Possible General Anxiety Disorder?

[Chatative]

Hi Guys,

I've just come to the conclusion that I might have GAD & I was wondering what your opinions were. (I apologize for the long post :D!)

N.B - Cliff notes added at bottom of post.Also, unintentionally through no fault of anyone, there is a lot of back & forward about bodybuilding / protein intake & peeing. Please disregard that & consider all the other factors. Thanks!

Some background:

a) I have/had Schizophrenia for a couple of years. (Symptom & medication free for 7 months now.) I had anxiety issues for a few months after it was triggered.
b) I'm not particularly good at coping with stress: I tend to ignore it which works for a while until it builds up to the point where I have to deal with it; I used to use drugs whilst at Uni, for a variety of reasons, but often as a form of release; I also smoked until recently which initially was because I liked how it made me feel relaxed.
c) As I said above, I gave up smoking 3 months ago. I definitely noticed an increase in stress levels since; I'm aware that quitting can increase anxiety in the short term & sometimes can have masked longer term anxiety issues.
d) I have an addictive personality / I sometimes obsess about things. Not as much as I used to when I was a kid but I still have a tendency to focus excessively on a particular interest, hobby or notion for a couple of weeks.

My current situation:

Having just taken a few months to get back into a normal routine now that my Schizophrenia has cleared up (it was more the medication that caused problems to be honest), things were going pretty well & I had just given up smoking too.

I was aware that I was getting easily stressed out which I just put down to Nicotine Withdrawal. I wasn't keeping on top of day to day things & that made me feel more stressed. This caused my usual reaction of wanting to take more time to relax to reduce the stress rather than doing the things that needed done. Obviously, all those daily tasks built up & made me more stressed. Eventually I would deal with them but usually not quite in full & the whole process started over again.

Anyway, around the start of December I made a visit to the Doctor & mentioned off-hand that I was peeing 8-10 times a day & once every night. I was tested for Diabetes & the test came back normal. I started to feel a lot more tired & then thirsty as well. I went for more tests after Christmas. Long story short, although I have very high blood sugar averages for the past few months (HbA1c test), I am not in Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic ranges. Home tests have also shown I don't have any noticeable level of glucose tolerance either at the moment. All that it's demonstrated is I am at risk & it's within the realms of possibility that to a small extent, it might have been to blame for some symptoms.

The thing that confused me most, was the Doctor said I wasn't showing signs of dehydration in my blood work yet I feel I am. I considered that it was psychological but ruled this out as I have a dry mouth.

It occurred to me that over the past month or so, I have been rather obsessive about my health to the point where I believe my Doctor is missing things or wrong. I've also spent a lot of time looking up every possible bit of information on the tests, results & possible causes. (My Doctor is looking into other things too now.) Just today I began wondering if anxiety played a role & so Googled: "Stress, Frequent Urination & Thirst". What did I find... GAD.

Considering everything I have mentioned, it would seem I might have GAD as it can cause all these symptoms including others I haven't mentioned thus far like problems staying asleep, loose stools, high RHR at times & also the behaviour that I exhibit. I think some of it falls under the umbrella of OCD but all the types of stress are linked together & GAD with a leaning towards health concerns seems to encompasses everything. It's a vicious cycle really: I feel bad, I look things up, I worry, that causes me to feel worse, I can't sleep & round it goes. It's quite likely minor health ailments started it all off but most of it could be attributed to stress.

The other possibility that fits things is a thyroid issue which is one of the other tests I am currently getting & that I may have some underlying anxiety issues on top of it.

I've been obsessive about health in the short term before, but not had any other symptoms appear.


Cliff notes:

- I have symptoms of Diabetes but the blood tests came back normal.
- I have had anxiety related issues before & noticed an increase in stress recently.
- GAD can cause all the symptoms I've been having including obsessing at my health.


What do you guys think?

I reckon I'll wait until my Thyroid Function test is back & then mention the possible anxiety issues to my GP. It's probably worth me getting in contact with my previous Consultant Psychiatrist too as I think this surpasses the expertise of a GP; no doubt that's who my GP would refer me to if he thought there might be an issue.

[GeneAllen]

Let me first say welcome to the club. You have done some awesome research as well as shown some great power in quitting your smoking. Lets see what the thyroid tests say. You only pee ten times a day and once at night? lol What's your secret? :D Seriously, my adrenaline can get me peeing twice that. One thing that came to mind is the Sticky post on amino acids and magnesium. Some good reading, and minerals are something I'm looking at. Again welcome friend, you're in a good place and thanks for laying it all out there. Keep us posted please. Peace

[Chatative]

Thanks!

Considering my first post, you are probably not shocked to hear I already have looked at Magnesium supplementation. One of the reasons it might be likely is I do regular, heavy weight training which can deplete Magnesium levels. Also the high blood sugar could be explained by the insulin resistance caused by it but having said that, each one causes the other so which came first the chicken or the egg :D ?

It seemed to work for a while but that might just be placebo & the fact I went away for Christmas - holidays generally reduce anxiety. It's definitely something I'll supplement with from now on whilst doing weight training but I think there are other things going on.

As for Amino Acids, I consume like 100-120g of complete protein a day in my quest for packing on muscle.

Oh & at the worst I've been peeing closer to 15 & there have been 2 nights where I have peed twice. I've also had one or two instances after a meal where I've peed every half hour in large quantities & had a dry throat as well as mouth. That probably was high blood sugar but it's no longer there. I notice I always go for a pee of around 300ml. Perhaps I just need to train my bladder so I can hold 500ml to sleep through the night when I cure the insomnia.

In a strange way, I will be less anxious for the time being now that I know that there is a possibility that my health concerns are just stress related.

[Enduronman]

hmmm...

Welcome first!

1. I constantly stay just on the outer perimeters of schizophrenia, and there is a history of it within the family. Mine is controlled with medications although the occasional "escape from reality" still lingers.
2. Amazing that you've been able to be free of this, I must say.
3. There do seem to be some lingering issues, as you've mentioned.
4. And this issue with the frequent need, urge to go pee..8 to 10 times and day and at night....

