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Crohns, mental health and panic

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/10/2018 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
edit* changing the topic title so it’s not too misleading. Remicade is responsible for me currently being in remission and I don’t want to scare anyone away from taking it, since its highly unlikely that it’s causing what I’m complaining of)
Hi All,
after seeing another post on here about humira and panic attacks I decided to throw this out there too. Has anyone seen a connection between remicade and panic attacks? I was fine when not on meds, a little scared to take them but felt confident with my doctors, but now despite being well, the anxiety has crept in and turned into panic attacks and very dark grim thoughts. The anxiety meds haven’t helped and I’m scared to take the antidepressants that they will make these thoughts seem more logical without the anxiety. Really wishing I could blame this on a medications right now:/

Post Edited (Labradorite) : 11/25/2018 10:56:14 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/10/2018 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Labradorite, I'm on Humira and have been on Remicade before that. I don't know if I've ever thought of a connection between these meds but I do have anxiety and get panic attacks (more anxiety attacks than panic attacks) but I've been like that for years. I am very interested in the mind/body connection and feel like having a chronic illness like Crohn's (especially in the gut) exacerbates any predisposition to having anxiety or depression. And when the disease is active that can give you something to be depressed and anxious about tenfold! So I don't have an answer per se but just wanted to let you know you're not alone with these feelings - having very dark grim thoughts isn't a place you want to stay for too long (obv easier said than done) so do you have anyone to talk to about this? I also practice yoga and meditation which I find can help calm the negative chatter - if that's something you're new to I can suggest even some apps to start to take even 5 minutes to create a safe space for you in your day. Even as a distraction to get your mind in a calmer place for a brief moment. I also take xanax for anxiety and extra magnesium but when things get bad I know it can spiral fast. It's nice there are places like this to at least know some other people understand! smile
Posted 11/14/2018 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Labradorite. I'm the one that posted recently about humira and panic attacks. I also just replied to your post on the anxiety/panic forum. I was fine on humira for a few months but I think something may have set off an allergic reaction. I tried taking effexor xr while also on humira which seemed to be when I started noticing a mild sensation of not feeling mentally well. That can be a normal symptom of starting a new antidepressant but I wanted to stop taking it and I didn't know you had to taper gradually from effexor (especially snri's like effexor!). I learned the hard way and had my first ever panic attack from the withdrawal. It seemed that after I recovered from effexor withdrawal, whenever I would take my humira I would continue to get panic attacks.

Tell me if I sound like i'm not making an sense but I speculate that the panic attack was probably initiated by the effexor withdrawal. I think the reason that didn't stop is because of an increased succeptibility to allergic reactions when in such a mentally and physically stressed out state. That's the only thing I can come up with as to a possible reason. I am no expert just trying to explain what happened to me during that time to be as much help as I can. I have searched online and found some claims that the anti tnf class of drugs can cause a rare allergic reaction that can cause panic attacks, i'm no scientist so don't quote me on that. It is also possible that the two are not connected in your case. I am convinced that the two are connected in my case. If I took a dose of humira right now, in 2 days or less I would be in very bad shape mentally.
Posted 11/14/2018 4:28 AM (GMT 0)
I have never taken Remicade or Humira, but I feel sometimes I suffered symptoms similar to those of an panic attack or panic disorder. My guess is that this panic may have something to do with the person's overall health. Crohn's is a serious disorder, which may lead to some dark thoughts by itself.
Posted 11/14/2018 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
I'm very skeptical of Remicade causing panic/anxiety attacks. You might have health anxiety related to having Crohn's disease. We all worry about our health and the future now that we have an IBD. I've been on remicade since 2012, and no issues here.
Posted 11/19/2018 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
I really don't see by what mechanism Remicade could lead to panic attacks. If anything, I would say it's the anxiety meds which are more likely to be causing your panic attacks. That may sound daft, but all psychiatric meds can have paradoxical side-effects where they worsen the thing they are meant to be treating. What anxiety meds are you taking?

Anxiety is more common in people with chronic health conditions. I for once have become vastly more anxious than I used to be and have regular panic attacks about the future. I never used to. But now I just can't stop worrying about what will happen. Don't see any connection between that and the Entyvio I have been on for 2 years.
Posted 11/20/2018 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
Lab, I have gone back & read some of your other posts. You have been under a lot of stress besides dealing with crohns. I honestly don't think Remicade is your culprit.While I was on Remicade I started getting panic attacks out of no where. The Remicade did not cause these attacks, I was really sick & dealing with a lot of other stuff. My dr put me on a low dose of Xanax & it did not help. What it did do was wire me up, it was horrible. I often react the opposite of what a drug is suppose to do. I can't take cough syrup anymore because it wires me up.

After seeing what a disaster Xanax was, my dr put me on Zoloft. I started on a low dose & after a few weeks things got better & as more time went by I felt a lot better. The best way I can describe it, was it really smooths out the rough edges. I had a lot of rough edges. I didn't feel loopy or anything, I was a lot calmer. I was in much better control of myself. I know you had a bad experience with Lexapro when you went off of it cold turkey. We can't do that on certain medications.

