Anxiety based physical ailments? (depression, diet, smoke, Ativan)
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Does anyone here suffer from physical conditions caused by anxiety?
ie: high BP, migraines, spasms, etc
I have, or HAD stapedial myoclonus tensor tympani syndrome. I was diagnosed with it earlier this year and had surgery to address it.
Long story short - for those not familiar with this condition (many Doctors never even heard of it), it's basically 2 tendons in your middle ear that spasm and hit your eardrum, which causes a drum beat sound in your ear. As you can imagine, it is MADDENING! Which is why I jumped at the chance to have surgery immediately after the diagnosis.
The problem is, while I may not have that drum-beat sound in my ear anymore, I still have some lingering symptoms with my ear.
I was curious to know if anyone else suffers from this, or any other conditions as a result of anxiety.
20 yrs. ago when my very fit, in shape parents died unexpectedly within 18 months of each, I developed an irregular heart beat. It was quite real, showing up on EKGs, but totally harmless, with the specific diagnosis being premature atrial contractions AKA extrasystoles. Although in my mind I knew these irregular beats were not dangerous, they nevertheless drove me nuts, keeping me awake at night and disrupting my daily activities. Drove the doctors crazy too, taking up their valuable time for sick people. Lasted about a year and then vanished.
GPD, or generational panic disorder is a very real physiological condition, which is sometimes evident at birth but more often it presents at puberty, and if not by then, then age twenty-three (when the human brain matures) is another common age for it to show up.
It's hell!
In families where the disease is prevalent, females have an 80% chance of developing it, while males have only a 20% chance.
Basically, the flight or flight mechanism in the brain isn't 'wired' correctly and the body releases too many catecholamines (stimulants like adrenaline, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and so on), and doesn't manufacture sufficient neurotransmitters, which are supposed to act as calming agents, but in people with GPD or simply PD, those neurotransmitters are deficient in either quantity or quality - and sometimes both.
I've had this disorder all my life and have been chronic since the age of twenty-six. ALL of my daughters have it too, and all of them are chronic. We can trace the disease back five generations in our family. Here's part of an eleven-part interview I gave circa five years ago, which discusses GPD. Migraines, spasms, and a plethora of other symptoms are common, as are PVCs (premature ventricular contractions), A-fib, Da Costa's syndrome (chest pain that mimics a heart attack), and a host of other horrors.
Normal or intermittent anxiety is experienced by a significant segment of the population at one time or another, and the percentage of people afflicted is increasing as our world becomes more complex, and social fears abound. This kind of anxiety is called exogenous anxiety because it comes from an outside source or sources. What I have is endogenous, as it needs no outside stimulus, it simply visits itself upon you at all hours of the day and/or night, and leaves you feeling as if you've been hit by a freight train. As I said - it's hell! On average, I experience four to six 'attacks' per week - and that's on medication.
My sympathies to you, Northeastah, and to anyone experiencing any kind of anxiety-related physical discomfort. Just thank God you don't have the full-blown disease!
20 yrs. ago when my very fit, in shape parents died unexpectedly within 18 months of each, I developed an irregular heart beat. It was quite real, showing up on EKGs, but totally harmless, with the specific diagnosis being premature atrial contractions AKA extrasystoles. Although in my mind I knew these irregular beats were not dangerous, they nevertheless drove me nuts, keeping me awake at night and disrupting my daily activities. Drove the doctors crazy too, taking up their valuable time for sick people. Lasted about a year and then vanished.
I am sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine what you went though emotionally. Glad though that your irregular heart beat went away - you are fortunate. I didn't know your heart can correct itself like that.
GPD, or generational panic disorder is a very real physiological condition, which is sometimes evident at birth but more often it presents at puberty, and if not by then, then age twenty-three (when the human brain matures) is another common age for it to show up.
It's hell!
In families where the disease is prevalent, females have an 80% chance of developing it, while males have only a 20% chance.