Now,..I have to go to this mode:
1. How old are you?
2. Have you ever had your hormones checked?
3. Is the Doc checking PSA, and all other gland functions now?
4. What is your beverage of choice?....
5. Do you actually go, or do you just feel the urge to go?...Do you empty the bladder completely?
E-Man...:)

[Enduronman]

Thanks!

Considering my first post, you are probably not shocked to hear I already have looked at Magnesium supplementation. One of the reasons it might be likely is I do regular, heavy weight training which can deplete Magnesium levels. Also the high blood sugar could be explained by the insulin resistance caused by it but having said that, each one causes the other so which came first the chicken or the egg :D ?

It seemed to work for a while but that might just be placebo & the fact I went away for Christmas - holidays generally reduce anxiety. It's definitely something I'll supplement with from now on whilst doing weight training but I think there are other things going on.

As for Amino Acids, I consume like 100-120g of complete protein a day in my quest for packing on muscle.

Oh & at the worst I've been peeing closer to 15 & there have been 2 nights where I have peed twice. I've also had one or two instances after a meal where I've peed every half hour in large quantities & had a dry throat as well as mouth. That probably was high blood sugar but it's no longer there. I notice I always go for a pee of around 300ml. Perhaps I just need to train my bladder so I can hold 500ml to sleep through the night when I cure the insomnia.

In a strange way, I will be less anxious for the time being now that I know that there is a possibility that my health concerns are just stress related.

I was a weightlifter/bodybuilder for 5 years...we're going to get along just fine!!!....going to read this now...:)

[Chatative]

Was?

I hope you have a good reason for stopping! If not, I order you to get back in the gym right now! ;)

I plan on being that 60 year old guy who can put out 20 reps of Chin Ups without breaking a sweat in a year or two. (Well, more like 34 :D)


hmmm...

Welcome first!

1. I constantly stay just on the outer perimeters of schizophrenia, and there is a history of it within the family. Mine is controlled with medications although the occasional "escape from reality" still lingers.
2. Amazing that you've been able to be free of this, I must say.
3. There do seem to be some lingering issues, as you've mentioned.
4. And this issue with the frequent need, urge to go pee..8 to 10 times and day and at night....

Now,..I have to go to this mode:
1. How old are you?
2. Have you ever had your hormones checked?
3. Is the Doc checking PSA, and all other gland functions now?
4. What is your beverage of choice?....
5. Do you actually go, or do you just feel the urge to go?...Do you empty the bladder completely?
E-Man...:)

As far as Schizophrenia goes, I have an interesting fact for you. In the third world countries, where there isn't ready access to Anti-Pyschotics, there is a higher prevalence of people's Schizophrenia clearing up. I had crippling lack of motivation (sleeping all day long & had the will to do nothing other than eat) which turned out to be the medication. I came off my medication & by sheer coincidence, my symptoms disappeared almost immediately. I probably shouldn't have been on medication as despite the fact I had a full blown psychotic episode initially, it was 8 months before a) I realised I had something wrong & b) decided it wasn't going away. By that point I was only hearing voices with some very mild paranoia which disappeared not long after.

As you might guess, I'm very anti medication... I was told the side effects were very unlikely to happen & ended up with Akithisia (which has remained in the form of mild RLS in bed), Tiredness, possible Diabetes (it's meant to clear up after 3 months if it's AP induced which it clearly did if I had it), Muscle Spasms & as I said, severe lack of motivation which isn't even listed as a side effect.

You obviously have the benefit of having insight as well. We're both fortunate there. It was horrible during my psychotic episode where it all seemed real.

The problem with "Schizophrenia" is it is an umbrella term for a number of concurrent mental health problems. Not enough is known about how it works.

1. 26 y/o Male. (hinted above)
2. No. I have some hair loss on my calves which I read can be hormone related but I haven't bothered mentioning it to the Doctor ever.
3. My current tests are for hepatitis (unlikely but the usual course of action for elevated liver function in people who don't drink) & thyroid, so no.
4. I drink Water & Decaf Tea or Coffee. I have maybe 1 beer or glass of wine a week.
5. Urge but as I said, it's not a small amount. I can wait longer if I'm pre-occupied. I've been checked for urinary infections already.

[Enduronman]

One of the reasons it might be likely is I do regular, heavy weight training...**As for Amino Acids, I consume like 100-120g of complete protein a day in my quest for packing on muscle.**

We got alot of work to do with your "quest for muscle" bruh...

You're making your body toxic with all that protein intake.....for real.

This is me, 6' 217 pounds...I know what to do to grow muscle and it isn't with 120g of protein friend....905

How long you been lifting and how old are you btw????

E-Man...:D

[Enduronman]

Was?

I hope you have a good reason for stopping! If not, I order you to get back in the gym right now! ;)

I plan on being that 60 year old guy who can put out 20 reps of Chin Ups without breaking a sweat in a year or two. (Well, more like 34 :D)

I was hit with a rare and deadly disease of the cartilage tissues,..my own body, was eating, my own body....It dissolved the cartilage in all of my joints and neck...BUT, I'm working on a come back. I also have the T level of an 18 yr old man....909. If I actually could lift now, I would grow larger than Arnold was when he won the Olympia 7 times....LOL!!! :)

[Enduronman]

When I had to stop, I was 212 pounds. Squatting 535 5 times, benching 335 7 times, and deadlifting 455 8 times....I LOVED weightraining....it was my passion. :)

[Enduronman]

You're just over-working your organs, kidneys, liver man, making this peeing thing happen because your body is becoming too acidic and toxic. Research some of that bruh.....Thank God you posted here,...someone is looking out for you.

Have a great day friend! :)

[Chatative]

The current scientific research is that athletes require 0.7-0.82g per lb of bodyweight for optimal gains.

It is perfectly safe to consume 1g per lb as long as you drink plenty of water & eat a lot of veggies / have a balanced diet.

If that would affect anything, it is kidney function which mine is ok. It only affects liver if you have Fatty Liver etc.

