Hi, i wondered if anyone else with MS gets Anxiety / Panic attacks.
I only have Mild MS but my main symptom are Anxiety and frequent panic attacks. It keeps coming an going over the months , but this month it has really got me down and it keeps hitting me every day. Even the slightest things kick it off , almost random panic attacks - Its really hard to control them and i’m having to sometimes avoid things now. Its affecting my life.
Doctors have recently put me onto Beta blockers , but all they do is slow my heart rate down and don’t really get rid of the physical symptoms - Dizziness / Nausea - fight or flight feelings.
I don’t drink alcohol at all , and i try to keep a good diet.
I’d much appreciate it if someone could give me some advice / or just their experiences from a similar thing.
If i could just get rid of this anxiety/panic , i would be fine!
As your doctor discussed counselling? There must be a reason/s why you are having daily anxiety/panic attacks. Did they start after your diagnosis?
Your doc can prescribe medication for the dizziness and nausea. You could try antidepressants but it would be helpful for you to talk to someone on a one to one basis.
In the meantime, why not book yourself in for a massage. A relaxed body will help relax your mind.
Ask your gp to refer you for CBT which is a talking therapy.
It’s not just about finding out what is causing the anxiety but they will help you with ‘strategies’ on how to manage the problem.
It will help you with being able to cope with these situations when you start to panic.
Its a way of ‘retraining your thoughts’
I haven’t had the experience myself but i have a friend who went for CBT and it helped her enormously. She was having panic attacks daily.
Don’t struggle on like this. Try CBT and if it doesn’t help then you may need to have anti-depressants for a little while. There is nothing wrong with this either.
I know your pain here i have it with my MS but i have been having panic attacks etc since I was 7 years old because I have always had OCD so its got worse now I have had 6 therapists and one CBT none have worked I just hope you have better luck with this then me. Good luck I really mean that x
I agree that it may be worth trying CBT or something similar, but I’m afraid it may also be part of your MS.
I was told I was suffering from anxiety for many years, but medications and therapies didn’t help. I’ve now been diagnosed with dysautonomia (autonomic dysfunction) which is caused by my MS. I have terrible feelings of anxiety sometimes, plus palpitations etc. (for no particular reason) because the autonomic nervous system also controls the ‘flight or fight’ reflex. It may be worth speaking to your nurse or neuro about it.
Hi, I suffer similar symptoms to you, (check out my recent posts if you like, some very helpful replies). After a bout of optic neuritis I was left with this awful dizziness, poor balance, tremor and debilitating anxiety. This got so bad that I was unable to leave the house/garden for weeks. I’ve been on Mirtazapine for the last two weeks, prescribed by GP. It’s early days but it is definitely helping with the anxiety, though I still have the dizziness etc. Yesterday we tried a test trip to a shopping centre, and although I didn’t feel too panicky, the noise and flickering lights set off the dizziness so I had to leave quickly. One thing at a time though, I’m seeing neuro next week and will discuss it all then. At least now that the panic seems to be more under control I think I will be able to talk things through, whereas before going on the tabs I would have broken down in tears as soon as I started to describe things. I’m convinced it is directly caused by MS, not just feeling anxious because of it. Good luck, Gxxx
i have it with my MS but i have been having panic attacks etc since I was 7 years old because I have always had OCD so its got worse now