Is this anxiety or something more?

Posted by ltahuaryeenr @ltahuaryeenr, Jan 3 8:25pm

I am posting this on behalf of my husband. About 2.5 weeks ago he had, what he described as a panic attack at work. He is a respiratory therapist, was working in the ER (something he has done 100s of times) suddenly he got tunnel vision, was shaking, and panicking. This panic feeling basically never went away (going on almost 3 weeks). He went to his doctor who ran some labs, did an EKG, and started him on lexapro 5 mg (to increase to 10 mg at 2 week mark) and hydroxyzine as needed. The strange thing is, his anxiety symptoms peak at about 1 AM, he wakes up every single night in a complete panic and basically cannot go back to sleep. They then persist and slowly taper throughout the morning until he is “ok” around noon. Then it starts all over. Every night. His dad and brother have anxiety but don’t describe it anything like this. He has Xanax as needed that he can take in the middle of the night that calms him down a bit but he hardly sleeps. The hydroxyzine does nothing. He is taking the lexapro at night.

He is scheduled to see psych the end of this month.
He is on medical leave as he cannot function at work on hardly any sleep and his anxiety/panic is absolutely peaking during crucial work hours. Since people’s lives depend on him, he decided to take a month off to try to figure this out.

He is so frustrated and getting more depressed by the day.

Any other ideas? Is something being missed? He has otherwise never had anxiety/panic attacks. Would he benefit from some testing in his cortisol levels or adrenal gland issues?

Thanks for any insight or recommendations.

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foundryrat743 | @foundryrat743 | Jan 5 6:12am

My Granddaughter is a respiratory therapist, and she recently had to intubate a young man, around her age, in the ER, who had made a suicide attempt! That experience really shook her up! In order to cope with dealing with these traumatic, ER experiences, she has to destress. Easier said than done! Relaxation techniques, like Yoga, and learning how to let these emotional experiences, that affect one’s well being, not take over one’s life! I’m sorry to hear that this has affected your husband, so drastically! Therapy should help! Wishing you and your husband the best, as you and him struggle through this difficult time!

colely | @colely | Jan 6 10:02am

Your husband needs to see an Endocrinologist ASAP! Thyroid tumors, parathyroid tumors, and adrenal tumors can cause these symptoms. You can, also,go to mayoclinic.org and go to symptoms and signs. I have gone through being diagnosed twice with anxiety, by lazy, sloppy, prejudicial doctors. Friends and family too. All of us had real, serious, medical conditions. Here are some of them: Hyperparathyroidism, M.S., Two cases Hyperthyroidism, brain tumor, and I had EBV, and Hypothyroidism.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 7 8:11pm

@ltahuaryeenr, I hope you have seen the many supportive and potentially helpful ideas from fellow members to explore. Like others have said, this must be very stressful for both you and your husband. I'm glad that you are exploring all venues. Certain viral infections, like Lyme disease, can cause out-of-character neurological and pschological symptoms.

Does he have any other out of the ordinary symptoms that started around the same time?

| @hopeseeker22 | Jan 9 7:21am

Speaking as Lexapro ingester, i think the dose too low. Lexapro is anti depressant right? Claims to help with anxiety, but so would warm milk. This is the time that Xanax is meant for. When you’re afraid you’ll lose your friggin job if the anxiousness does not stop. Always remembering it’s not meant for life. But to survive unbearable times. I just hope you get better, under profession guidance.

Phoenix | @kudzu | Jan 9 8:55am

In reply to @hopeseeker22 "Speaking as Lexapro ingester, i think the dose too low. Lexapro is anti depressant right? Claims..." + (show)

@hopeseeker22
I agree totally. Xanax has gotten me through many unbearable times and honestly made it possible for me to live a normal life.
How depressed will you be if you lose your job or can’t function or are afraid to leave the house?
Doesn’t mean you have to take it forever, just until
the drs get this thing figured out, hopefully.

drfong | @drfong | Jan 9 3:41pm

Lexapro is a reasonable chance of working, but you may not notice any change until you are at the therapeutic dose [10 mg] for 2-3 weeks.
A panic attack usually starts to resolve after 30-60 minutes, but is often followed by anxiety. Panic is very scary. Often, people will develop phobias because they are afraid they will have another attack [driving, large shopping centers are common phobias].
People who are vulnerable often hold their feelings in, and they build up until they can't repress them anymore, precipitating panic. People want to know what causes them [so they can avoid it]. Panic rarely has a specific trigger. They just occur when the "dam" breaks. Just realize they won't hurt. you.

pjs70 | @pjs70 | Jan 10 9:18am

agree Lexapro needs more then a few weeks to build to helping level. Be aware that xanax is addictive. Be careful. Try a pure CBD gummies couple of times a day.
You can ask for Inderal from your doc. It will slow your heart rate and make it easier for you to control the anxiety that goes with the episode.
I also agree You need a full medical work up to rule out physical reasons for all of this. The middle of the nite wakefulness could be physical or it could be just that insomnia.
my last panic attack lasted 13 hrs. It was terrible. Please see a very good internal medicine or family practice doc.