Stress, anxiety, throat issues, insomnia and antihistamines

Hi everyone
For the past few weeks I have been under an intense amount of stress and anxiety. I have been an anxiety sufferer for many years and also have bouts of insomnia that can last up to several weeks where I'll wake up too early and only end up with 3-4 hours of sleep. Anyway, the insomnia hit me particulary hard a few weeks ago when all of this started and so I began taking Atarax which helped me get through the night but would make me feel like I was in the twilight zone the next day. So, I switched to Benadryl which helped me sleep but also zoned me out pretty bad. Then I started spraying nasal spray (Astelin) up my nose (lots and lots of it) and that helped me sleep but totally wiped me out the next day. Then, I'd go back to the Atarax and Benadryl again and then once again, back to the nasal spray. All are antihistamines and all made me very drowsy but I was completely plastered the next day. It's become an antihistamine roller-coaster and I feel drugged and out of it most of the time but when I have tried not taking them, I don't sleep very well. A real catch-22.
My symptoms (in addition to the insomnia, stress and anxiety) have been bouts of dizzyness, nasal and chest congestion, brain fog and the good old "lump in the throat" sensation. I also find myself swallowing a lot and there are these little pains (but not a sore throat). Food also feels uncomfortable going down sometimes (but not painful).
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone here has had a similar experience and maybe get some input/advice or even to just know that I'm not alone might help.
Thanks so much, Seth

Hi again I/E,

Sorry I had to edit your post, but we are not allowed to mention any use of that medical or otherwise...

I read your other response, and yes it is possible for some to treat anxiety naturally and with therapy.

I had pretty bad health anxiety and panic disorder, and was able to get through to recovery with CBT. CBT is a type of therapy that teaches you to retrain the scary negative thinking patterns into postitive productive thinking and behavior.

I do recommend seeing a therapist for this, but there are also a couple of on-line sites that offer it absolutely free. In our Anxiety Resource Guide (main A/P page 3rd post) you will fine the links:)

Be well, and keep posting,
S.C.

Hi there!

I find if I stress alot during the day or in general my mind won't switch off no matter how tired physically my body is.. I don't know about the antihistimines - do you just take them for sleeping or do you have a general allergy or something? I only need to take antihistimines for my allergy flare ups but I'm on medication that turns me into a complete zombie too! I don't really have any advice as I don't get a good amount of sleep myself but I can understand the anxiety!

And to Inhaleexhale I totally know where you're coming from! I have been banned from google by my doctor because I kept self diagnosing myself (though the doctor hasn't actually managed to come up with any reason why I have the symptoms I do so its not my fault I try doing that) I've also been banned from going to the doctors for anything related to my problems because I keep going back worrying about them (again, undiagnosed so I don't see why they would rather leave me in pain!)

I'm sure theres nothing to worry about for both of you though, and its just anxiety making you feel this way - I know when I get a lump in my throat I panic about it from time to time but I usually calm down when I remember Iv'e suffered from this symptom previously and its nothing.

I have to say in the past CBT helped me alot with my irrational thinking if you have a good therapist its great.. but it's obviously not for everyone! Good luck though and I hope whatever is bothering you calms down eventually.