Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms and conditions

When I started my little emotional rollercoaster @ age 35, they classified me as being bi-polar with generalized anxiety disorder. I put myself into a treatment center after feeling like I was going to go crazy. I used to work in the medical field and I should have known better. They doped me up on 1000mg of Lithium, and 9oomg of Depakote. Lithium can be hard to regulate and dangerous; coming from a person who can sneeze and lose two pounds Depakote just turned out to be a fat pill (180 to 210 in three months). I went through the guinea pig stage Every SSR they put me on had a very bad side effect, Paxil being the worst. After two days of taking it the racing thoughts and feeling out being out of control made me want to jump out the window. I could not even call 911 as I felt I would go even more insane. I really almost did not make it through it. I discussed it with my new Dr. and he suggested Lamictal. I have been on Lamictal for over 4 years at 300mg a day. It has stabilized my moods but I still argue with the doctor about my diagnosis as I feel I am more Cyclothymic , my mood swings are not as pronounced and can last from a few hours to a few days. Since first taking the med I noticed the memory loss, my train of thought going out the window, bloated, the feeling of having a fever, but not. One of the most important affects, if I am an hour or so late from my regular scheduled dose I get dizzy and my shoulders and neck start to tingle and get numb. Just two weeks I requested an increase in the dosage to 400mg to see if it would help with my underlying depression that every other combo has not addressed. Since then I have been a bit more of a whack job. (Emotionally)Two days after the increase I had a very hyper mania day, I had to leave work early for fear I would lose control of my mouth, do or say something very ADHD. I took two days off and seemed to be fine after that. This Sunday I went downhill as soon as I woke up. I wanted to cry, but couldn’t and I did not know why; I felt void of emotions except for sadness, lacked the energy to want to deal with people, even my other half, wondering why I was even here. (Physically) I have noticed heart palpitations and muscle spasms in my face and arms. I looked up side effects and found this site and wanted to add to it. I have tried just about everything out there that I can and nothing will really work as good as this one. Combos with it do nothing for me either. It really freaks me out that the thing I am taking so I do not feel the way I do is making me feel that way to the extreme. I am letting my Dr. know that I will be taking myself off this dosage.

To this day, I am not sure if Nuvaring is the cause of all my problems. But after reading about the side effects and finding many commonalities in my own experience, I took it out today and will not continue using it.

I've been on Nuvaring for the past year. Just before I started using it, I had an episode in the gym where my heart started racing very uncomfortably and I felt like i was going to faint after running. Two visits to the ER and numerous specialists' visits later, they concluded I have generalized anxiety disorder.

Over the past year since that incident, I've become much more anxious than I ever remember. I've gained about 20 pounds. I get headaches all the time. I'm CONSTANTLY tired, to the point where it doesn't matter how long I sleep, I still don't want to get out of bed. Most of the time, I don't want to have sex. I have spells where I feel like I'm about to faint (but never do). Of course, the doctors attribute this to my anxiety, and I'm pretty sure that's what it is since it doesn't seem to be anything else really serious.

Like I said, I don't know if the Nuvaring has had a hand in putting me through this ridiculousness, but I'm not taking any chances. I read somewhere the Nuvaring isn't good for people with anxiety problems because it just makes these problems worse.

At least if these symptoms continue for a while after I've stopped the Nuvaring, I'll know it may not have been it. However, every month I feel my best the week of my period. Coincidence???

Ok so I want to thank you guys so so so much. I have been on NR for the past 8 months, on and off for 2 years and everything was fine but in the last month everything has gone down hill. I have had numerous ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS, DEPRESSION AND SEVERE MOOD SWINGS, chest pains, shortness of breath, muscle aches and the lack of ability of shut my mind off. I went to the doctor a couple of days ago and tried to explain all this and they started me anti-depressants and said I had generalized anxiety disorder. I started taking the pills 3 days ago and last night had the worst panic attack I have ever had---Manic thoughts, severe crying, pacing my house and just wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
After reading all these posts I believe that the combination of the drugs and NR now contributed to this. I have been a very active person but this summer all I wanted to do was stay inside even when it was awesome outside. I would lay in front of the TV and just sit there and then feel bad for myself for not getting outside. When I did get out I felt amazing but at night my mind would race again and when I wasn't working all these symptoms came rushing back. I was so glad to read that I wasn't the only one suffering from this I truly thought I was going crazy. I took the ring out about 30min ago and I don't ever plan on going back on.
If anyone can tell me though what they experienced when they took the ring out that would be helpful so I know what to expect for the future while this all works out of my system.

I started taking Lamictal about six weeks ago for epilepsy. Now keep in mind, I was on Dilantin which worked great for 17 years and then suddenly stopped working. I have been in medication hell since then. First Topamax made me dumb as a rock. I would space out all the time. Worst drug ever. Then Keppra which was better in that my memory/ability to speak came back but I had these intense ups and down. I had rages constantly. Now I'm on Lamictal. So far, it's better than the Topamax and the Keppra, however the dreams are very intense as are the night sweats. I'm also experiencing much hair loss. Fortunately I have a full head of hair but I'm afraid I will eventually lose it all.