Take care.
Posted 11/26/2018 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. Yeah I had a moment of jumping to conclusions but had to throw it out there just to see. The stress is pretty high right now and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight to this intensity, if anything it will be getting worse over the next few months. I’ve been working hard on mindfulness and meditation which has helped quite a bit. I am considering Zoloft but am fearful of how I will react to it especially when so many things rely on me being okay right now. I’m currently taking Buspar. I was given Xanax last spring but was able to ride out the episodes and never took it because I’ve had weird reactions to medications in the past. I was given another medication to abort a panic attack but that one caused me to wake up in the middle of the night convinced the worst of the worst thoughts I was having were true which could have been really bad had I not had my mother to speak to. On the plus side the Crohn's has been completely silent this whole time. I have no idea how I’d be able to take on any of these issues if that was a factor so that’s been a really good thing. I’m trying not to let this stop me from doing and enjoying to the best of my ability the things I was looking forward to doing once the Crohns was out of the way.
Posted 11/26/2018 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
@wednesday, yes I’d love to hear which apps you find helpful. So far my favorite is Headspace.
Posted 11/26/2018 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
I have sever anxiety and panic attacks. My doctor just moved me from Xanax X-ray to lexapro, as Xanax is for more short term issues. He also gave me clonopin tabs to put under my tongue when having a severe pains attack.

I see a therapist and recently I was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment for visumotor processing speed, which means I take way too much time than normal to process information and when I go to fast I make mistakes. The dr , a nuerophyscologist, who did this study said my issue has come from medical trauma which has caused the anxiety and mild depression over disability and panic attacks.

So, I may not be just the medication.
Posted 11/27/2018 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
I was just passing through this forum but noticed discussion on the Mind-Body connection and mood effects that may/may not be associated with medications for IBD.

It is postulated that 90% of the body’s seratonin is found/stored in the connective tissue lining and mesothelium of the intestinal tract.

That some of you with inflammatory bowel disease experience anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and fluctuating mood is likely less specific to a medication or biological and likely more associated with serotonin fluctuations in response to ongoing inflammation.

I have a Pituitary tumor. I always struggled with hypersensitivity to fabrics and clothing, lights and sounds. It was suggested that my distress “was all in my head” (psychogenic). Turns out the hypersensitivites did, indeed, have origin in my head. But not of a psychological origin. Rather, a physical cause (tumor) that was the basis of erratic and/or absent hormone secretion.

Hormones are powerful stuff. Hormones are chemical messengers that have broad influence on both the physical body and emotional/mental self.

IBD will impact seratonin levels. Seratonin will impact mood.
Karen
Posted 11/27/2018 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
I am going to add to this conversation. The anxiety and panic attacks I had on Humira were real and they were related to Humira for sure. I am now on Remicade and was fine until we increased the dose. My Remicade level is way too high right now and it causes insomnia. I have been crying a lot for a year and that is disease related but the mood effects from these biologics are real. I am trying Lexapro at a very low dose and working my way up and am determined to ride out any side effects so that I can deal with this disease better psychologically.
Posted 11/27/2018 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
Oh no countess you are having anxiety and panic on remicade too? Is it the same exact feeling that you had from humira? How often are you receiving the medication? Did you have any skin rashes or other side effects from humira or remicade?

After seeing my GI recently we finally agreed to do something different. I am currently on entocort and my gi wants me to try pentasa to see how long that can keep me out of a flare. I guess we'll see how I do in the near future before trying any other new drugs. I'm a little bit scared since the only thing that really put me into remission without side effects before was remicade and humira. I definitely know humira is out of the question for now and i'm scared that remicade would do the same thing. Perhaps Entyvio would be a good option for us due to it's different mechanism of action.
Posted 11/27/2018 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Adubb

I am not nearly as bad on Remicade as I was on Humira. My Remicade dose got increased and I felt a surge of positive energy afterward which included some insomnia. I am not having panic attacks on Remicade like I was on Humira either. The crying is not from the drugs... its from the disease and not being in a sustained remission for long. I am taking the Lexapro to help with the disease not the Remicade. I think once I get my Remicade level lower -the insomnia will go away. I was thinking about Entyvio if Remicade fails but I am not sure if it works as well for Crohns patients. My doctor mentioned Stelara as a future option if needed. Personally I hate all of these drugs! If I were you I would not be afraid to try Remicade in regards to the anxiety.
Posted 11/27/2018 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Oh so you're only getting insomnia now. I'm glad to hear you're not having any more panic attacks. I'll take insomnia over panic attacks any day! Maybe the Lexapro will help with that once your body adjusts to it.

My anxiety is still lingering and comes and goes once in a while. I feel like it'll be another couple of months before i'm back to normal for the most part at least.
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