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Morning Anxiety
How many of you that suffer from Panic, Anxiety and Depression find that their symptoms are worse in the morning and gradually get better towards evening?
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@underedwardstale2018
You've shared enough I think others and I may be able to give you support. You are very young, so I'm not surprised that your trauma has hit you very hard. Moving to a new city can be stressful and if you did so to avoid your traumatic event or a person, it is even more stressful. I'm glad you saw a doctor and he gave you medication to help relieve your fears.
-How long have you been taking the Lexapro?
-Did you start with the full dose?
-Did your fears of the man in black get better after the medicine?
I take Celexa, which is similar, and I found out I couldn't start with the full dose as I became super fearful with pounding heart and feeling faint on 40 mg. I cut the dosage in half and let my doctor know. He was fine with my doing that. I still felt strange for about 3 weeks, but adjusted and was on 20 mg for 1 year before my doctor took me to 40 mg. So, I'm wondering if some of your feelings may be a reaction to your medicine, depending on how long you've been taking it and if it's a full dose. You may need to "titrate" to the full dose as I did. You could ask your doctor about that.
I'm 69 years old, and have experienced many traumas in my life beginning in childhood. I lived 7 years in an orphanage and was sexually assaulted by a girl gang while I was there. I was 8 when my oldest brother began molesting me; he was15. At 18 I was raped by a guy I knew in school. As a result of the rape, I ended in the emergency room and then hospital for 8 days with a bad pelvic inflammatory infection. After that I was told I could never have children due to the scar tissue in my fallopian tubes. I'm sharing this with you because I have a lot of experience dealing with sexual assault and other traumas.
I strongly recommend that you get counseling from a local mental health facility if you live in a large enough city. If there is a college or university where you live, they often have excellent counseling/therapy at very low cost. If you are in a small town, you can ask your doctor if he can recommend a therapist/counseling for you in a bigger town close to you. Counseling helped me tremendously! Also going to a short program on Panic attacks helped. Many hospitals have programs and some have trauma counseling. Consider PTSD counseling as that may be helpful as well. Eventually, when you are feeling more secure/safe, you may be able to join group therapy.
Also, taking Yoga class is very helpful as you learn how to focus on doing the poses exactly and your brain stops worrying about your fears. It takes time to learn how to focus and eventually meditate to calm your mind, but it is helpful throughout life. I still do medication to relax. There are 2 books that are still available through Amazon, both by Dorothy Jongeward; Women As Winners, and Born to Win. I used the first to learn how to get through my panic attacks at first. I never talked to anyone about the panic attacks until I was in my 60's! I wasted so many years when I could have been happier, but I have still had a great life and been happy.
Let me knowif any of this is helpful for you.
Warm regards, Gail B
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2 Reactions@cheineck
Was your panic attack due to having trouble breathing with COPD? I can certainly understand how that would be frightening. I once had pleurisy and it was very frightening to not be able to take a breath without extreme pain. Breath is life. I'm happy you have learned how to cope with COPD, and "roll with the punches". Learning has always been helpful for me.
Warmly,
Gail B
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1 ReactionFirst I will answer your dashed questions. I have been on the lexipro for about two and a half months, I was on tenex before that and adderall before the tenex. I did not start with the full dose, I took only 5mg a day for about a week and am now on a still relatively small dosage of 10mg. Within my first month of taking lexipro, my fear of the man was at a high point, almost as bad as when I was still in my trauma area. He would mostly appear when I would try to sleep, resulting in panic attacks and several days without any sleep and migraines. He still appears now, but only about twice a week. Whenever I see him, I can hear the shuffling of his footsteps in the corner and the gleam of a knife and I'm terrified I will die. During the time that I've been taking lexipro I've also noticed that my heart rate is always higher, especially at night. I should probably try yoga, that seems like a good calming activity for me to try!
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3 ReactionsHi, @cheineck -- I also wanted to make sure you knew we also have a Lung Health group on Mayo Clinic Connect you might want to check out: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lung-conditions/.
A few discussions in particular about COPD might be of interest to you:
- about COPD and some of its challenges: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/just-wanted-to-say-helllo/bookmark/?ajax_hook=action&_wpnonce=986e905a25
- about lung bipsy for COPD: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/howdy-fellow-worriers-i-speak-mainly-for-myself-ive-got-a-bunch/bookmark/?ajax_hook=action&_wpnonce=986e905a25
- about end-stage COPD and also various subjects related to COPD: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/copd-end-stage/bookmark/?ajax_hook=action&_wpnonce=986e905a25
@underedwardstale2018
Please let your doctor know about your fast heartbeat at night. There are other medications out there that might work better for you. If you can get genetic testing for medicines that will work best for you, please ask your doctor to order that for you. You are young and knowing which medicines will work best for your body will be immensely helpful thru your life. It will save you from the "experimental" work of trying different meds until you find the one that works in many situations.
Also, a part of you may be "dying" as you have lost your innocence and right now your feeling of being safe. When I dream of dying I now know that I am changing in some way and trying to incorporate the learning into who I am. That means I must let go of who I was, and grow into my "new skin" in some way. You're learning. I must stop now as I have an appointment. Please keep in touch.
Warm regards, Gail B
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2 ReactionsThank you. I'll be sure to bring up the genetic testing to my doctor as I really am growing sick of experimentally trying medicines.
Also, I'd like to say think you for shedding some light on the thoughts behind what happens. My mind moves so fast that I can't grasp the things that are flooding it. I wish you the best at your appointment!
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2 ReactionsI’ll take some of your ideas to help with panic and anxiety. I know mine is being cause from withdrawal of Lyrica and I still can’t get myself off the 50mg because the withdrawals hit me so hard I just want to dig a hole and crawl in it. I take a very low dose of Ativan when I awake as anxiety is off the roof and I shake and am nauseated. Any suggestions would be thankful
Good morning
I am hoping to find some tips on how to manage early morning panic. I’m 56 years old and had an emotional upset 3 years ago. With that upset came depression, anxiety and panic. I am still prone to episodes of daytime anxiety, however for the most part this is not a daily issue. However, when I wake up, my heart races, I’m choking, chest hurts and I usually have a full on sweat. I’m not worried about anything specific, just completely symptomatic. My health is good. I workout regularly and I’m not on any medication. I found comments about diet interesting, i’ve tried meditation it helps at night but doesn’t change my mornings. I am open to suggestions. Thank you
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4 ReactionsHello, @midnightcandle1. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. As you've experienced depression, anxiety and panic, and have awakened with a racing heart, hurting chest, sweating and feeling as though you are choking in the morning, I'd like you to meet some others who may have some suggestions. Please meet @gailb @mamacita @parus @cheineck and @thankful.
Here is some Mayo Clinic information on panic that may be helpful, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021
What has your doctor said about these morning episodes, @midnightcandle1?
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3 ReactionsHello @midnightcandle1, I would like to add my welcome to Lisa's (@lisalucier) as you have recently joined Connect. Connect is a very supportive, encouraging online patient community.
You mention having had "an emotional upset 3 years ago." It is perfectly OK, that you did not specify the type of upset, however, we have several discussion groups that might help you work through this type of experience. For example, we have a Grief and Loss group if your problem was the loss of a significant relationship. We also have a discussion group on PTSD, if you were the victim of abuse, a crime, etc. We also have an ICU discussion group if your emotional upset was a health-related and/or hospitalization.
If you would like to categorize (no specific information need be divulged), I may be able to direct you to a discussion group where you can read what others have said about their recovery process.
I'm also wondering if you have sought the help of a counselor. If so, how did that go for you?
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