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Medical Forum / General / General / July 2005Fatigue and anxiety...help!
Sorry for my rambling story but any advice would be greatly received. I'm a 31 year old male. I have always been ambitious and up to a couple of years ago I had a great job that I enjoyed doing and it paid well. I enjoyed a drink after work a couple of days a week, sometimes overindulged, sometimes suffered a hangover but nothing out of the ordinary. I smoke ~10 cigarettes a day and apart from the odd joint of marijuana over 10 years ago when I was a student I've never done any drugs. Having quit my job, I embarked on a business venture with some friends which was immensely successfull, but extremely stressfull - I was working 10 hours a day, 7 days a week for a few months. After many of these stressfull days instead of going home to sleep, I would go to the pub and have a few beers to entertain clients. I don't believe I ever had an alcohol problem but when I was tired a beer would perk me up, and I would then sometimes have problems getting to sleep. Anyway - one day I was driving home and I think I must have had a panic attack. I suddenly felt as though I was about to faint, I was very detached from everything and I was sweating and shaking all over. I pulled over to the side of the road and just cried because I was so scared (I hadn't cried in 10 years). I somehow managed to drive home after about half hour and just slept. After that day, I had another couple of similar incidents (not while driving) and I've never been the same since. I've never been able to shake off that feeling of tiredness and anxiety, and in addition I suddenly became extremely allergic to most things (I skin tested positive for pretty much everything on the list). I had several blood tests but everything came back normal. It got to the point that I had to give up the business, I went on holiday for 6 months and fortunately I'm still financially secure for another couple of years. I pretty much haven't had any alcohol for over a year (when I do I feel 1000 times worse in the morning), I'm in bed by 9pm most nights, and am really as stress free as it's possible to be. I'm sick of feeling tired all the time. I spend my days wandering around as if in a daydream with that feeling that I'm about to faint at any moment. For this reason, I now fear driving, I fear meeting people, I sometimes fear even going out of the house. Even family gatherings are a huge ordeal for me, nobody else seems to realise how bad I'm feeling, I just come across as quiet. I can't concentrate on anything, and it takes me ages to do the simplest tasks. I've also lost a lot of weight (I was fairly lean to begin with) - although I don't know if this is just due to giving up the beer for the last year. I seem to have this constant brain fog stopping me from functioning properly. I now spend my days in front of the computer researching endlessly on my symptoms and convincing myself that I've got xyz. I think because of the brain fog, I also have a huge problem with decisions - one minute I decide to do this to try and get better, the next minute I change my mind and decide to do that etc. I'm not sad and I don't have low self esteem. I think I'm better looking, more able and probably luckier than most people but I am frustrated that I can't live the life I want because of how I feel, and sometimes feel that when I should be living the best years of my life I'm either sleeping them away or wandering around in a fear filled daydream. If anybody has any info or advice that could possibly help me I would really appreciate it! Thanks, Robert > Sorry for my rambling story but any advice would be greatly received. I'm > a 31 year old male. I have always been ambitious and up to a couple of [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > If anybody has any info or advice that could possibly help me I would > really appreciate it! Pretty classic description of anxiety/depression. You should see your primary care doctor about it, and/or consideer making an appointment with a psychologist/psychiatrist. HMc > Pretty classic description of anxiety/depression. You should see your > primary care doctor about it, and/or consideer making an appointment with > a psychologist/psychiatrist. > > HMc Thankyou Howard. I will definitely arrange to see a psychiatrist but I am wary of going down the antidepressant route unless it's really the last option. From what I've read on depression, there are many symptoms I don't have e.g. feeling sad, suicidal, low self esteem etc. I wish there was a definitive test that I could take for depression! Thanks again for your valuable input. >>Pretty classic description of anxiety/depression. You should see your >>primary care doctor about it, and/or consideer making an appointment with [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > definitive test that I could take for depression! Thanks again for your > valuable input. This is how I started out. Just tired a lot. That can lead to full blown depression so nip it in the bud. I would take a look at your diet and make sure you are getting enough good fat and protein. Too many cards, especially simple ones, will