Panic disorder/anxiety?

[Squiggle]

Hi all,

I recently joined and posted a thread in the migraine forum.

I am also experiencing what I think may be a panic disorder or anxiety issue and as I mentioned in my other post, my family doctor is 5 hours away so I have to go to a walk-in clinic in Toronto and see a very rushed doctor for about 5 minutes to get any help... so I need to arm myself with plenty of information, know what to ask and be very concise when I do go... which is why I am here, to see if anyone can help me better determine how to speak to the clinic doctor and ask for a medication to help.

The women on my mother's side have a long history of panic/anxiety issues. My mom has panic attacks/might anxiety and is on zoloft (or was)... my grandma apparently has similar issues, and my great-grandma was severely agoraphobic.

Since I was a child, I've had extreme worry, felt like something bad was going to happen if I didn't "confess" to my parents something bad I did (and once I did, I eventually fixated on something else I had to tell them or else...)... I had an episode as a child where I was having severe attacks of some sort and went to the hospital.

In high school, social anxiety got pretty bad (combined with untreated migraines) and I stopped going...

At 18 (24 now) I went on Effexor and I was able to finish up my degree. I took myself off of it because I didn't want to take it anymore, went through horrible withdrawals etc.

I now am a freelance writer/copywriter/web writer operating my own business... while I don't have to commute, it can be quite stressful especially with clients not paying on time, the postal strike which shut off my income (they pay by cheque)...and the stress of deadlines.

Last year I felt like my throat was going to swell shut and kill me, like there was genuinely something in there or I was having an allergy attack (I don't have allergies and was sent to an allergist to determine that) which was causing severe panic...the allergist told me to relax, calm down and if that didn't work look into a panic disorder (but not to google it because of lots of misinformation out there)... eventually it subsided somewhat but has not gone away completely. I've had ultrasounds on my throat, blood work, etc... no thyroid issues. Slight b12 deficiency which I'm taking supplements for.

Now, I am shaky, dizzy, generally "out of it"... a few weeks ago my legs felt like they wouldn't do what I was going to tell them to, they were numb and cold-feeling (on the inside not the outside). I believe that might have been the b12 deficiency, which I left alone and didn't do anything about until recently. But this brought about mild panic issues, heart racing feelings (doctor checked, it's not racing), etc.

The b12 has helped a bit, but I still am dizzy and I feel like I am not even here... like everything outside of my body is surreal, even grave situations (We've lost two family members in the last 3 months or so, the latest less than a week ago)... I am getting random chills, adrenaline rushes, severe waves of panic, etc. I feel on edge and constantly worried about every little thing... if something is resolved, I will fixate and obsess and worry about something else.

To be honest, my body feels like it did when I went through the effexor withdrawals (adrenaline shocks, weird feelings, being a zombie), but I am not on anything and nor have I been for years now.

I feel like a dope continually going to the doctor (walk-in clinic) with seemingly made up illnesses (throat closing, heart racing and dizziness) because I am not like that at all. I am not sure what to tell this doctor in the few minutes I have with her to convince her I need an SSRI (which I am not really keen on, but if it helps it helps) or a short benzo treatment (I read 8-weeks can help sometimes).

Thank you in advance!

 

[Always Changing]

Panic Disorder-Panic Attacks-Agoraphobia-Anxiety-Phobias-Fears-Nervousness this is a link to about.com's website on the disorder.

Maybe having a look at the above links will help in deciding how to talk to the doctor.
I wonder though if a walk in clinic with a few mins with a doctor is going to suffice for that doctor to diagnose and then prescribe meds to treat ??. Self diagnosis is not always the correct diagnosis, there maybe any number of reasons for the symptoms you describe. Maybe a referral to a psychiatrist\psychologist would be more beneficial to obtain a correct diagnosis.

Or If you ring your Gp maybe he can fax a letter saying he has confirmed this diagnosis?? ( assuming he has of course diagnosed you with this disorder) . That would go a long way to helping the doctor at the clinic prescribe something to alleviate your symptoms.

