[hamster-bamster]

I am trying to ascertain whether I have a "regular" case of bipolar or some GAD added in for more fun. My pdoc sometimes puts 300 (the code for Anxiety disorder NOS) and sometimes does not.

I have frequent situational anxiety. It is more than amply "justified" (meaning that the situation is stress-laden objectively), and I have not been medicating it. Flupentixol and Stelazine are medications I consider using as PRN for anxiety (benzos do nothing for me, so there is no point). For now, though, it is not medicated and I tough it out. In terms of the toll it is taking on me, the toll is at least as great as that of bipolar elevation - except that there is a big positive side to having bipolar elevation, but I cannot think of anything positive to say about anxiety. I would say that 80% of my symptoms are anxiety. The anxiety manifests in nausea and inability to eat and drink; while in this state, I can carry out higher order functions, but the basics fail me. Of course, it creates a downward spiral, since unfed and dehydrated, I get only more and more anxious. Plus, dehydration and skipping meals are my two main migraine triggers, and anxiety mixed in with migraines and not sleeping sent me to inpatient half a year ago. Recently I had a similar bout, but thanks to taking Zyprexa PRN at home, I stayed out of hospital and eventually returned to the baseline. I suspect that anxiety can even trigger (hypo)mania for me. Not sure. At any rate, I will see the pdoc in early April and would like to have her view on whether I should continue not medicating anxiety, but walking etc. I am just not sure - on the one hand, I want to medicate as little as possible, but on the other hand, I am tired of literally feeding myself (when I am in that state, I cannot even call eating eating, because I am NOT eating - I am trying to make myself swallow food). Maybe medicating a bit would be a good idea to make sure that I stay on the regular schedule of eating and drinking, which should help me in all other areas.

My question is - what percentage of the total symptoms that BOTHER you is anxiety. If symptoms do not bother you - say, you like a bit of hypo - then do not count such symptoms.

Thanks!

[hamster-bamster]

PS I did not put zero, assuming that everybody gets anxious at least a bit. If this is wrong and somebody has no anxiety, please choose 10%.

[Crazy Hitch]

I have gad - it's aweful and I can relate. I've recently been put on seroquel which I must say is helping tremendously since benzos do Jack squat for me.

[Hbomb0903]

I find that when I get in my black, lost funks social anxiety and just a general deer in the headlights feeling grips me most of the time. I just feel like I can't do anything and can't handle being out in the world.

[venusss]

I voted 80%. I honestly don't *mind* the typical BP symptoms *as much*, but the anxiety is just hard to fight, to tough through... and it spins into paranoia often.

[TheHuffnpuff]

I voted 90%. If I did not have anxiety, I would not have been sleep deprived, I would not have become psychotic, and I would not have been diagnosed bipolar.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

I voted 80%. I honestly don't *mind* the typical BP symptoms *as much*, but the anxiety is just hard to fight, to tough through... and it spins into paranoia often.

Me, too - 80%. Likewise, I do not mind the typical BP symptoms as much, except when completely unable to sleep, but anxiety is tough to fight through... I do not mind some sadness, btw - it makes me feel alive and appreciate that my psyche is sensitive and capable of deep feelings... anxiety is hard to appreciate, though.

[gayleggg]

I voted 90% because even in my depression I'm anxious. I do however take medicine to dull or I would not be able to sit still, sleep or eat.

[Curiosity77]

I voted 50%, because that is currently how it is. But a couple of years ago it was more like 85%. I was given a secondary diagnosis of GAD, at that time. I can't take benzos. I went on Saphris for mood and anxiety, and it helped quite a bit. Being very anxious was terrible. Part of the problem at that point was situational, because I had a lot of things that were potentially damaging and very uncertain in my life at that point. My life is more settled now, and my anxiety is lower. So I can't tell if it was the Saphris that really helped, or if improving my situation was what worked.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Me, too - 80%. Likewise, I do not mind the typical BP symptoms as much, except when completely unable to sleep, but anxiety is tough to fight through... I do not mind some sadness, btw - it makes me feel alive and appreciate that my psyche is sensitive and capable of deep feelings... anxiety is hard to appreciate, though.

