My doctor said I have anxiety

I forgot to add that my doctor passed off my dizziness as Vertigo and told me to take Gravol.

There are non-prescription remedies to deal with anxiety. See if those help. Good luck.

You post on the Datalounge.

Of course you have anxiety.

Stop taking the Prevacid and try something else.

R4 I asked him to switch me to Losec (Omeprazole) and he said all the PPIs are the same and wouldn't give me a prescription.

Paxil? The only thing that works is Xanax.

We all have anxiety right now, some more than others. This new normal or whatever the hell they are calling it now sucks big time. I want to get off the rollercoaster 🎢

Your dr is not concerned with your long term use of prevacid?

See another doctor. Friend of mine had the exact same symptoms, was being treated for anxiety to no avail. Saw another doctor and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Aggressive radiation, he's now recovering and back at work.

Beware as Paxil causes the most weight gain in its class of SSRI antidepressant.

Smoke copious amounts of pot, silly.

Yeah, r11. That wouldn't add to anyone's anxiety, silly.

How is your blood sugar? Very low blood sugar can bring on many of these symptoms. Having thyroid checked is in order as R9 mentioned. Have all levels of things checked in the blood, not just a standard panel. (Vit D, minerals, electrolytes, etc)

Hope you are feeling better soon.

You might have calcium stones in your ear drums. look it up there's an exercise that you can do which will clear it up and make the vertigo go away.

Thanks for the info R13. I just need to convince my doctor to actually give me the requisition.

Another thing you should check is have an allergy and food sensitivity panel done. All those things can be allergies. It’s becoming common for people to have a lot of allergies at the same time and not know it.

See a different physician and a psychiatrist. 50 pounds seems alarming. See a psychiatrist for a proper diagnosis and medication. They see this every day and are much better at it than general practitioners.

The good news is that if it is anxiety, there are many good treatments. Good luck.

An endoscopy wouldn't hurt, just to make sure you don't have esophageal cancer from all that acid gurgling up for years.

Paxil didn't work for me. Try exercising regularly and make sure that you take your vitamins, especially your B vitamins. If you don't like going to the gym, take a walk everyday. If you don't like walking outside, get an indoor exercise machine that you do like (exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical, etc...). You can watch Golden Girls, or any favorite show you like, while you exercise. I also find that chamomile tea, and teas labeled for stress, helps my anxiety.

Thanks R16 and R17. My diet hasn't changed but I guess food allergies can happen alter in life. Here in Canada it take up to a year to see a psychiatrist, not sure what the wait is now. I can go to a private clinic but it will cost me.

R18 I'm waiting to see a GI doctor and the referral will take up to a year.

R19 I would like to exercise but with this dizziness I don't know if I could.

Ashwagandha is great for anxiety

[quote]My doctor said I have anxiety

Don't worry about it.

Some meds can cause vertigo. I went to a an ear doctor for my vertigo. He tested my ears and tested me for MS. He found nothing wrong and was puzzled. I did my own research and found a med I was taking caused my vertigo. When I stopped taking it the vertigo stopped. Look up symptoms for MS, too.

R14 Yes, Méniére's Disease, rare, but can explain the dizziness OP L-Theanine, an amino acid can help with anxiety, and is harmless. You can find it in health food stores, or vitamin aisles in large stores.

[quote] Look up symptoms for MS, too.

I did and when I asked my doctor about that he looked at me and shook his head.

R24 my doctor didn't even check my ears before saying it was vertigo. I'm sure the fact that he was about to start a vacation had noting to do with his dismissive attitude.

If I was in his office every week with phantom pains I could understand his attitude. But I only see him when I don't feel well and that is not often. Usually he calls me in because he hasn't seen me in months and won't refill my prescriptions without seeing me first.

Not sure about the laundry list of symptoms, but fwiw I found that my GAD is controlled better and with fewer horrible side effects by simple dietary tricks than by meds. I sip some plain soda water every night before bed (say, half a small glass), then eat or drink a very small amount of plain fatty or starchy food (I usually shot some half-fat milk or eat a couple of cracker with some butter on it) to settle the acid. I make sure to keep a cup of cool herbal tea and a tall glass of water by the bed to sip at until I sleep. If nothing else, following this you’ll stay calm and sleep like a baby. If your stomach or bowel hurts at all then lying on a hot water bottle in bed is a welcome relief. If you can wean yourself off the meds, it will be better in the long run.

