Hi Steve,

I was very lucky to be able to view one old post where you had posted that when you first were diagnosed with SFPN your anxiety levels were high. And you also said that your BP consequentially became high due to the anxiety.

Well you know I have developed anxiety/panic. I am very certain I have this problem as 95% of the time it occurs in the context of social settings. I am even seeing a phycholgist now. When I get anxious and panicky my BP goes up high and I get the jitters and so on. There is something about people who develop PN who also seem to develop anxiety/panic. You have said you suffered,and cured yourself from it, and I am wondering what you have done. Why do you think you developed panic/anxiety in the first place?

I have a theory for myself. I think I developed this problem for a few reasons. But mainly because I was constantly being told by doctors that all my tests were normal,and I felt as if they thought I was going mad. Secondly, I am in a high pressure job, and I have moved heaven and earth to hide my illness. Lastly when the docs kept telling my husband that all my tests are normal, even he was doubting me, and wasn't being supportive. So I stopped telling him how I felt.

So the combination of all of this was devestating me and somehow or other I developed agoraphobia.

Everytime I walk into a business meeting or a work related social setting I feel like I am going to explode or pass out. Today I had a meeting,and I for the first time took 5mg of Valium,and I was a whole different person. I was calm,social, NORMAL!! That little tiny pill gave me back my LIFE!!!

Normally I would have been very ill the rest of the day.

I am already taking Betaloc for hypertension, and feel fatigued. I was also on a Trycilic and felt so over medicated and fatigued it wasn't even funny. That is why I stopped the Tryciclic. The problem I have is that my GP as a rule of thumb, will not prescribe Valium because he said it is a drug of addiction.

Any thoughts on the Valium? Does it help anyone else? Does anyone else suffer any anxiety because of the PN?

Any thoughts are very welcomed.

Thank you,

Aussie

a chicken-or-egg problem for me. My problems date from the sudden onset of my PN. I remain suspicious that the anxiety and PN were organically related--that is, both brought on by a physical cause, such as a self-limiting autoimmune reaction, or a virus, or an endocrine problem, or whatever. But if not, then my anxiety was brought on by the abrupt and harsh nature of my PN.

Once both arrived, they fed each other: Anxiety causes muscle and connection tissue stiffness and cramping, which in turn impinges upon nerves.

Speaking entirely from my own personal point of view, I avoid drugs if at all possible. (Partly because a physiatrist suggested my own myofascial problems result from a drug reaction a few years ago.)

I found that, in my case, treating the body was the key to breaking the cascade. Massage helped. Biofeedback helped. Breathing exercises definitely helped (you can find some online).

In the bad, early days, one of the most helpful things was a post I read on another message board by someone overcoming lifelong panic disorder. He said that whenever he felt an attack coming on, he told himself, "Oh, here comes an anxiety attack. Nothing I can do about it. Whatever. Let it come, so it'll be over." And, in fact, attempts to resist anxiety directly--whether to "not" have an attack or to "not" breathe shallowly often backfire completely: many people report they get very anxious over their anxiety!

There's a pretty good site I found: www.anxietycentre.com (yes, British spelling). It has a very helpful step-by-step program. I was primarily going there because of the forums, where, amid all the various maladies, I found people who had myofascial/neuro problems like mine and were trying to figure out what they were. I believe I've also suggested www.aboutBFS.com to you as well. Both have lots of useful information.

As always, your mileage may vary, but because my worries were so tightly bound up with my PN, once the symptoms started to decline, so did my concerns.

Good luck!

I am very happy to hear that your anxiety has diminished. It is very evident now almost 18 months after my sudden and also harsh onset of PN that I suffered a monophasic episode of PN. It hit me like a Cyclone. Came on extremely strong,damaged the heck out of me, and finally spit me out. I have been in a very slow healing process.

But since the anxiety thing has come on, it has become heaps more unpredictable and torturous than the PN. Chicken and egg all over. I have looked on the british sight many many times. I like it alot.


But I am very happy you have been recovering.

Thank you for replying.

First, anxiety can't hurt you. It just can't.

Second, it doesn't matter what the root cause is. It's treatable, even if doctors don't understand a damn thing about it. That Brit site has some good ideas.

Take care! Just FYI, I don't post or frequent the boards here all that often, so don't take it personally if I lag in responding.

Hi ausie
I am one that has suffered from agroghobia for 27 years it took me a long time to get to where i am now, but don't get yourself hooked on valium, I was hooked on it for 20 odd years it took me a lot of hard work to get off of it,with the panic disorder you have to keep yourself positive and also do breathing techneaks it is the only way to get past it, I had agrophobia before I have pn,since l have had pn I have been more determined to change my life and it has helped, if you need the valium try not being dependent on it all the time.

I know valium is not a longterm solution. I looked at it as a short term emergency sort of solution, like a bandaid. I have been feeling very emotionally tired lately because of this disorder. I try to be positive, I try to be happy and calm but I am soooo tired.

I appreciated your posting it's very nice to get support from the wonderful people on this forum. May I ask you Dianne are you an Aussie Queenslander? Or is there someplace in America which is also Queensland?

Hi steve I am a fellow queenslander in bundaberg to be exact good state.

That's wonderful!! You use the same teacup as someone else I know who posts on forum, but she is from America. I always liked that little teacup!!

Hi aussie
It is the home of bundy rum but l don't drink it haha. I thought the little tea cup was a great thing to have up it is me l like my cuppa.

Hello,
Years ago I suffered a post partum ordeal that became full blown panic disorder, my dr. suggestion was to send me to mental health, I knew my own body so I knew I wasn't crazy, just not in control of my thoughts. My sister had gone through the same ordeal just the year before and actually went to the doors of a pych ward before she backed off. A friend from across country told her to buy Hope and Help for your Nerves by Claire Weekes, so she in turn told me to get the book. I was so wracked that I ordered every book she had authored, actually the only book one needs is the first one mentioned above. I was such a wreck that at first I couldn't even absorb the words of her book, but after about a week I came away with the phrase "Face, accept, and let time pass" every time I started to feel panicky.

With the sudden onset of my PN sixteen years later came great pain in my ankle and a huge anxiety that landed me in the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. Once again "Face, accept, and let time pass" became my mantra, okay, along with a milligram of ativan..

Clair Weekes died many years ago, but that book continues to serve alot of people and I highly recommend for anyone going through anxiety, panic disorder. It saved my sanity and I still use it today. I hope this helps!