I have been taking Lamictal for about 2 months now. Started at 25mg and now at 150mg. I also take 10mg Lexapro and 1 mg of Ativan daily. I was diagnosed with bipolar-2 about 3 months ago. I'm not sure if this is the right combo for me. Most of my problem is with severe irritability followed by moderate anxiety and mild depression. I have never had a Manic episode just Hypomania which the doctor said is my anger and Irritability. I have been on every SSRI (anti-depressant) for the last 12 years, which does help the depression, but it increases the anger and irritability. Another Dr told me I am not bipolar-2, I just have GAD (generalized anxiety disorder). Not sure what to do anymore, the Lamictal is giving me bad headaches and dizziness and nausea. So now I take Meclizine for the those symptoms. Is there just one pill to help all these symptoms? Has anyone had any luck with Buspar??

I was prescribed this drug earlier this week as I suffer with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) I told my new doctor that I've tried other antidepressants for my disorder and found them to either make myn anxiety worse or I get nauseous. He told me to take 10 mgs. to start and take that for a week and then increase the dose to 20 mgs. The first day night I took this drug I awoke at 4 am wanting to climb the walls. My anxiety was so bad I couldn't take it. I took 15 mgs. Valium but it did nothing for me. I took every herbal thing I had in my cabinet in hopes of getting rid of the horrible anxiety.....it was unbearable and I was on the verge of panic. I will NEVER take another one of these pills. I am so tired of doctors who write prescriptions without a care as to how it is going to affect their patient. It's not them that has to deal with the side effects. And I was told to continue taking the drug as the side effect will go away. He's nuts. I can't function with anxiety that was that bad. I give up!

I have been on Celexa for a little over a week for panic attacks/anxiety. The first 2 days I took it I felt like I was in a dream, light headed, tingly, pretty much just intensifying my problems in the first place so I stopped taking Celexa for a few days.. then I spoke with my doctor and she said to try taking it at night instead of the morning. So I began taking Celexa at bedtime. I didn't have much side effects except for a little trouble sleeping, but I actually was starting to feel "better", for about 4 days I was feeling really well and resuming normal activities. Then out of nowhere on that 4th day in the evening I got a really bad panic attack, and for the past 3 days since I've been feeling high anxiety and panic again. I don't understand, because I really felt like I was getting better. I told my doctor what has been happening and all she said was that its normal to have set backs and to continue the Celexa. I'm also taking Ativan to help control the anxiety until the Celexa "kicks in", but in the past few days nothing has been seeming to help. Has anyone experienced this? Is it because I've only been on Celexa for a week? I feel like I am going crazy being back in this lightheaded fog.

Okay, my Dr. switched me to Topamax because I was taking my Relpax too often (3 x a week on average, but it actually stopped my headaches) which I did not realize meant that I had chronic migraines. So far I am less than impressed :(

I've experience a little tingling in one hand, the left, have no idea of why it hasn't occurred in the other. No weight loss. I am under great stress at work (I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder that's being treated with 40 mg Paxil and 150mg (?) Buspar. The side effect that's killing me is the confusion and memory loss. You have no idea of how long its taken me to write this post. My mind will think of one word, but my fingers will type another. I will go back to correct and the same thing will happen. I can't really afford to be stupid at work. At home no one really cares if I'm stupid. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but at least I have some place to be stupid.

The worst thing is I still have the freaking headaches. I want my Relpax back and they can keep these Topamax (and yes, I see why they call it that). I'm just to the point where I'm supposed to up my dosage to 25mg in the morning and 50 at night and I'm not sure if I'm going to do it or step the dosage back down. How long is this stupidness supposed to last, on average. At what dosage do you know if its working or not for your migraines? I'm very frustrated and about to toss in the towel.

Thanks for any help,
Just call me Dopey

I hope someone can help me. I developed a couple of boils in my inner thigh area and my doc did not want to drain them until he tried one last remedy, Sulfamethoxazole. I began taking 2 giant pills a day exactly 12 days ago. The medicine helped the with the boils a lot. They seem to be down to pea size. I suffer from Generalized anxiety disorder and Panic Disorder and I can honestly say that this medication induces anxiety in people. I woke up in the middle of the night about 2 days ago shivering uncontrollably and could not move from the spot I was shivering in. I think I broke a tooth from the chattering of them. I did not think anything of it because I figured it was a nightmare. This morning when I woke up, my body was really sore. My back was killing me and I had a rash on the back of both hands and around/on my feet. I could not get a hold of my dermatologist so I called a couple pharmacies and they told me to stop taking the medicine and take a benadryl. I took the advice and am now wondering if I am allergic to sulfa or maybe this is all a side effect from the pills. I am now terrified about all this because I just read about a disease called Stevens-Johnson syndrome. If anyone has input, please post. Thanks

-John

P.S. I currently take Klonopin and Paxil CR incase needed to know.

