RLS and Panic attacks - Help!

[susieandirenes]

It's been a stressful year and a half.....and my body is finally reacting to it with Panic attacks. They are really messing me up!

What can I take that won't cause my rls to make things even worse? My doctor wrote a script for generic Ativan and Zoloft. Everything I read says it will mess me up even more, so I have been afraid of it.....

I have been using the 'supplement' route to keep a lid on the 'panic', but but it has been pretty rough and I don't know how long I can keep it up.

Has anyone else out there had to deal with this....and what worked?

I have a new understanding for those who deal with anxiety on a regular basis....God bless 'em!

Have gone thru most of the rls meds. Am now on Vicadin (750 an hour before bed & a half one 4 hours later) and it seems to be working.

These posts have played a big part in my life! Thanks to everyone who takes the time to write!

[Neco]

The Vicodin will help with your anxiety somewhat, and I'm pretty sure it may be safe to take something like Xanax or Valium without making your RLS worse.. I see those two meds mentioned here a lot.

The Zoloft WILL undoubtedly make it worse, being an anti-depressant.. So stay away from it. THe Ativan on the other hand, shouldn't really affect you either way. I tried Ativan for my RLS a long time ago and it did zilch, I didn't even notice any kind of calming effects, etc.. So it's up to you whether to take it, but I doubt it will make it worse..

[ViewsAskew]

Hey, my dear. Did you get my reply to you privately?

If not, let me know and I'll resend it.

Glad to see you posting, but so sorry that panic attacks are what caused you to need to.

[SquirmingSusan]

Hi Susie, so sorry you're having problems with anxiety. I get some anxiety at bedtime that I'm sure is related to my RLS. Zoloft usually makes RLS worse, so be careful there. I've had good luck with Ativan, but my doctors won't prescribe it for me. It shouldn't make your RLS worse, and it might even help. It is a benzo, and can cause dependency, so be aware of that. Just be sure that if you stop it, you taper it carefully and slowly.

I hope your doctor works with you and you can get some relief!

[Hos]

I have a friend who takes Xanax for anxiety and they really think it works. I take it (.5 mg) but as a sleep aide, not for anxiety although it does relax you. Besides the common Spiritual, food/drink restrictions e.g. caffeine, and good pre-sleep wind-down routines, Xanax may help if necessary. But as Susan said, like most of our mind-altering meds, it can be both a blessing and a curse. Hang in there!

[tazzer]

good luck finding a doc that will prescibe xanax anymore....u know that overabused thing and big brother gov watching doctors butts....but yes xanax works great if you can get it....

dee

[mackjergens]

Susie,
I use to have really bad panic attacks, I found that if I just went to the computer and starting playing games, and stayed focused that soon that strange feeling would soon start to leave. It is one of the strangest feelings I have ever had. At first I would wake up my spouse because I didnt wish to be alone, but one I understood what was happening to me, and that it was a panic attack I just learned to keep my mind focused on something.

I take the pain meds for my RLS (no pain just creepy crawlies, but the pain meds really work well for me) I think when I started using Ultram/Tramadol it really also worked well on the panic attacks and I have not had to deal with a panic attack in quite awhile. Just making myself understand what panic attacks are and keeping my mind focused also helped alot.

Hope this proves to be helpful to you.

[Sojourner]

Hi S, Truly sorry about the anxiety and panic attacks. I also experience them and know they are not fun. How often do you have them? That may make a difference in the med that may be the most useful for you or at least less risky with respect to side effects etc. I didn't see Wellbutrin mentioned as one of the AD that can help with depression and I suspect anxiety and is reportedly one of the most user friendly for RLS. I take neurontin for rls/plmd but I know that it also helps with anxiety also. I know research suggests that it is reported to reduce anxiety. However, it is not a commonly prescribed med for anxiety compared to Xanax and some of the others that have been mentioned.

Warm baths and heating padsreally work for me to help reduce the "bad feelings." Activity such as walks also help. I know that some of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy stuff can sometime be helpful with respect to helping deal with anxiety. Google the topic and I'm sure you will come up with additional information here.

Wishing you better days and better nights filled with calm and peace.

M.

