Aa
mri next wed very stressed about it help
My doc finally agreeded to order a brain mri cause ive already had every other test there is to have and still cant convince myself that this is just anxiety.Im really worried about it cause you have to be still for 45 mins inside a closed tube they said they could give me a valium but i have .50mgs aof zanax i was gonna take which would be better?Im havin anxiety attacks all day everyday worrying about this test and then worried about waiting for the results of this test what else can i do to calm myself down?My symptoms are so horrible and my doc just keep sayin anxiety.Heres is a list of my symptoms does this sound like anxiety to you?I cant take antideppresents have tried terrible side effects and yes ive give them plenty time for each in my system doc says im just sensitive to them.I do take zanx .25mg 3 times a day does help some but dont want to be drugged all day and ive started therepy about 3 weeks ago has helped a little but its been a rough month and i feel as though im going to die and this is destroying me ive had gad for about 8 months now and was feeling better but now bam its worse than ever.I feel as if i get this mri done and rulle out tumor stroke ms or whatever else this thing can show it might help.
pain in shoulders,neck,arms and legs
cant concentrate or focus
blurry vision
unbalanced dizzy
scared to death im having a stroke,tumor annerysm,heart attack etc etc
afraid to drive can barelly go to work
sharp chest pains that last about a min on left right and center of chest
extreme fatigue
weird headache that last a couple mins like a shooting pain then will just go to a diff spot in my head
constipation
loss of appetite
foggy headed
feelin like im gonna pass out
feelin like im gonna fall over
pain in shoulders,neck,arms and legs
cant concentrate or focus
blurry vision
unbalanced dizzy
scared to death im having a stroke,tumor annerysm,heart attack etc etc
afraid to drive can barelly go to work
sharp chest pains that last about a min on left right and center of chest
extreme fatigue
weird headache that last a couple mins like a shooting pain then will just go to a diff spot in my head
constipation
loss of appetite
foggy headed
feelin like im gonna pass out
feelin like im gonna fall over
Best Answer
sorry to keep posting on the same thing but really having a hard time and dont want to get lost in the shuffle
Sorry one more question do i have to taper off the zanax before starting the klonopin cause ive been takin 3 .25mg of zanax daily for about 2 months now or do i stop the zanax tottally before takin the klonopin?I will ask my doc about this but just wanted your opinion too.
Thanks for the reply if the results of the brain mri are good im gonna throw myself head first into therepy or watever else i can do.I would like to ask you a few questions though first the brain mri is without contrast and she lokkin for possible ms will they still be able to see a tumor or a annerysm even if thats not what their lookin for or anything else bad in my brain? she said i didnt need the contrast yet watever that means and secondly if i start the klonipin what mgs do you suggest if i take .25mg of zanax 3 times a day cause i dont want to be on a real strong dose if it lasts a long time ? can at the beggining of switchin cause its rough on me takin new meds can i still use zanax as a rescue till this builds up in my system?will the klonipin work the same as zanax on me without the bad side effects like other meds cause im a scardy cat of alot of meds cause of what the antideppresents did to me?Is it basically the same as zanax just lasts longer?
Can anxiety really cause all these symptoms on a daily basis?My doctor keeps sayin yes but when i asked her if she ever had anxiety problems she said no so how does she really know.Ive been to her and a cardio doc er and urgicare so much and have had so many tests done but no mri so i told her if she didnt give me one i would just keep comin back and worrying myself to death so thats the only reason she ordered it because she trully believes this is anxiety why cant i just accept that and focus on getting better?I know ive always been a worry wart and anxious person but i have never felt such strong physical symptoms why does your body do this if it is your head? I hear people talk about the physical symptoms of a panic attack but i cant be havin a panic attack 24hrs a day for the last month theres no way and the zanax helps calm me but the physical symptems are still there even at home and tryin to relax .It really all started in oct when i had my first panic attack and then i got better now im worse i just cant focus on anything but my physical symptoms what do i do?please tell me if you felt these physical symptoms not just during a panic attack but all day when your anxiety was this bad? Im scared to death of this and driving my family down with me HELP!!!!
Hi,
Try to calm down about upcoming MRI. If your system is used to Xanax, by all means take it shortly before procedure. Not sure what other folks here will say to my next comment, but believe I took a Valium when I was also on Xanax years ago. I was performing (dancing) in front of a huge crowd for a benefit, and was freaking out. There was no way I could back out as company I worked for at the time had volunteered me and a few other employees for this charitable event.
