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Does anyone else have anxiety or take propranolol

Posted , 8 users are following.

samantha1982
samantha1982

Since coming out of hospital I was always getting this heavy chest I was complaining about it the whole time I was admitted and when I was out it would last all day no one took it seriously just assumed it was side effect from infliximab

A few months later I felt totally normal health wise went to visit my cousin with my kids had really nice day then just before I was due to leave I got a heat wave over my face had to quickly go to toilet and then got a headache and I never get headaches regardless I took some tablets and headed off home on the m25 as I was gradually getting closer to the signs to motorway I started feeling the heavy chest thing creep on then j start breathing heavy I get on the motorway and everything feels tingely heatwave over my head blurred vision it took everything in me not to pass out while driving, if kids weren't in car I prob would have given in to whatever it was taking over my body and crashed but I forced myself to make it the 20odd miles home I couldn't pull over cause I knew if I acknowledged whatever was happening I risk it taking hold and j would never have the balls to get myself back on the motorway and we would be stranded so I stayed as calm as I could.

When I got home I ran upstairs to be sick my whole body was shaking and then I came over freezing no matter who I cuddled up to or wrapped myself in my bones were shaking then I would get hot I put it down to shock from what could have happened.

I went to doctors as I still felt awful when I woke up next day and they put it down to a panic attack and prescribed the above but low dosage I have to say I haven't had the heavy chest back but last night I came over all strange again and I spent all night fighting my body not to have a panic attack my heart was racing there was no reason for it I wasn't stressed etc. And I've woken up feeling the same feeling

I am currently on antibiotics for a infected wisdom tooth and past few days I just feel sick and always got a headache and can't eat a thing in the evening, so maybe I'm just panicking about that, ever since I've been diagnosed with UC Nov 2015 nothing has been the same I feel like half a person I'm on immune suppressants and off Steriods finally and I haven't any pains or toilet troubles the only thing that is driving me insane is this so called panic attacks and heavy chest thing I've always been a confident driver so why it happened while I was driving home when it didn't happen when driving up the motorway the first time is beyond me why it starts when I'm just sitting in my house on my own kids asleep watching tv. I don't even feel like me anymore I feel pathetic and every twinge or headache I get I'm paranoid the UC pain is gonna happen or I'm gonna end up back in hospital.

All I want to do is stay in bed but I can't cause of the kids and school runs I'm so sick of feeling sick I was so positive throughout December now I've come right down for no reason I feel like crap I look like crap I've put all my weight back on my hair seems to be falling out and these panic attacks if that's what they are are ruining my life as I'm not the type of person to get these things and medicate it etc as I've had worse stress and pressures in past 6 years then what's currently going on in my life and j didn't flake out then I just got on with it now this over whelming horrible feeling just occurs from nowhere I feel hot I feel nervous I feel jittery it's so debilitating it's unreal I don't even like leaving the house this last week.

Has anyone else experienced this is it anxiety or just a side effect from the immune suppressants cause originally they thought it was a side effect from infliximab that's why they took me off it but I had a constant heavy chest heavy breathing the whole time I was in hospital and I wasn't having the infliximab till I left and I told them that but clearly they didn't listen.

I'm so tired and sick of feeling so ridiculous I want my old life back so I can just get on with things

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Fluffe
    Fluffe samantha1982

    Posted

    Hi Samantha... I was diagnosed Aug 2015... well I kind of have two diagnoses - long story - and have yet to see a doc at our hospital since the initial appointment after having octassa shoved at me after the colonscopy. (and after my husband had to fight for an appointment to find out what it was all about)... I've got one tomorrow though needless to say I've had really awful and non existent after care... 

    Your 'attack' sounds much like mine in that while on the train with my husband - I all of a sudden got this sick feeling and not wanting to hurl on the gent in front of me, I closed my eyes and passed out. My head went back and I guess I was making that gurgle that can scare the heck out of people!!!  My hubby was shaking me and so was the lady next to me.  It took at least a minute or two before I woke up and I was shaking.  We got off in Stratford and I had to sit for two hours before I could move again.  They wanted to call the ambulance as I was shaking so hard... leave it to me to say no!!!  I actually told the train driver to get back on the train cause people were being made late! (The staff were wonderful at the Stratford station...)

