Still struggling to accept it's all anxiety....
Posted , 8 users are following.
hey guys! so I wrote on here before regarding physical sensations and pains etc.. I'm still getting them and on days when I feel super low I get the weirdest aches and pains and sensations. My doctor wanted me to start sertraline but because I was getting belly pains she told me to hold off and wait because a side effect can be upset stomach and she didnt want me to feel worse.. so I continued with diazepam.. I was taking that 3 times a day only 2mg for a whole week, stopped for a day or 2 and then I had the stomach pains etc as explained above.. she gave me more diazepam as a cover for bad days while I waited for the stomach issues to subside, I took 2 a day for a few days and then 1 a day.. now for the last 4 days I've been off them completely. I've not felt well at all either.. I'm not sure if its panic from the belly pains, if its withdrawal from the diazepam, is it all just built up anxiety and in a constant state of stress without realising. I get alot of chest pain too, but in march i had several ecgs, blood tests and chest xrays. said heart is healthy. still not convinced. but since feeling so worried about how I'm feeling the last few days I'm noticing all my pains and sensations returning. is it all just anxiety?? I've told them to rerun bloods because I cant handle not knowing so I'm going in monday for that but I'm scared something bad will happen to me over the weekend 😦
0 likes, 18 replies
jan34534 sophies77
Edited
sorry you’re feeling this way. But I think you may be overthinking everything.. i used to do that myself which made my life completely miserable.
anxiety will put negative thoughts into your mind.
It will put fear into your mind.
it will give you all kinds of physical symptoms,
It will make you doubt things like your test results.
I know how that feels and it’s horrible. But I just got to the point where I was done with it.
If my test results said everything was normal then I went about my life. Test results don’t lie. They would’ve seen something wrong with your heart if it was actually true. Your heart is perfectly healthy!
You are seeking constant reassurance. I did that for years. At some point you have to just stop I know it’s difficult at first but once you do it it is such a great feeling!
Like I was in the past, you are too much in your head. Too much overthinking things. If you can’t do this on your own, please get a therapist to help you. It’s really worth it! You have a life to live and it goes by too fast to feel miserable every day. Take care ❤
sophies77 jan34534
Posted
Thank you, that's a lovely reply. It's pretty much exactly how I am, its been horrible. 11 weeks now and I have had enough but I just start telling myself I'm ok and then I'll get another pain or something and go straight back to square one. my chest pain is my most concerning, I hate it so much and it scares the life out of me, especially when its not constantly bad, it's at it's most painful again today and it's so scary it makes me not want to do anything. can anxiety really cause this much chest pain and different sensations, Google tells you it's one area and sharp pain for anxiety, I've definitely got more than just that 😦
sophies77 jan34534
Posted
also, I am on a waiting list to start CBT xx
david76205 sophies77
Posted
I am saying its withdrawals from the valium (diazepam). Did you read the effects from withdrawal from valium ? It take two to four weeks to withdraw. Withdrawal effects include; irratability, muscle spasms and cramps, vomiting, sweating, headaches, tremors (shaking), ANXIETY, tension, confusion, dysphoria, INSOMNIA. Other withdrawal effects include; Depersonalization, numbness, tingling of the extremities, sensitivity to light, noise and physical contact, and hallucinations. So after reading your post, I would say these effects fit quite nicely in your case
sophies77 david76205
Posted
do you honestly think so, even on such a small dose as 2mg? I had a Google about the withdrawal and everything I read come back about much higher doses so I didnt think it would give me such an effect. Maybe it is that then, when I read what you've wrote above it does make sense that it would be withdrawal symptoms and then maybe my chest pain has returned so strong where I've got myself so worked up. I didn't read the withdrawal effects before because of my health anxiety I panic about side effects etc..
hypercat sophies77
Posted
I think the clue is in what you said. If the symptoms go away when you take diazapam and return when you stop then clearly you need to stay on it. Unless I am missing something?
sophies77 hypercat
Posted
they didn't go away completely but I did feel alot better on it that what I'm feeling being off it. I can't stay on it unfortunately, they are such an addictive drug that the doctor wont prescribe them for longer than 2 weeks and even that they are reluctant. they want me to start an antidepressant but I dont want to rely on medication for the rest of my life.
