Sudden Anxiety Problems

[Enzo386]

Having read many posts on this forum over the course of the past week, I thought I'd finally post and share my experience. When I was younger, around 14 and 15, I began having panic attacks at night. Fast beating heart, dizzy, tingling throughout my body, the works. At the time I had no idea what it was, until my doctor told me it was an anxiety problem. I took Prozac 10 MG for about a year (helped me immensely), until I finally decided that I didn't need to be dependent on the drug anymore.

Flash forward to about 2 weeks ago. I had a lot of stress at work, college, death of a pet, and being sick with a nasty seasonal virus. While at work, I got a sudden dizzy sensation, or a surreal feeling, heart beating fast, numbness in my face and tingling around my body, etc. At the time, I'm thinking heart attack. At 20? Not likely, heart issues don't run in my family history. So finally I start to calm down, drink some water, and finish out my shift.

However, the general "out of it" feeling persisted. Not sure how else to describe it besides a feeling of a general fogginess. Almost like I was doped up on something in a way.

From there, everything went down hill. Started having panic attacks, trembling hands, pins and needles in my legs. When I walked I even felt weird, almost like I wasn't walking "properly". I went to the doctor and had the Prozac 10 MG dose prescribed again. Took it for two days, then thought: "I don't need to do this again, I can beat it on my own". So wrong. After stopping it on the 3rd day, I started having horrible anxiety, when I'd try and sleep my whole body would tremble on and off. I assumed this was withdrawal from starting and stopping so suddenly, so I started taking it again.

Well, general dizziness and "out of it" feeling persisted still, my hands are still shaky, the rest of my body is generally twitchy, and I noticed my arms or legs having random twitches occasionally, along with general bouts of pins and needles feelings. Being the anxiety health-nut lately, I ran to Google. I think its obvious where that lead to. The symptoms point towards all kinds of neuro diseases. Fun stuff to read when you're already a nervous wreck lol.

Anyways, doctor said to try upping my Prozac to 20 MG. Makes me even more shaky, almost like I'm shivering sometimes. Anybody have some advice they can give? Can't sleep since taking the Prozac, I get the "internal tremors" when I try and sleep since taking it, and I'm still a nervous wreck. Going to see the Doctor Tomorrow to figure out what else I can try.

Still at a loss as to how I went so many years without anxiety problems, and suddenly they're back full force.

[hestes]

Enzo386,
I know exactly how you feel. Until last year, I never had an issue with anxiety attacks. After losing my Mother-In-Law and a pet I was very close to (within a month of each other), I started having them. The first one actually caused me to end up in the hospital.

The ONE thing I have found that truly helps me is exercise. If I stick to my workout routine, I don't usually have them anymore. However, if I take too much time off I start getting them again. An excellent book on the effects of exercise on the brain is "Spark". It gives good information on how exercise can help prevent depression, etc.

I hope you're feeling better soon!

[alankay]

Enzo, at some level the anxiety was simmering below the surface(and prozac kept it at bay) and recent events prompted it's nasty return. Rest assured it's allllllllll anxiety. Nothing more. No other issue is at all even likely. I had similar issues years ago in college. That's when anxiety often manifests itself. At points in life(particularly young adulthood) where your going through changes and new stages with added stress/duties/activities. You are on the right track with going to 20mgs of prozac. It will take time to help and you might even have to go a tad higher with the docs OK in time. Yeah you can get side effects like you describe from starting prozac. If it's really nasty you could go on a short course of a benzodiazepine(klonopin, diazepam) to help you sleep and be less anxious while the prozac starts to help. The doc will have to write you a script for that. Then drop the benzo and continue prozac for at least 6 months(it's probably best to stay on if for longer and see a counselor to get started talking about what's going on in your busy life and do some reading on anxiety). See if you get a copy of "Don't panic" by Reid Wilson, practice progressive relaxation, deep breathing and get some good aerobic exercise. "Sleepy Time" teas often can help you sleep(chamomile and valerian root in it). An antihistamine might also help you sleep(ask a pharmacist which one he recommends). Message me anytime. Also limit caffeine and alcohol for now.

[Enzo386]

I appreciate the replies and advice. I will try the tips out and see how it works out for me!

In my head, I know it has to be stress and anxiety, because the odds and chances of suddenly experience multiple debilitating diseases is highly unlikely. Once I decide on that, the dreaded "What If's" take over and start asking why anxiety would cause me to feel uncoordinated and dizzy, amongst the other symptoms.

I'm going to keep on the Prozac and see how that works out. Beyond the shakiness and pins and needles sensations, the only really negative side effect so far is the dizziness, and occasional "pressure" sensation in my head, almost like an adrenaline or blood rush for a few seconds. It's random, but I'm sure its related to the drug and how it works.

It could just be that my brain is literally "burned out" from worrying about everything, which ironically is making the symptoms and dizziness worse. lol