Been having Anxiety Attacks and No Doctor Will Help. What to do?

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Amaze

Amaze

Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
241
Location
New York, NY
Hi-

Since my fistulas and many other issues I have been having panic attacks. I went to my primary physician and it was like talking to a wall. She said we dont want to give you anything for anxiety because they are dangerous. But I told her that its fine for me to be on Humira, Prednisone, Mercaptopurine, Flagyl and Cipro on the same time. She told me its still more dangerous than those :(

I demanded to speak to her boss and she reiterated what the doc told me. They said someone will call me to schedule a appointment with a therapist and/or psychiatrist within 3 days....its been 9.

So I went on to see another doctor. I told him about my anxiety and he was more focused on my insurance. He actually told me to switch it to another one because he wants to get paid more.


I don't know what to do. I searched for psychiatrists in the area but nearly all does not accept my insurance. Why do I have to see a psychiatrist when I'm not depressed?

why is no one listening to me. As I type this it is 6:22 am and I cant sleep after having a freak out at 11:45 pm

Im in NY and if any one knows a doctor that can help please let me know
 
Hi amaze, sorry to see you've been having such a hard time :( .

Your doctors attitude seems a bit strong to me, yes anti-anxiety meds can have risks but as you rightly say, so can any medication.

Some times psychiatrists are thought to be more helpful because they can help find the route of the anxiety and teach you ways to deal with it so that it doesn't overwhelm you in the form of panic attacks. They can also use something called Cognative Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to train you to react to stress differently and to teach you how to deal with panic attacks differently, eg using counted breathing (breathe in for say 3 counts breathe out for the same) etc.

You can find some information on breathing exercises online while you look for more permanent help if you think that would benefit you, just remember that not all websites are trustworthy. Stick to trusted ones like patient.co.uk. Stay away from Wikipedia!

I would go back to your doctor and say you haven't heard anything and see what they say, remember that sometimes there isn't a quick fix and sometimes it's not all down to medications.
 
Are you getting enough B12? When my B12 was low, I had serious anxiety issues (and racing heartbeat, fatigue etc).
 
yes b12 deficit can contribute, use methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.

if your disease is highly active you may not be absorbing dietary fats very well. Your brain is made up of 60% fatty acids, many psychological effects can occur, you need to make extra sure you are getting polyunsaturated fats like linoleic and alpha linoleic, perhaps from corn oil, canola oil, fish oil, avocado peanut butter are a few examples.

oxidative stress also can contribute to psychological issues IBD are under high oxidative stress. chocolate, ginger ,turmeric pepper, may help a bit, they are all powerful antioxidants and somewhat antiinflammatory. Make a ginger turmeric tea with a few shakes of pepper. you only need a small amount of each it doesn't have to be very strong or potent.


if you have never tried removing simple sugars like lactose and sucrose in your diet, this can reduce diarhea by alot. I have controlled my diarhea for 5 years with no meds based on these principles. this is not all i do, but this is what mainly keeps me diarhea free. the only symptoms i struggle with are fatigue and the inflammation.
 
I second the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It is the closest thing you will get to root cause. At first you may not even need to see a psychiatrist, but a counselor. They will help figure out coping methods and triggers. From there, the right meds could be recommended.
 
I went to a therapist and they ruled out depression and said I had anxiety for sure. They made me see a psychiatrist, she also ruled out depression but she gave me an anti-depressant... wtf?
 
Anti-depressants are commonly used for things other than just depression, some have been found to reduce anxiety and help people deal with stress. Some, like amitriptyline, have even been found to help reduce chronic pain and improve sleep. So being prescribed an anti-depressant doesn't always mean they suspect depression.
 
Don't take that crap, or at least I wouldn't recommend it. Anti-depressants have their place I guess, but they are SO OVERPRESCRIBED and terribly terribly dangerous. You mentioned having panic attacks and difficulty sleeping due to them. Seeing as to how you are having so much trouble with docotors (and who doesn't these days, I've stopped going to the doctor for now) I would look into using marijuana. Not only can it help you with your panic attacks and sleep, but can help with CD problems as well. I don't know what I would do without it.
 