I guess being as I might have low Magnesium & have elevated Liver Function it might well be worth cutting the protein intake back for a month to let things sort themselves out. Thanks for that pointer though!

You are obviously genetically gifted :D

I edited a posted above after you replied... 26.

I started lifting in 2010. I lifted inconsistently for 2 year whilst at University. I then focused on cardio as I was going to join the Army as a Communications Officer but before that got off the ground I was hit with Schizophrenia. I started lifting again in August.

I'm 5'8" & only 135lbs!! Started at 120lbs though. I managed to do a DL of 2x my BW shortly before Christmas :).

Anyway, hoping to hear some more thoughts on GAD.

[Enduronman]

Thank you for all that...Most people just think I'm being nosey and blow me off, but, this is how we get to the bottom of things more quickly.
Yes, it is true through medical scientific research that the body can tolerate up to 1g protein for each lb of bodyweight,..but what they don't tell you is that ingesting proteins alone, while not in the presence of carbs and fats, can make the internal systems highly toxic and over work the internal organs to process the proteins (alone) without the presence of other chemical enzymes found in fats and carbs....the muscle fitness mags are complete BS as they push 80g protein powders as if those guys got big drinking that stuff, they didn't. They're on steroids..Testosterone injections. HGH. HCG..I take (2) of those now...injections, one I inject in my stomach.

As long as this 120g of protein, is coming from whole foods, then this changes everything but I'm guessing that you intake shakes and drinks of protein from tubs or jugs?....Just speculating here bruh, so don't be offended.

The body (any mans body) regardless of weight or size, is only capable of using and or utilizing a certain amount of protein each day. And this number youre about to see will intrigue you. About 40 to 50g of protein per day...for any man, anywhere...any size...the rest is p**sed out, flushed out, because the body can not store proteins. Only carbs, and in turn, fats....

If you do have high elevated liver function, there is your problem...to many highly refined processed singular proteins friend...causing all the peeing.

Also, tea, and coffee are diuretics which will add to this issue as well..They make you pee more often than normal...

If you're eating plenty of veggies, then I highly doubt depleted magnesium levels. Veggies are extremely high in magnesium.

Thank you for the gifted comment! I am a Mesomorph and can gain muscle fast, or lose weight fast, or whatever the present plan may be...Jesse will probably jump in here and say something stupid...I hope!!!...

Yes, you're an ectomorph at that height and weight...

Do you really want to get big???...I'll post a link to a previous thread so I don't have to type it all again....

Deadlifting twice your weight is an awesome accomplishment bruh!!! Strength!!! I loved powerlifting too..

E-Man...:)

[Enduronman]

Post #34....a good thread if you wish to read it all though!

http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?23843-The-Exercise-Thread/page4

[Chatative]

Post #34....a good thread if you wish to read it all though!

Thanks, I've had a quick look - I will read properly but...

Essentially, Ratios are not the correct way to approach your Macronutrients... you have to hit certain protein & fat requirements & then the remainder of your calories can be obtained from any of the groups. It's called the Discretionary Calorie Allowance. Also, I understand that you managed to bulk on that little protein but that is because you are genetically gifted. I had a friend who was similar ... he just stared at a Barbell & ate some custard pies. Personally, I only made good gains after hitting 100g of Protein a day.

I could go on and on. There is a wealth of up to date information on the Bodybuilding.com Forums if you know where to look. Unfortunately I cannot link the relevant threads.

Anyway, you can PM me if you want to debate or discuss it :)

My aim is to hit 150lbs at 8% bf by the end of this year. That may or may not be possible depending on whether I've used up my noob gains or not.

[Enduronman]

Ok, last statement for you Son:

You need more carbs, then you do proteins,..to grow. Regardless of your body type. 60%-30%-10%....Carbs/pro/fats.....

Knowledge, is power my brotha!!

E-man.....:)

[Chatative]

Honestly, I bow to your knowledge & experience but your advice is out of date. It is not wrong, just understanding of the best way to do things has changed. Although many principles stay the same, the details change...

0.7g/lb of bodyweight of protein. (for optimal protein synthesis)

0.45-1g/lb of bodyweight of fat. (minimum amount required for your body to function properly - especially hormones)

Make the rest of your calories up out of carbs, although you can play about with the other macronutrients as long as you are meeting the minimum requirements.

It's possible to bulk low carb - I've done research on it - there are diabetic Body Builders with Pro Cards. (Although, I believe they got Diabetes after getting their Pro Cards.)

Annnnyyyway, as I said... PM me if you wish!

Now, anyone got any on-topic comments :) ?

[Enduronman]

You asked why you pee all the time...you got your answer.

I don't buy into BB. c o m....mass marketing, sales, MONEY and BS...for people who will believe it.

I doubt you'll get anymore replies.

E-Man.

[Chatative]

You asked why you pee all the time...you got your answer.

I don't buy into BB. c o m....mass marketing, sales, MONEY and BS...for people who will believe it.

I doubt you'll get anymore replies.

E-Man.

Those figures are not on the BB.com Articles... they are from scientific studies / journals. The person who posted them is a Nutritionist I believe. I agree the main site has a lot of terrible information but the forums has invaluable information if you know where to look.

All the Body Builders from the 70s ate well over 200g of protein a day; do you see them with these intoxication problems?

I appreciate your opinion but I was peeing that often during the Summer whilst I was eating very little protein anyway.

There are many factors that suggest I might have an anxiety related problem, so regardless, hopefully people will reply.

Please do not de-rail my thread anymore - you are giving mis-information.

[jessed03]

What's the biggest forum on the net, is it BB? That place is massive, they valued it at like £1M valuation recently.

[Chatative]

What's the biggest forum on the net, is it BB? That place is massive, they valued it at like £1M valuation recently.

HackForums is the largest by members & post count. (a bit scary that the largest forum in the world is one on hacking!) :eek:

BB.com is 4/5th on the list of English forums.

There is a Wiki article... I can't post links yet.

