? about anxiety

[Liz D.]

I have noticed a lot of us have anxiety and take xanax or some other medicine, myself included.  Are we anxious because we have Sjogrens or is there any medical evidence that shows the disease does actually cause this anxiety?

[Jellyb]

Hi Liz,
I have often wondered that myself. My anxiety has gotten worse over the years as have my sjs symptoms, but I have developed better coping skills also.

It is so hard to explain the anxiety to people who dont have it either.  Hopefully someone else has ome more info, I would love to hear others thoughts on this.

[Skylar]

I have recently discovered that my anxiety was tied to when I ran too low in vitamin B-12. I never knew that B-12 could affect depression and anxiety - and in my case when I got my B12 up to a normal level, my anxiety level went back to normal. I was amazed and thankful to get off that miserable runaway freight train.

[Liz D.]

Skylar,

How much B-12 did you take to get it to the right level?

Liz D.

[Joe S.]

Those levels of B-12 should be monitored by a doctor.

Breathe in "I am"
Breathe out "Calm"

Anxiety seems to be common with AI diseases. Panic seems to be common with pain.

[newhorizons]

Seeking Info...Will some of you please explain in your words what the difference in the personal feeling you experience in anxiety(noun) and agitation(noun) as it relates to the medical aspect in your life? 

Is there any special approach you have learned to 'deflate' either feeling?

Any thoughts you might like to share with me will be sincerely appreciated; I'm confused...

[mshistory]

Seeking Info...Will some of you please explain in your words what the difference in the personal feeling you experience in anxiety(noun) and agitation(noun) as it relates to the medical aspect in your life? 

Is there any special approach you have learned to 'deflate' either feeling?

Any thoughts you might like to share with me will be sincerely appreciated; I'm confused...

When I was filling out some paperwork at the rheumy's office, there was a checklist of psychological symptoms and two of them were anxiety and agitation. My husband, who is a clinical psychologist, was sitting right next to me so I asked him "What's the difference betweent these? Seems like they'd be the same thing." Well, he knew I already knew what anxiety was because I have a good deal of anxiety, but described "agitation" as feelings of being easily annoyed, angered, impatience, etc. Anxiety is more about excessive worry, feelings of being easily overwhelmed and can often be accompanied by rapid heart rate, sweating and dizziness/nausea.

HTH
Sharyn

[Skylar]

Skylar,
How much B-12 did you take to get it to the right level?
Liz D.

Those levels of B-12 should be monitored by a doctor.
Anxiety seems to be common with AI diseases. Panic seems to be common with pain.

Joe S is partially right, your doctor can have you tested for B-12. The good news about B-12 is that even if you take in excess, you'll just pee it out - so you can't overdose. You don't need to be continually monitored. 

I take a large dose and I honestly think it's related to my Sjogrens affecting my digestion. I have never had anemia (pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder where there is a decrease in red blood cells because the body cannot properly absorb vitamin B12 from your GI tract) which is odd because I have all the other problems including permanent damage due to very low levels of B-12 - and I've had this problem a couple of times diagnosed by different neurologists when I'm having a flare.

My PCP now has me on 1000 mcg methylcobalamine sublingual every day plus a monthly injection of B-12 methylcobalamine. With this intensive amount of B-12 I barely get into a normal range. I see my PCP later this week and she may up my dose.

I clearly feel a huge difference - my anxiety level went back to normal and my depression lifted. When I first started to flare my anxiety was so out of control it was limiting my ability to get out of the house. Wiki has some info on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12_deficiency but they don't mention anxiety by name but it would be included in psychological. I've seen anxiety itself listed somewhere else - might have been Mayo or somewhere like that. I know people with anemia say they feel an energy boost after taking B12 - but I never felt that.

DH doesn't have health issues, but we did switch to a whole foods, plant strong diet two years ago he takes 1000 mcg methylcobalamine twice a week - Mondays and Fridays.

Seeking Info...Will some of you please explain in your words what the difference in the personal feeling you experience in anxiety(noun) and agitation(noun) as it relates to the medical aspect in your life? 
Is there any special approach you have learned to 'deflate' either feeling?
Any thoughts you might like to share with me will be sincerely appreciated; I'm confused...

As Sharyn described it I get anxiety - that's my problem. The heart races, nausea, feel like I have to cry, I can't think logically, when driving I start to make extremely poor choices, can't follow the directions given by my Garmin , just feel miserable and worry about things that I know aren't worth worrying about but can't help myself.

I try to talk myself out of it - tell myself that logically these things shouldn't make me anxious - but it doesn't help. Once it hits, it takes over like a runaway freight train - I have no control over it. I've done things like extra preparation if I have to drive somewhere - using the garmine for routes I drive regularly and shouldn't make a mistake, look at maps ahead of time, think about myself going there without anxiety and leaving much early than needed to accommodate any problems - nothing helps. And the irony is normally I don't have any of these problems - it only comes on with my flares and appears to go when I up my B12.

[really?]