[SquirmingSusan]

In reading all the responses here I just had a thought that my own anxiety gets worse this time of year because I just don't exercise. My favorite form of exercise is walking, and today it's below zero (F not C) and I'm just not going out there.

But for me, anxiety is cause by my head spinning off and imaging scary things, so any way I can "drop" into my body and get out of my head helps. So exercise, like walking or swimming really helps me. I did have really bad anxiety when I lived in Germany, when one student on the exchange program murdered another one... The doctor gave me oxazepam for it but told me I couldn't take it forever. So I started swimming every day and was able to beat the anxiety that way.

But there are other things, like meditating, which is difficult for RLS people. But just finding a way to pay attention to your breathing can help, or walking and paying attention to your feet. For me cranking up the stereo with some rockin' music and dancing can really get me out of my head, too.

Just some thoughts...

[Aiken]

I liked ativan when I was stressed beyond my usual chronic anxiety. It was a real hassle to get off of it when I was done with it, but it sure helped when I needed it.

Just don't use more than you're sure you need, or you can quickly get into escalating doses. The body does adjust to the medicine, and once it expects to have it, it's an "or else!" sort of thing.

Personally, I've switched to an SSRI. I take plain old generic prozac. Yes, it's on the list of drugs that make RLS worse, but if it does, it doesn't seem to be significant for me. The overall lack of stress/anxiety makes a much bigger difference to my life. A constant low dose keeps me from creating the circular mental ruts that make life excruciating, whereas with ativan I used it as needed to get out of ruts I was already trudging around in.

Good luck.

[Neco]

Your narcotics are likely masking any augmentation of symptoms from the anti-depressants. I was on various ones for a couple years myself, but my painkillers always kept it in check so I had no issue taking them.

I'm not really sure if just one plain old Vicodin would be enough to mask that 24/7 tho, so I can't say either way

[susieandirenes]

In the middle of all this......(my concentration has hit bottom)....
I made the mistake of somehow missing the fact that I had posted this.
How foolish of me!

I have started taking 1/2 of a .5 Ativan every 12 hours. Last week I took a whole one twice, then cut back to a 1/2 again. This creates another mess, huh? Script was PRN for 30 with a refill. When I called the pharmacist she said not to worry about taking them because .5 was the lowest dosage! What a goose!!!!! As if we don't already have enough med. issues!

You are right...the Zoloft is killing my legs....and I thought it was the Vicadin causing augmentation! And the lack of sleep messes with my mind. Met a psychiatrist who practices 'holistic stress mgmt.' at a health fair and really liked her. They are fitting me in for an appt. next week.

She had me buy & read a book titled 'Adrenal Fatigue'. The more I read, the more things fit. It's been a tremendous help in understanding all this anxiety/panic thing!

Something had to break for me.....felt I was on a train out of town, strapped in the seat.....destination unknown.

Today read 'doety's' posts and all she went through. Had to skip p. 3&4 (tough to handle) and went to p. 5 & saw EUREKA! at the top. That was tremendous for me! One of these days you'll see me here with EUREKA! at the beginning of a post!

I just have to stick this out...and be more attentive to finding the 'right' advice. I'm blessed to have a great support system!

After reading the posts earlier today, we decided to join the Y for exercise. They have 3 large indoor pools, one is warm water.

Thank you all so much! I have gobs of notes. (and have put one on my monitor to remind me to get to this board often).

God bless you & yours!

[Neco]

Hi,
Just be real careful about people who you meet at places like that.. It is not my place to say one when or the other when I have no personal experience.. But a lot of times these things are nothing but a scam.. Please don't get your hopes up TOO high as we don't want to see you come crashing down in agony.

Otherwise when you do go in and give things a try, be sure and keep trackbe discreet if you make any notes in the persons presence as you don't want them to suddenly change their behavior. But do keep track and let us know what you did/had done, and how it affected you and how (if at all) you felt things worked out for you..

I have no problem with alternative medicines, but have tried several over the years and noticed zero difference with my symptoms.

[susieandirenes]

Good advice. Thank you for caring Zach! She is Board Certified, but I will check to see how many years in practice, where, etc.

[Sojourner]

S, As one of many who suffers anxiety and panic attacks, I wish you luck and speed in finding something that will bring you peace. Best wishes, my friend.

M.