med for anxiety

[kathyd]

Hi Everyone,
Hope all are doing well.
I have a question about a medication that I want to try.
I have made some significant progress over the past year, through the work of a great PT whose name I posted here. However, I kinda feel I've plateaued a bit,. lately.
My pain issues are still there, tho I'm able to be much more active, and am thankful for that.
My physical therapist and other practitioners feel that my intense fear and worry ( probably a kind of PTSD from almost a decade of dealing with many failures, )... are the stumbling block that's getting in the way of my progress towards healing.
I agree wholehearted.. Anxiety runs in my family. I have always conquered it in the past, but when you're dealing with a painful malady that few practitioners truly understand, fear can really take over.
In my case it keeps my pelvic floor tight and in spasm. This along with meds has resulted in bowel issues as well.
Long story short, Xanax has been recommended for me.
The doctors and nurses I see assure me that this medicine will help and it not particularly constipating either! It also helps with muscles that are in spasm... Which describes me.
Has anyone with my particular symptoms had luck with Xanax, or would any of you who are nurses agree with my practitioners? I'm just looking for a general opinion, as I know we are all different,
I want to take it but am afraid ...
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you All!

[Violet M]

Kathy, you just won't know unless you try it. Different people react to meds differently. I tried xanax during the worst of my PNE. Clonazepam, a related drug, worked better for me but you would be trying xanax for a different purpose than I did. I was using it to prevent the shocks and clonazepam did help with that, especially at night.

Violet

[kathyd]

Thx Violet,
My use is to prevent the anxiety which really worsens symptoms for me...
I do use a tiny amt of Clonepin but only for sleep.. which works well.
Thx again.

[Violet M]

If you are already using Klonopin (clonazepam) then I don't know if you could use xanax too because they are related drugs. Since your dose is small -- maybe so.

Good luck,

Violet

[kathyd]

Hi Violet,
Yes I use a tiny dose of Clonepin . My pills are 0.5mg, but I cut them in half so my actual dose is 0.25 at bedtime.
My urologist-- my only doc who really understands pelvic floor dysfunction-- rx' d the Xanax.

I rarely take the Xanax as I hate having too much medicine in my system .. afraid they could complicate bowel issues..etc.

BTW thank for the suggestion of magnesium oxide supplements. Glad they help you!

I would rather take them than a laxative..
Milk of Magnesia works like a bomb, but the problem is I still get the urge the next day, even when my system is pretty empty.. and I can't go, so something gentler would be better. Besides the throbbing pain, the urge is the other part of the problem, and I think somehow that it's emotionally/subconsciously based.
But I will try the brand u mentioned.

My PT re-iterated again, this week that if I could just get rid of the fear of my symptoms, she feels they would settle down. She knows her stuff, but she also knows me well.. I am working on that with a pelvic pain psychologist, doing Cognitive therapy, but it moves slowly, as tho
she treats chronic pain, it's hard for her to understand the fear that comes with pelvic pain symptoms.
Its' an isolating disorder, as we know, and keeps us from living the lives we want, so the stakes are high and I worry more! ---Its a catch 22 situation.
I have always been able to fight anxiety well, and it would go away, but with physical symptoms, and no definitive answer from docs, I began researching all the boards, etc. (big mistake in my case).

Tho I have gotten (and still get) wonderful support from the folks on the boards, the horror stories I read on the various boards tend to get embedded in my brain; tho I know it's someone else's stories, not mine, its hard to erase!

When I'm out doing something I enjoy, (like shopping!) I don't think about the pain and it drops dramatically, so for me, staying busy and conquering fear is essential. I'm praying to find a job that I could do from home for now, but so far nothing has turned up.
Xanax should help calm me down, but must talk myself into taking it!

Sorry If i have repeated myself here.. and thx so much for reading and for your suggestions!