I truely hate the word anxiety for many reasons, the best one is ,, we think its anxiety when they cant find the reason were so sick,,

When we feel things going out of control,, its natural to think the worst,, expecially when we want to scream out to the world,, dam it,, were slowly dying here and you people cant see it,, I have read so many articles about conditions that were never dizgnosed in life,, ony at autopsy did they find out what the disease process has done to us

I take xanax,, I dont think without it i could function,, or function as well as canbe expected considering how bad I am, you do what you have to do,,, I have said many many times,, God only gives us only what we can endure,,, well I dont say it,, the only people that says that are the normals who live full lives, and never have to consider that even though we may look good,, wee probably only a few hours or days form the grim reaper,,

[lolo1979]

I am and have always been a very anxious person, long before getting sick. I often wonder if my anxiety caused/contributed to SJS.  Having said that, I too have been trying to keep it in check and read something that has been really helping me.  The name of the book is "Never Be Sick Again" (which by the way, is a very good book - might post separately about it later).  Anyway, it has a whole chapter about how much our mental state AFFECTS our heallth (not just our health impacting our mental state).  One thing he said really struck me...he said (paraphrasing) - You can choose the way you react to your circumstances. Reacting one way will contribute to your health and help you feel better, and reacting with anxiety, fear, and worry will contribute to your illness.  So now every time worry creeps in I tell myself "worrying about this could make me sicker"  It almost gives me "permission" not to worry, which in my case I think helps.  For some reason, I think if I worry enough about something then I can prevent it happening. and clearly that is not the case.

[Pisces24]

Long ago my gp said my anxiety was "situational anxiety" - gosh is there any other kind?

I was a caretaker for my folks for many years so my anxiety started there.   You want to heal them but can't and what you do do just never seems to be enough. Then you are sometimes fighting with the drs all the while trying to keep a balance between caretaker to your parents and you as their child role. Yeah that was anxiety.

Since my folks have passed my anxiety is alot better but I do have occassions where my brain is just fine with something and my body says "the heck with that, I am upset!". Dr used to tell me your thinking/brain helps your anxiety but at times I don't thinkall my parts want to communicate with each other. LOL 

The think with Anxiety ----  Lots of times you can't change your situation BUT you can change your reaction to it.

[hjane0811]

Anxiety can be caused both by the physical and the mental. Physically, check your hydration, your thyroid and medications. Mentally, check deep inside to see what is triggering the anxiety.  You can usually find it if you look hard. When did it start?  What were you thinking then?  Ask yourself, is my anxiety justified or have I put it there by creating negative thoughts (like self-doubt, recall of a bad past experience, my own perfectionism, an illogical fear, etc) Take a deep breath and tell yourself "I do not need to be anxious, it does not help the situation in any way". Sometimes changing your thoughts, giving in to what is happening or moving on to something else can help. These are all things I've tried with some success. Good luck.

[12lovehim]

You know I have really noticed the "NEW" issue of anxiety for myself.. Yet the way I explain my mood change.. (that I think the steroids have made worse) I tell my family that someone took my normal peaceful, patient self.. and if it was on a scale of one to ten someone came and took my 3-7... I can now just go from 1-10 in no time flat...

I have noticed that if I get to ten... I breathe, squeeze all my muscles and slowly relax them... And as much as it all pains me.. I can't babysit the 5 month g randbaby like I did my 2 year old grandson. I can't handle the crying.. and I have noticed I can't soothe him like I desire.. 

I have had one moment of uncontrolled crying.. It freaked me out, more than "what caused the crying"...  all because we were running 15 min late to a meeting... 

Blessings.. Keri

[Meld256]

I think there's been a similar topic recently.  Sort of a which came first? The illness or the anxiety/depression type of question.  I'm not a medical professional, but it really seems all this is connected because almost all of us have these types of problems.

The week I became ill, I will never forget one morning I suddenly had an awful feeling of doom; that's the best way to describe it. Very wierd.  And as far as irritation, agitation and things bothering us that might not have before, I definitely have that.  I've read that those of us with a dx of fibro. especially, have something I call the "Can't Stand it" Syndrome.  I Can't Stand the crying baby, the barking dog, loud music, a bunch of people talking all a once, a big crowd, etc.
Sounds like something else we have in common.

[Daisy1234]

Hi everyone:

First I'm so very sorry to learn that so many of you are dealing with anxiety issues, it can't be easy on you especially when coupled with so many physical health complications as well.

Meld's observations about the potential of a Fibro connection were very interesting to read and made me wonder.  My sister has Fibro and also has some anxiety issues although they are just bothersome at times albeit not serious.  But she does have bad high blood pressure issues and has to take 3 BP prescription meds for them and still can barely get her BP below 150/90.

Me on the other hand, I have severe primary Sjs (no Fibro) and have never had any anxiety or depression issues at all and my blood pressure is bang on normal.  I don't know if Sjs and anxiety go hand in hand, but for me that hasn't been the case.  I do know that chronic illness and depression are very common however and I'm hoping that there are ways and means that each of you can find to help alleviate this aspect.  Depression and anxiety are real issues for so many of us that are chronically ill.

Sending everyone many positive thoughts,
Daisy