Seriously though, that other stuff sounds more serious and you should seek second and third professional opinions, OP. I urge you to consider seeing a dietician or nutritionist as well, given how much poor advice GPS have given me about GAD in the past.

Pathetic.

Grow a backbone and get on with it OP.

Most of the posters on DL will suggest all sorts of "mental illness" medication concoctions which do nothing because they are all mentally ill.

Snap out of it.

R23, I know someone who was diagnosed with Meniere’s. She was treated with limited success, and had frequent nausea, dizziness and vomiting.

Years after this diagnosis, she came up with a different set of symptoms, and it was discovered she was having a reaction to a medication she’d taken for years. The side effects included nausea, dizziness and vomiting. The doctors continued giving her that medication for another ten years without ever looking up the side effects or questioning why she was having a lot of other symptoms.

If you take any medication, look up every single side effect of every single medication. Many medications have similar side effects. If you’re taking several with the same side effects, they can be compounded.

I’ve really noticed that doctors are very often not familiar with drug side effects or drug interactions at all, except maybe one or two very common side effects, and don’t question whether the patient is having side effects, they just assume they have some disease and treat it as if it can’t possibly be related to any drugs the patient may be taking. You need to research this yourself.

I know Prevacid and Domperidone can both cause dizziness but I've been taking both for 13 years with no issues. My cardiologist said he had no concerns about Domperidone and heart issues because none showed up in my tests and then gave me a long lecture about the hysteria around Domperidone in other countries.

Another thing I've noticed is that when I have a really bad episode and I weigh myself the next day I've lost 1-2 pounds. More than once I've lost 3-4 pounds over 24 hours.

When I told my doctors this they were happy for me losing weight.

I don't think this much weight loss is normal.

Has anyone tried this? I haven't yet but I'm going to.

my money is on Thyroid disorder of some sort,

OP Many docs are reticent to consider an Rx med's side effects, especially when a patient has been a long term user of such meds. Sad to say this is lousy doctoring. I would encourage your doc to supervise either a holiday from the drugs, or replacement to see if going off them alleviates your symptoms. Then, he ought to re-challenge and see if the drug (s) provoke similar reaction.

The body can certainly change over time, and sensitivities do arise seemingly out of nowhere.

Do you take BP meds or Statins OP? Do you monitor your BP regularly?

As regards herbal teas, beware of mint, spearmint, peppermint etc. Many believe they're good for all stomach issues, yet they are one of the most notorious "natural" ingredients which loosen or relax the sphincter, and exacerbate reflux and GERD. Many chamomile teas have a bit of mint added for enhanced flavour.

R32 I thought that too since many family members have thyroid issues but the doctor said my last blood test showed a normal thyroid.

R33 I do take a blood pressure pill and a water pill and I check my blood pressure. It's been normal, with only a few times being slightly high during one of these episodes.

[quote] lost close to 50 pounds

that's like losing a small child

for the acid reflux, if you like licorice, try Australian soft black licorice. I get it at CVS. Keep chewing it until there is nothing left but liquid and no bits to swallow. It coats your stomach and throat instantly and always worked for me instantly. If this works you have to be careful though because eating more than 57g (2 ounces) of black licorice a day for at least 2 weeks could lead to potentially serious health problems, such as an increase in blood pressure and an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia).

I had a friend who had lots of anxiety, and he died.

[quote]that's like losing a small child

Interesting. Please tell me more.

R36 Licorice helps my ulcer flare ups, but I think OP should take the DGL, (de-glycyrrhizinated form) considering the BP meds.

I'm thinking it could be Thyroid issues also, or the Parathyroid glands. Has your blood calcium levels been high, or on the rise steadily OP? Even when still in range, that can be a subtle indicator that one or even all Parathyroid glands can be diseased, and require removal. Afterward, one needs to take calcium supplements twice daily.

R36, just to add to your comment about licorice, you can get deglycycerized licorice. Whole Foods has a nice chewable and it’s pretty cheap. It didn’t work for me, but anyway.

