Anxiety

[vjsnowprincess]

Sorry this post is so long...I haven't been around in awhile. I got married in December and it has been a harrowing few months.

The wedding was a very stressful time, and it brought out the worst in POTS for me. But it also inculded panic attacks that, for awhile, were every day, and forced me to retreat to my home for months. I would not be able to even go to the store by myself. It started as POTS symptoms, which we all know well, but then began to include panic attacks for fear of havings POTS symptoms and passing out in public. I am currently being treated for anxiety and depression.

I have had an amazing turn-around with weekly therapy sessions (since May) for anxiety-and the anxiety drug Ativan. (Which I am not taking currently as I am trying to get pregnant).

I am curious if others have had sucess managing symptoms with anxiety treatment, or if there are others who also suffer from anxiety.

My therapist says that since anxiety and POTS are both connected to the autonomic nervous system, that it is why I have found my symptoms reduced with anxiety treatment.

I would like to know your thoughts on the connection.

[EarthMother]

Congratulations on your wedding. Sorry the panic attacks have been so difficult -- they are horrendous I know first hand.

Not everyone with POTS gets panic disorder, but it is certainly a normal reaction under the circumstances. Do know that you are not alone.

I've posted a few times this week about books/tapes from Dr. Claire Weekes. Do a search on audible.com for Weekes and you can hear the first 10 min. free. Amazon also has her book, hope and help for ypur nerves. She explains about those of us with "sensitized" systems in a way that really makes sense.

Feel free to email me anytime if you have question about panic -- I am certainly a pro. (Not to be confused with recovered, but I'm on my way and determined) I am convinced we can recover from panic and still live with POTS.

Good luck on your healing journey.

EM

[calypso]

Congrats on getting married! Sorry to hear you've been having a rough time, but that's good that the therapy and med helped.

I had pre-existing anxiety long before my POTS developed. I started having panic attacks a month after I left for college. I got them under control with cognitive behavioral therapy, Klonopin (very similar to Ativan) and the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine. I gained a lot of weight from the tricyclic, so I switched to Zoloft a year later, and continued to do very well, having a panic attack only once a year or so (compared to five or so a week early on).

When my POTS developed just after I had my daughter nearly two years ago, I had no problems with anxiety and was med-free. Then, as I got sicker, I started to get anxious due to all of the crazy things that were going on with my body. It became more of a generalized anxiety, with panic attack-like episodes occuring every couple of months. I went back on an antidepressant (first Zoloft, then Lexapro, then finally, Effexor) and just six months ago started using Klonopin again. I still have a hard time knowing if the anxiety is just the same stuff that's always been there and feels different now that my body is changed by the POTS, or if it's in response to the POTS, or if it actually IS the POTS. I guess it doesn't matter.

Anyway, I would continue the behavioral therapy, try meditation and yoga, and eat a low-sugar diet to avoid mood swings and blood sugar crashes. Also try to avoid caffeine.

Good luck on trying to conceive! Feel free to ask me anything else you want to know on this topic.

Amy

[vjsnowprincess]

Thank you so much for your responses! It is so great to hear that there are others like me, and have gone through the same things-not just POTS, but the anxiety as well.

I will look into the books you mentioned, Eathmother.

I also think that incorporating faith in my life will be a big help. I used to be much more "religious" prior to this, and I think that once I start going back to church, and pray regularly, I will feel better. Even if my symptoms don't change, I believe that just having faith that everything happens for a reason and what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Thanks again!

V

[JenniferInOhio]

I had pre-existing anxiety long before my POTS developed.

Yep, me too!

[MightyMouse]

I've never really experienced anxiety, other than the stuff you get before doing public speaking, etc.--and once, as a neuro reaction to compazine.

Nina

[lalalisa]

Congratulatons on your marriage!

I am glad to hear that you have been improving with the therapy.

I also deal with anxiety. During the diagnosis-phase of POTS I had a few panic attacks -- I also got just so anxious about passing out in a store.

I ended up going on the lowest dose of Paxil CR for 2 years and that helped a lot. I was able to go off of it in May. I still have anxiety - but the intensity is much less.

You are not alone! Along with anxiety our bodies often produce too much adrenaline adding to the mess.

Hang in here,

Lisa

[michiganjan]

I have POTS and a mild anxiety disorder. POTS and panic are both functions of the autonomic nervous system. For me, when one is acting up, the other is not far behind.