die if I stay in the situation. They made me feel drowsy and spaced-out at first, but that's starting to go now and I'm able to do some of the things that I couldn't before. I haven't had the sleeping pills as I'm too scared to take them, they're basically Rohypnol and state you can have amnesia the next morning, sleep walk and be drowsy the next day, I'm living in a house share and I don't feel comfortable with those possible side effects around people that I don't know particularly well. I've been scheduled in for more Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which does help, and like knowing that the beta blockers are there if I need them, sometimes that's enough to take away some of the worst anxiety.

katcunock

What about natural remedies? My doctor suggested valerian root, inositol, or kava for anxiety. Going to a therapist would also be helpful, so you could learn about deep breathing/visualizations, that type of thing.

i do deep breathing/yoga as recommended from my last doctor, but the natural remedies i'll have to look into, thanks

katcunock

I've recently been going through this, I've always had a bit of anxiety, but it was manageable with breathing techniques and CBT - then I started uni and everything just got so much worse. It finally got to the point where I wouldn't leave the house because I knew I would have a panic attack so started missing lectures and things.

I went to the doc and she gave me sleeping pills and beta blockers. I was always very against medication, but had to admit defeat, I couldn't cope and needed any help I could get. The beta blockers are fine, they really take away the crushing anxiety that makes me think i'll die if I stay in the situation. They made me feel drowsy and spaced-out at first, but that's starting to go now and I'm able to do some of the things that I couldn't before. I haven't had the sleeping pills as I'm too scared to take them, they're basically Rohypnol and state you can have amnesia the next morning, sleep walk and be drowsy the next day, I'm living in a house share and I don't feel comfortable with those possible side effects around people that I don't know particularly well. I've been scheduled in for more Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which does help, and like knowing that the beta blockers are there if I need them, sometimes that's enough to take away some of the worst anxiety.

I've had betqa blockers and sleeping pills in the past - interestingly, the beta blockers didn't help but the sleeping pills i loved and found a decent sleep made such a difference. Thank you so much for your input, and i hope things resolve for you too

Duck_Puddle

Yes, medication is worth it. I had become so accustomed to feeling anxious (palpitations, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, etc.) that it felt totally "normal" to feel that way. I have PTSD and anxiety is a huge part of that. I find that regular exercise absolutely makes an enormous impact on how much general anxiety I have on a day to day basis. But medication takes care of the rest. Between exercise & medication, I have not had an anxiety issue (aside from a few highly triggering situations) in about a year.

derbygirl_11

Dialectical behavioral therapy has done wonders for me, personally. You don't have to go in there with a "problem" per se, you just learn a lot of skills that you might not have had previously. It's great for borderline personalities, people with bipolar and PTSD, and a number of other mental dysfunctions, but you have to go in with an open mind. A lot of places offer sliding scales, or you can even try looking into some DBT based books if you're into the entire "mindfulness" idea.

Good luck!

dontgobacktosleep

This seems silly but drink your water. I suffered for years before finding out I was chronically dehydrated and misinterpreting what my body was telling me.

My anxieties completely bottomed out when I focused intensely on nutrients and saw the missing pieces. Potassium is like a drug now lol.

So much of your serotonin is generated in the gut, happy belly happy mind. Lots of great published info out there.
Add me if you like :-)

KatM2014

For me, the medication was SO worth it. I was completely anti medication until my doctor made the very good point that if I really didn't like it, I could stop taking it. I've been on medication for almost four months now and it has already made the world of difference, the biggest thing is that it makes it easier for me to do other things. But I also appreciate that everyone is different.

I hope you find something that is right for you, feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I know how it feels not knowing what to do

NaomiJFoster

Carbs in general are tightly linked with mood disorders, migraines,and seizures. They trigger a release of seratonin in the brain. That's why their called 'comfort foods'. But...if your brain is already not managing the seratonin levels well, then a surge of carb-induced seratonin is going to be too much to handle. And it will trigger a drastic mood shift. Avoid those types of foods and the brain is able to remain more even, more stable.