I disagree that anti-depressants and other meds for psychiatric problems should be avoided. They are very effective for some people - they benefit me far more than any kind of talk-therapy or CBT ever has. It's difficult to match the right med to the right person (especially taking into account combinations of meds, dosage, and - yes - risks and side effects), but it's certainly worth pursuing.

As mentioned above, a lot of anti-depressants have other benefits and are used for other purposes, both for treating physical symptoms unrelated to psychiatric phenomena, and for helping with other mental issues such as anxiety.

I don't know what to do. I searched for psychiatrists in the area but nearly all does not accept my insurance. Why do I have to see a psychiatrist when I'm not depressed?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what it's like you are, but here psychiatrists treat more than just depression, and I believe are qualified to prescribe meds that other professionals (including other mental health professionals outside of psychiatry) are not.
 
I'm sorry you are having so much distress.

This is probably a useless suggestions, but sometimes weird tips like this work well, so I'll pass along something that helped the son of a friend, with his anxiety attacks.

My friend said when he felt one coming on, the immediate treatment was to put his hands in cold water. I guess depending on where he was, he would run the tap cold, or make a bowl if ice water, or whatever. Apparently this was immensely helpful. They had no idea why it worked.

Hope you feel better soon.
 
Panic attacks are devastating. I really do feel bad to hear that you are dealing with this. And they are self perpetuating. If I just think about panicking I can feel the adrenaline start to pump just like that. Deep breathing really works and if you have a smart phone or tablet I highly recommend self hypnosis apps for stress or anxiety. They are more effective for me than meds. Sometimes I play them over and over while lying down where I won't be disturbed. Once you learn to let them work you will be amazed how they can "take you away". Also helped greatly with my insomnia. Personally I think drs are overly paranoid about prescribing potentially addictive meds but then they no doubt do encounter drug seekers occasionally. I echo the advice you got about marijauna......... assuming it is legal in your area.
Suni
 
Humm. Folks I am not a believer in over medicating, but anti-depressant meds have helped me , along with occasional Xanax. All drugs can be abused, and the dangers than lie within are well documented but,without getting proper sleep you are probabaly not in a very healthy mental state. Medical marijuana ,anti depressant, whatever helps you get some well needed sleep, is primary. Take care.
 
ce1210 said:
Don't take that crap, or at least I wouldn't recommend it. Anti-depressants have their place I guess, but they are SO OVERPRESCRIBED and terribly terribly dangerous. You mentioned having panic attacks and difficulty sleeping due to them. Seeing as to how you are having so much trouble with docotors (and who doesn't these days, I've stopped going to the doctor for now) I would look into using marijuana. Not only can it help you with your panic attacks and sleep, but can help with CD problems as well. I don't know what I would do without it.
Click to expand...

ce1210 - We do not deter members from treatment they may need. We don't know their full history so please abide by the forum rules. Thank you. :)

*Here on the forum we share facts with credible sources, personal experiences and offer support. Posts that deter a member from getting treatment suggested by their medical practitioner that they may need is not allowed. Such posts may be subject to editing and you will receive a warning.
http://www.crohnsforum.com/faq.php?faq=new_faq_item#faq_new_faq_item3

Also if someone has anxiety and panic attacks, marijuana wouldn't be the best choice as it can trigger a panic attack and also isn't legal everywhere.
 
I do not smoke Marijuana and I do not intend to. I am in desperate need of a job and 90% of well paying jobs here in NY require drug exams.
 
Not that I am advising anyone to do this but I will NOT take the anti-depressants. I am not depressed and my Psychiatrist and therapist both agreed that I am suffering from anxiety only.
 
It is important to understand that anxiety can be treated with a wide array of medication. It is not because the diagnosis is anxiety that it needs to be treated with anti-anxiety drugs or that this consists in the only right option to address the condition.

Mostly, the "typical" anti-anxiety molecule will be in the group of benzodiazepines and these, unfortunately, are really, REALLY, addictive and they carry certain risks for paradoxical effects as well. It does not mean that they are not necessary for certain situation but I can understand why your doctors might want to avoid them and prefer an alternative route. The way I see it is that they are better to be used ponctually for "acute" phases.

