[believerofkarma]

ok, for the past month my GAD has sky rocketed!! But this time I don't know if I'll be able to beat it or if it really is just my anxiety. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened to me, so idk why the increase. The doc wanted me to up my zoloft from 150mg to 200mg, but I've read all negative things about increasing. So of course, I'm not going to take the higher dosage I will just continue with my 150zoloft, .25xanax, and 10mg buspar. Here's my symptoms, take a look at them and help me decipher if it's my anxiety or something else.
trembling hands every day, headache on top of head, dry eyes, sensitivity to light in eyes, high irritability, no energy, waking up after 8+hrs of sleep and im yawning, loose stool, and decreased eating.
The doc I saw on Tuesday said that I had depression, but I feel its something more so i'm awaiting my blood test results for tomorrow. hopefully they found something, cuz this time I dont' know how im going to get myself outta this anxiety rut!!

First and foremost you need to tell your doctor these symotoms. Hi and welcome believerofkarma. I've had much anxiety myself and have been on zoloft and lorazepam, which is similar to xanax. Just my thoughts but I've gotten dry eyes when on antidepressants and I think it may be related to the dry moith we also get. You need to drink plenty of water on these medications. I really feel you may be having side effects from the antidepressants. Serotonin is a chemical that also naturally appears in your gut, and at changed levels can cause diahrrea for a while when adjusting. You can become more nervous from the effects of zoloft but its not likely. These are only from my experience. The headaches could be migraines but sound more like tension.

hi believerofkarma, i'm sorry about how you have been feeling lately. I have had almost all of your symptoms and I have anxiety and depression. There were so many times where I wasn't sure if I was going crazy or if I had some undiagnosed illness that was causing all my weird sensations. I don't know what i would have done without a special friend who kept assuring me I would be ok. Hopefully the blood test will clarify whether or not there is something else going on. Keep us updated. I hope more people will answer your thread and help out. take care

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

I'm so sorry you are going through all of this. It's pretty difficult and I fully understand, I have really bad anxiety from time to time, my last episode lasted a full 6 months.

I had some similar symptoms as you did. I lost all appetite, like I would run to the bathroom and start vomiting or dry heaving any time I tried to even eat a cracker. The doctors gave me nausea medicine which really helped.

I also got diarrhea when my anxiety was bad. I didn't really ever read it was a symptom so it bugged me even more, but yup I got it, and bad. Now I have an irregular bowel so I typically only go number 2 once every 4-10 days, but with anxiety I was on the toilet 3-4 times a day. When I have anxious days now it is like that still.

Now with the sleep, I had the opposite, I couldn't sleep at all and had a horrible time which made my anxiety worse. I was in the fight or flight when I'd try to go to bed and when your addrenaline kicks in, the last thing you can do is sleep.

But I think the extra sleep could be attributed to anxiety, possibly depression though. When I was a teenager though I was so anxious all the time and I would be able to sleep from Friday at 5pm till Monday at 7 am, only waking up for meals and to use the bathroom. To me though it gave me a way to avoid all the anxious feelings I was getting.

The dry eyes, as others mentioned, could be due to your medication, or even the extra sleeping. When I sleep too much my eyes get dry and are itchy all day long. They spend so much time shut while sleeping, it's like they have to get used to being open which causes them to be dry and itchy. This may not be the medical reason for it happening but it just seems that way to me.

Lack of energy is a very common sign of anxiety and unfortunately I am STILL experiencing that 4 months after my anxiety settled down, it seems like your mind goes into over drive with all of your anxious thoughts which makes your body feel worn out and tired. Just my opinion though, but I do know lack of energy is often associated with anxiety.

Sensativity to light and high irritability can also be associated with anxiety. It doesn't always cover every last detail when you read the symptoms but these things definately effect me during my episodes.

The only thing I'm unsure of is the headache. I get migraines but they typically don't revolve around my anxiety. Perhaps you are getting headaches though from your sleeping patterns? I know when I sleep too much it often leads to a headache.

I'm glad you've seen the doctor and hopefully they can help you sort all of this out. It sounds like a lot of it is anxiety or possibly depression.