Basically, the flight or flight mechanism in the brain isn't 'wired' correctly and the body releases too many catecholamines (stimulants like adrenaline, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and so on), and doesn't manufacture sufficient neurotransmitters, which are supposed to act as calming agents, but in people with GPD or simply PD, those neurotransmitters are deficient in either quantity or quality - and sometimes both.
I've had this disorder all my life and have been chronic since the age of twenty-six. ALL of my daughters have it too, and all of them are chronic. We can trace the disease back five generations in our family. Here's part of an eleven-part interview I gave circa five years ago, which discusses GPD. Migraines, spasms, and a plethora of other symptoms are common, as are PVCs (premature ventricular contractions), A-fib, Da Costa's syndrome (chest pain that mimics a heart attack), and a host of other horrors.
Normal or intermittent anxiety is experienced by a significant segment of the population at one time or another, and the percentage of people afflicted is increasing as our world becomes more complex, and social fears abound. This kind of anxiety is called exogenous anxiety because it comes from an outside source or sources. What I have is endogenous, as it needs no outside stimulus, it simply visits itself upon you at all hours of the day and/or night, and leaves you feeling as if you've been hit by a freight train. As I said - it's hell! On average, I experience four to six 'attacks' per week - and that's on medication.
My sympathies to you, Northeastah, and to anyone experiencing any kind of anxiety-related physical discomfort. Just thank God you don't have the full-blown disease!
Hope this helps.
Shalom Aleichem,
Mahrie.
Wow, thank you for sharing that. And thank you for your well wishes. Do you mind me asking what kind of meds you're on?
I have the usual Xanax for the regular anxiety. It's pretty useless for my ear issues though - which have been acting up a lot in the last week. I have Klonopin left over from before my surgery and I have taken it twice this week. The full dose (.5mg) helps, but it knocks me out cold and I wake up extremely tired. when I cut it in half, it's not very effective.
I'm wondering what else is out there that might help me.
Shalom Alechem to you, and shabbat shalom.
Last edited by Northeastah; 07-18-2015 at 09:41 AM..
Wow, thank you for sharing that. And thank you for your well wishes. Do you mind me asking what kind of meds you're on?
I have the usual Xanax for the regular anxiety. It's pretty useless for my ear issues though - which have been acting up a lot in the last week. I have Klonopin left over from before my surgery and I have taken it twice this week. The full dose (.5mg) helps, but it knocks me out cold and I wake up extremely tired. when I cut it in half, it's not very effective.
I'm wondering what else is out there that might help me.
Shalom Alechem to you, and shabbat shalom.
Not at all, Northesatah. I don't mind sharing anything that will help.
I refused chemical help 'til I was 30, so I've been taking meds for 30 years. I take 6 mg. Alprazolam (Xanax) daily, in 4 x 1.5 mg. doses. For on-the-spot help when I'm having a MAJOR episode, I also have Lorazepam (Ativan), which I then take 3 mg of (3 x 1mg little white sublingual tabs).
I also take Metoprolol for A-fib (which has been problematic for the past couple of years and I've been hospitalized four times), and I'm now on 4 x 25 mg. daily, which helps, but it's a Band aid measure only, not a cure. Metoprolol wreaks havoc with blood sugar levels though, so because of that I'm obliged to take Metformin - 1 x 500 mg. tab twice a day, which helps a little, but my blood glucose levels aren't as good as they were a year ago, when I began taking both Metoprolol and Metformin. My A1c used to hover around 5.2 - 5.4 and now I'd guess it's probably around 6 - 7, which isn't tragic but it isn't great, as it increases one's risk of heart attack and stroke 500%. (Five times the risk of the 'normal' population, but I take supplements to combat that.)
Finally, I take Losec - 2 x 10 mg. tabs daily, as both Metformin and Metoprolol are extremely hard on the stomach, and courtesy of them I now have a hiatus hernia - just for extra fun.