 

[Daniel E.]

I believe that might have been the b12 deficiency,

As you may know, something else doctor's will check for with complaints of anxiety is thyroid function, which is also a blood test.

so I need to arm myself with plenty of information, know what to ask and be very concise when I do go..

One tip you may have considered already: Maybe hand the doctor a list of your symptoms. Or just use the list to refresh your memory.

They prescribe SSRIs rather liberally these days, so you shouldn't have a problem getting a prescription sooner than later.

Also, the drug websites have more information, e.g.

http://www.lexapro.com/talk-to-doctor-about-lexapro/

 

[Squiggle]

Yes, I was thinking of maybe typing one up to bring with me... I feel much better today, I think writing down everything in a post helps.

 

[Always Changing]

I feel much better today, I think writing down everything in a post helps.

Glad to hear you feel much better , Have you considered maybe seeking counseling \therapy to help with finding the triggers of these attacks and how you can better manage\ cope when they strike?

I agree with you that writing things down here helps, It does for me :2thumbs:

 

[locrian]

I feel like a dope continually going to the doctor (walk-in clinic) with seemingly made up illnesses (throat closing, heart racing and dizziness) because I am not like that at all.

Hi Squiggle,

While you might be unable to control the anxiety / panic, you may have control over how you judge yourself in this situation. There's no reason for you to feel like a "dope". You know that your experience of anxiety / panic is real, and that you're doing what you can to handle it, based on the knowledge and resources you have. I would suggest instead that doctors are human and have their limitations. And of course, you'll find that some doctors are more knowledgeable and caring than others. Hopefully you'll manage to find the help you need, sooner rather than later.

 

[H011yHawkJ311yBean]

I visited a psychologist (paid for through work) last Friday who reminded me to start up on my meditation again. I don't know why I stopped doing it. It's like a skill, and I'm a bit rusty. It's almost like one of those drugs one must take continuously to survive, like insulin for diabetes or synthroid for hypothyroid... That's what I gotta think of it, instead of stopping doing it just because I feel fine.

Have you ever tried meditative breathing techniques? It does actually help. I'm doing some right after I post this, just so I don't find something else to distract me (like another post lol)...

 

[Squiggle]

Thanks everyone

Re: Daniel, I've had a thyroid ultrasound (because I felt like my throat was swelling up and I was gonna die...the thyroid is the closest thing to that general area) and recent bloodwork (because I had high blood pressure at the time, although the last time I went to the dr it was normal)...

I visited the Dr about two weeks ago and was prescribed 10 mg of Celexa (SSRI) per day... Tuesday will be two weeks since I started and I'm supposed to go back on Tuesday and either get more or up my dosage. I don't feel it yet.. A few days after I started taking it I felt better but I am sure that's a placebo effect, because I knew I was doing something for it... I feel about the same, still anxious/dizzy/jumpy/can't breathe sometimes. I've been on an SSRI before and I remember what that felt like. I don't feel that yet, so I'm wondering if I should wait and see if it takes effect, get more 10 mg's on Tuesday... or ask for a higher dose.

 

[Daniel E.]

As you may know, some people start at 20 mg/day anyway.

 

[Always Changing]

You could ring the doctor and just say what you have said about about you not feeling the benefits of the celexa yet and see what he says? That phone call will give you reassurance and you will feel that you have done something good to help yourself too. .

Sometimes certain drugs take a while to start giving benefit and also making a small change in your routine could help too.

 

[Squiggle]

Daniel: I didn't know that actually... I mentioned I was hesitant to go back on an SSRI so she set me up with a low dose and said we'd see what that did, but that I should definitely know within the two weeks... I am debating what to do with regards to upping it, unfortunately for financial reasons because if I up it they will cost me twice as much and I don't personally have insurance but my boyfriend does... once he fills out the papers I'm covered but it might be the type that pays you back... you still have to pay for meds upfront which still puts me in the same predicament.