[believerofkarma]

thanks everyone! I went to the drs today and all my blood work came back negative. So that means it's all been my FLIPPIN GAD!!!! I'm not too happy that its really just my anxiety, but I must think positive and remember that it also means my health is perfect. For now I just have to try and diminish my shaky hands, headaches, and fight the fatigue. Thanks!!

[my3kidsmom]

hi, i to have been having high anxiety (mel brooks movie, anyone remember that one!) and depression from childhood trauma. with the shaking since about april of this year i've been waking up with legs and hands shaking badly, even after a good nights sleep. it's anxiety. some days it doesn't go away til late morning and makes me more anxious because i'm someone who is really in tune with her body. then it leads to me crying, not baby tears, but full blown sobbing because of the hopeless and fearful feelings that must be going on in my subconscious. at least i think that's what is happening to me. the decreased appetite is usually from depression, i've lost over 30 lbs since this started over the last two years. (actually i like the weight loss, makes me feel better physically and my clothes like me better too!). so try not to stress yourself out more dear and just say to yourself this too shall pass even though it doesn't feel like it will. dig deep in your soul and tell yourself positive affirmations and give yourself a big ole hug! there is a good cd i listen to by bellaruth naparstak (SIC) about positive affirmations you can get it on itunes or amazon. maybe that would help. meditate when you are shaking and repeat a phrase that will make you feel better and keep doing so while taking deep breaths in through nose and out through mouth. try it for 5 or 10 minutes. i've always told my girls be your own best friend, so do that to yourself hon, that way you will never be alone in your heart. good luck, and big hugs to you

[believerofkarma]

Originally Posted by my3kidsmom

hi, i to have been having high anxiety (mel brooks movie, anyone remember that one!) and depression from childhood trauma. with the shaking since about april of this year i've been waking up with legs and hands shaking badly, even after a good nights sleep. it's anxiety. some days it doesn't go away til late morning and makes me more anxious because i'm someone who is really in tune with her body. then it leads to me crying, not baby tears, but full blown sobbing because of the hopeless and fearful feelings that must be going on in my subconscious. at least i think that's what is happening to me. the decreased appetite is usually from depression, i've lost over 30 lbs since this started over the last two years. (actually i like the weight loss, makes me feel better physically and my clothes like me better too!). so try not to stress yourself out more dear and just say to yourself this too shall pass even though it doesn't feel like it will. dig deep in your soul and tell yourself positive affirmations and give yourself a big ole hug! there is a good cd i listen to by bellaruth naparstak (SIC) about positive affirmations you can get it on itunes or amazon. maybe that would help. meditate when you are shaking and repeat a phrase that will make you feel better and keep doing so while taking deep breaths in through nose and out through mouth. try it for 5 or 10 minutes. i've always told my girls be your own best friend, so do that to yourself hon, that way you will never be alone in your heart. good luck, and big hugs to you

Thank you soo soo soo much!! This advice defintely has brought a smile to my face. I too am a mommy and dealing with GAD and a 4yr old boy is quite trying but i'm managing. keep in touch, I would love to pick your brain a little bit more on soothing techniques.

[my3kidsmom]

Anytime. It's good to know you are not alone even though it feels like it. This anxiety is new to me like I said since April of 2012. And the shaking freaks me out I hate it with a passion cause it usually brings on tears because I don't like when something is out of whack in my body. But it does ease off as morning wears on. And it gets better faster when I get busy instead of dwelling on it. I do remind myself nothing is wrong with my body and as a smart woman I
Know it's literally in my head. So I try nOt to beat myself up about it because after all I'm only human. Just breath one breathe after another, feel the beautiful sunshine on your face, enjoy your child's belly laughs , remember the good, be around healthy fun people, get a hobby, and so much you can do to help. One foot in front of the other, even if thEy are baby steps.

[Little Lulu]

An idea to consider is to increase the Zoloft for a short time to get the symptoms under better control, then go back to prior dose after you feel better. When my anxiety started full blown in 2000 I was reluctant to take meds. A psychiatrist told me that early and aggressive treatment of anxiety helps keep it from becoming so persistant but I didn't listen and took meds very sparingly. Thirteen years later I think he was right. I am much better now but it took longer than it might have if I had used more meds.

It sure feels like you are going crazy when anxiety spikes but after all these years I have yet to do a single crazy thing when I am feeling that way.

I am sorry for your pain but I know firsthand how painful it can be.