I've never found anything that can mitigate chronic endogenous panic disorder, although detoxing one's body (read the book Detoxify or Die by Sherry A. Rodgers MD ND) and eliminating sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and ALL other stimulants is *mandatory* for *any* kind of anxiety disorder. (One sip of wine and I'm back in the ER with A-fib, which was caused by years of having GPD. Prior to a year ago, I had no problem having a glass of red wine with dinner, but after menopause - that changed.) Many of my patients have never been able to tolerate alcohol in any form, even in cough medicines, which, by the way, are also highly stimulative.
Being 'stressed out' or contracting any kind of virus - even the common cold - seems to aggravate PD, and we experience a bad bout with it for weeks or months during and after the virus takes hold.
You don't say how old you are. If you are still menstruating then PD is famously worse during ovulation and also for three or more days prior to your period.
Childbirth, any kind of anesthesia (general or otherwise), and any kind of trauma (physical or mental) will also aggravate your spells (symptoms). Even going to the dentist is a challenge for those suffering from anxiety issues (or spells), as the standard freezing agent contains epinephrine - a major stimulant. I have to have alternative anesthetic, which doesn't work nearly as well, or last as long, but it gets the job done, if somewhat painfully.
Klonopin (Clonazepam) is just another kind of benzodiazepine (benzo), like Xanax, Ativan, Restoril, and several others. Fatigue is normal when you first start to take it, but you might find Ativan less heavy-hitting; I know I do, but we're all individuals, so what works best for one person may be useless for another. ANY kind of benzo will hit you hard at first, but the body ALWAYS becomes tolerant of it (resistant to it, actually) within a few weeks, and the fatigue you're feeling now will disappear. However, you may have to increase your dose as times goes on. (The same is true of most meds.) Still, IIWY, I'd give it a try. One 1 mg sub-lingual tablet of Ativan should help you to sleep and it's unlikely that you'll wake up drowsy.
Fun facts, I know, and not terribly encouraging, but one bright note in all of this is that PD can vanish just as quickly and mysteriously as it came, either for a while or permanently (much like Calvert Hall's PVCs), and I've had that happen to me twice in my lifetime - once in my teens, when it vanished for four years, and then once after my third child was born; I had another three wonderful years with no symptoms whatsoever. Unfortunately, when it did return, it returned with a vengeance.
I do take a number of supplements, but none of them mitigate GPD. Eliminating stress (as far as is possible) and the above-mentioned substances will go a long way in helping you. I've also found it helps to eat less (I consume circa 900 calories per day, but then I'm restricted to either bed or a wheelchair, so I don't use as many calories as most do), which is a healthy move for anyone.
Tinnitus and other ear problems are common with GPD. Sometimes it helps to drink a cold glass of water, and as odd as it sounds, it also often helps to simply put your pinky into your ear and give it a good waggle, LOL! Not terribly scientific or elegant - but it works. Just be sure that your BP is within normal parameters, as high blood pressure can cause all kinds of ear (sound) problems.
I wish you all the very best, Northeastah. If I can be of further help, don't hesitate to ask. When we live with challenges, we learn to do everything differently. To read a good story where the leading lady is living with GPD, PM me and I'll send you an e-copy. It may make you feel better.
Does anyone here suffer from physical conditions caused by anxiety?
ie: high BP, migraines, spasms, etc
I have, or HAD stapedial myoclonus tensor tympani syndrome. I was diagnosed with it earlier this year and had surgery to address it.
Long story short - for those not familiar with this condition (many Doctors never even heard of it), it's basically 2 tendons in your middle ear that spasm and hit your eardrum, which causes a drum beat sound in your ear. As you can imagine, it is MADDENING! Which is why I jumped at the chance to have surgery immediately after the diagnosis.
The problem is, while I may not have that drum-beat sound in my ear anymore, I still have some lingering symptoms with my ear.
I was curious to know if anyone else suffers from this, or any other conditions as a result of anxiety.
I'm pretty sure my gastritis/esophagitis was caused by the constant stress in my life. I know my diet does not help but I'm not a binge eater and never have been so I'm pretty confident this was the cause. Sad part is since it is already there, it may always be there because I stress about the condition.
