Controlling physical anxiety?

Anyone know how exactly you can control anxiety type symptoms that are caused by extreme muscle tension and pain from fibro/arthritis/spinal conditions? My body just hums with tension in the muscles, and pain. I can do all the calming breathing and distraction techniques and do a little good, but it won't stop it completely and won't stop it from happening. We all know the spiral effect too, once it starts, it's very easy for my mind to jump on board and take a ride down the Oh My God Something's Very Wrong With Me track.

I do take a small dosage of Zoloft to control some of the fibro symptoms (25mg), but I can't tolerate much higher dosages than that. I'm not depressed, and the medication at higher dosages makes me feel *flat*, which was not comfy for me, so I adjusted back down to a better feelign dosage. I take Klonopin occasionally, which does help with the twitchy/humming muscles, and helps me stay off that train ride. But currently out of that and all pain meds, due to insurance issues. I don't really think that pouring meds in me is the best way to go, since all of my conditions are going to be with me for life, and just manageable not curable.

Right now, the scariest thing is the sudden spasming of my muscles. I know it's a physical issue, and not likely to totally disappear, but when it happens I just totally freak out. No matter what I tell myself. It starts with a sudden increase in humming, then a sharp crampy type pain in my arm, side, neck (whichever part is closet to spasm). Then I feel a shudder go thru the affected muscles. Then, if it goes up thru my neck, which is normally the path, I get a little woozy. And BAM there comes the panic. Heart races, stomach drops out..etc. My mother has neck issues, and she says every time her neck muscles cramp, she gets dizzy as heck. So I guess it's normal for the dizziness to happen. I have never passed out from this, don't know why I feel so much like I will. But it scares me to death each time, and I guess that's just part of the over all anxiety.

Then the heart pounding from over exerting my poor muscles. Which happens with just about everything I do involving work, but really bad in two instances. Walking up the hill from my driveway carrying anything (like groceries) or walking up stairs. I know it's not a heart problem or lung problem (had a gazoodle of tests to rule them out), but it's a feeling like I just ran a wind sprint. Which, the muscles I'm using are so overtaxed, that I pretty much do that when I use them. Even knowing it's not a heart/lung issue doesn't help when you feel your heart about to pound out of your chest and feel like you just ran a mile, all from doing a little thing. So far, I've managed to not start doing avoidance on either of these situations. I still do them. But not comfortably at all, and I've started having some anticipatory anxiety over it. Like, having to grit my teeth before I do it, b/c I know what the end result will be, which is likely making the entire simple issue worse for me.

Okay, enough novel for now. For once my mind was clear enough to get it out in logical fashion. ;)   Gotta love brain fog. Any ideas? Or does it sound like Klonopin is my only savior here?

Sarah

dont tense up to fight the anxiety, relax and accept it, try long soaks in a hot bath

a beta blocker med as needed will relax the muscles, sadly docs need to be reminder of this usually

Is it one of you conditions that is causing the tension or stress and anxiety. I am fighting bougts of muscle tension in my arms and neck lately. My tension is most noticeable at work. I can feel my shoulders rising up and getting tight. I am on 20 mg of citalopram. This has seemed to help, but only after 5 weeks. I also have become more aware of my posture and I try to make a conscious effort to not let my shoulders start to shrug. The other thing that helped was fully body massage pad with heat and a relaxation CD I got from my therapist. the CD goes thru all the major muscles in your body and has you tense and relax them. I have also found that finding something enjoyable helps. Get invested in a movie, tv show, or book. basically loose yourself. Finally, and this may sound dumb, but I have had a lot od anxiety over eating and have found that taking a moment to visualize myself in the same situation only completely relaxed sometimes helps.

this sounds so familiar - right down to the same medications (and dosages for the same reason). i was never one to like being on meds and when i start to feel better i want to get off of them, but i have to realize that they are helping and hopefully i may not need to take them forever, but for right now while i learn other coping mechanisms i do have to take them and that's ok! (i've finally accepted that). from what i hear (and of course, i'm no doctor) during a panic attack it's incredibly hard to pass out. when you pass out it's a defense mechanism your body uses because you don't have enough oxygen flowing and when you have a panic attack it's the opposite - you don't have enough carbon dioxide flowing. anyways i don't know if that makes sense, just read it in a book. however, maybe that can be one less thing you have to worry about :) i try to tell myself that anyways, even though no one can ever guarantee anything it's good to know the odds are against it.