[backdoc]

My 2cents............#1; diet is highly subjective, what works for one person is destructive for another( eg; my wife and i are both 6'1, shes 135 and im 220, carbs keep her lean, carbs are my enemy) #2; most bodybuilding supplements are garbage, the mags are for the most part a front in order to sell you stuff you dont need with the implication that if you take their stuff you'll look like Jay Cutler etc. #3 ; Ive been around bodybuilding and nutrition ( please don't take this as bragging) for a very long time, and for what its worth to you ,hold a BS,MS,and a Doctorate in health sciences ...........don't believe all you read, test it out for yourself , good-luck

[Chatative]

I was updating an earlier post as I think you edited your post & I missed the questions. I thought I'd post a new reply instead...



As long as this 120g of protein, is coming from whole foods, then this changes everything but I'm guessing that you intake shakes and drinks of protein from tubs or jugs?....Just speculating here bruh, so don't be offended.


I would have thought considering the educated level of my responses you would have assumed the former. No offence taken :) I try to get my protein from food sources as much as possible; I drink maybe 1 or 2 20g protein shakes a day.




If you're eating plenty of veggies, then I highly doubt depleted magnesium levels. Veggies are extremely high in magnesium.

If you read my earlier post, you'd notice I talked about the link between insulin resistance & magnesium deficiency. Add to that a poor diet for 9 months whilst I was Schizophrenic & it's easy to see where it could have come from. I never had a blood test when I was on a poor diet so we will never know. RLS & TMJ which I both have are thought to be linked to low Magnesium levels too. In fact my TMJ has not given me any problems after taking Magnesium for a week.




If you do have high elevated liver function, there is your problem...to many highly refined processed singular proteins friend...causing all the peeing.



Protein intake does NOT affect Liver function in a healthy individual. It only affects those who have Liver disease. Elevated Liver function is quite common & in many people is not a sign of any issues.

Also - I was peeing often during the Summer whilst I was consuming <50g of protein a day.

However, I agree that I should cut back my protein intake for a short period of time in light of the Elevated Liver function.

Anyway, I hope that clear a few things up & answers your questions. I really appreciate you are trying to help!

[Enduronman]

It appears that you've posted questions about issues regarding internal systems and malfunction, in a forum designed for those of mental handicap and or disorder, and I am one of them..I have everything, all mixed up into one single person.

I did my best to advise, with my current database of knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence..while being educated into the 7th grade levels.

I would suggest that you take your posted threads, to a Web MD rather than fill this thread with your researched statisitics and findings because you will and desire to be big, strong, and massive...to boost your esteem.

I'm not going to waste anymore of my time, posting links about information also backing what I had learned while delving into the world of fitness over a 5+ year span..I didn't make any of it up...so chug away at your protein shakes.

The bodybuilders of the 70's may have eaten an entire cow, but they also had bottles of Testosterone on their shelves just like I do, would you like me to hold up a vial of it and take a photo for you? Their bodies were "being primed" for that consumption...not yours.

I wish you well in your future endeavors, here and abroad and hope that you can get a diagnosis of your physical and mental disorders too.

Have a great day.

[jessed03]

^That is not how I imagined you back doc! I imagined you as a skinny chiropractor, like Alan from two and a half men!

You are gonna have some awesome babies, 6'1 wife...

Edit: no offence by the way, just the name backdoc, made me picture Alan

[Enduronman]

most bodybuilding supplements are garbage, the mags are for the most part a front in order to sell you stuff you dont need with the implication that if you take their stuff you'll look like Jay Cutler etc. I presently hold a BS,MS,and a Doctorate in health sciences ...........don't believe all you read, test it out for yourself , good-luck

Well put friend...I agree 100% and it's nice to have your knowledge around too.

[Chatative]

I would suggest that you take your posted threads, to a Web MD rather than fill this thread with your researched statisitics and findings because you will and desire to be big, strong, and massive...to boost your esteem.

I might just point out that you were the one who started off by posting advice on bodybuilding ... I told you to PM me if you wanted to talk about it.

Anything I have posted debunking your thoughts on me peeing often is because you did not know all the relevant factors, which I have now pointed out. I just don't want people thinking you have solved my problem & ignoring my thread which they might do anyway now that it has been de-railed.

As I said once, I respect your opinion & thank you for giving me your advice - I have nothing against you :)


#2; most bodybuilding supplements are garbage

I wholeheartedly agree.

I was talking about protein consumption not about protein powder or any of the other numerous useless supplements.

Please do not discuss these topics anymore - I'd like to hear some input about GAD & my possible risk factors regardless of why we think I may or may not be peeing often; if this thread hasn't been killed.

[jessed03]

Have you ever done any talking therapy, just regarding stress issues?

Your post says you have poor stress management skills. Talking is good for stress reduction. A good therapist can also help you learn your triggers. I've seen some do great stuff with bipolar and personality disorder patients whose conditions are worsened by stress.

[Enduronman]

Magnesium supplementation. One of the reasons it might be likely is I do regular, heavy weight training which can deplete Magnesium levels. It's definitely something I'll supplement with from now on whilst doing weight training but I think there are other things going on.

As for Amino Acids, I consume like 100-120g of complete protein a day in my quest for packing on muscle.

peeing closer to 15 & there have been 2 nights where I have peed twice.****** health concerns are just stress related.******


This is why I would open dialogue about weight training, and youre young, and you have obvious physical symptoms, of something that you may be doing to yourself....

I had no choice but to make you aware and inform you of what is really factual, for a novice weightlifter/ bodybuilder....

Then some following posted reply about drinking water, tea, coffee.....

IDK but maybe BackDoc has something more to add here...

I will also say that according to what my brain is telling me, megnesium doesn't work without calcium and zinc so if you are deficient in either of those or not supplementing them at the same time, guess where the calcium and zinc will come from friend? Your body....

E-Man...:)

[Enduronman]

I'm done here..Anyone else????

Blessings...:)

[Chatative]

Have you ever done any talking therapy, just regarding stress issues?

Your post says you have poor stress management skills. Talking is good for stress reduction. A good therapist can also help you learn your triggers. I've seen some do great stuff with bipolar and personality disorder patients whose conditions are worsened by stress.