Always Changing: unfortunately my family doctor is 4-5 hours away so I go to a walk-in clinic... I can't call to speak to the doctor, I have to go and wait the standard 2 hours to see one. I can go on the days this particular doctor is working and request her specifically because she is getting to know my history, but that's about it. That's why I like to arm myself with as much information as possible before going

As for small routine changes...The last three weeks I've taken weekends off... I think it's helping a lot. I run my own small freelance writing business and found a couple side jobs that I could work whenever...so for the last 10 months or so I used up my weekends doing that to make extra money essentially working 7 days a week without breaks (I felt lazy knowing I could be making money and not doing anything)... the extra money is nice, but not at a cost to my health... I just need to manage my work habits better in order to be more productive and make more money during the week. I try to make myself relax on weekends and not worry too much, but just make sure to work hard during the week

 

[Always Changing]

As for small routine changes...The last three weeks I've taken weekends off... I think it's helping a lot.

Good Job! :2thumbs:

Wow!! 4\5 hours is a long long ways to go. In your shoes I would be going to the walk in clinic too. I like that you know which day you can see the doctor who is getting to know you (and your history). Great thinking there.

 

[Squiggle]

I try my best! Two times ago I went in to complain about the crazy dizziness/heart racing/legs feeling like jelly and requested her, but wound up with some crazy doctor who told me it was weather changes... :\

 

[H011yHawkJ311yBean]

Ah! I had a doctor who thought I was having a panic attack when I described to her that I couldn't breathe and almost thought I had to call an ambulance (clearly didn't read my family history of asthma)... And I also had swollen thyroid glands and was starting to feel an increase in appetite and lack of sleep and she thought, that although my thyroid test showed higher than normal I was making a big deal about nothing. Well, I quit seeing her and went to an asthma clinic that happened to be in another doctor's office several months later, and by then I was manic and had insomnia and talked like a chipmunk, had a resting heart rate of 120 beats a minute, sweating constantly, hands shaking, heart palpitations, ate like a whale but was thin as a reed, etc... The lady doing the clinic noticed my racing pulse and got a doctor... Who is now my actual doctor, and who figured out that I had Graves' Disease (hyper thyroid)... I tried for years to control my levels down but they didn't ever go down so I took a radiation treatment to kill off part of the thyroid. So now my thyroid levels are below normal and I have to take drugs my whole life to keep it to regular levels, but it's better than constantly keeping it down.

I hate doctors who poo-poo your condition and make you feel like you are a hypochondriac when there is actual proof right there that there is something wrong. Duh!

 

[Squiggle]

I am happy you've finally narrowed it down! I think it's taken me so long because I don't correlate stressors with what I'm feeling. I feel somewhat dizzy all of the time, but I did some searching on this forum and found really good information on anxiety and dizziness. In addition, when it gets really bad (or I have a panic attack) I don't realize why....

For example the other day my puppy, who is a serious source of anxiety (because he seemed to have serious healthy problems that turned out to be a delicate tummy) pooped out a bunch of bloody stuff on a walk. (This is somewhat normal because of his history, but it had not happened for a long time. It hasn't happened again since but don't worry... if it had happened continuously he would have been taken to the vet, but we are at the point now after so many vet trips that we know when to go to the vet and when not to based on other symptoms.) Anyway, immediately I felt very dizzy like everything was spinning and I got scared that I would faint and my dog would run into the street and whatnot, so I had to really try VERY hard to hold it together until we got home. But the thing was, I wasn't focusing on the issue that made me so worried when I felt like that...

I think in my college years when I was also on effexor I became very very good at pushing worries and stress to the back of my mind and ignoring it. But somehow, even when ignoring it it affects me physically. I don't know if this makes much sense.

 

[Squiggle]

Okay, upped to 20 mg now. For some reason, 7 pills of 20 mg (which I took half of for two weeks) and 14 pills of 20 mg (one per day for two weeks, plus a refill later) cost the same amount.
I feel great right now but I know that's the placebo effect of taking more. We shall see