sap you of energy. > This is how I started out. Just tired a lot. That can lead to full blown > depression so nip it in the bud. I would take a look at your diet and > make sure you are getting enough good fat and protein. Too many cards, > especially simple ones, will sap you of energy. Thanks for the advice. May I ask how you treated your depression? e.g. ADs...or just diet etc. The problem with trying to research on the internet is that you get infinite opinions on everything - I've read some real horror stories about people taking ADs for example. Many thanks - I appreciate your post. >>This is how I started out. Just tired a lot. That can lead to full blown >>depression so nip it in the bud. I would take a look at your diet and [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > stories about people taking ADs for example. Many thanks - I appreciate your > post. First of all I meant "carbs" not "cards". Everyone is different. For severe depression (i.e. always down, constant suicidal thoughts, paranoia), an AD is very helpful for some. But you don't seem to be at that point yet. So I suggest you tweak your diet and exercise regime, and see if that helps. Also, if you are under stress to the point that it negatively effects your life, look into relaxation techniques. You want to make sure your anxiety doesn't turn into paranoia. Identify what causes you anxiety and then ask yourself what you can do about it. Is it an actual situation you can't avoid and will never enjoy? Then think about a change to get away from it. Is it your thinking that is faulty? Then try to change your thinking (a good book for this is "Feeling Good: the New Mood Therapy"). >>> This is how I started out. Just tired a lot. That can lead to full >>> blown depression so nip it in the bud. I would take a look at your [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > faulty? Then try to change your thinking (a good book for this is > "Feeling Good: the New Mood Therapy"). I eventually had severe depression and found relief from an AD. But I am using these other techniques now with good results. robert.trevali@nospam.com wrote: > Thankyou Howard. I will definitely arrange to see a psychiatrist but I am > wary of going down the antidepressant route unless it's really the last > option. Robert, if you're thinking that depression might be the cause, you could do worse than try a trial of St John's Wort. No, I am not a kook. A Cochrane Review showed that, for mild to moderate depression, St John's Wort is more effective than placebo and is ABOUT as effective as antidepressants. http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/english/ab000448.html You're in the UK. I see that Boots do a 900microgram hypericin extract, and I'm told they have a three-for-two offer on at the moment. You should look to take three of those tablets a day (they're branded as "Boots One A Day" but that is nowhere near the amounts used in the research studies) Might be worth giving it a go for a few weeks if you are worried about the stigma of taking antidepressants or about their side-effects. Worst case, you end up going to see the doctor for antidepressants anyway. I am not a doctor, Tom > > Pretty classic description of anxiety/depression. You should see your > > primary care doctor about it, and/or consideer making an appointment with [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > option. From what I've read on depression, there are many symptoms I don't > have e.g. feeling sad, suicidal, low self esteem etc. Feeling suicidal is a severe symptom of depression. Also, it's not necessary to *every* symptom of a disease/disorder to have that disease/disorder. > I wish there was a > definitive test that I could take for depression! Thanks again for your > valuable input. I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and it made a tremendous difference without any negative side-effects that I am aware of. Buspar is usually recommended for benzodiazapam-naive patients (that is, without a previous history of treatment of drugs in Valium family) and is not considered to have the problems associated with alprazolam (Xanax). (Of course, for those for whom alprazolam therapy is appropriate, those problems can be minor.) Not being a doctor (or knowing anything about you), I can't say if Buspar is right for you, but I can suggest you ask your doctor about it. Good luck - I'm sure you'll find something that's right for you.  