Shalane64124 hypercat
Posted
That's the irony with benzo drugs
They are great when you first take the dose, then when it starts to wear off you start to get inter-dose withdrawals. Many people experience withdrawals in between doses. The longer you take them the more dependant your body becomes. Soon your regular dose isnt enough.
They can create terrible symptoms. anxiety, tight muscles stomach problems and many other symptoms. They cannot be taken longer than a week or two and must be tapered off.
hypercat sophies77
Posted
Why would you have to rely on them for life? That's not the norm.
Jack2001 sophies77
Posted
Hi, I think im in a very similar situation.
I have felt as if my heart has been skipping a beat or doing a really hard beat constantly, this happens especially when showering etc. I feel it gets worse when thinking about it buy refuse to belive its all down to anxiety. I get constant sharp chest pain especially on the left side and have had multiple blood tests and x rays all of which are fine but i still belive there is a problem with my heart.
I am currently on proparanol which has reduced the amount of times i feel this heart skip but still get chest pain a lot. I now feel as if i cant do anything at all and stuck in bed all day as i dont feel my heart is stable even though tests are showing otherwise. The doctor gave me sertraline to take for anxiety but i didnt take it.
I also feel sick and stomach pains a lot now and have little appetite, headaches, extremely weak and tired.
I think some of it is in my head and anxiety makes it worse however when these heart skips or chest pain occurs it makes me instantly fee much worse and starts the cycle again.
sophies77 Jack2001
Posted
yep, I'm exactly the same. I did feel much better when taking the diazepam unfortunately thats just a short term fix, they've also given me sertraline but again I'm also reluctant to start because I dont want to rely on medication forever. to hear someone else is feeling exactly like me it makes me think well it must be anxiety then, but know you're not alone. I feel the same, i have 2 small children so I have no choice but to get up for them, if I didnt have them I would definitely be living in my bed because as soon as I get up I'm scared and start shaking and waiting for the pains etc to start. it's a horrible circle we go round in.
Shalane64124 sophies77
Posted
Did your problems coincide with your valium use? benzodiazepines are terrible drugs. They are ok if you take them once or twice for say the dentist etc. any longer than that and they cause problems and it saddens me that doctors prescribe them for longer periods. I became dependent on these drugs after only three weeks use. My anxiety went through the roof and started getting stomach and muscle problems. I didnt realize it was the drugs at the time and my doctor told me my anxiety was worsening, and she put me on Clonazepam and later switched to valium which is longer acting. Initially the drugs work great, but the body becomes so used to them and needs more and more to function normally. I ended up on these drugs for 8 years, it took me 2 years to wean off completely. Please don't make the mistake I did and end up on these long term. If you do you have to wean SLOWLY.
How long have you been taking valium?
sophies77 Shalane64124
Posted
my problems were barely there but not completely gone when taking the diazepam, my chest pain was more or less gone too and now I sit and think about it I know that it must be anxiety or did the diazepam just numb the pain and it was there all along. I don't know what to think or believe. I was only on them for 2 weeks, such a small dose though would that really cause withdrawal symptoms at such a low dose? I have felt so bad the last 4 / 5 days since coming off them completely and my chest pain is back to an all time high which has made me go back to thinking it's my heart again. so maybe I did get dependant on them and I've just had an anxiety rebound and withdrawal symptoms.. I do keep wishing I had some so I could take one to feel better but I haven't got any left and they wont let me have anymore because they are so addictive. they want me to start sertraline.
Shalane64124 sophies77
Posted
Have you tried magnesium? I unfortunately had a terrible time on antidepressants as they seemed to increase my anxiety to a terrible degree. The doctor said it does that for the first month, but there is no way I could tolerate that for that long. It doesn't mean that it will for you though.
Some people have a lot of luck with magnesium supplements, I have just increased magnesium with my diet, ie. bran and pumpkin seeds. Also epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) in bath to relax muscles.
sophies77 Shalane64124
Posted
that's why I'm scared to take antidepressants because it increases the anxiety for a while and I dont like the thought of side effects when I'm getting enough sensations and pains as it is.. funny enough I was taking a magnesium tablet supplement for a while, I run out. I may have to get some more and see if that helps, and try some salts too. see how I go. thank you x