I have never had any excessive problems with anxiety before.

As you have pointed out - I have shown signs of handling stress poorly in the past despite it not being a problem.

I think it's the fact I tend to ignore certain things - it works for depression & anger because generally, those are short term & if you ignore those feelings, the thing causing it will likely have passed. However, with stress, if you do not deal with whatever is causing it, it will never go away.

It has not been until now that I think I'm getting stuck in a vicious cycle & developing problems. I blamed health issues for stopping me getting things done but it might seem that it is the stress causing these issues. I think part of the problem is for the past 2 years I have very little to do with real world problems. Due to the fact I no longer had University, was incapable of being in employment & was living a very basic existence, the amount of stress I have been dealing with until now is minimal. Add to that I was potentially masking any problems by smoking. Even then, I was so unable to handle day-to-day living by the Summer, that I would have had to move in with my Parent's had I not come off my medication & solved my severe lack of motivation.

Clearly, I still haven't adjusted back into normal life despite taking 6 months to do so.

When I went away over Christmas on holiday, I felt pretty much 100%. I think I should try to minimize my commitments & focus on getting on top of the essentials before adding other things back into the mix?

It's not anything major that is stressing me out. It's the day to day things. My problem is, I let them slip & then that stresses me out. My response is then I need to do something that doesn't stress me out & those stressors get ignored. Currently, the fact I am feeling under the weather is stopping me from getting back on top of things. That is then now causing more anxiety.

Clearly, in my opinion, I have a problem with I cope with anxiety itself rather than there being certain things which trigger it. It is more than evident from my previous substance use which was occasionally used as a release during times of stress. It became an abuse problem whilst I had Schizophrenia but there are many interesting studies that show higher incidences of this amongst Schizophrenics than the general population. As if to highlight that, I haven't turned to any thing like that since it cleared up & doubt I ever will. Thankfully, that is a potentially dangerous avenue that has been easily dealt with.

My Schizophrenia was triggered (not caused, I was predisposed) by drug use, but it wasn't anything excessive & I have no doubt that the timing of my Schizophrenia points towards stress being a major influence too. It was just after my dissertation & final exams that it was triggered - considering I was doing 2 extra courses on top of my honours courses, it's not hard to imagine the amount of constant stress I was under then.

I've always been one for saying "If I just take a week off, I'll get on top of things" & it's true, it works & I am problem free for a couple of months. Clearly that won't always be possible.

I'm not sure if this post is coherent. My head is like mush at the moment from starting at the laptop all afternoon :D

[backdoc]

HaHa, jess, yeah i get that allot.........we have 3 children , im 52, shes 45, shes the beauty,im the beast:)............Chat, i think EMan was just trying to be helpful and maybe just taken wrong, posts(just like texting) can make it difficult..........as a side note, many of us 70s bodybuilders overdid the protein thing , just be careful and exercise moderation(pun intended), i did 300+ grams per day from 15-20years old,then stopped competing ( my training partner in high school was jeff king....give him a google)..........been peeing allot since then, maybee overworked my kidneys a wee bit:)

[Chatative]

I will also say that according to what my brain is telling me, megnesium doesn't work without calcium and zinc so if you are deficient in either of those or not supplementing them at the same time, guess where the calcium and zinc will come from friend? Your body....

E-Man...:)

Thanks man, I do appreciate your points.

Despite everything I've said, I am taking in all your advice. I will cut back to low protein for a couple of week to see what happens.

I just want to consider all possibilities. There is a lot of conflicting advice regarding high protein diets even amongst the scientific community... no sooner does one reputable study say it is damaging, than another reputable one says it is not.

I tried some Zinc & got even worse insomnia. You only need 5mg for a deficiency yet most zinc supplements are 15mg+. I looked at my diet & noticed that I get a lot of Zinc on some days & not on other - it should even out. I also read it's quite easy to take too much supplemental Zinc.

As for Calcium - I was confused. Some sources say a Magnesium deficiency causes Hypercalcemia whilst others say it causes Hypocalcemia. Does anyone know?

Is there a blood test that check all your vitamin & mineral levels or do they have to do specific checks?


i did 300+ grams per day from 15-20years old,then stopped competing ( my training partner in high school was jeff king....give him a google)..........been peeing allot since then, maybee overworked my kidneys a wee bit:)

Thanks.

My Kidney function is normal at the moment but as I said above I will give the protein a small break until at least I find out if there is any cause for my Elevated Liver function.

I'll report back what happens with the peeing & any other symptoms.

Regardless of whether or not the physical symptoms are caused by my diet (protein) or by anxiety, I am sure I have underlying anxiety issues that need addressed.

[Chatative]

Bugger.

I guarantee I will not sleep well tonight - I never do when I stay up late on my laptop. :rolleyes:

I used to have trouble sleeping as a teenager but I found having a routine & winding down solved all that.

Jesus - I just googled Jeff King. His neck is insane - that is just freaky. He's clearly been using celltech.

[jessed03]

I can't quote you bud, it takes ages trying to pick out certain lines in a long post on the ipad.

But so yeah, talking will help. Even just a councillor may be enough in your case, if you didn't want therapy. Something about bringing the minds attention to a problematic issue you have (perhaps procrastination even?) out in the air is so valuable. I know guys are really quick to think they can handle things, but I've seen so many good changes in people just through talking, that it's worth it for an hour or so of your time a week.

I don't see massive amounts of the obvious signs of unmanageable chemical imbalance in your post. I know it's hard to tell, it's far from a science - but there aren't the obvious giveaways like you may read in other posts here. The undue negativity I don't see, the unnecessary fear I don't see. So it may just be a process of a readjustment for you, like you say. Schizophrenia is a heck of a condition, I imagine that must have some effects, somewhere, that don't return to normal straight away. I don't know if it caused you to fall into some bad habits of living that just need to be broken.

It's also an illness of disorganisation. I imagine it makes thinking and coordinating things that bit harder. I don't know whether that has carried over, and it's a case of you needing to almost readjust to the mental demands of increasing the load in your life.