Signature"Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner." - Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather > I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of > anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > but I can suggest you ask your doctor about it. Good luck - I'm sure > you'll find something that's right for you. Many thanks for all your posts - I really do appreciate them. I think my plan of action is going to be to look at diet and exercise in the first instance, and if I see no improvement try SJW, and finally go the prescription AD route if all else fails. Has anybody got any ideas how long I should give each method before trying the next given that my symptoms don't get any worse? Also, are there any side effects to SJW or prescription ADs if depression isn't the cause? I'm also thinking of getting a blood test done for food allergies given that I seem to have so many airbourne allergies. Does anybody know a good place in the UK to get this done privately - the NHS system here takes months to get anything done. Thanks. > Many thanks for all your posts - I really do appreciate them. I think my > plan of action is going to be to look at diet and exercise in the first > instance, and if I see no improvement try SJW, and finally go the > prescription AD route if all else fails. Do check with a doctor, anyway. It couldn't hurt! > Has anybody got any ideas how long I should give each method before trying > the next given that my symptoms don't get any worse? Three months is the guideline given in the handbook given out by my HMO, but again, go by what your doctor recommends. Even though your depression/anxiety may not seem serious to you (and may be mild), they're still serious enough to warrant getting the tires kicked by a pro, so to speak. >Also, are there any > side effects to SJW or prescription ADs if depression isn't the cause? I'm not sure what SJW is, but as for antidepressants, it depends upon the one prescribed. Some anti-depressants are used to treat other conditions, such as amitryptiline (Elavil) which is used as a migraine prophylaxis among other uses, has the side-effect of dry mouth that eventually goes away. Some can cause sleepiness; but as for causing depression in a non-depressed person, I don't think that is likely. > I'm > also thinking of getting a blood test done for food allergies given that I > seem to have so many airbourne allergies. True food allergies (as opposed to sensitivities) have pretty profound symptoms, like hives, shortness of breath, throat and mouth swelling, etc. Sensitivites are more likely to fit the formula "I like X but X doesn't like me!" - such as gassiness, heartburn, GI distress, etc. I would guess that food allergies/sensitivities are unlikely to be the cause of the symptoms you described earlier; usually, people claiming that such things are the case are people who want to sell miraculous and expensive 'cures.' (Please refer to my earlier disclaimer about not being a doctor and ask yours about this, but I'll bet s/he'll agree with most of it!) Signature"Did Father shoot him? I will eat Grandfather for dinner." - Helen Keller, on learning of the death of her grandfather robert.trevali@nospam.com wrote: > Many thanks for all your posts - I really do appreciate them. I think my > plan of action is going to be to look at diet and exercise in the first > instance, and if I see no improvement try SJW, and finally go the > prescription AD route if all else fails. I would suggest combining diet/exercise with either St John's Wort or ADs. I understand that exercise is very helpful in depression, but you may need something to help you get started. > Has anybody got any ideas how long I should give each method before trying > the next given that my symptoms don't get any worse? Either SJW or ADs can take up to six weeks to be fully effective. With SJW, make sure you get good quality ones: Kira are a good brand, and my understanding is that the Boots One A Day range is equivalent to Kira. You may want to look at the discussion forums on http://www.sjwinfo.org/ for more info. If you prefer the prescription antidepressant route, you should be aware that different people react differently to antidepressants. You may well have to try several different types before finding one that suits you. Similarly, you may find that SJW simply doesn't work for you. > Also, are there any side effects to SJW or prescription ADs if > depression isn't the cause? Yes. St John's Wort is renowned for having few side effects compared to prescription antidepressants, but some people do get symptoms like dizziness or tiredness. Some people find that they sunburn more easily when on SJW. More seriously, SJW can interact with any other medicines you are taking and should *not* be taken in concert with any prescription antidepressant. The most significant medicines that SJW can interact with are warfarin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbitol and digoxin. It can also act to reduce the effectiveness of some antibacterial and antiviral agents, theophylline and the oral contraceptive pill. If you're on any of those drugs (apart from the pill :)), you should talk to your doctor before you take SJW. The interactions and side effects of prescription antidepressants are legion, but again, the precise effects differ from person to person for each drug. > I'm also thinking of getting a blood test done for food allergies > given that I seem to have so many airbourne allergies. Does anybody > know a good place in the UK to get this done privately - the NHS > system here takes months to get anything done. Thanks. Your GP should be able to give you some information on private routes for this, and should have an idea of what kind of waiting list there is to use that service through the NHS. To return to your possible depression, there are assessment scales your GP can use which can help identify if you are truly depressed. If your GP doesn't fill you with