I voted 80% as well, but some of it comes from ptsd. I agree that benzos only work for a little while. Also, if you take a benzo when you have a panic attack it kicks in too late. I'm on Neurotin for ruptured discs in my back. It helps with nerve damage and also reduces anxiety. I have panic attacks where my blood pressure goes really high, it's hard to breath, and my neck gets really red like I have hives. It's so bad that I used to have to wear turtle necks or scarfs to job interviews. I've had this problem for almost 20 yrs; people usually tell me I'm sun burned. Anxiety is awful! And I try to take deep breaths to endure them, but most of the time I'm too amped up to even remember to breath. I hate "wearing a mask" or trying to act normal in crowds. It's the reason I had a long history of alcohol & drug abuse.

[Nightside of Eden]

I voted 50% but it could be more. It's hard for me to tell what is anxiety and what is agitated mixed moods, or even moderate depression. It all makes me miserable.

Like so many others in this thread, benzos do absolutely nothing for me, even at high doses. I'm on PRN Stelazine and it works really well, but I'm constantly on the edge of exceeding the maximum dose I'm prescribed because the anxiety and agitation happen so much.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by thickntired

I voted 80% as well, but some of it comes from ptsd. I agree that benzos only work for a little while. Also, if you take a benzo when you have a panic attack it kicks in too late. I'm on Neurotin for ruptured discs in my back. It helps with nerve damage and also reduces anxiety. I have panic attacks where my blood pressure goes really high, it's hard to breath, and my neck gets really red like I have hives. It's so bad that I used to have to wear turtle necks or scarfs to job interviews. I've had this problem for almost 20 yrs; people usually tell me I'm sun burned. Anxiety is awful! And I try to take deep breaths to endure them, but most of the time I'm too amped up to even remember to breath. I hate "wearing a mask" or trying to act normal in crowds. It's the reason I had a long history of alcohol & drug abuse.

how do you know it's a ptsd anxiety compared to just anxiety?

[thickntired]

Good point @VenusHalley. I'm not sure what is the specific cause. I just read that ptsd comes with anxiety

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[venusss]

It indeed does, hence I was wondering what is out of nowhere anxiety and what is anxiety with some trackable roots.

I can reason myself through depression, through manias to a great deal... but not through anxiety.

[Trippin2.0]

Honestly? Idk how to vote

I've come back to this thread over and over today and I just "can't", my brain is in the no numbers zone (where figures dont make any sense) so I have no clue as to which percentage to choose...

If I elaborate, I'm sure Hammy will be able to help me out

Symptoms that generally suck:
Racing thoughts
Dysphoric hypo (kicks in after day 4, lots of agitation)
Mush brain (doesn't compute or comprehend certain info like math, in right ear, out left...)
OCD driven SI ideation (the normal kind is fine though)

Anxiety related bullshyt is as follows:
Nausea
Panic Attacks
Knotty stomach
Inability to ingest anything
Jittery-ness
Skin crawling (not regular thank God)

How often do I deal with these though?

There's a low grade level coursing through my blood daily, the inability to relax even my shoulders is a huge tell tale sign. It makes falling asleep very difficult when your body refuses to relax and you have to concentrate to do so... Anxiety is why I refuse to own a watch. Watches make me anxious, gives me reason to always rush in fear of being late for everything, and rushing makes me more anxious, its a vicious cycle that I'm glad to have broken. But without the watch, it doesn't really hinder me in my day to day living, I go on as if without it...
Last week I was in tears and nearly puked on the bus on my way to an interview... That was obviously provoked and quite unpleasant.

Uhmmm so yeah I looked at this poll question again,read my response and still dont know which percentage... My brain is mush today (as if you haven't guessed)

[swheaton]

I voted sixty percent, but wonder if it should be higher. I know I feel better when my anxiety is under control. The paranoia, depression get worse when I am anxious and not sleeping.

[lonelychick]

Right now, it's about 80%, so that's what I voted. Sometimes, it's not bad at all, but it's almost debilitating at the moment. Right now, I can't even eat every day. The days I can eat, it's a tortilla and maybe a cookie. The depression and anxiety are nearing hospitalization states for me right now. I'm not sure if you were going for the specific moment, or just in general, but I voted for the specific moment. Hope that helps.

[cashart10]

I voted 70% which is high for me and only for right now. Typically, I would say more like 30% or 40%. However, I am an EXCESSIVE worrier.

