Learning to Deal

[BDT]

Hi

I wonder if others are also experiencing panic like this.

I'm male, 40 married five years. I've had anxiety of some kind all my life and learned to manage it some. Now it is getting much more intense, especially sexually. The usual anxiety I've had for years just left me with sleeplessness, fatigue and tense muscles. Bad stuff but I could live with it. Now - especially in sex, I feel more like panic. When it hits me I get a little dizzy, my pulse is racing and my hands & feet are ice. My thoughts are all jumbled and I can't feel confident, sometimes I can perform, but sometimes not at all. These feelings don't happen all the time, sometimes I'm only a little tense, but others times I just freeze up.

Any ideas to deal with the panic would be great.

[alankay]

BDT, if it's to the point of interfering with home and/or work life, it's time to see your GP and tell him alllll about it. My own anxiety waxes and wanes at times based on what's going on in my life. That's normal. Have there been changes at work/family? What I'm saying is that it could be something is going on that is causing the anxiety you usually manage OK to increase right now(and higher that before). If you have decent insurance I would then talk to a counselor(assuming the dr. finds you healthy physically, I bet he will) just to see if you can find something stressing you that you are not really aware of. It happens. If so talking can help allot. If you don't want to go that route he(GP) may prescribe something. Don't be freaked out if they want to try an antidepressant. I know you didn't mention being "sad" but folks need to know antidepressants have strong anti-anxiety effects that take time to kick in(anxiety and depression are believed to have similar/common origins). This is true for folks who are just having issues with anxiety only. They are not habit forming which is very important. Zoloft would be a fine first SSRI to try. Or even the trusty old fluoxetine. Often drs will give you a small script for a short course of a benzodiazepine to calm you until the SSRI(antidepressant) starts to calm you down(antidepressants can also make you a little anxious just when you start taking them, but then work to make you less anxious in time). Some will not prescribe a benzo unless you're really in a bad way. Work with your dr. on this if he is experienced with treating common anxiety. My GP said I'd be surprised how common it is and a fair % of his patients have anxiety of varying origins, types and severity. Benzos are OK for short term use if you need but that your drs call. Often benzoes like librium or tranxene are better because they are long acting and a tad less prone to become habit forming than a short acting benzo like xanax. Not to go stampeding down benzo road but they are often prescribed when starting an antidepressant and not even used by the patient unless he feels more anxiety he cannot tolerate. They may not feel more anxiety when starting an SSRI as well. I just had to get that part on benzos out there. Your dr will know how to use one properly IF he decides you should have a short course. So in a nut shell, talking about what's going on in your life and then maybe a 6 month course of an SSRI might help. Don't be afraid of SSRI's. I've been on fluoxetine(prozac), sertaline(zoloft), Celexa(citalopram) and lexapro(escitalopram) and they helped(I was diagnosed with anxiety in 1981). If you go that route your dr. might discuss a short course of a benzo or even the drug Buspar(Buspirone) in place of the antidepressant. I use diazepam(valium) for occasional high anxiety/panic but have learned to use benzos sparingly and to truly learn how they make you feel before driving, etc. In the mean time practice deep breathing and relaxation. Relax your head and jaw muscles(no kidding). Trust me, anxiety has a hard time existing well in a relaxed body. Antihistamines(Diphenhydramine) might help as they have some anti-anxiety effects in the meantime. Cut back or alcohol and caffeine if you have much in those areas for now. Talk to your wife about it as I bet she'll understand or maybe another family member/counselor. Hang in there and message me if you feel like it.