Help

[gasman1978]

Help, I am trying to undestand anxiety disorders. and or panic attacks. For the last two years, I have been dealing with a bad back. I have had two back surgeries that have left me in more pain then when it first started. I have been unable to work and have been fighting my way through the Social Security system.

Through it all I thought I was handling everything quite well. I have had more than one doctor push anti-depression pill at me but the side effects were horrible and I really did not feel like I need them.

Last week, after visiting with my pain control doctor, he prescribed oxycodone extended release and also immediate release. I had taken the the oxycodone/percocet as needed for the last two years when the pain in my back got really bad. Ususally no more than once or twice a week.

I had tried extended release morphine but all then did was make me sick to my stomach and since I had tolerated oxycodone in the past, that is why my doctor precsribed the oxycondone.

This is where things go haywire. After having the prescription filled, I took one extended release pill in the early AM. About 1 pm I took one on the immediate release which I had been taking off and on for a long time. At about 4:00 pm, I started feeling like there was something wrong!

This feeling of something being wrong just kept getting stronger and stonger until I could not stand it anymore. I had told my wife earler when the feeling started that I wasn't feeling right. At about 7 pm, I just felt like I was having an allergic reaction to the ocycondone and that I need to get to the ER now.

By the time I got to the ER I was shaking so bad I could hardly stand. After running some blood test (cardiac workup), the ER said I was having an anxiety or panic attack. They gave me a shot of ativan to calm be down and also something to bring my blood pressure down. After a few minutes I felt better but still not right and the doctor told me to go home.

The next day, I just didn't feel right. That feeling that something was not right was there just not quite as stong as it was the previous day/night. The following day, the feeling was still there and I decided I better go see my regular doctor.

After checking me over and getting a copy of the ER report he came to the same conclusion that I was having anxiety attacks and precribed axiety medication, the same medicattion I got in the ER only in pill form.

Since that day, I have continued to take the anxiety medication. It does make the feeling of doom and gloom better. What I am have trouble dealing with is how can I be fine one day and so screwed up the next? I never felt that I was depressed but now this. I am not coping well at all with this!!!
I would like to understand how this could come on so fast but I do not know who to talk to. Should I go see a physicatrist? Can they help?

[fisheater]

...Since that day, I have continued to take the anxiety medication. It does make the feeling of doom and gloom better. What I am have trouble dealing with is how can I be fine one day and so screwed up the next? I never felt that I was depressed but now this. I am not coping well at all with this!!!
I would like to understand how this could come on so fast but I do not know who to talk to. Should I go see a physicatrist? Can they help?

Wow, this makes no sense. Its possible you had an adverse reaction to the oxycontine. Why didn't the doctors stop the oxy for awhile to see if that was the case? Many doctors are reluctant to admit to the side-effects of drugs, they just don't want to hear about it! To simply just prescribe you anti-anxiety meds seems irresponsible to me. Get a second and third opinion because its your health and your body and if you don't protect it, who will?

[Ashes]

I also suffer anxiety/panic and it's a bit like what you describe. Up and down too. Most people with anxiety/panic end up in the ER because the symptoms mimic so many serious illnesses.

I would consider allergic reaction before anything else, but know that most people who have anxiety related illness ususally start off just that way. with no understanding why the hech this happened to them.

aside from shaking, what else did you feel? How do you know your BP went up?

[Michael]

This drug for whatever reasons can cause feelings of anxiety and that of a panic attack. From personal experience, if you can get over the first week or two the symptoms go away.

Using the Ativan or whatever anti-anxiety drug they gave you for the first few weeks can help. However, if you use the dug Ativan everyday you may have a "dependence issue" after several weeks. You would wabt to talk with you physican.

The problem here is, you do NOT want to stop either of these drugs abruptly. This goes without saying, consult your physician on any med change you want to make. The drugs Ativan, Xanax, Knonopin, Serax, Tranxene Etc. (sme of the drugs falling into the benzodiazepine category) can be life threatening if you abruptly stop taking the medication once your body has become accommodated to the drug.

Good luck. OxyContin (ER), Roxicondone, OxyFast (IR) are all good drugs when used appropriately.

md

[lynn75]

assuming it was a panic attack, get some self help books for recovery from panic disorder and follow their advice
also read up on panic disorder on the net
a largish dose of ativan or any other benzo disolved under the tongue will help a lot with any panic attack
another possibility is hypoglycemia but I assume they checked your bloodsugar level

[uvamomb]

I have heard that certain drugs can cause anxiety attacks to start quite quickly in people who have never had the problem. I do have a terrible anxiety problem, but take oxcycontin with no problem at all while still on my Xanax. Maybe it's just going to take you a week or two to adjust. I have been in horrible pain (nerve pain, fibro, chronic myofascial pain, degenerative disc disease) for over two years, and I honestly don't know what I'd do without the psychiatrist they sent me to to help me learn to deal with living with chronic pain. She goes above and beyond the call of duty. It really, really helps. You may want to give that a try. It's hard on you and the whole family when you live with constant pain, day in and day out. Staying at home is the worst - I'm not a stay at home person. Try the shrink!!!! I bet you'll be so happy you did.

God bless you and feel better soon,
Kathy