I voted 90%. I have been diagnosed with bipolar and GAD. Anxiety is a constant for me. Meds help, but do not bring my level of anxiety down to normal. I HATE the anxiety.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by thickntired

Good point @VenusHalley. I'm not sure what is the specific cause. I just read that ptsd comes with anxiety

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As someone who works for the VA (Venus - it is veterans' administration, the agency that provides services for former soldiers in the US) explained to me, PTSD was called an extreme form of anxiety in order to make it an Axis I diagnosis (Anxiety is Axis I) because getting benefits for an Axis I diagnosis is so much easier than getting benefits for something that is not on Axis I in DSM. The guy said that there are other, alternative theories about what PTSD is, but getting benefits drove the decision to call PTSD an anxiety disorder.

This is what I heard in 2009.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by lonelychick

Right now, it's about 80%, so that's what I voted. Sometimes, it's not bad at all, but it's almost debilitating at the moment. Right now, I can't even eat every day. The days I can eat, it's a tortilla and maybe a cookie. The depression and anxiety are nearing hospitalization states for me right now. I'm not sure if you were going for the specific moment, or just in general, but I voted for the specific moment. Hope that helps.

So you too cannot eat...

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

It indeed does, hence I was wondering what is out of nowhere anxiety and what is anxiety with some trackable roots.

I can reason myself through depression, through manias to a great deal... but not through anxiety.

Same... because there is something completely primal and physiological about anxiety. As in "underneath the layer through which you can reason". Impenetrable to reason.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

Last week I was in tears and nearly puked on the bus on my way to an interview... That was obviously provoked and quite unpleasant.

I had an interview in Seattle in Dec. I did not particularly care, because I did not want to move to Seattle, but I thought that I could fly back and forth and ask for some remote work, etc. At any rate, it was not an interview I thought I would be anxious about. At all - because I did not want the job so much.

I flew to Seattle the night before and... did not sleep at all. Never fell asleep for a second. Just stayed awake in bed all night long. Not worrying, no, but awake. And I could not figure out why, because there was no jet lag - Seattle and San Francisco are on the same coast!!

I lost the interview, which was OK because I did not care, but asked the pdoc why I did not sleep (having taken my usual sleep medicine). She said that it was anxiety. So still anxiety... without actively worrying - still anxiety.

the word you used - "ingest" - is what I was looking for. Because in that state, you do not "eat" - you are trying to swallow and ingest, to no avail.

I couldn't put a percentage on it. Up till fairly recently, I've always just thought of it as something that is there in greater and lesser degrees, greater degrees being more obvious to me in depression. And beyond obvious in panic attacks. Welllll, turns out it's so constant and pervasive that I'm often not even consciously aware of it. It's like living near railroad tracks. What is actually brain-rattling noise, you become oblivious to because it's constantly there.

I loop. And loop and loop. No potential outcome is too unlikely to include. No matter how ridiculous. Straight up situational stuff is another category, but that comes and goes. The loop never stops (and it isn't distinct to a current situation). It can be immobilizing and make decisions nearly impossible. When it gets overloaded, I implode. So, if you were to suggest to either my psych or my BF that I'm anything less than a ball of anxiety, this would be the reaction: Ah, the psych, she has her ways. Poor BF …. see, at home, I talk to myself. A LOT. And it's pretty obvious then…(especially when you realize that muttered loop has reached its 6,500th rotation…. )
(And yes, I do have (um, apparently 2) anxiety dx separate from my BP dx.)

In terms of how much it bothers me in the scheme of things? Outside of near-blackout sheer panic, not as much as you might think given how constant it is. Remember the railroad.
Anxiety, in general, I can deal with better than the straight up BP stuff like:
agitation
frustration
lack of control
cognitive problems

Those bother me FAR more. As in being distressing to downright mortifying.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

It indeed does, hence I was wondering what is out of nowhere anxiety and what is anxiety with some trackable roots.

I can reason myself through depression, through manias to a great deal... but not through anxiety.

Hmmm when I'm having flash backs, nightmares, and trouble seeing my husband as not a threat, it's easy to tie to ptsd. Currently though I rarely if ever go through the day without anxiety. I guess that could be isolated, but as stated above part of the diagnosis ptsd includes GAD, social anxiety, and isolation. I have read it's curable, but usually if a person gets into therapy quickly - like a solder. My ptsd stems from childhood trauma, and there were 2 separate incidents. I'm getting help so many years later it could be incurable.

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