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What do you do for the anxiety

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Posted 3/10/2008 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hello again. I always get anxiety if I think I am going to get a flare up. My last ER visit last week, my heart rate was 157, I told them it was because I was in so much pain. I was told that is not a sign of pain (for me it is). I don't know if my flares cause anxiety or if my anxiety causes the flare. What about you, Thanks again. Kay
Posted 3/10/2008 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
Kay,

I'm sorry you have to go through this. Have you tried yoga or meditation? Or exercise? Yoga has helped me so much. I do gentle/restorative or bliss yoga (not the crazy hot yoga). You should give it a try. Exercise also helps me out quite a bit (when I'm not flaring). I still force myself to exercise when I am flaring, though at a very low intensity. It seems to help my symptoms a tiny bit but helps me keep my mind in check (b/c I worry about anything and everything). Take care and I hope you feel better soon =)

-Emma
Posted 3/10/2008 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
That is such B.S! Of course a very high pulse is an indicator of pain. It can also indicate infection, dehydration and other things.
Anxiety may cause a higher pulse during an acute anxiety panic attack, but not normally.
Those ER people can be jaded. All of us medical people can get jaded! I make a strong attempt to ALWAYS listen to my patient and not assume
they are nuts or faking.
I am trated poorly when I am a patient at times too so I get you.
Sorry this happened!
Posted 3/10/2008 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, you actually asked a question and I went off on another tangent! Sorry.
I take Effexor for general anxiety and it really helps. For acute attacks Klonopin
or Atarax(Vistaril) helps alot.
Posted 3/10/2008 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
I take Xanax for my anxiety. Having a chronic illness like we do is a definite anxiety trigger. And Sharann is right, pain can cause your heartrate to increase. Hang in there!
Posted 3/13/2008 5:35 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you all so much for your input and well wishes. It took me 4 years to finally accept that I had CD. I am finding that this sight is very helpfull and full of great people and good information.

Thanks again. Kay

Posted 3/13/2008 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
I totally agree with Nanners on this
Chronic illness can and does cause anxiety...sometimes more than not leading to depression

I take Valium when needed for my a/p
Hoping you find a way to cope
I am glad this site is as helpful to you as it has been to me
STAY with us ........
LYN
Posted 3/13/2008 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
who prescribes your anxiety meds, your GI or your primary?
Posted 3/13/2008 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
Exercise, Meditation, and low dose Klonopin helps me with anxiety, self-esteem, and confidence. Celexa has also been helping me to not worry so much over the what-ifs.

My Psychiatrist, who is also a pain med specialist prescribes klonopin, and pain meds.

:-)
Posted 3/13/2008 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
For me it is my family doc that RX the anxiety meds and pain meds ..........

There is also so many self help techniques to work in conjuction with the meds.
Such as relaxation and breathing techniques....
Cognitive behaviuoral therapy ( free online one ) .....this has really helped me and I was a big skeptic about it in the beginning......

Doing things JUST for you ........that means having your own FREE time or ME time ...I truly believe this is so important we do deal with so much with this DD on a daily basis .......LYN

I wish you all the best in what route you choose.Let me know if you want the link for the CBT......
Posted 3/14/2008 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
I like Emma's suggestions. I am a creative person by nature and an accountant by day. To break the cycle of boredom (job related) and to help with the anxiety/stress, I sew, paint and anything else crafty that comes to mind. I also keep a journal so I can reflect on how I was feeling at my worst times so I can better deal with them later. Sometimes it just helps to put it on paper instead of whining to my family all the time. The most important thing I've learned in the last two years since my dx....All I really have to do is breath! The day's chores will be there tomorrow if I don't feel up to doing anything today and if I can squeeze out the time, an afternoon power nap followed by a neighborhood walk alleviates my stress/anxiety too! My GP has also given me Lexapro 10mg daily. Word of caution here. I don't like taking this class of drug, however, I found out pretty quickly...if you start taking anti-anxiety/depression drugs and decide later that you don't need them anymore...watch out for the crash! I wasn't very compliant in this area and found that when I came off the Lexapro (even at a slow wean), my symptoms were more severe. Needless to say for those of us who like to learn the hard way...I take mine every evening now! Sleepin' like a baby and becoming so nice in the daytime, I may have to change my online name here!
Posted 3/14/2008 9:23 AM (GMT 0)
My daughter tends to start breathing faster whenever she is in pain....An elevated pulse, BP and respiratory rate are all signs of someone experiencing pain. Now for my daughter, as for everyone, all these happen, but add to it some real anxiety about hospitals, needles, doctors etc etc, (like so many of us) and her breathing can get downright hyper. The nurses in the ER know her ( she is an incest survivor, so suffers from anxiety disorder among other things like PTSD etc) know they cannot truly asses her until her breathing is slowed down and her anxiety level goes down a bit. They talk her through it....make her take deep breaths thru the nose and hold it for a slow 1,2,3, 4,5 count, then slowly relaase her breath througbh pursed lips. It takes Ashalee a tremendous amount of concentration to control her breathingb but when she manages that she seems to feel more in control and less anxious. A brown paper bag helps also. You might ask your GI for a little tablet of Ativan that you slip under your tongue when facing a panic attack. We've had to resort to that as well with Ash. It works...the trick with those is not to abuse them....try to control your anxiety through other methods such as deep breathing etc....but in case of a sudden trip to the ER where you can't seem to pull it together...Ativan works wonders.
I used to be on Trazadone for anxiety....
Anyway...good luck....take heart....it is normal to feel anxiety over hospital visits
Love and prayers
Mary
Posted 3/14/2008 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have also taken ativan for many yrs to try and control stess and angst over the Pyoderma outbreaks
I agree they do work wonderful ......I have noticed as have a few others on them in a/p forum that memory loss is one sode effect we all have in common.........

NOT saying this will be the case with all just a heads up .........

Deep breathing techniques are great IMHO and have gotten me thru many an attack ........

I wish you all the best
great input
LYN
Posted 3/14/2008 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi - I am from the UC board. I just had a doctor recommend BuSpar for for anxiety.
Posted 3/14/2008 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
Two words baby! Klonopin & Xanax!!!
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