I have super bad anxiety. Have trouble leaving the house. Sometimes I can't even talk to people. Psychiatrist gave me Zoloft. It helped a lot but made me gain so much weight and I couldn't ejaculate. So, I stopped taking them. Now, I do exercises at home, and bike to and from work everyday and cut down on the junk foods That's helped me clear my mind and find peace

Your doctor is a huge asshole, OP.

It’s time to punch and delete.

You can be anxious or you can have an anxiety disorder.

Oh, Canada. Make the appointment, you'll still be here in a year. Wellbutrin is a top choice for men because it doesn't have as many sexual side effects and also has a slight stimulant effect.

The next time you are in severe pain, call an ambulance, you'd get a second opinion and a new battery of tests.

Also, it's amazing how many crazy symptoms can be attributed to a simple nutritional need. Magnesium is a very common deficiency. Buy a bottle in the dollar store. It can't hurt, might help.

An good acupuncturist might offer some insight and give you relief as well.

You really need to find another doctor, OP.

Well there's absolutely nothing in the last six months or so that could've caused anxiety. You need to find a better doctor.

R46 to be honest I've had much worse times in my life than what we're in now and I've never had anxiety in those situations.

Yeah - need to get a second opinion. Your doctor sounds too dismissive.

Having a smug, dismissive doctor is deadly.

Diagnosed with chronic anxiety R12, my doctor highly recommended weed for me.

Doesn't make every a paranoid Polly. (I'm guessing like you.)

50 pound weight loss in less than a year is a hell of a lot. What was your starting weight?

Exercise can actually help with anxiety and depression conditions (the two can be related). If you are dizzy swimming may be a good option, as your body weight is supported in the water

But yeah, I'd be looking for another doctor, your current one sounds like a shithead

Do you have any choking or smothering sensations, or trouble saallowing/food not going down right? I have had problems similar to yours, including the dizziness/weakness/indigestion. I have: Orthostatic hypotension — also called postural hypotension — is a form of low blood pressure that happens when you stand up from sitting or lying down. Orthostatic hypotension can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, and maybe even cause you to faint.. My choking/swallowing problems have been getting worse; I recently had a swallow test, and was diagnosed with: An aberrant right subclavian artery, arising from the distal aortic arch, crosses behind the esophagus and causes significant mass effect on the posterolateral esophageal wall causing the patient's dysphagia. This a birth defect. It causes shortness of breath, sometimes. Many people are asymptomatic; many people do not show symptoms, until they are older. I wasn’t diagnosed until age 52, and have had symptoms, for most of my life. It does feel like anxiety, at times. Not saying that this is what you have, OP. But the symptoms you are describing, are concerning. Please seek out another opinion. Your GP sounds like a jerk, and I hope you find answers, and get better.

If you’re allergic to ragweed, you may also be allergic to chamomile. If it works for you, great, but if you have allergic symptoms after having some, it might be better to go for something else.

How were you diagnosed R52? Scope, MRI?

I do have many of the symptoms you descried but i attributed it to my GERD.

Sometimes the artery that goes across my stomach will pulse really hard and my stomach is always bloated.

R51 I was fat so I guess a 50 pound weight loss isn't a shock for me other than how fast I've lost it.

I bought a bottle of Ashwagandha this morning. The lady at the store was nice but was pushing the really expensive bottle and I asked for a cheaper alternative. She showed me another bottle and I took that.

She said to take one 300 mg tablet in the morning and again at night but I've decided to just try one tablet in the morning and see how I feel.

I am feeling different, but also noticed that it raised my resting heart rate into the low 80s when my normal RHR is around 60. I also worry that this can lower blood pressure to dangerously low levels.

The thing is, no matter how horrible my life was, I never had anxiety. I still believe all my issues are stomach related. I've gone through a lot of horrible shit in my life so to suddenly have anxiety at 48 years old doesn't make sense.

OP, get a new doctor or at least a second opinion.

[quote]I saw a cardiologist who gave me an ECG, a heart echo, a 24 hour Halter monitor…

I hope this doesn't add to your anxiety, but it's a Holter monitor, not Halter.

You're welcome.