My sister is severely bi-polar. She is medicated for it. But she's also not allowed to eat starchy carbs, only in very small quantities. She rarely, if at all, eats potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, cereal, etc. And she's only allowed 1/2 a banana every other day.

I have friends with migraines who were given similar restriction and noticed a difference.

All of those conditions live in the same part of the brain, it really does make sense. Maybe try a coupld of months of limiting your starchy carb intake and see where that gets you?

thanks thats really interesting! I've been making an effort to consume mostly complex carbs (brown rice pasta and bread, veggies etc) would they still count?

The veggies are good. But the whole grain breads and brown rice, even though they are much better than white or processed products, they are still starchy carbs. I think. Play around with it a little bit, try eating them just once a day or every other day. If you feel a difference, that's something that effects you. If you don't notice anything, maybe that's not the way to go.

diddyk

Medication is absolutely worth it. I have had anxiety for years. For the longest time I tried to "be tough" and ignore it. Eventually my grades, performance at work, and friendships started to deteriorate because I was falling apart. I would have episodes of panic, hyperventilate and pass out. Finally after a trip to the ER for passing out on the train, I was talked into medication.

I felt extremely stupid for not trying it sooner. It wasn't a cure, but it helped me function normally, and I was able to sort out my problems with therapy. Medication won't cure you, but it can definitely help you cope with the symptoms and sort out the issues.

After years of medications, I am weaning off of them and I finally feel normal.

danger_kitteh

I was suffering from crushing anxiety last spring. It was making me house bound, I was exhibiting irrational behavior towards my family - it was bad. I did some counseling sessions (which I thought was hokey, I didn't like my counselor but I did get some stuff worked out) but also with my dr. did a blood work and my B12 was incredibly low. I take a daily supplement now for it and my anxiety is greatly reduced. I wouldn't say it's gone away completely, but it's manageable now to where my coping skills take care of the rest.

atb0821

Ooh I forgot. My therapist recommended I take an Omega 3/fish oil supplement every day and I really think it's helped. My mood was absolutely horrific about a week ago and I've seen an improvement. I'm also taking valerian root. Just be warned if you try it that it reeks like stinky feet

jess7386

OP I sent you a private message, but I did want to share this link for anyone else suffering from anxiety:

http://www.amazon.com/Panic-Attacks-Workbook-Program-Beating/dp/1569754152

I'm not super into the touchy-feely, but this book absolutely helps you recognize the symptomology of anxiety & panic attacks, and helps you figure out how to identify the feelings for what they are & ultimately overcome it. It's definitely helped me a lot & I absolutely suggest buying it.

NanaK57

My daughter has anixiety and was told that a good probiotic helps. She started taking a good one (Pharm. recommended one) last week and she can definately tell a difference.

Docmahi

If you have tried a lot of life style modifications - why not give the medication a try?

for anxiety they will most likely give you either the beta blocker you mentioned or clonazepam/ativan - if you have sort of stage fright anxiety where you know when it is going to happen or what triggers it people do really well with the beta blockers, and hey if you dont like it you can always tell your physician that.

I suffer from mild anxiety, and it used to always hit during tests - breathing exercises are all i needed and some visualization, but nothing wrong with taking some medication IMO

blinker86

Having worked with numerous clients with a variety of mental health issues, I wanted to applaud you for already taking some great steps toward managing the anxiety on your own! It sounds as if you've already found some valuable skills that you can use but that there certainly could be more improvement for you as well. I would definitely suggest returning to therapy. While right now you may not be aware of specific triggers that are leading you to feel anxious, I think a good therapist would be able to help you pinpoint some of these triggers and aid you in developing a larger plan to combat the anxiety. Additionally, if you are open to trying medications, it can be great to use them in conjunction with therapy, and you may find that you only need them for a short time.

Syriene

After having been on anxiety meds and beta blockers for years, I finally found someone to properly test my thyroid and found out it was out of whack. That and the adrenal gland being off kilter can really mess things up and cause some of the same symptoms. I'm now off both meds. Might be worth it to have those things checked out. There's a few thyroid groups on here if you decide to do so and need help interpreting bloodwork results.

