(No Subject)

Anyone have anxiety and panic attacks after surgery? I'm still having dull pain like muscle pain only when up and moving but am doing more. I just can't handle panic attacks

Not sure if I can help. My wife has battled intermittent anxiety. Sometimes it can be quite severe. For many, anxiety is a strange phenomenon to understand and control. In most cases, it can come on suddenly, but fortunately it can settle and leave just as suddenly.

Most feel anxiety when there is a serious threat. You have a genuine reason to have anxiety, so if you address the reason, you might find that the anxiety may subside. I would suggest get a clear picture of your post op condition from your surgeon. That will likely address your anxiety.

You might also try a mild anti-anxiety medication. The mild ones can be taken as needed, and don't build in the bloodstream.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Pain medication almost always causes me to start having anxiety issues.

The painkillers will be making things worse: I had some mad panic attacks on oxycodone. One time it was so severe I had trouble breathing. My dad looked up the symptoms online, became convinced I was suffering from an oxycodone overdose, and took me to A&E. We were waiting until the early hours of the morning. It was great for me: I took more oxycodone and became peaceful again, while my parents were bored out of their minds. The doctor who eventually came along was very nice, but she was young and I don't think knew how insanely addictive oxycodone is: she assured me I wasn't addicted and to take it regularly 4x a day from now on, instead of intermittently like I was doing before.

Unfortunately she'd have probably been better off telling me to wean off it immediately. Instead I stayed on it for another couple of months, only making the inevitable withdrawal even worse.

Anyway, yeah, it'll be the painkillers making the anxiety and even the perception of your pain worse. But stopping strong opiates/opoids comes with its own set of issues, which you should really have expert help to deal with if you can. Is going to a pain clinic a possibility?

I agree, reducing your dosage of an opiate has the potential to cause anxiety. Just going cold turkey once your body is dependent will almost certainly result in anxiety-like physical symptoms as well as a whole host of others. if it is from reducing your pain meds, the anxiety should go away once your body regulates a bit.

Anesthesia can also have some side effects for a while after administration. Some people complain of anxiety and depression after surgery that they link to anesthesia.

And then again, surgery is stressful. I would recommend continuing to baby yourself and get the rest you need. Take pain meds if you need them. I started weaning off of 120mg oxycodone a day when I got home from my surgery and most definitely experienced anxiety at times. But things get better, I promise!

Hello Barbz, My mother suffered horrible panic attacks for almost three months post surgery. She'd call me in the middle of the night to talk her down. She went to several doctors before someone explained that anesthesia can do that to you. She refused to take any other meds that might have helped her...and then suddenly it just didn't happen to her anymore.

I hope that yours gets better soon.