Maybe your specialists are more looking at treating your condition on a daily basis in which case other molecules such as certain anti-depressants, beta-blocker, SSRI can be more appropriate.

These medications are only clutches, it can't cure anxiety. It helps dealing with the condition better. This is why engaging yourself into a process of therapy like the CBT can be a really good idea to develop strategies to avoid the triggers and learn to defuse the attacks.
 
Amaze said:
Not that I am advising anyone to do this but I will NOT take the anti-depressants. I am not depressed and my Psychiatrist and therapist both agreed that I am suffering from anxiety only.
Click to expand...

Anti-depressants do not only treat depression - they are used to treat many other conditions as well.
 
Yes, in fact my mother takes a drug to help with her shingles pain, that is also an antidepressant!
 
Also regarding using anti-depressants: I used to be against them - I figured if I was unhappy it was for a good reason.

I was first prescribed Amitriptyline for insomnia which was caused by prednisone. Amitriptyline is an anti-depressant, but it is also recognised as treatment for many, many conditions, both physical and mental. Whilst on Amitriptyline, I realised my emotional state had changed, even though I was not taking it for that purpose. I didn't realise I needed an anti-depressant until I experienced what it was like living while taking one. I'd often heard people say that anti-depressants just make them numb, and that they stop feeling both good and bad emotions. It's not like that for me. I still get the negative emotions, but I no longer get overwhelmed by them; I can see them from a true perspective and can manage my feelings and behaviour appropriately.

It's hard to explain, but I just want to defend anti-depressants a bit, and to illustrate how many have multiple uses. Prescribing you an anti-depressant does not imply that you necessarily have depression and it could work to help with your anxiety, whether it's primarily categorised as an anti-depressant or not.

I will add one warning though: many doctors, I've found, do discriminate against people with mental illness. Having an official mental health diagnosis on your medical records can lead to inferior treatment - this goes for anxiety as much as for depression. The fact that anti-depressants have multiple uses helped me get round this discrimination: because I was originally prescribed an anti-depressant for insomnia, the prescribing did not include adding a mental health label to my medical record. My GP who prescribes it knows that I'm now taking Ami for it's psychiatric effects (as I'm no longer on pred and no longer have insomnia), but when I see new doctors, they can see I'm on an anti-depressant without the assumption that I'm mentally ill - only that I suffer from insomnia.
 
Five years ago I broke down and talked to my Dr about the way I was feeling. We agreed
I would try Wellbutrin. His reasoning was if I was willing to use antibiotics etc, what was I
proving by suffering. He was right. For me it was the right decision and the better I felt, the less I felt "weak" for getting help.

It's not for everyone but, for me it's the right one.

I am just sorry I waited so long!

Good luck


Lauren
 
Some people can go nuts on steroids and I am one of them. I did have to see a Psychiatrist to get valium,( 5mg @ bedtime) and more if I am on high doses of prednisone. but I also take antidepressants too. I feel much better knowing he is monitoring my meds and changes dosages as needed.
 
I finally got prescribed Ativan 0.5mg.

I have a question. I took it during an anxiety attack and it did not help. Is this common?
 
for me personally benzo's usually kick in about the time a panic attack is wrapping up on its own...I know .5mg is not a high dose u could try taking 2 or 2.5, but talk to ur doc or whatever I don't wanna get into trouble for giving "medical advise" lol....for me it takes closer to 2mg at once and I have to chew up the pills hoping to get them to kick in faster, which is why I use ganja now, works in seconds...

also they may work better as you take them a few more times, but the longer you take them the higher ur tolerance is going to get as well
 
If you are having regular panic attacks, taking the antidepressant helps to prevent them. The Ativan is for when you are actually having a panic attack. It didn't work for me, and I was switched to Xanax. I found waiting until I had an attack to take something was very stressful. I took Effexor every day to prevent panic attacks. I also attended cognitive behavioral therapy to learn about when/why I had panic attacks, and some ways to cope with them aside from medication.