My psychiatrist gave me script for enough Valium to cover the two performances, and my dancing drew applause..the high kicks were probably easier with a Valium in system:).
You will be better able to deal with your test if you take meds. Once they have calmed you, it will be easier to distract yourself by taking yourself to a different place in your mind. That is what I do now when subjected to machine tests:).
You have a long list of symptoms....but once you have results of MRI, I hope you will be able to prioritize. Focus on the anxiety which may be core problem.
Keep us in the loop. We are your support group here. 24/7.
Try to calm down about upcoming MRI. If your system is used to Xanax, by all means take it shortly before procedure. Not sure what other folks here will say to my next comment, but believe I took a Valium when I was also on Xanax years ago. I was performing (dancing) in front of a huge crowd for a benefit, and was freaking out. There was no way I could back out as company I worked for at the time had volunteered me and a few other employees for this charitable event.
My psychiatrist gave me script for enough Valium to cover the two performances, and my dancing drew applause..the high kicks were probably easier with a Valium in system:).
You will be better able to deal with your test if you take meds. Once they have calmed you, it will be easier to distract yourself by taking yourself to a different place in your mind. That is what I do now when subjected to machine tests:).
You have a long list of symptoms....but once you have results of MRI, I hope you will be able to prioritize. Focus on the anxiety which may be core problem.
Keep us in the loop. We are your support group here. 24/7.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?
It is great that you have been assessed by a few specialists and had tests to rule out a medical problem. That is an important first step in treating anxiety. The next specialist you need to see is a psychiatrist. He/she will be able to evaluate you and your symptoms, provide you with an accurate diagnosis, and give you treatment options. Because you seem to not be able to tolerate ssri type anti-depressants...he/she can offer other options for you...and there are many.
Personally, I would ask about Klonopin. It is a long acting benzodiazepine, and unlike a shorter-acting benzo like xanax, it does not have the same tolerance issues...meaning it stays effective for a MUCH longer period of time without dosage increases. Typically, short acting benzos should be reserved for short term (a few months max) or strictly on an "as needed" basis as a rescue med....not dosed daily for long periods of time. That may be part of your problem. When a med like xanax is taken several times a day for a prolonged period of time a few things happen. One, you build up a tolerance and require a higher and higher dosage to maintain the same therapeutic effect. If your dosage isn't increased periodically, you will experience rebound anxiety, or an increase in anxiety. Secondly, you will get to the point where if you ever discontinue the med, you will likely suffer some significant withdrawal symptoms. Not that a med like Klonopin WOULDN'T produce w/d symptoms and wouldn't need to be d.c'ed slowly and carefully, but it is better suited for long-term treatment of anxiety. It is typically dosed at least 2x/daily and once it begins to build up in your system, it allows for a more steady state of calm...instead of a lot of ups and downs that meds like Ativan and Xanax can cause. There are also some other med options for people who cannot tolerate the SSRI meds. The older, tricyclic antidepressants are one choice...beta blockers are another. Also, I don't know how many different SSRI-type meds you have tried. While they all might be in the same 'class" of meds, they differ dramatically in their chemical make-ep and mechanism of action. So, while you may have had horrid side effects with one, another may work just fine for you. These meds require time and patience and treatment of anxiety as a whole usually requires quite a bit of trial and error before finding what works best for each individual person.
As for your MRI....I think the Valium will work just fine for you. That is a commonly Rx'ed med in those situations. Just be sure you discuss your high level of anxiety with your doctor WELL before your appt so that he/she can be prepared to re-dose you if needed. You can ask ahead of time if you can take your Xanax (probably a slightly higher dose than your regular dose) abhout an hour before your appointment. BE SURE TO ASK FIRST THOUGH. Don't just take it upon yourself to medicate, especially if the doctor already ordered the valium. Try to distract yourself...ask if you can take a headset in with some music you enjoy.
Once the MRI is over and if you receive a negative result...you sincerely need to consider diving into anxiety treatment head first. We ALL know how difficult it is to accept that anxiety is what is causing such real and scary physical symptoms...but at some point, you have to at LEAST give it a shot. My suggestion is to get the ball rolling now and make an appt to see a p-doc..many times you'll need a referral and the first appt sometimes takes some time to secure...so you're better off getting a head start...you don't have to wait til your MRI is over. You can always cancel the appt if for some reason the MRI shows some kind of issue.
Hang in there...and please post as much as you want. We all know what you're going through and how frustrating and debilitating it is. You are NOT alone. Let us know how things turn out!!!