Hard to say sitting here on the outside.

Do you think any of your issues have anything to do with the antipsychotics? For instance your slightly raised sugar? I know certain antipsychotics can cause that problem. Probably not I guess, seeing as you're in shape and never got overweight?

The thyroid return will be interesting. That can and does cause problems, again I don't see too many obvious signs of a thyroid problem in your post, but it can be subtle.

I think it's a good idea concentrating on those essentials. The main problem with most mental health problems really, that stop people being successful is the concentration. Even though we may feel differently the mind has problems starting tasks, and sticking with some tasks. Obviously by becoming more productive, you increase concentration levels, and that should hopefully branch out into the remaining areas of your life. Once you can improve that concentration, life does get easier, procrastination does stop. I don't know if you meditate, or if that's ok with your (ex?)condition, but that's one way to improve GAD and concentration at once.

I'm kind of just picking at stuff here. Nothing really stood out to me too much in your post that made me feel I could reply with something that I knew would help.

I suppose the big issue I see is the obsessing about health. That's a big GAD symptom. Causes more GAD and therefore more GAD symptoms. Probably understandable given diabetes symptoms and a clash with schizophrenia. Even that's another issue that you can probably make huge grounds with just by tackling with talking therapy.

Have you talked with your doc about the possibility of a little bit of help with an antidepressant? Is that something you're considering? I kind of don't think you'd need to, but it's an option you guys may be discussing.

You've never done CBT I take it? Never had the need until recently?

You haven't given a way a lot of details about your mental process, but obsessing with health is something that can be successfully tackled with that form of therapy.

[jessed03]

Just seen your profile change and say you're in Scotland. Vitamin D, have you checked that? I know you guys get deficiencies badly up there. You see thorough so I'm guessing you have, just putting it out there in case.

[Chatative]

Morning,

I found something of interest.

Supposedly one of the causes of Magnesium deficiency is thyroid problems. Will have to wait & see what the test results are mid-week.

Also, having not taken Magnesium for a couple of days my hands & feet have got cold again. Certainly seems like I won't get any harm from some Magnesium supplementation, so I will go & pick some more up today.

I talked to my Mum & she said considering my behaviour over the past month or so, she thinks it is worth following up about GAD.

In the mean time I'll try to stop worrying about my health, assume it's anxiety related & see what my blood tests show up during the week.

[Chatative]

Just seen your profile change and say you're in Scotland. Vitamin D, have you checked that? I know you guys get deficiencies badly up there. You see thorough so I'm guessing you have, just putting it out there in case.

I'm outside every day but I also take a Multivitamin with Cod Liver Oil, so I'm sure it's not an issue.

[jessed03]

Most people with anxiety take magnesium anyway, so it's worth taking. Anxiety screws with levels. Actually it screws with most nutrient levels. I'm not sure if it indicates a thyroid problem or not, we'll soon see.

If you have another blood test, get the D checked. Not urgent, but always worth doing. In Scotland, being male, I'd want to be taking 5000ug a day. The multi has what 400ug? Maybe a little more. Being outside and supplementing probably means you're ok, but it's just good to get that number. It catches unsuspecting people out. I was the same. I go running daily, was taking a D supp, and was barely on the threshold of normal when I had a blood test a couple of months ago.

You seem a resourceful man, dedicate some time to learning about CBT. You don't have to start yet, necessarily, see what happens with the doctor first, but give yourself an idea as to whether you have any unhelpful thinking habits, or whether your self talk is anxiety promoting, whether you make a y thinking errors, that sort of stuff. There are numerous different CBT principals, so have a read, see what you can figure out about yourself.

I genuinely think that, and getting a clean bill of health, if you do get one, will help move things along a lot.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

[Chatative]

I keep posting & missing replies because I have this thread open but haven't refreshed the page :p



But so yeah, talking will help. Even just a councillor may be enough in your case, if you didn't want therapy. Something about bringing the minds attention to a problematic issue you have (perhaps procrastination even?) out in the air is so valuable. I know guys are really quick to think they can handle things, but I've seen so many good changes in people just through talking, that it's worth it for an hour or so of your time a week.


I'm sure it might, even getting advice & discussing things here might help. I've yet to look, but is there a section for stress management?


So it may just be a process of a readjustment for you, like you say. Schizophrenia is a heck of a condition, I imagine that must have some effects, somewhere, that don't return to normal straight away. I don't know if it caused you to fall into some bad habits of living that just need to be broken.

It's also an illness of disorganisation. I imagine it makes thinking and coordinating things that bit harder. I don't know whether that has carried over, and it's a case of you needing to almost readjust to the mental demands of increasing the load in your life.



My poor stress management & as suggested above, procrastination have been around for a long time. Although the Schizophrenia might have had an impact, I don't think I've picked up any habits from that.



Do you think any of your issues have anything to do with the antipsychotics? For instance your slightly raised sugar? I know certain antipsychotics can cause that problem. Probably not I guess, seeing as you're in shape and never got overweight?


I was on Olanzapine initially which can cause Type 2 Diabetes but that was only for 6 months. I was then on Amisulpride for almost 1 year which does not have an affect on the relevant receptors if my understanding is right. However, the severe lack of motivation meant I was sedentary & had a very poor diet. I never put on any weight however.


.

I think it's a good idea concentrating on those essentials. The main problem with most mental health problems really, that stop people being successful is the concentration. Even though we may feel differently the mind has problems starting tasks, and sticking with some tasks. Obviously by becoming more productive, you increase concentration levels, and that should hopefully branch out into the remaining areas of your life. Once you can improve that concentration, life does get easier, procrastination does stop. I don't know if you meditate, or if that's ok with your (ex?)condition, but that's one way to improve GAD and concentration at once.



I'm not one for meditation but I think using relaxation techniques or finding things that relax me without diverting my attention from the tasks will help. The procrastination has not been so much of an issue for a while. It's not so much that I am putting the tasks off so much as avoiding them because thinking about or doing them makes me frustrated.