I am nerdy, so I created a spreadsheet to track panic attacks. At what time of day, what were my symptoms, what was I thinking at the time, what was I doing at the time. It helped me see patterns that I couldn't see before. I also learned some breathing exercises that were very helpful in staving off that horrible light-headed, cold feeling.

As I became more able to manage the panic attacks, I was able to reduce the amount of medication I was taking, and now am not currently taking anything for panic. Sometimes it's just a temporary thing since we are already so stressed out about our health and feeling bad.

Don't worry about the medication being called an antidepressant. Many medications are prescribed for "off-label" use, which means the FDA has approved them for one thing, but they also work for other things. Kind of like people taking Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. It was initially used as an antidepressant, but also helps with pain issues. Many antidepressants also help with pain, or anxiety, or sleep. Don't get hung up on the label. Just do your homework and make an informed choice.

Good look with finding a solution. Having a good psych doctor in your corner is very helpful. They are usually much more knowledgable about psych meds than a general practitioner, and can help you find the solution that works for you. Don't get discouraged if you need to try a couple of meds/dosages to find one that works. It will be worth it.
 
Amaze said:
Hi-

Since my fistulas and many other issues I have been having panic attacks. I went to my primary physician and it was like talking to a wall. She said we dont want to give you anything for anxiety because they are dangerous. But I told her that its fine for me to be on Humira, Prednisone, Mercaptopurine, Flagyl and Cipro on the same time. She told me its still more dangerous than those :(

I demanded to speak to her boss and she reiterated what the doc told me. They said someone will call me to schedule a appointment with a therapist and/or psychiatrist within 3 days....its been 9.

So I went on to see another doctor. I told him about my anxiety and he was more focused on my insurance. He actually told me to switch it to another one because he wants to get paid more.


I don't know what to do. I searched for psychiatrists in the area but nearly all does not accept my insurance. Why do I have to see a psychiatrist when I'm not depressed?

why is no one listening to me. As I type this it is 6:22 am and I cant sleep after having a freak out at 11:45 pm

Im in NY and if any one knows a doctor that can help please let me know
Click to expand...

Hey Amaze,

I'd recommend CBT with a psychologist if your insurance will cover it/if it's within your financial reach. I have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and I've had two sessions so far & I've learned coping mechanisms that have already relieved some of my physical anxiety symptoms. I do, however have anti anxiety medications on hand (Ativan) for really bad panic attacks but I was taking 2-3 a month before but now I'm down to maybe 1 a month. Let me know if you ever want to chat as well, we're all in this together :)
 
I have been on and off antidepressants for years. I believe they can be really helpful. At the moment I am on amitriptyline which I am on for post shingles pain, and really helps with insomnia. I also take the odd Valium. I think it is really hard to deal with the disease and if something helps then that is good. I also agree that therapy can be very useful.
 
Jennifer said:
Also if someone has anxiety and panic attacks, marijuana wouldn't be the best choice as it can trigger a panic attack and also isn't legal everywhere.
Click to expand...

Just noticed this, and marijuana can cause panic attacks, but certain strains are far less likely too and in fact new research shows that CBD may be a powerful anxiolytic. There is a lot more to marijuana than meets the eye and while its not legal everywhere, that would not in the least bit deter me from recommending a potentially life saving medication to someone because I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I care far too much about people to become a doctor...

anyway amaze hope the ativan is helping, I have recently discovered liquid xanax which is pretty awesome for anxiety bc you don't have to choke down a pill, and it begins working almost instantly so u may wanna try that...
 
ce1210 said:
Just noticed this, and marijuana can cause panic attacks, but certain strains are far less likely too and in fact new research shows that CBD may be a powerful anxiolytic. There is a lot more to marijuana than meets the eye and while its not legal everywhere, that would not in the least bit deter me from recommending a potentially life saving medication to someone because I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I care far too much about people to become a doctor...

anyway amaze hope the ativan is helping, I have recently discovered liquid xanax which is pretty awesome for anxiety bc you don't have to choke down a pill, and it begins working almost instantly so u may wanna try that...
Click to expand...

For marijuana, I think it really depends on what kind of strain you get. I bet if I smoked a calm type of pot it could reduce my anxiety symptoms considerably as well, I'm open to it still. Didn't know they had liquid Xanax now! I have Ativan on hand for bad attacks.
 
