Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and and happy I found a place to talk to others who are experiencing the same things as I am.
Basically, I've never had a problem with anxiety in my 23 years, though both of my parents are chronic sufferers. However, in the past couple of months, anxiety has become a huge problem for me. Here's the long, detailed back story so bear with me please. I need some reassurance!!
Part 1: Right around the first of the year, I started feeling like I was coming down with a cold/cough. I was taking OTC cold medicine and was still functioning normally in my daily life. Each day the symptoms seemed to be getting a little worse, so around mid-January I went to see the doctor. I was diagnosed with sinusitis, and given the antibiotic Cipro for a 10-day course, along with a couple days of Zrytec. On the 7th day of the antibiotic, I was feeling worse sinus-wise than before I had started the Cipro, with the new addition of sharp pain and tightness in my chest and back. I was not able to work on this Friday, and went back to the Dr. complaining of my symptoms. This time I was told it was still sinusitis, and given a couple of decongestants and told to finish the Cipro. I did just that, and spend the weekend in misery in front of my humidifier, violently coughing up mucus. I somehow dragged myself into work on Monday and Tuesday, feeling no better, but by Tuesday night I was in tears from the symptoms. The chest pain whenever I breathed or coughed was debilitating, and the sinus symptoms were at their peak. After spending the night in agony, my boyfriend decided I needed to go to the emergency room. That's when the fun really starts.
Part 2: While I was waiting for the ER dr., the chest/back pain was out of control so I asked for pain medication. Meanwhile, I was sent for a cat-scan, bloodwork, and X-rays. At some point, the nurse shoots morphine through my IV without really telling me what to expect, so I freak out and begin vomitting. While this is going on, the doctor comes in and tells me I have fractured two of my ribs (from the non-stop violent coughing) and that there are mucus-nodules in my lungs which he believe are indicative of sinusitis rather than pneumonia. So I leave the ER with scripts for Perkoset for my ribs and Cephro for the infection.
Part 3: I spend the next few days at my parents (who live 2 hours away from me) throwing up non-stop, barely able to hold up my own head. I begin obssessing over my sickness, constantly thinking that I'm never going to get better, which I now pinpoint as the onset of my anxiety. I finished the Cephro and stopped the Perkoset, which was responsible for the vomitting, and decided to just deal with the pain. I somehow talk myself into going back for a few days (I'm a teacher) but my principal sent me home because I was STILL just as congested and obviously in pain. All I did for those days was think about my illness and worry about why I wasn't getting better. I was nauseous all the time and not eating. I kept thinking the drs were missing something awful that I had.
Part 4: I went to an ENT specialist who again diagnosed sinusitis and this time put me on a 10-day course of Bactrim, a prednisone 6-day pack, and Zofran for the nausea. Within 3 days, my sinuses were clear for the first time in a month! However, instead I was an emotional, anxiety-ridden mess, crying uncontrollably and freaking out about every little thing (white tongue, itchy part of my foot, etc.) I was still nauseous and I couldn't stop thinking about why I was feeling the way I was. I read that the side effects of the Bactrim and pred. could cause those side effects, but the dr. said I had to finish the meds. My father, who is a psychiatrist, gave me Xanax (.25 mg) just to get me through until I finished the meds, which seemed to calm me down enough where I was able to go back to my own home and back to work after 5 days.
Part 5: I have now been off of the antibiotics for a full week. While I am no longer as nauseus, the anxiety has stayed firmly put. I keep thinking that I'm getting sick again and obsessing about what would happen if I did. I am back at work, and I'm generally ok when I'm busy, but it's getting worse when I'm alone or inactive. I feel like I have a constant lump in my throat (which I then obssess over) and I really have no interest in things I normally enjoy doing (cooking, movies, shopping, sex, etc.) I'm trying not to take the Xanax, but I usually end up taking one before dinner so I can calm myself down enough to eat something. It works, but I hate the thought of growing dependent upon it.
So, where does that leave me? I'm basically hoping that there's someone out there who can relate. Could this all still be residual effects from the Bactrim and/or Prednisone? Do you think I'm going to end up with GAD or can I nip this in the butt before it becomes consuming? I'm all ears and gracious for any advice.
Thanks for reading 