# Can Protonix caused anxiety???



## 20637 (Dec 12, 2006)

Hello-- I know this sounds like a real nutty question, but has anyone experienced feelings of unfound anxiety while taking Protonix, or other PPI? I am a 50-yr-old female (on Protonix 40mg) and am definitely menopausal (sorry if I'm being too personal), and I know that anxiety can go along with that phase in a woman's life. But, I have noticed an increase in anxiety feelings, or at least feeling jittery, and I can almost for sure link it to the Protonix. I went off of it for a couple of weeks and though my GERD acted up some, I just felt better otherwise. Has anyone experienced other side effects of Protonix? Thanks to anyone who reads and/or responds!


----------



## madge (Oct 1, 2006)

Hi, bluewillow!I've had anxiety ever since I started menopause. The anxiety got much worse when I tried estrogen (estradiol) for hot flashes. So did my migraines and IBS symptoms. I would wake up with anxiety/panic attacks repeatedly during the night, so I quit taking the estrogen and went without. Had a rough couple of years, but the anxiety was milder without the hormones, and my migraines went away. The IBS remains, and is worse when I'm on reflux meds, but I need them. The least troublesome med is Nexium, but I guess you know this already.Anyway, my take on your jittery feelings is that it's more troublesome now that you're on the hormone roller coaster called menopause. I know you're taking Xanax, and that should be helping some. I take clonazepam instead of Xanax (works longer and better for me than Xanax did), and my anxiety is under better control. I don't have any worse anxiety on reflux meds than I did before, so I'm thinking that hormone swings are behind the anxiety and jitters you're feeling. I know so well what you're going through. If it helps any, now that I'm pretty much post-meno, the anxiety isn't as bad, but I'm staying on a small dose of clonazepam at bedtime since it helps with the jittery feeling I used to get. Sending hugs and smiles your way.


----------



## 20637 (Dec 12, 2006)

Thank you, Madge, you're such a dear! I guess I'm just trying to figure all this out, since I went from taking one pill a day for blood pressure to 5 for bp, meno, reflux, anxiety, etc., and I just hate taking meds! I try not to take the Xanax more than once a day, right before bedtime, and it helps some, but I plan to ask my doctor about clonazepam to see if it would work better. That is interesting that the estrogen made your anxiety worse. Could be my problem also. I have been taking it for 3 months now and I have been feeling much better until now (maybe my dosage is too high). But, my reflux certainly has calmed down a lot! I've been more careful about what I am eating and not varying my diet too much. I find if I eat the same thing pretty much every day, I feel better. I guess controlling the anxiety works on the reflux too, do you think? I think for women my age, hormones affect everything! Thanks so much for your support!


----------



## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

There are soy based estrogen supports that may not affect you so severely. My wife uses one with Black Cohosh and Dong Quai, sleeps through the night, and it hasn't increased her non-IBS C problems.Mark


----------



## 20637 (Dec 12, 2006)

Thanks, Mark! Your words "sleeps through the night" sure got my attention!







Could you possibly give me the name of the soy based estrogen so I can check to see if I can get it in the US? I have heard of the Black Cohosh and the Dong Quai. Thanks for your reply!


----------



## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

I think that soy estrogen is fairly available. The one she uses is called Estroval; but it is made by the same customer marketed company from which we get the rest of our supplements. (It is made in the USA.) Before going that route--not that there is anything wrong with it







--you might try taking those three ingredients to a local vitamin store and seeing if they have anything similar. It took her about a month to see the effects. The cost is about $20 a month.The total daily dose--split into morning and evening caps--is 150 mg dried soy extract, 100 mg dried Dong Quai extract, and 50 mg dried Black Cohosh. At those levels, it seems to work real well.Mark


----------