Have you talked with your doc about the possibility of a little bit of help with an antidepressant? Is that something you're considering? I kind of don't think you'd need to, but it's an option you guys may be discussing.



Given my bad experience with Antipyschotics, I am very anti-medication. As far as I am concerned, if there are potential serious side effects, however unlikely, then unless you have a serious problem there are better alternatives. I don't know how Anti-depressants help, but I'm a very upbeat person - it's a miracle I have never developed any depression with all the problems I have had.




You've never done CBT I take it? Never had the need until recently?

You haven't given a way a lot of details about your mental process, but obsessing with health is something that can be successfully tackled with that form of therapy.

As I said before, getting back in touch with my psychiatrist would be a good idea. He will be able to identify any underlying issues & will have an understanding of the possible effects the Schizophrenia might have had. He'll then know the best course of action.

What do you mean by "my mental process"? - I'll happily give the details if I know what to say!

[jessed03]

Hey yeah, some people even say talking about things here helps. Some diary and find that helpful. It's often just a case of bringing the minds awareness back to problematic issues and letting it's own problem solving nature tackle them from a different angle. Talking is usually the best way, but whatever way works is good enough!

There is no stress management section. There aren't many sections actually. They were pretty lazy when they designed this place lol. If you aren't into meditation, then general relaxation exercises will help a lot.

Frustration at tasks, unless there's a normal reason, can often be cos of a little too much stimulation in the mind or body. Hopefully relaxation will help that. It should help your focus.

Don't worry, this happens to lots of people who has an obsessions about something.

Um, mental process, I mean like how you get onto certain chains of thought, whether they are random, or whether you build upto them. What your belief regarding a certain thought is - if there is any. How you react to a thought, how you communicate with ideas, what action these ideas cause you to take, your reactions to certain things in your mind, that sort of stuff. You don't need to answer, I'm getting a better idea of it now. Plus there's not much anyone here could really do to help you with it anyway, it would kinda be a fruitless post.
Its a very personal thing that I believe you have the resourcefulness, as said, to tackle on your own or with whoever your psych suggests. It's a little hard to tackle on a forum! Itd take ages to talk about lol
It's good for yourself to just have a little think about it though. There's usually a fear or unease that accompanies an obsession, which would be understandable in your case, and once you nullify that, by whatever means are necessary given the fear and it's validity, then it's hello GADfree life.

I don't think you need meds either really. I was just interested if you were considering them. I think your GAD is more than possible to manage with lifestyle changes.

[Chatative]

Talking of fear...

I found myself pre-occupied with the thought of death for a while after coming off Antipsychotics.

I was actually worried about Cancer in general. I didn't think I had it, but I kept thinking about it & worrying on a daily basis. That could well stem from a month or two earlier when I had been hearing voices which kept saying I had a brain tumor.

I've generally obsessed about any well-founded health concern that has appeared for the past few months; it just happens to be that my current problems are on-going & the situation is self-perpetuating. I don't feel scared about any of these health problems, just concerned or anxious.

I've no doubt considering I had side effects that weren't even listed for my medication, that my brain chemistry is far from ideal. It seems quite possible that I may have short or even long term changes from drug use, Schizophrenia & the medication I was on. A good example is my RLS, it was caused by my APs & hasn't cleared up despite coming off them.

One thing that has fascinated me ever since I had developed insight with my Schizophrenia, is the power of the human mind. The things it can make you think & do as well as the effects on your physical wellbeing.

That's probably the reason why CBT can be so successful.

[jessed03]

How long were you on all anti-psychotics in total?

That's quite something getting over schizophrenia. Are you all clear of it, have you been told it won't come back, or is it an unknown?

Makes sense you have health concerns giving that even a hallucination was bringing them up. There have been quite a few unsettlements for you, and still some continuing.

Brain plasticity is amazing. The way the brain changes and can be shaped. There's a documentary that someone posted on here, mainly anxiety related, that's quite interesting, I'll link it below incase you're ever bored or just want a watch.

I mean of course it's hard to do, but at least it's doable, and the mind isn't made of stone.

Did you ever have to go into a clinic, or on a ward, or were you able to deal with your illness quite normally?

[jessed03]

Here's the link for the short documentary

http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?23398-the-nature-of-things-changing-your-mind-episode

It's the YouTube link in Ponders post. If you haven't seen it already, pretty good watch. It touches on schizophrenia too, probably stuff you've experienced or realized yourself.

[Chatative]

How long were you on all anti-psychotics in total?

That's quite something getting over schizophrenia. Are you all clear of it, have you been told it won't come back, or is it an unknown?

Did you ever have to go into a clinic, or on a ward, or were you able to deal with your illness quite normally?

I was on Anti-Psychotics for roughly 18 months. It was mostly low dose until the last 7-8 months which was when I started getting bad side effects.

Most sources you read say Schizophrenia is permanent. That is what distinguishes it from other short-term psychotic episodes. However, it is not uncommon for someone to have only 1 psychotic episode which is long enough to diagnose Schizophrenia but clears up. So who knows? It might come back, but it would likely need a trigger. Hopefully, it will never come back again. Schizophrenia is one the least understood illnesses.

I was probably worthy of being hospitalized over the first 2 months but it's amazing how we are able to hide these things - I mean, even I had no idea I had Schizophrenia. I was living alone & managed to keep my composure around friends & family despite many strange thoughts & hallucinations. After those 2 months, it very quickly got less pronounced & I figured out what was wrong with me. On a subconscious level, I obviously knew what was wrong with myself because it was the voices that told me lol. I just got on with life, but after it didn't go away, I eventually went to a Doctor. By that time I was only hearing 1 voice which I got used to & had some very mild paranoia.

It's interesting talking about this - although I occasionally browsed Schizophrenia forums, I never posted in any. There are a lot of weird & wonderful threads in them as you can imagine ;)

[Chatative]

Here's the link for the short documentary

It's the YouTube link in Ponders post. If you haven't seen it already, pretty good watch. It touches on schizophrenia too, probably stuff you've experienced or realized yourself.