Yes its very unfortunate that marijuana is illegal, as if it were, medical professionals and scientists could create some pretty amazing medicine I bet, bc I am neither of those things and I can create some pretty amazing medicine with a bag full of seeds, some good weather, and some relatively inexpensive extraction tools. I know it certainly helps my anxiety...but alprazolam intensol is liquid xanax and it helped me tremendously with panic attacks for a while and surprisingly seemed to help Crohn's symptoms as well.
 
ce1210 said:
Yes its very unfortunate that marijuana is illegal, as if it were, medical professionals and scientists could create some pretty amazing medicine I bet, bc I am neither of those things and I can create some pretty amazing medicine with a bag full of seeds, some good weather, and some relatively inexpensive extraction tools. I know it certainly helps my anxiety...but alprazolam intensol is liquid xanax and it helped me tremendously with panic attacks for a while and surprisingly seemed to help Crohn's symptoms as well.
Click to expand...

It really is, I think Canada and the US should legalize it already however it is available for medical purposes up here in Canada but I think Tennessee doesn't have it legal for medical purposes? Am I right?
Oh there you go, if you can create it go for it! I didn't know Xanax was in liquid now, that's news to me. I have Ativan for panic, but I rarely use them. Is Xanax more potent?
 
Jboy-- said:
It really is, I think Canada and the US should legalize it already however it is available for medical purposes up here in Canada but I think Tennessee doesn't have it legal for medical purposes? Am I right?
Oh there you go, if you can create it go for it! I didn't know Xanax was in liquid now, that's news to me. I have Ativan for panic, but I rarely use them. Is Xanax more potent?
Click to expand...

Xanax is the fastest acting of all benzos (or of all the ones available on the market today) and is therefore used more for panic attacks whereas ativan is more often used for general anxiety or a sleep aid, sooo potent may not be the word, but xanax has a very high addiction potential. And yea cannabis is not legal for any purpose in the state of TN, you canadians are lucky what with ur national healthcare and medical marijuana....
 
ce1210 said:
Xanax is the fastest acting of all benzos (or of all the ones available on the market today) and is therefore used more for panic attacks whereas ativan is more often used for general anxiety or a sleep aid, sooo potent may not be the word, but xanax has a very high addiction potential. And yea cannabis is not legal for any purpose in the state of TN, you canadians are lucky what with ur national healthcare and medical marijuana....
Click to expand...

I didn't actually know that! I thought the dissolve under your tongue Ativans were for benzos. Ativan helps me though for panic attacks so much but you're right, it usually takes a full hour for it to kill the panic. I also didn't know that Xanax was the more addictive one because Ativan isn't to me. I know, Tennessee is silly with a lot of their laws (Republican red state lol). I LOVE our healthcare system, I'd be bankrupt right now I bet if I lived in the US with all my hospital visits and tests I've had, medical marijuana is nationwide as well yes! I have friends that have medical cards.
 
Read:" The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross and the Ultramind Solution by Mark Hyman, M.D.
My PCP physician recommended these books and approaches to managing mental health issues. We went off of pharmaceuticals to manage depression, anxiety and ADHD issues using protocols from these doctors and had excellent results. Highly recommend!!!
 
I was diagnosed with anxiety in 2010 and have been on anxiety meds since then. Of course they have risks but I would definitely recommend them. I was on paxil, but am now on venlafxin or Effexor. Something else thats helped me is counseling. Putting the two together is one of the best things you could do for anxiety.
 
I was treated for depression and anxiety at least 10 years before my Crohn's. I took Zoloft 250 mg daily and Xanax 2mg 3 times daily. I had a very understanding Doc. I detoxed myself off Zoloft 1 year ago b/c it stopped working. Now, just going through the beginnings of my Crohn's journey, I realized I wasn't depressed. No depression since I stopped Zoloft. But I still remain on my Xanax, at the least 4mg to sleep at night.
I know it's hard to find understanding Doc's with regards to anxiety meds, but rhey are out there. Keep trying. 😋👍
 

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