OP, the results of the swallow test, were the first I was told of it. I had it because my symptoms have been getting worse. But they saw it in an MRI I had, in Nov of 17. They just didn’t tell me. So I have had 2 1/2 years with tests, to find out what they already knew😠 From March to July I lost 85 lbs. was having so much trouble swallowing, I could hardly get down a nutritional drink. I improved, and, unfortunately, gained the weight back.

Definitely get a second opinion, OP. Something isn’t right, and I think you should listen to your intuition.

R53, that’s interesting. I’m terribly allergic to ragweed, and I can’t stand the smell of chamomile tea. My partner thinks it’s a calming smell and drinks it nearly every day, but I can’t touch the stuff. My stomach literally revolts.

Paxil is effective in blocking PAs, but be mindful that it can be dangerous going off of it. I think your dr. Leans to paxil because it has less severe side effects and can be used for a long time. I've been on Paxil for 20 years with no problems, however when I reduce the dosage I immediately feel somewhat depressed. I heard good things about Lexapro and it has less bad side effects. Zoloft is also good for anxiety/depression and it is safer to go on and then taper off. Also, Paxil can delay orgasm and has some weight-gaining properties. I'd try zoloft first.

Just my 2 cents.

I agree with those posters who suggest seeing another doctor. It doesn't sound like the one you have is really listening to you. As I'm sure you already know, medications don't work the same on everyone, so following advice offered by non-medical persons is always iffy. Ask trusted friends and/or family members to recommend a doctor they trust and have had good experiences with. Good luck to you. I wish you well.

R59, I’ve recently found out I’m allergic to ragweed too. There’s a really long list of foods that can trigger your allergy. They are related to ragweed in some way. There are also foods that are related to mugwort, and it’s common to have both mugwort and ragweed allergy at the same time.

Foods and plants related to ragweed:

Sage, Burweed, marsh elder, Rabbit brush, Mugwort, Groundsel bush, Eupatorium.

Banana, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Honeydew, Watermelon, White potato, Zucchini, Sunflower seeds. Honey with pollen for some people.

Mugwort allergy:

Apples, Bell pepper, Carrots, Celery, Garlic, broccoli, Onion.

Nuts: chestnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds

Spices like caraway seeds, parsley, coriander, fennel seeds, aniseed, cumin, rosemary.

Google around and check to see what foods may trigger your allergy. I’ve had a lot of health complications this year because I didn’t know I was allergic to these foods and kept eating them. It turned into a mess. I found out because my eyes and sinuses were chronically swollen and I had a small cough all the time. You can also get a scratchy throat, or irritated mouth or swollen lips. Sometimes it’s not really pronounced at all and you don’t really notice it. I’ve eaten all those foods for years, but it was subtly becoming worse until it got out of control.

A lot of people can tolerate at least some of these foods if they are peeled and cooked, but watch it and don’t overdo it. Don’t eat things not recommended for ragweed allergy sufferers often, or the allergy can get worse.

Sounds like u waited way way way too long for this diagnosis!

Here’s a table with the foods that are not recommended for common plant allergies:

R62 and R64, thanks for this list. I visited an allergy doc, and had tests, but I didn’t receive any information about a food link. My eyes and sinuses are always bothering me, too, and I have the irritating cough as well. His answer was allergy shots, but it was a terrible clinic and I wondered about the quality of the shots. It’s a long story, but the last time I went, one vial was empty and the other was expired, and I never went back.

I truly hope that I’m not bothered by the foods on this list, because I love most of them. But I’m going to do research and maybe start eliminating some of them, at least from regular consumption.

OP, hope you’re having a better day.

It sounds like you need to get a new doctor. At the very least get second opinions for all the advice you’re getting from him. But it sounds like he’s running a pharmacy as opposed to being a doctor. It takes more than drugs. Like I said find another doctor.

R59, I’m seeing a sinus doctor who wants me to have sinus surgery. After doing a partial allergy panel, I found out I’m allergic to my cat and mugwort, which includes a lot of foods. Nobody, including my GP, has suggested I get prescription allergy pills or shots. In fact they’ve never called me back. I only know because I signed up for Quest to show me my results.

