Question:
I forgot to mention I have been taking xanax for the last few years at a low dose of .25, 2 to 3 x a day. My doc just switched me to .5 of Ativan 2 x a day and 20mgs of celexa. I also have a tendensy to become very hyper and off balance is that anxiety? I have tried other antidepressants nothing worked as well as the xanax. Kim * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
hyper and off balance is that anxiety?
most likely-when we are anxious or fatigued we become clumsy and disoriented. if you want to simulate hyperventilation try breathing in and out rapidly like panting for a few minutes-you mentioned you breathe shallow-this is another breathing related symptom maker-try breathing through a straw and see how it feels-when we are anxious we either freeze fight or flee-slowing down your breathing is the freeze part and will create symptoms. the tilt table test is done to test for vertigo its results are variable and is done infrequently these days there are other better tests. xanax is the premium med of choice for blocking panic for those who respond to this type of autonomic arousal little else works as well with klonopin a close second and all other benzos a third- cck is a vaso active intestinal peptide that is found in a number of systems including the brain and gut-the interplay between the enteric nervous system the central nervous system and the locus ceruleus of the brain are variably inter related and mediated with anumber of amines and peptides this being one. It has been postulated that cck may antagonize endorphins-the primary antagonist to date for cck reduction is xanax or blockading it indirectly through the gut-much has been written on this as far back it seems as the late 80’s by a number of researchers but much has yet to be ellucidated- LM
Response:
Hi Chip and Arthur You responded to my post, Looking for an answer? You mentioned presyncope. I had work-up done on my heart they
A normal heart doesn’t rule out the possibility of presynope. Even joggers with very strong hearts sometimes faint. say it’s o.k. I do believe its some kind of surge. You also mentioned strong emotions. What do you mean by that?
Anger, fear, grief, embarrassment, etc. I don’t really know what hyperventilating feels like, can you explain. I do at times of nerviousness breath shallow. When I
Breath very fast and deep and within several seconds you will feel some strange sensations in your body. These are do to hyperventilation. If these are identical to your episodes, then you have found the cause. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – get these episodes I can not recall my breathing at the time, I’m not really focused on it. Cholecystokinin isn’t that a hormone in the stomach area? I can’t for the life of me figure out what is wrong. I believe I have some anxiety due to this thing that happens. I have 2 tilt tests done for drops in blood pressure. The first one was neg. the second one I lasted 15 minutes and failed. When you pass out during this test it usually means a drop is pressure. I was told by the doc at the time that the test doen’t prove anything and that I probably had a panic attack or hyperventilated. All I know is the room was spinning. Just yesterday I took the results to a new Doc to get a second opinion I will have an answer in a few days. I also made an appointment with an endorcinologist to see what he thinks about these episodes. You also mentioned this is a response to a trigger of some sort of panic? If you can think of any thing else or guide me in any way I would appreciate it. This has been going on for over three years. It’s not that I can’t except the fact that I have anxiety/panic, it just doesn’t feel as if it is that. Thank you for taking the time to help Kim
Kim, in your initial post you described a feeling of "faintness", and thus I told you that this suggested to me a drop in BP leading to a faint or prefaint. You also said people told you your face became white or pale, and this occurs in people before they faint. Finding out the source of "dizziness" can be very difficult as you and your doctors are finding out. In all likelihood they will suggest a few possibilities and not find anything definite. Since all the info I have came out of medical books I possess, I am unable to recommend where you can find out more info on this for yourself on the internet. Take care, Chip * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Before you buy.
Response:
: Cholecystokinin isn’t that a hormone in the stomach area? Cholecystokinin (CCK) is involved in the regulation of the gastrointestinal tract and the saiety response of feeling full after a meal. Some of us, however, produce too much CCK, which triggers anxiety/panic responses throughout the body (including the brain). This is just one form of endocrine-based panic disorder. CCK also appears responsible for nocturnal panic attacks; linked to a natural digestive cycle when we start to sleep. : I also made an appointment : with an endorcinologist to see what he thinks about these : episodes. Very good. I’d be very interested to hear what your endocrinologist says (if you don’t mind). : You also mentioned this is a response to a trigger of : some sort of panic? Panic disorder, proper, is random and does not have triggers. However, panic associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) typically involves triggers and flashbacks regarding a traumatic event. Though, I guess agoraphobia could be seen as a PTSD-like consequence of random panic attacks. The distinctions can get a bit fuzzy. : If you can think of any thing else or guide : me in any way I would appreciate it. This has been going on for : over three years. It’s not that I can’t except the fact that I : have anxiety/panic, it just doesn’t feel as if it is that. The medical symptoms of panic attacks are every bit as real as the symptoms of other medical disorders (sometimes occuring for the same or similar reasons). The symptoms are so powerful and diverse that they could suggest many other disorders, which is why thourough medical diagnostics are necessary in the proper diagnosis of panic disorder. : Thank you for taking the time to help That’s what we’re here for. 
Best Wishes, Arthur
Response:
: I forgot to mention I have been taking xanax for the last few : years at a low dose of .25, 2 to 3 x a day. That is a very low dose for Xanax. The first time I tried Xanax I was prescibed a similar low dose and felt no releif at all. Years later, I tried Xanax again at higher doses and it suddenly started to work wonders for me. I often need at least 1-mg for relief from a mild panic attack, or as much as 3-mg for relief from an acute panic attack. The effective dosage varies a lot from person to person, depending on our individual sensitivity to the medication. You may want to give Xanax a second try if other medications are not helping. Best Wishes, Arthur
Response:
Hi Chip and Arthur You responded to my post, Looking for an answer? You mentioned presyncope. I had work-up done on my heart they say it’s o.k. I do believe its some kind of surge. You also mentioned strong emotions. What do you mean by that? I don’t really know what hyperventilating feels like, can you explain. I do at times of nerviousness breath shallow. When I get these episodes I can not recall my breathing at the time, I’m not really focused on it. Cholecystokinin isn’t that a hormone in the stomach area? I can’t for the life of me figure out what is wrong. I believe I have some anxiety due to this thing that happens. I have 2 tilt tests done for drops in blood pressure. The first one was neg. the second one I lasted 15 minutes and failed. When you pass out during this test it usually means a drop is pressure. I was told by the doc at the time that the test doen’t prove anything and that I probably had a panic attack or hyperventilated. All I know is the room was spinning. Just yesterday I took the results to a new Doc to get a second opinion I will have an answer in a few days. I also made an appointment with an endorcinologist to see what he thinks about these episodes. You also mentioned this is a response to a trigger of some sort of panic? If you can think of any thing else or guide me in any way I would appreciate it. This has been going on for over three years. It’s not that I can’t except the fact that I have anxiety/panic, it just doesn’t feel as if it is that. Thank you for taking the time to help Kim * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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