It doesn't sound like a big deal if you read the name but it causes a lot of problems. They say that the stomach and brain are deeply interconnected. Some days it is okay but other days it is absolute hell. Usually I get stomach cramps but I can get heart racing feeling (there were quite a few days where I woke up in a panic and that's when my heart really got going) I also feel like I don't have as much energy as I used to and it's not as easy to dance so you could imagine if I did regular exercise it'd be much worse.
Chest pain is another thing I've had. I get nausea most mornings and my throat feels like a smoker's to me a lot. My stomach tends to bloat (I actually don't weigh that much. Last I went to the doctor I think they said I weigh about 115) Surprisingly I seem to get everything but heartburn. I don't get much of that. It also seems to have made my periods worse..not only the cramps but the PMS and stuff. Depression in general seems to be more intense as well.
It used to be worse I guess. I had a hard time eating celery there for a while because it could easily get stuck but the gastritis isn't really slowing up even when I take the marshmallow pills probiotic or eat strawberries it doesn't seem to make a difference. I just generally feel like a run down old vehicle almost all the time and I hate having to take PPIs being anti medicine. I'm not at all good with taking them. I accidentally on purpose forget about being consistent I guess.
Tinnitus and other ear problems are common with GPD. Sometimes it helps to drink a cold glass of water, and as odd as it sounds, it also often helps to simply put your pinky into your ear and give it a good waggle, LOL! Not terribly scientific or elegant - but it works. Just be sure that your BP is within normal parameters, as high blood pressure can cause all kinds of ear (sound) problems.
I wish you all the very best, Northeastah. If I can be of further help, don't hesitate to ask. When we live with challenges, we learn to do everything differently. To read a good story where the leading lady is living with GPD, PM me and I'll send you an e-copy. It may make you feel better.
Much love and well wishes,
Mahrie.
Thanks so much for your reply! Has your condition improved at all as a result of all the meds?
I saw a cardiologist a few yrs ago for a full workup, and even though my BP is normal and my stress test, carotid, etc was good (thank GOD), my heart rate is pretty high... which I later found out is very common for people with anxiety. He said I may want to consider a low dose beta blocker if it keeps up.
I stopped taking Claritin yesterday - which I take every night for the last 3-4 yrs. Perhaps stopping antihistamines every single day will help with my heart rate. I also started Magnesium Citrate 400mg. That made me really tired last night and between that and cotton in my ears, I was able to sleep without meds! That made me very happy - but I am certainly not deluding myself into thinking I won't need them anymore.
I'm back to exercising 3-4x a week for the last few months. I am 100% committed to getting myself to a better and healthier state - physically AND mentally.
I've done a ton of reading about my ear condition, it is without a doubt caused by anxiety.
I'm pretty sure my gastritis/esophagitis was caused by the constant stress in my life. I know my diet does not help but I'm not a binge eater and never have been so I'm pretty confident this was the cause. Sad part is since it is already there, it may always be there because I stress about the condition.
It doesn't sound like a big deal if you read the name but it causes a lot of problems. They say that the stomach and brain are deeply interconnected. Some days it is okay but other days it is absolute hell. Usually I get stomach cramps but I can get heart racing feeling (there were quite a few days where I woke up in a panic and that's when my heart really got going) I also feel like I don't have as much energy as I used to and it's not as easy to dance so you could imagine if I did regular exercise it'd be much worse.
Chest pain is another thing I've had. I get nausea most mornings and my throat feels like a smoker's to me a lot. My stomach tends to bloat (I actually don't weigh that much. Last I went to the doctor I think they said I weigh about 115) Surprisingly I seem to get everything but heartburn. I don't get much of that. It also seems to have made my periods worse..not only the cramps but the PMS and stuff. Depression in general seems to be more intense as well.