I ate every food on that list for the last year, and my sinuses have gotten worse and worse. Nothing stopped it. But I did notice if I had clean sheets it was a little bit better. That’s the cat dander. I threw away my pillows and got new ones.

My sinus specialist doctor never tested me for allergies, although that was the obvious solution. He said he would test me after surgery. Surgery isn’t going to cure the allergies I have.

I am so frustrated by this. I can’t get it under control and I need to get an allergist. My GP just dropped the ball. I went through hell this last year and my system is totally out of whack now. My allergies test shows I’m fighting some allergy trigger hard. I’m afraid to eat food at this point.

Check on the food allergies list. Soybeans are on the birch pollen list, and soy is in everything. I can’t even take my vitamins because they have soy oil in them. It’s in bread, tortillas, everything.

DIE, YOU OLD BORE, DIE!

Thought I'd post an update.

As I wrote above all the test showed I have a healthy heart. The doctor went so far as to say that I have a "very healthy heart" for my age and weight.

My blood pressure cuff showed that during the night my pressure gets a little too low but otherwise the average was 122/81 with the lowest being 85 and the highest being 156.

My Halter monitor also showed no issues.

When I saw my dentist and was told my teeth were fine but I had a slight infection in my gums. She prescribed penicillin and now my tooth pain is gone and the symptoms I had been having also decreased quite a bit.

I started taking 100mg of Magnesium and that has helped also.

I took Nexium for three days and found it worked so I'm going to continue it for a while and see how it works out.

I still don't feel that this is anxiety. I do have some worry as most people do and it's hard to breath through a mask, but I don't have any traditional anxiety or panic symptoms. My issue still seems to be uncontrolled reflux.

I'm still worried about driving more than five minutes from home out of fear of a reflux attack.

Have you been tested for gluten allergy, OP? The constant stomach bloating, the sinus problems, the cough, the GERD and certainly the anxiety are all some of the symptoms of Coeliac disease.

[quote] [R4] I asked him to switch me to Losec (Omeprazole) and he said all the PPIs are the same and wouldn't give me a prescription.

I fucking hate doctors like this. It’s like, look bitch, we are marketed to around the clock by pharmaceutical companies instructing us to ASK OUR DOCTORS and when we do, you treat us like drug treating zombies.

I would get a new doctor. It’s not Iike you’re asking for Oxy.

Did he take your blood pressure OP?

Oh and to add to r70, drastic weight loss is also a symptom of Coeliac. You should get tested, OP.

Protonix is great for acid reflux, ask your doc for a prescription.

Last Saturday I woke up with heart palpitations. I called my doctor's office on Monday morning and they didn't return my call so I went to the office and my doctor surprisingly agreed to see me.

He said I have PVC, premature ventricular contractions. He said I should cut back on caffeine. I told him I don't drink caffeine because of my acid reflux. He then asked if I smoke, and he knows I don't. He told me I need d to figure out what triggers it and stop doing that and the PVC will go away.

All the tests I've had and this never showed up. Now anything I do that makes my heart beat faster causes the PVC to become worse and I get tired. I already had all those tests with the heart specialist there's no way I'll be able to see him again about this.

[quote]tingling weak legs

Diabetic neuropathy? Does it get worse when you eat carbs?

Thought I'd update this thread.

I went to a physio therapist who did the ear crystal exercises on me and my dizziness didn't stop.

I saw a GI doctor who did an endoscopy and ordered an ultrasound of my abdomen. He was certain I had gallstones. Both tests showed nothing abnormal.

I went to an ENT doctor who said there are no issues with my ears that would be causing balance or dizziness problems.

This has been going on for 10 months and the balance issues and dizziness just keep getting worse. The PVCs have never stopped.

Gravol doesn't work, Serc doesn't work. And no one can tell me why this is happening.

You have Munchausens honey. You’re Malingering. You need a head doctor and you need to take that Paxil, it’s good shit.

Bitch lost 50 pounds and she's complaining?

This angers me.

Anxiety is a mental health diagnosis. Doctors like to use it to indicate it's not their fault you're having problems. It might be code for hypochondria. I'm just saying, if I don't feel a good rapport with the doc, I'd think about changing if it's not a hassle.