[Grammy]

I fully understand where you are coming from. This is my twenty second year. I have been under some unusual stress due to a failing husband who has been at my side every step of the way. I swear the anxiety is almost worse than the pain. I can get complete relief laying down with a gel pack, however the minute I am upright I feel pressure and ultimately burning pain. The knowledge that this pain is GOING TO HAPPEN MAKES ME MENTALLY ILL! It is the pressure feeling that really drives me nutty. I have been on Effexor 75 mg which takes the edge off. I also use subutex 2mg tablets and can take up to five a day. Does not remove all the pain or odd feeling. I have tried it all...six surgeries, six failed stim trials, too many shots to count. PTSD...no doubt about it! I had klonopin in the past and really liked it. Currently I have some Valium but you are not suppose to combine it with subutex. I am seventy now and I really want to try mmj but in my state pain no matter how severe is not enough to get the mmj card. Trying to get my pain care provider to allow me to at least try marinol. By switching my meds every six months to a year I have been able to keep dosages low. I do not think it would be wise to take two benzodiazepines at the same time. Got to be careful about sleep apnea!

[Violet M]

Kathy, I don't take magnesium oxide myself but someone else posted awhile back that it helped them. I use mag citrate but I think you said it was irritating to your bladder -- that's why I suggested you try the mag oxide instead.

Violet

[PatBS]

I don't know why but for me having therapy helped my anxiety. I took a course on the NHS for CBT and it worked well.

[kathyd]

Hi Everyone
Thx, for the suggestions, and my prayers go out to those who are suffering.

I have been speaking to a Psychologist and we're doing CBT.. her specialty is pain, but it's clear from our sessions that even she cannot relate that well to the fear that comes with pelvic pain.. esp if the pain hurts when sitting.. and to my weird bowel issues, and not knowing exactly what causes them. She does feel that Ive progressed very well since we first met, this past spring, and that I handle things well.
I am thankfully doing better now than a few years back, and as said, am convinced that anxiety is now maintaining my pain and bowel dysfunction, as my anxiety has gone up so much lately. Because I know the stakes are so high.. ie if I conquer it, the pain will go down, if I don't the pain will remain. (That's my belief).

I won't be specific, but when anxiety gets hold of me, pain is high, ...when I'm happily distracted, pain goes down.
Ive told my CBT doc this, and she keeps telling me to continue using the techniques I've used...Tell myself "this is silly"... don't give in to anxiety etc.
however in doing so one is basically arguing with the rational side of one's mind v.s the worried side. ..which clenches the body and muscles and then my butt throbs!
I can sometimes ignore the anxious thoughts immediately, but often it takes time... and the clenching and pain begin.
My doc can't seem to get that.
If you've had anxiety genetically ..on and off for your adult life, it won't disappear right away by telling yourself " this is silly"..Of course I know that, and knew it the first time I experienced it years ago.
I like this Doc, but she needs to come up with a more effective CBT technique.

I wake up each day afraid of two things.. will bowels work when I get the urge? (sorry) and how will the pain be.?
I am sure the bowel urge is coming from fear as well. Most days they work ok, but on a day when I'm truly "empty", I can't go , and I don't feel well.

For example, I attended a NY Mets game, this weekend. It was painful but my pain pump button (bolus) and my rectal suppositories helped, along with the distraction of a very exciting game. I ate a lot.. and guess what ...no urge to run to bathroom after! I was ok there and for the 1 hour trip home.
But when I'm at home all day I seem to be ruled by this fear of urge. If I can't go, I'm so uncomfortable. Ive used the muscles to push with no result..so they spasm more; this has become more upsetting to me than the pain. Sometimes it's hard to tell if I really do have to go..

Anyone know of a CBT technique I can use to attack this fear?
My bowels do empty, and according to my pain doc's nurse, the laxative (however small ) I take nightly may be causing my urge.
They want me to stop the laxative and try Movantik ( a drug which is new and is designed to prevent opiate constipation. I used it over a year ago, and still needed to add a laxative... but I think I may give it another try, but that's another subject...so I won't digress.

I see my doc tomorrow and will tell her the above, but was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how I can stop sabotaging myself?
Also do u think the bedtime laxative is causing the urge?
The reason I take it is: there is opiate in my system, and I was told to prevent opiate constipation ...from the first day I began taking an opiate for pain,..Long Story!
BTW What is The NHS? ..it sounds familiar,and will check on it. I'm glad it helped u!
Thx again!

[Violet M]

Kathy, maybe you could try some volunteering and see if that helps get your mind off of the pain. Unlike a job you wouldn't be absolutely tied to it but it might help you stay busy if it's a volunteering position that you enjoy.

Violet