# Just want the anxiety to go away



## SouthB (Mar 6, 2008)

I posted on the IBS-D board but thought I would come here too.It has been a couple of years since I was a member and now I am back. I had a round of zithromax which has thrown me into a downward spiral. IBS-D, no appetite, lost 20 lbs in less than 3 weeks and out of control anxiety. I haven't been to work for nearly 3 weeks.Saw my GI Dr yesterday and he read to me information on my chart from 8 yrs ago. Basically it said I had IBS with diarrhea which was controlled by Librax and citrocel - until a round of zithromax made everything much worse. I can't believe I took an antibiotic that did this to me years before.I am anxious, depressed and wish I could runaway from it all.So I ran here.


----------



## Guest (Mar 6, 2008)

Hi and a very warm welcome (back) to the Boards. I'm so sorry you are having such an awful struggle. There seem to be a couple of things going on here - has your anxiety been driven by the physical/IBS symptoms or is this a stand-alone situation?I have battled with chronic anxiety based depression most of the my adult life on and off so you have my sincere sympathy/empathy in this regard. I'm a Brit so cannot comment specifically on the medication you are taking - but if you have been unable to get to work for this period of time - I'd suggest that your anxiety needs to be addressed as a matter of top priority. I think you need to be robust with your family doctor (you may need referral to a pschiatrist as well) and get yourself onto some anti-depressant medication that specifically addresses this. I'm guessing that you are probably not sleeping right well if you anxiety is as severe as it appears to be - and then you are caught in a horrible cycle of insomnia and feeling out of kilter cos you aren't getting much sleep??? I hope I haven't offended you or tried to 2nd guess here too much cos obviously I don't know your full story but I hope you can get the help you so clearly need.There is always hope - I'm on medication (30mg Mitrazapene an SSRI derivative) for 2 years now and have been well nearly all that period of time - I work part-time and am a busy mum of 3 and hopefully reasonable wife to my incredibly supportive husband.If you want to PM me ANYTIME - I will offer you all the support I can give albeit from over here in the UK.Good luck - stay in touch and be robust about getting the help you need.Sue (Manchester, UK)


----------



## SouthB (Mar 6, 2008)

Thank you so much for your warm support. I do take an SSRI (Paxil) and did cognative therapy several years ago. As soon as this recent episode started, I contacted my therapist and have seen her twice so far. She helps me put it in perspective - it is physically based and I am not losing my mind. (Sounds good now but in the worst of the trauma, it can be hard to recognize).I take ativan as needed for the anxiety. Until recently I hadn't needed it too much, but I have really needed all the help I could get over the past 3 weeks. I guess it really blind-sided me when all of this happened. It also makes me feel stupid because I did not remember the terrible past history I had with zithromax. Never-ever again will I take that!This has truly been a lesson that I cannot forget that I have IBS and need to take care of myself. You are awesome to be able to handle 3 kids, anxiety and work part-time.Thanks for your support!


----------



## Guest (Mar 6, 2008)

You are more than welcome - as I said - I have truly "been there got the t-shirt" and I think the very worst aspect of these type of mental illnesses is that horrible feeling of "god I'm the only bugger in this mess, everyone else seems to cope so well" - of course, now I acknowledge that so many of us are hanging in by our fingertips.You sound as if you have a proactive supportive therapist - thank goodness for that. "Talking Therapies" are as rare of rocking horse s**t (pardon my French) over here in the UK - I was offered an appt 18 months down the road - I was far too ill to wait and had to be hospitalised.No, not awesome at all - blimey - many women with kids work full-time - I'm very blessed to have the most wonderfully rewarding job and incredibly supportive boss and colleagues but I only do it 2 days a week. 2 of my children are now teenagers and pretty self-reliant (well my son loses just about everything he posseses bless him) and one of 8 - but I just very lucky that I finally seem to have sorted that work/life balance. I'm 45 and its been a long, hard struggle and I'm certainly NEVER complacent about my mental health. I still have "wobbles" and black dog days but yeah, I'm getting there - you will too promise.Stay in touch won't you.Sue


----------



## Lillett (Jun 4, 2006)

Sue you said it all and perfectly! I used to wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety attacks that centered around whether I would have an "accident" on the way to work (IBS D accident!). You can do some things for yourself that includes herbal remedies, taking any medication that may help, yoga/meditation, etc.. Take this IBS-D by the horns. You may never get rid of it but perhaps you can manage it. I have decided to go part time with work, too like Sue. We are both attorneys. I can't do it all with my IBS-D so I am adjusting my life somewhat. I am in a good spell right now with no D in at least two weeks now. I may have some problems next week but hopefully not. You just never know. I did the IBS 100 program and it helped my anxiety a lot. Anxiety is such a trap for us. I felt stuck and though I knew I could have a better life I just did not know how. Keep coming back to these boards for support.


----------



## Guest (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks for those kind words Lillett - yeah, we are a pretty supportive bunch over here and Lillett's got some great practical advice for you too.Good luck.Sue


----------



## SouthB (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks to all of you. Things are getting better and I will go back to work on Monday. This board is a real blessing because it is wonderful to have someone to talk with who truly understands. Working part time would be great and I will probably explore that. I have a tendency to get over extended at work and that causes me too much stress.


----------



## Guest (Mar 7, 2008)

Well I'm delighted to hear that SouthB - but now you know the warning signs - be mindful of not trying to take on too much (god alive - I sound like my mother) - mental health issues take alot out of you and you need to cherish yourself as much as you can. I know my limitations - and work within those - probably folk see a perfectly healthy looking woman and wonder why I don't work more hours - but I've learnt to "read" the signs - some are very physical - I dunno whether you chaps experience these; tingling hands and feet, tightness around the breast area and a metallic taste in the mouth - these are all telltale signals that I've been doing too much. So learn to be savvy about when your body starts telling you to slow down. I think part-time work is a great compromise if you can manage it.Good luck - its great to have you here - stay in touch won't you.Sue xx


----------