That was a very interesting video. I skipped the part of PTSD mind.

I've no doubt on some level, that that is what happened with myself.

I firmly believed that the lack of motivation was caused by the Anti-Psychotics I was on. So, when I came off them to see if it went away, I was expecting it to go. Just as that happened, the other symptoms all went away too. Perhaps, a combination of that belief & a change in brain chemistry from coming off my medication allowed my brain to somehow adapt causing my symptoms to clear up.

Who knows. It was certainly a strange coincidence especially when you consider the fact that peoples symptoms routinely disappear in third world countries where they do not use medication. It's like my medication was stopping me from healing.

[jessed03]

Yeah I quite like that vid.

It does open up a lot of questions. I've never researched schizophrenia much, but it is interesting to talk to someone who's symptoms have disappeared and someone who's tried the antipsychotics.

I can understand why a lot of schizophrenics have massive problems with their meds. Of course of course that's normal and part of the condition, but many of them claim it inhibits their ability to move on, and sort of traps them, or makes them feel worse.

I don't really know enough to form any kind of opinion, but it's been interesting to talk about, and hear your experience. My cousin was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia after 30 years of totally normal living. I'm waiting to see how his case pans out.

[Chatative]

I can understand why a lot of schizophrenics have massive problems with their meds. Of course of course that's normal and part of the condition, but many of them claim it inhibits their ability to move on, and sort of traps them, or makes them feel worse.


I assume your cousin lives in the UK too?

To be honest, I wasn't very satisfied with how I was handled by my NHS Consultant Psychiatrist. The Nurse Practitioner was great, in talking in-depth about every aspect of my psychosis & how it was affecting me. He then passed the assessment onto the Psychiatrist, who made a diagnosis & prescribed me medication.

The first time the Psychiatrist met me, he ran through a set of questions & asked if the medication was making any difference. Every meeting after that was like 5 minutes long & consisted of the same questions. It was left for me to bring any problems up; how can you expect someone with a serious mental health problem to know what to bring up? I was lucky, I had insight but even then my Mum noticed many changes that I didn't. My appointments were eventually only every 3 months which wasn't often enough. I feel I should have had an appointment once a month with a re-assessment every 6 months. I question why I was put on ever increasing doses despite relatively mild symptoms & emerging side effects & also why I was not given an alternative.

I hope the outcome is ok with your cousin & he get's a better psychiatrist than mine!

[Chatative]

So, someone made the valid point that if it is Health Anxiety, I would be continuing to see problems by thinking I have GAD. Now, having looked up exactly what GAD is, I don't have severe enough anxiety for it currently although it is something that can develop slowly.

Anyway, I've sat down & had a think to see if other things make me particularly anxious:

- Health problems.
- Not keeping on top of day-to-day tasks. (Dishes, untidy flat mostly.)
- Friends not replying to text messages or phone calls. (I start to wonder if there is a reason & eventually think they are avoiding me.)
- Reading the worst of situations. (i.e. It's been over an hour since my parents said they would be home & thinking they've been in an accident.)
- Not getting enough free time. (Perhaps it is more that this reduces my overall anxiety than actually causes it.)

I sometimes wake up feeling stressed out for no reason too, but this generally disappears throughout the day. Other things I have noticed are I am sometimes irritable or impatient & sometimes find it hard to concentrate.

Clearly, there is some anxiety issues here but it could just be a hang up from my Schizophrenia, or it could be some other underlying anxiety issue. I really think I'll have to mention it to my Doctor & get back in touch with my Psychiatrist.

For now I'm going to try & stop thinking about it, try & get on top of a few things & most importantly... relax!! :)

[jessed03]

That sucks about the treatment for schizophrenia, it sounds completely useless.

Just reading your most recent post, I think you'll be fine long term with your anxiety/tension issues. You seem to have the most common anxiety issues, and I really see no reason why you're not going to make a lot of progress in the future and put this behind you.

CBT will help a tonne. I can see a couple 'thinking errors' in your worries, I'm sure if you google thinking errors you'll see them too. Even though they are more mild than others might have them, you'll still benefit from working on them.

As far as the physical stressors go, I think you've got that. Stuff like trying to find extra free time will hopefully come. Keeping on top of work and chores and stuff will hopefully become easier as anxiety reduces, concentration improves, and you get into good habits again and build some better neuropathways.

You seem to know your issues, and how to solve them.

Your outlook looks very good in my eyes. All the best.

[Chatative]

Intriguing; I just Googled those cognitive thinking errors.

I definitely jump to conclusions, mind reading- sure (I am very perceptive though, so it's not necessarily always assuming) & related to those I am susceptible to the fallacy of internal control.

I suppose I could come under always being right (I make a point of being right & try to prove others wrong but as it happens, I usually am right :p I do however accept others views & accept when I am wrong though) & polarized thinking too in some situations.

I'm sure many more cognitive thinking errors exist... those are just a few I spotted that seem to fit.

To be honest though, I wouldn't try & change all of those as they aren't that pronounced. Also, If they aren't causing problems, they are part of who I am & how I react to things.

Certainly interesting though & if I do indeed end up doing CBT, it will be interesting to see what comes up.

One point I will make about those stressors & getting on top of things. That is fine, but the problem is I am a creature of habit & if something throws me, those might well build up again very quickly. There's definitely an issue with how I manage stress, i.e. ignore it. I need to learn to deal with it straight away rather than let it build up.

[jessed03]

Sometimes, if the case of thinking errors are mild, which may be so in your instance, just being aware of the error, can kind of be enough to get you to snap out of it, without having to 'go to work' on it.

I know that's happened a couple of times with myself.

You'll have to observe yourself over the next few days and see.

[Chatative]

Will have to!

I've often thought a Psychiatrist would have a field day with me.

The thing is, my Psych was just monitoring & treating the readily apparent Schizophrenia rather than looking for other Mental Health issues.

I'll probably be referred to a different Psych - he probably specializes in Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar etc.

I'd imagine the Psych's who deal with anxiety patients take a lot more time to evaluate & discuss things on a regular basis.