I've been dealing with anxiety issues for many years, way before my MS diagnosis, though it's MUCH worse now. So...does that mean it's not MS related? That it's MS-exacerbated? Or that I've had MS for a lot longer than I think? (Those are trick questions)

I've had anxiety all my life... It was my response to incomprehensible parental behaviors (overly punitive and chaotic reactive etc)... I don't have MS, so I can't say what the connection to MS would be biologically.

But just having a serious condition like MS must be very difficult and anxiety producing in and of itself!

It is possible to have one or more OTHER things wrong going on at the same time. So I typically encourage people to have an open mind about symptoms.

Yes, yes and yes..

Thanks for this info. I'll look into Theanine. I had tachycardia when younger, and nothing to stop it. Propanalol now keeps that at bay, as well as atrial fibriillation--just a small amount, 5 mg times 3 times a day, or 15 mg a day. Most people with Porphyria take it, and it is apparently harmless for porph patients.
Do I have anxiety? I am not sure. I know I, like you, MrsD. have terrible memories, and these are becoming worse now that I'm alone most of the time, husband having died 3 1/2 years ago. I have anguish more than anxiety, I think. Remembering what might have been IF....especially if I'd been properly dx'd when in college, and not allowed to get nerve damage which ended up with MS dx in middle age, then Porphyria...(I also have Polycythemia Vera, posted about taking p32 on another thread today).
But a wise counselor told me this two years ago while I was in Seattle: nothing that turned out well in my life, such as the love of my wonderful husband, would have been the same, or even exist, without what went before in my life, including the horrible things. Someone said the same thing this morning in my church "discussion group"--we are what our past made us, combined with what we realize right now.

I'm a paraplegic who's MS is progressing rapidly. If I was to panic & it was to heal me, then hell ya i'd panic. But it won't so I don't. A guy's point of view try it Dej.
10mg of Prozac I started 2? yrs ago sure doesn't hurt. I tried it to increase proactin which it did, but MS still goes down hill. At least I can smile as I do.

The MS MD told me prozac can add to panic disorders and didnt want me to start it. I got on topamax for migraine, and it dropped my BP so did elavil, and so far ativan/xanax is the only thing that didnt.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Dejibo, I got into a very bad panic attack from one Prozac, quite a few years ago. I reacted to all anti-depressants (due to Porphyria) but Prozac was worst. I recognized what was going on and that I would just have to wait, with sweat pouring off my hands and teeth grinding, until the Prozac departed. And it did depart. Elavil made me semi-paralyzed.
I can take some Benzos, as you can, but mine is Klonopin in small dose. I react badly to xanax--I was in the clinical trial for xanax, and it, too, made me semi-paralyzed. I am interested in Mrs.D's comments on L-theanine. Would like to hear more about that.

You and your Doc were so right Dej. My Doc gave prozac to me for depression, not taking my anxiety disorder into consideration.

When my Neuro put me on Prozac back in the late 1990s, I absolutely spazzed out. ..I went off of it and he put me on buspar then paxil, which are especially for anxiety and depression and worked great.

However, when Paxil stopped working for me About 2005, my PCP put me on Prozac and told me, not only would it keep me from any withdrawal from Paxil, but should work on my anxiety/depression, now. He was right.

I was surprised, because I know that Prozac can have an upper effect at first. So, even though I love my Prozac now, I advise peeps with anxiety, to start with paxil or buspar...not Prozac.