It used to be worse I guess. I had a hard time eating celery there for a while because it could easily get stuck but the gastritis isn't really slowing up even when I take the marshmallow pills probiotic or eat strawberries it doesn't seem to make a difference. I just generally feel like a run down old vehicle almost all the time and I hate having to take PPIs being anti medicine. I'm not at all good with taking them. I accidentally on purpose forget about being consistent I guess.
wow, that sounds pretty awful, I'm really sorry.
this is probably a silly question but - have you tried giving up gluten? I know a lot of ppl (myself included) who have gone off it for 30 days and couldn't believe how much better they (I) have felt. I don't get acid reflux anymore, ever. I don't have any bloating anymore and even my skin looks better!
Thanks so much for your reply! Has your condition improved at all as a result of all the meds?
Absolutely! I was at the point, at age twenty-six, where I was ready to just close my eyes and die. The meds (6 m.g. Xanax at that time) lessened the number and severity of 'my' panic attacks. (I refuse to claim them. The brain can't take a joke and I don't want it getting the wrong ideas.) I had four children under five years old at that juncture and I needed to be able to take care of them properly. The meds enabled me to manage that and everything else that I do in life. I still have to live within a pretty tight framework, but I'm so grateful to GOD that the meds I take are available.
I saw a cardiologist a few yrs ago for a full workup, and even though my BP is normal and my stress test, carotid, etc was good (thank GOD), my heart rate is pretty high... which I later found out is very common for people with anxiety. He said I may want to consider a low dose beta blocker if it keeps up.
Ooh, I wouldn't go down that road unless you have to. I wish I hadn't! They're all but impossible to discontinue and the amount you need will only increase with time. Instead, I'd try taking a tablespoonful of cold pressed, Norwegian Cod Liver Oil three times a day, along with 600 mg of magnesium (dissolved in water) three times a day, and 400 mg of potassium. That trio should lower your heart rate and also clean out your arteries and remove any plaque buildup that you have on your heart muscle. It'll take a few weeks to kick in fully, but you should feel better right away.
How old are you, Northeastah? And what is your resting heart rate? Do you know? And what is your heart rate after you've walked about for five minutes? Also, how long does it take, after you sit down from walking, to return to your resting heart rate?
Obviously, I can't treat you long distance, but I can help you to make some sense out of your symptoms and biological functions so that you can present your doctor with an accurate picture of your day-to-day life.
Have you had an echo cardiogram or worn a Halter monitor? I wouldn't take a beta blocker without having those tests. It's easy to write a script, but I wouldn't permit my doc to give me a beta blocker without those tests. Too many docs are far too quick to medicate without procuring a proper diagnosis first.
I stopped taking Claritin yesterday - which I take every night for the last 3-4 yrs. Perhaps stopping antihistamines every single day will help with my heart rate. I also started Magnesium Citrate 400mg. That made me really tired last night and between that and cotton in my ears, I was able to sleep without meds! That made me very happy - but I am certainly not deluding myself into thinking I won't need them anymore.
Taking the magnesium is great (as I mentioned above), and it doesn't tire you. Without adequate magnesium, your body's electrical system can't work, as it has nothing to conduct the electricity. Upwards of 85% of the general populace is deficient in magnesium. Some people need 3,000 mg daily. (I find that 1,800 is enough for me.) If you can afford a Cardio/ION panel, I'd get one done so you know exactly what your deficiencies are and can medicate yourself (with food and supplements) accordingly.
Claritin can have a stimulative effect, so I'm not surprised that you managed to sleep better.
I'm back to exercising 3-4x a week for the last few months. I am 100% committed to getting myself to a better and healthier state - physically AND mentally.
I've done a ton of reading about my ear condition, it is without a doubt caused by anxiety.
You might want to order another of Sherry Rodger's books entitled Is Your Cardiologist Killing You? I hand them out to every cardiologist I have occasion to meet and most of them are thrilled to have the info.
May God bless you, Northeastah!
Mahrie.
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Just be sure that your BP is within normal parameters, as high blood pressure can cause all kinds of ear (sound) problems.
That made me very happy - but I am certainly not deluding myself into thinking I won't need them anymore. 
