Can anyone recommend a drug that is really effective for the physical symptoms of anxiety? In a way I can cope with the mental aspects but I am plagued by creeping, burning, on-fire skin and restless legs, it's like being plugged into an electrical socket all the time. Unless I'm actually physically active (and I can't be all day, it's exhausting) this sensation drives me crazy... the only relief is self-harm which I really try not to do. Any tried-and-tested remedy out there?
Have you spoke to your GP Hun before you take up suggested medication x
Agreed,always beat check with a Dr first, most often the physical aspects will not really stop until the mental side is being dealt with
Go to see your doctor. Ask for a b12 and magnesium level blood test. Quite simple to do those blood tests. Then tell him whats going on and see what he feels would be best. That creeping burning sensatiin can be a defieciency easily fixed by the doctor based on the blood test results. I have a b12 defieciency and thats what i get. I never even knew they connected until i got a b12 injection one day and it was completely gone. I get injections regularly now. They do sell sub lingual melts of b12 to use daily but its always good to get the bloodwork first si you know for sure. B12 acceptable levels differ in the uk then in the usa. Uk has real low acceptable levels of 200 i think and the usa likes between 400-600. Symptom exist at the 200-400 level though. Usa sells sub lingual (dissolve under the tingue to get into the bloodstream) pills, its actually sold everywhere here they have liquids, trandermal patches..etc.. The liquids are good also sub lingual but you need to be sure you use a good brand. So in the end best to soeak with your doctor.
I have an appointment to see my GP next Monday but I feel I need to be fully informed first because she likes me to be involved in decisions! I know it's not a vit deficiency because my vitamins are monitored because I have osteoporosis and all is fine. And anyway, I know myself! It's anxiety. Though of course I certainly will ask my GP if she thinks it could be something else. It's not very encouraging to be told the physical side won't stop till the mental aspect is sorted... I've been "sorting" that for 15 years, I do have a psychotherapist, and she thinks medication might help at this stage. I just want to have a idea what sort! The SSRIs (cipramil etc) don't work with me, there must be something else surely?
THey have all different classes of medicines out there now. you can just check to be sure the doc has checked your b12, its not usually a standard test they do for osteo or your regular check up. Would be perfect for you if that was the solution. So easy to fix that one. There are other meds besides ssris.
I will definitely do that then, Lisa, it would of course be brilliant if it was the solution! I will let you know what she says. But I do suspect it's anxiety, the way it comes and goes when I'm having a bad phase...
Hi agree best to get bloods done first. However if all comes back normal I have tried a few anti depressants and have found sertraline has definitely reduced my sensations a lot. It took a lot for me to take the medication in the first place but has definetly helped me cope and get me back on track. I don't see them as the answer long term but is definetly helping. Hope you get back on track soon
Make sure you get the RBC Magnesium test. Most will do a serum test which will not tell you much!
Hi Sue.
I take pregabalin (prescribed) and B12 vitamin complex (self prescribed) for my head tingling,burning,numbness and i too feel as if i am plugged into the electricity.It is very debilitating and grinds me down day in day out affecting my mental health,anxiety,sleep.The pregabalin has reduced my physical symtoms by 95% giving me some sort of normality.
Maybe you could ask your doc if this would help.
Regards.
YOD.
Thank you all... I won't actually make suggestions to my GP (they don't take kindly to that) but at least if she suggests either sertraline or pregabalin I'll know what she's talking about.
I take Alprazolam. Very low dose several times a day if needed. I had dozens of tests for my "pain" and anxiety including the b and d vitamins, etc. After being on many many different meds, this is the only one that has helped. Its not a cure and doesn't take it away completely, but it has turned my life around. I went from attempting suicide twice to actually enjoying life now.
Thank you annie. I see that you should avoid alcohol with this medication, and I just couldn't give up my wine-with-dinner – such a huge pleasure for me that life without would be even more miserable.
The other good thing about this thread is that I realise I'm not the only one – I had never heard of anyone else with buzzy, burning skin and feel pretty alone. My GP is very nice but struggles to understand anxiety and panic, she's so calm herself! She did say I needed counselling and referred me, but after three cancelled appointments all I got was a sort of triage person who ascertained I'm not actually suicidal, said yes I do need counselling, but the waiting lists were closed so she was "discharging" me, and sent me away with no treatment and no hope. Can you imagine if they took that attitude with diabetes or something?!!
Curious as to why you take B12 complex? Is this due to diet? Has it helped in addition to medication?
Thanks!
Hi dhode.
I had some advice from this very site (and others) and having had 20 odd years of useless treatment and basically being left in pain and ignored by my psych, i decided to research my condition to see if anyone else was suffering as i was.I found many, many did. Not only did my psych refuse to even consider he got my diagnosis so wrong, he refused to re-diagnose me and insisted i take the meds he arrogantly prescribed.I found my condition was related to GAD and a painful condition to do with my nerves (something similar to fibromyalgia and not schitzophrenia). This is where the B12 comes in.B12 is a big help in the nervous system, as well as extra magnesium i take. Along with the pregabalin ( 3 or 4x 150mg per day) i am now to the stage where i get fairly painfree days, but i have to take pregab religiously or my head pain comes back and quickly.It's a numbness around my head, an electrical buzz sometimes when i blink or not, a vice like squeezing pain above my ears,
Today i go for an MRI scan, which is the culmination of 18 years hard complaining,including changing GP's,writing letters of complaints.
I hope this helps.
Regds.
YOD.
I also have burning skin, my arms burn every morning when I wake up and sometimes throughout the day when I'm really tensing. I also have tingling in my hands and feet and right shoulder pain and muscle tension everyday from holding my up. I can't seem to relax at all. Every time I notice my shoulder is up and tensed I try to relax and it automatically goes right back up tensed like it feels normal to me. I'm ready to rip my arm off I also have miscle twitches everywhere hey seemed to have calmed down some but instill get them every now and then they are just annoying. It's hard to think anxiety can do all this it feels horrible
Yes it does feel absolutely horrible and I too want to rip my arms off. Sometimes I try, I scrape my nails along my skin but of course it doesn't stop it, just distracts me a bit You also reminded me abut the muscle twitches – I'd forgotten them! I only notice them at night, when I wake up I can feel little random tics like fireworks going off all up and down my legs. I do gently massage nivea into my legs and arms before I go to sleep, that does help both restless legs and this muscle twitching – I don't rub it right in, just leave it so it feels cool (someone on a walking holiday recommended this method to me and it does help). I suppose I am so grateful that I don't have massive panic attacks any more (just small ones!) and am happy out of the house and in supermarkets and cinemas and most situations – just can't cope with tubes, lifts, buses sometimes, restaurants, open countryside... bother, way to go yet!
i had these for a month in severe intensity . I take half ladose a day i used to take an antiepileptic pill and 2 xanax to get to sleep i am a lot better and hope it lasts . i stopped work and worrying too much i pursued myself i will get better and sleeped hugging with a friend i love for some days . it helped me so much . sometimes we have to ask for help and love from people we love and also would help if they were having problems.
Take care and hope you recover soon. It will pass !
I too had a fairly ignorant and self absorbed psych doc. After my 4th visit I asked him if he actually knew why I was seeing him. He said mood swings. I left and complained about him. I was refunded all the money I wasted seeing him.
YOD,
Thanks a lot. I have been looking at taking B12 with l-methylfolate to see if things would ease up since I am beginning to think I have a really bad case of anxiety since my psyc was willing to work with me trying l-methylfolate over just going straight to an SSRI.