In the fall of 2004 I was given levaquin to treat an infection in my colon -- this was as a follow up to hospitalization where I was given 2 other antibiotics (don't recall the names)

After I was discharged for the hospital I came home feeling great--seems that the infection in colon had been there for some time and had definitely ran me down.

I was taking the Levaquin daily as instructed and wanted to complete the treatment as recommended with Antibiotics. During this time, my stomach was giving me fits...I literally had an upset stomach continuously while on the Levaquin.

Aside from the stomach problems, I felt great--until one day all of a sudden it was like something snapped in my head. I began feeling a steady pressure and it felt like I was underwater.

My nerves literally went haywire...I could not sleep, I could not eat anything without having extreme nausea. I paced the floor for 5 solid days and nights without any sleep. I was hearing things...and the worst experiences was the panic attack like symptoms. I ended up going to the emergency room 5 times thinking I was having a heart attack.

My heart would race and my BP was so high in some cases the auto-cuffs would blow off my arm.

All that stuff started in 2004 and since then I have been under treatment for depression and generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks. I have lost feeling in my hands..down the side of my legs, and I still experience either constipation or explosive diarrhea-- It is usually one or the other--there doesn't seem to be a normal BM anymore.

If I do not take the anti-anxiety drugs I have been given then I will experience large muscle tremors.

I don't know that Levaquin did this to me but I find it highly unlikely that I could feel great and then all of a sudden I'm in an advanced state of clinical depression-- In one day's time???

I have also noticed that I can't concentrate like I used to do...I have actually been eating and will ask my Girlfriend what we are having for dinner. My gosh--I'm sitting there eating the stuff and don't even realize it.

I'm 42 years old and ever since I took Levaquin my life has been a constant living hell.

Starting ever 3-4 months, then every 1 to 6 weeks with no known trigger I get a burning skin sensation that comes on suddenly and within 10 minutes or so I feel blow torch heat staring with neck and face then limbs and trunk that actually looks exactly like a sunburn, but feels about 10x worse and no peel afterwards. And my face muscles weaken, face droops, and I look 10 years older at it's peak. These "attacks" usually only last 30 to 45 minutes and driving with AC on full blast or taking a cold shower is the only relief during. All I know for sure is this never happened in my 44 years until prescribed gabapentin.(Nuerontin). I have GAD and my doctor suggested a 400 mg pill along with at Xanax 4x a day. I have tapered down to 1 gabapentin in the mornining and intend to quit in 10 days. Bad news is I've been at the low dose for the last 6 months out of the 18 months on it and the attacks haven't changed as hoped, in fact I'm writing because I just had one last Thursday and again today (Monday, only 4 days later)... a new record for shortest span between attacks. Could recognize no benefit or difference with regards to it's effectiveness treating my Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The Xanax as needed appears to be all I need alone. Only exception being that early on if I took my 100 mg Xanax w/out a gabapentin you could get drowsy while driving.... I break them in 1/2 doses or drink coffee, does the trick. I'm on only these two drugs and don't see the same side affects posted about Xanax so I deduced it's the gabapentin and am stopping it. Yes I too noticed occasional blurred vision, confusion, and munchies, reduced libido, more difficult or no orgasm as well on gabapentin. Too bad.

Hi Denise, Mamawannawin, Karla & everyone,
Today I "celebrate" two months off of Yasmin. I am still plagued with panic and anxiety, but to a lesser degree. I am now taking Effexor XR 37.5 (EFFEXOR XR is a once-daily SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) approved for the treatment of depression & generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), to keep the anxiety under control. Unfortunately it is an anti-depressant but it is supposed to also be for anxiety (I DO NOT have depression). I was on Paxil CR for 2 months but discontinued it due to side effects.
I also have hypertension which the doctor said is secondary to my anxiety and I am not taking BP medication. I took off 12 pounds so far, which helps. My face was so bloated when I was on Yasmin that it looked like I was on steroids.
I NEVER EVER had anxiety until I was on Yasmin. This pill has wreaked havoc on my whole system!!!! Never again.

I wish you all the best for renewed good health!

Have been on Celexa for 2 1/2 months now. Absolutely no side effects. I have suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder/ Panic Disorder for 13 years. Was taking Xanax quite often for panic attacks. In the past six weeks I have taken only two 0.25mg Xanax which is a huge improvement for me. I have lost 6 pounds and I don't have such ridiculous compulsive worries anymore. I have no sexual side effects like some people have mentioned in other posts. This medication is GREAT for me. I am so thankful I found it!

i have just started Neurontin for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I had to switch doctors (Insurance Purposes) and this doc took me off of everything and gave me Neurontin. 3 weeks in to it and 1200mg later I feel light headed, angry, crying spells and a general feeling of hopelessness. I am not happy with this drug and from what I understand it causes much weight gain. Anyone experienced this?