confidence, you should change to another GP or another surgery. There are enough GPs out there with an interest in mental health that you shouldn't have to rely on newsgroups like this one. Please do note that I am NOT a doctor and so the above does not constitute medical advice. However, I have had some personal experience with depression. All the best, Tom > robert.trevali@nospam.com wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] > > Tom If you haven't had a physical in awhile, you should get one to rule out other medical problems that may be the cause of your symptoms. > > I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of > > anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > the UK to get this done privately - the NHS system here takes months to get > anything done. Thanks. Hello, I am not a doctor or medical expert but wanted to tell you about a book that I read late week that may help you related to some of your problems. The name of the book is "The Liver Cleaning Diet" by Doctor Sandra Cabot. You should be able to buy it or order it at any book store. The website for Dr. Cabot is www.liverdoctor.com I hope this helped you. Jason SignatureNEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice. We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people. >>>I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of >>>anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > I hope this helped you. > Jason There is no medical proof that I know of that shows these detoxing diets do anything. The body is already very efficient at removing toxins. In fact for some people, a detox diet can be dangerous. Can any MDs jump in here? dan@nospam.com wrote: > There is no medical proof that I know of that shows these detoxing diets > do anything. Oh, I'm sure they do something... for the bank balances of the people who sell them to the desperate and gullible. Tom > >>>I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of > >>>anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > fact for some people, a detox diet can be dangerous. Can any MDs jump > in here? Hello, Don't judge a book by the title. The book has a diet plan that contains foods that are healthy for the human body. I doubt that any doctor that reads the book would say that any of the foods that are mentioned in her book are dangerous to eat. In fact, those foods are much safer to eat than the foods you could eat at also every fast food restaurant in American. Jason SignatureNEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice. We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people. >>>>>I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of >>>>>anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > the foods you could eat at also every fast food restaurant in American. > Jason "Liver Cleaning Diet" is the same as "Liver Detoxing". No? Of course eating vegetables and fruit plus lean protein and olive oil and omega-3 is more healthy than eating fast food. Duh! >>>>>>I am *not* a doctor, but have had many similar symptoms, especially of >>>>>>anxiety. I discussed them with my internist, who put me on Buspar, and [quoted text clipped - 53 lines] > eating vegetables and fruit plus lean protein and olive oil and omega-3 is > more healthy than eating fast food. Duh! Eating healthy food in healthy amounts is always a good idea. "Liver detoxification" and/or "liver cleaning diet" are complete bullshit concepts whose design is solely to bilk money from the desperate, hopeful, ignorant, and unwary. HMc > If anybody has any info or advice that could possibly help me I would > really appreciate it! > > Thanks, > Robert Okay moron, for starters how about seeing a doctor to test for the normal things that cause fatigue? Once you investigate any physical problems such as iron deficiency, low RBC, etc., then you can treat this problem or, if there aren't any physical reasons for the fatigue such as anaemia, you can move on to treating the stress which, if it is disturbing your sleep, would certainly cause you to feel tired and impair mental function. Since when did newsgroups become the source of "primary care"? > Okay moron, for starters how about seeing a doctor to test for the normal > things that cause fatigue? Once you investigate any physical problems such [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Since when did newsgroups become the source of "primary care"? Pratt. If you didn't want to read my post why didn't you just ignore it? If you had read my post you would have read that I've already seen several doctors and already had several blood tests which ruled out the obvious causes of fatigue. You would have also read that I don't feel stressed (until reading your curt reply) - I've just returned from a 6 month holiday. Rather than use newsgroups as a source of "Primary care", I feel I have exhausted all options with my current doctors and nothing I have read from extensive research on the internet points to a particular condition with my exact symptoms. In an act of desperation I mistakenly thought I would field the query to this newsgroup for possible help. Obviously a bad move - I apologise. |
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