    I got an emergency appointment with my GP and he suspected an infection of sorts and a possibly a drop in blood pressure even though by the time I got to the surgery things were normal and he put me on a short course of antibiotics (and he almost never gives antibiotics out!)  With the pentasa sups - things seemed to even out and I felt great - even  normal poopy with almost no brigh red blood (grin!).  (I stopped the Octassa as a result of rashes and weight gain even though the nurse had refused to listen - long story short - we went for one private appointment to get the drugs sorted and he agreed with me and decided to keep only with the pentasa supps)...  Everything was great until I was prescribed Arcoxia (for my joints) by another specialist who knew what was going on (and then discharged from him) and the bleeding hasn't stopped since.  I've stopped taking those too now - another long story... 

    I guess to put it in a nutshell.. I am certain mine wasn't a panic attack... but an underlying infection and a sudden drop in blood pressure.  But yours does sound a lot like my episode and I have had some lightheadedness - but I've had that since I was a kid on and off.... and like you - I've had more stressful events than being on an outting for the day on a train!!!!!

    I hope this helps just a teency little bit.... though it's really important to stop and pull over if you feel that way rather than take any risk k. I passed out really quickly!!!!!!!!  It's not getting the better of you.. you're getting the better of it - if that makes any sense! 

  • limeleaf
    limeleaf samantha1982

    Posted

    I'm not on Infliximab. Now just talking Pentasa after a taper off from Prednisolone ending just before Christmas. A lot of these symptons sounds very familiar to me and I know how alarming it all seems. Have you visited the Crohn's and Colitis UK website. There is a lot of information there about the peripheral symptoms of IBD. They have a helpline you can call. Very knowledgeable staff who may be able to put your mind at rest. I felt lke this for three months after my own diagnosis. Hang in there.
  • brightside2016
    brightside2016 samantha1982

    Posted

    hi sorry you are so unwell, I dont know if this is related but I may aswell say anyway. Having UC or proctitis now myself a while ago I had an absess and the dentist put me on antibios...after a couple of days I went all funny and couldnt get out of bed, shaking, dizzy, bleeding a lot luckily I staying at me parents at the time so they looked after the kids, being on various medication for IBD I think from now on I will decline any form of antiobiotic, just wondering if it added to your problems also.
  • looloo43
    looloo43 samantha1982

    Posted

    Hi Samantha. i have colitis, ibs-d, fructose malabsorption & bile acid malabsorption. i think we've posted together on here before. i am 44 & since 19, i have had long bouts of depression & anxiety, which now i am older are much better controlled & assisted with "maintenance" dose meds. i also had one to one cbt (cognitive behaviour therapy) several years ago which was fundamental for my future in controlling anxiety in particular, & i highly recommend it to anyone who has a history of anxiety. i am a much calmer & more reasoned person for doing cbt. the meds i am on is 15mg escitalopram(once daily am) & 80mg propranalol(once daily am) they keep me balanced with the depression & anxiety long term. propranalol is used for anxiety & to lower blood pressure. i don't know what dose you are on; i know 80mg once a day is a low dose. it may be worth seeing your gp to take your bp in case the propranalol is making you drop too low, even though it sounds like its helping your anxiety a bit by eliminating the heavy chest feeling. if your bp is normal or still a bit high your doc could increase your dose to see if that helps your anxiety further. from my experience with anxiety it sounds like you display all the symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety & i feel for you - it is horrible & makes you feel like your not in control. one other thought - read the leaflets with all your meds to see if there are any drug interactions with what you are taking or look up the patient info leaflets online via google- it could be a possibility sometimes different times of day & leaving time between other meds can make a difference. if unsure i would ask your local pharmacist as i think they are more in the know with meds than the gp's are. hope this helps xx
  • tony33900
    tony33900 samantha1982

    Posted

    I haven't had a panic attack but I know there are some foods that occasionally bring on cold sweats and feeling weak and kinda weird usually this ends when I go to the bathroom as if my body just needed to flush my system out. I normally avoid these foods sugar, dairy(bar hard cheese) and grains as they are the ones that cause this to happen to me.
  • missey_woo
    missey_woo samantha1982

    Posted

    Oh bless you I know exactly how you feel! I had my first major panic attack on the A 14 20 years ago! Kudos to you for sticking at it and driving home. The symptoms you describe are classic of panic attacks. I took propranolol for around 2 weeks then saw a different Dr, Who took me off it as anxiety and depression are closely linked and propranolol can cause depression, she gave me anti depressants designed to reduce anxiety and I had over a year of counselling. I have learnt to manage my anxiety over the years and haven't taken any medication for around 18 years. Everyone is different in their treatment just like it is with UC but please ask your Dr to refer you for counselling that will help you. Good luck to you, you will recover from this; as the saying goes "this too will pass"

    btw I did not develop UC until 2015 after I gave up smoking!

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