If you remain on the anxiety meds, please make sure to research them well so you know what to expect. Some are more helpful than others (depending on the person) and some are heck to get out of your system. Medication can be worth it if you find the right one for you.
Good luck!

primpixie

Carbs in general are tightly linked with mood disorders, migraines,and seizures. They trigger a release of seratonin in the brain. That's why their called 'comfort foods'. But...if your brain is already not managing the seratonin levels well, then a surge of carb-induced seratonin is going to be too much to handle. And it will trigger a drastic mood shift. Avoid those types of foods and the brain is able to remain more even, more stable.

My sister is severely bi-polar. She is medicated for it. But she's also not allowed to eat starchy carbs, only in very small quantities. She rarely, if at all, eats potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, cereal, etc. And she's only allowed 1/2 a banana every other day.

I have friends with migraines who were given similar restriction and noticed a difference.

All of those conditions live in the same part of the brain, it really does make sense. Maybe try a coupld of months of limiting your starchy carb intake and see where that gets you?

This is excellent advice and beautifully written in plain english as opposed to your gaba isn't fully functioning and there fore you need to balance your neuro transmitters! Which is true, but better to explain the serotonin and it's all the same part of the brain!
For anxiety and depression I use Sertraline, an SSRi and it does work. Try not to take it with St John's Wort or any other alternative, they do clash and can make you very ill.
You say you do not know why your are anxious - surely moving and being in a new place/surroundings if enough to trigger anyones anxiety levels, so for you who has had anxiety in the past, this is what it will be. They say that moving house is one of the most stressful things people can do.
Also you will be worrying inernally about what you are worried about!
Take care, befriend me if you want. I am also bi polar, but medicated. And have suffered from mental anxiety/panic attacks and clinical depression most of my life.
PP

kelgirl66

If you aren't eating enough carbs that can make it worse. Everytime I tried to do a low carb diet I would have horrible anxiety. Just make sure you are eating good carbs. Oatmeal and whole wheat breads/pasta. You don't need much to do the job. Sorry your going through this it does suck. I love doing spin classes for my anxiety. it really helps with stress. Good luck.

kelgirl66

depleting carbs actually gave me anxiety. You can google anxiety and see that healthy carbs are good for anxiety. Just eat good ones. A bowl of oatmeal can do wonders for anxiety.

trdepalo

Both my boyfriend and I have severe anxiety since always, probably because we both have parents with it too. Honestly therapy is the only thing that has helped both of us, the trick is finding a really good therapist that you can trust. I really like narrative therapy and he's since gotten on board with it to. You say there is no conscious reason for it, but I bet if you spend enough time really thinking (and talking) about it you would find a cause that maybe you never would have guessed on your own.

To be honest, for us it has been a long long process, years long, but we make such great strides its amazing and I'm so confident that by the time we are in our early 30s we'll be better off for having done the work now and getting past it (unlike our parents, who even though tried therapy didn't commit in the way we are and we can see them struggling with things we ourselves have already started working on and improving). There is no quick fix or medication that will change anything (oh have we tried, hypnosis, CBT, handfuls of drugs you name it), those are just like crutches that help you get by when things are really bad. Eventually you need to learn to stand alone, and it's possible but just takes a lot of work. At least in our experience.

justoneanna

Definitely recommending that you consider going back to therapy, even if you don't know right now what your anxiety triggers are. That's some of the benefit of going through the therapy process - helping you find and identify those, especially as you've just gone through some major changes in your life. It might be a good in-between step for managing anxiety before you consider the medication step.

Also, remember that there are different kinds of medications - I take anxiety medication just "as needed" when things get to be too much, it's not something I have to take all the time or even every day. I don't know what form your anxiety takes, but that's an easier thing for me to do (like taking tylenol when I have a headache) than thinking I *must* take certain medications all the time.

And you may only need the medications for a short time as well. If you were handling the anxiety well on your own before, you may just need a little extra help right now and then can go back to managing without additional help!

Good luck to you though! Anxiety sucks!

glovepuppet

i took meds for a year. i know a lot of people are funny about it but i'm not sure why...
now i just take st johns wort when i need it (which my doc said was great).
anyway, meds are great if you need meds. why suffer needlessly?