Terrible Anxiety, lack of sleep.

[Beckie210789]

I'm new here, but I just wanted to reach out, for any tips, guidance, etc. I'm so anxious and depressed right now. I feel sick all the time, shaky, unable to concentrate. Sleep only comes for a few hours before I'm awake and my heart is pounding. I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, so it's not like anything specific happens that causes this, it just... is. I take Klonopin at night which helps me fall asleep initially, but as soon as it starts wearing off, I'm through the roof with anxiety and panic. I don't know how much longer I can take this. Working helps, so I try to stay busy at my job, but as soon as I come home at night, it's right back to square one. I do have a few drinks at night to calm myself, and it helps, but I think then it makes it worse at the same time. I'm working on cutting back, and I have some, but it feels like I'm getting worse vs better at this point.

[Jeff1943]

Why all these bad feelings, Beckie, something must have happened to trigger you anxiety disorder?

The causes are legion but over work, toxic relationships, loss, disappointment, grief and worry are prime suspects. Whatever is causing your distress must be dealt with, you may need to be ruthless in your counter measures but make them you must.

Or has the cause long since ceased to upset your quiet mind and the anxiety is of a self-perpetuating nature: the symptoms cause fear which causes nervous sensitisation which causes more symptoms causing more fear and on and on.

Either way, your stress has risen to a level where your nervous system has become over sensitised. And this is the cause of all your symptoms which do not derive from physical illness but from high anxiety. Cure the anxiety and the nervous sensitisation and all will return to normal and you will no longer be troubled by the symptoms that have become an obsession.

In a book written 50 years ago, and still selling well today, Doctor Claire Weekes set forth a method of dealing with the symptoms of anxiety that will lead to inevitable recovery. Put simply her method helps those willing to follow its message by accepting all those symptoms of anxiety for the time being. No more fighting is the order of the day, no more resistance to bad feelings, let them come. They are merely 'feelings' prompted by nervous exhaustion and depletion.

Beckie, why live in fear of something that is only a feeling, there is no need. Over sensitised nerves are not life threatening, neither are they able to disable you or make you 'lose your mind'.

They thrive on fear and the fear of fear that you dispense in large amounts every time your stress floods your system with fear hormones. Fear is indeed the enemy.

So I repeat, accept all your symptoms for the moment for you cannot both accept and fear something. Acceptance has given millions back their lives since Claire Weekes' book first appeared. In the u.k. it is titled 'Self help for your nerves' whilst in the u.s. the self same book is titled 'Hope and help for your nerves'.

It is a short book devoid of medical and technical terms that will bring you understanding, reassurance and a road map for recovery.

Doctor Weekes' book is available new or used from Amazon and Ebay. I recommend it in the belief that what it has done for me and others it can do for you. What's to lose?

[Beckie210789 in reply to Jeff1943]

I actually just purchased that book last night due to your suggestions in other posts on here. It should be at the house in a few days. Hopefully it'll help me get past this. Today wasn't a bad day, but I was very busy at work, hoping it remains that way now that I'm home. Thanks for your reply.

[remi24 in reply to Beckie210789]

I found the sedona method very helpful. Go to the website and it shows you one technique which seems simple and yet is very effective.

[njstrength]

How long have you been on klonopin? Because after a while it can stop working and then you need more. It isn't designed for long-term use (I have been on for almost 20 years though and others are on well, although I don't feel it helps anymore with sleep, which is why I started to take it). You may also be experiencing interdose withdrawal ... you may need to take klonopin more than once a day. I experienced the types of feelings you are describing when I was trying to wean off klonopin (which I have not been able to do). I would suggest meditating and yoga if you can (i love michael seeley's and jason Stephenson's youtube channels) but I suspect at the heart of this is the medication and you may need to up your dose. I hope you feel better soon.

[Beckie210789 in reply to njstrength]

I've been on Klonopin for 7 years now. It definitely makes me fall asleep, but I wake up anxious. I am prescribed to take it 2 times a day, but it makes me too groggy for work (I work a very high energy job) I will talk to my PCP when I see her next and see. I can't take SSRI's because I get SSRI syndrome and it's put me in the hospital before.

[HealthAnxietyGuy]

Surprisingly what has helped me is, 50B probiotics daily, with psyllium husk capsules to help feed the probiotics. I've been through 3 different meds this year which hadn't really helped much, some made me worse. I had also tried diet and exercise but with no results and usually felt worse for hours afterwards. I also went through a lot the past 10 years with anxiety and panic. But lately it was just as bad as you, especially at night.

I also had trouble with sleep for years, mostly tired often after simple physical activity. Trouble waking up as I would sleep very deep but felt unrested even after 9-12 hours of sleep at times. I'm skinny and don't snore but I finally convinced my second doctor to send me for a sleep study and am now using a CPAP for mild apnea. I think the combination of the CPAP and probiotics has greatly improved my symptoms. As the CPAP alone wasn't quite as effective.

My anxiety is pretty much nonexistent now, but my energy levels are still problematic at times. The gut and brain connection plays a huge role and the probiotics did huge for me and might do the same for you. It took a few weeks to finally work. Ultimate Flora Critical Care 50 Billion from Renew Life. I believe they have it on amazon and walmart but possibly not the 50 Billion, I saw 30, 40 i think and 90 and others but not specifically 50. Here's at what strains you should try to get if you can't find it:

Bifidobacterium bifidum (HA-132) 25 Billion

Lactobacillus acidophilus (HA-122) 10 Billion

Lactobacillus casei (HA-108) 8.875 Billion

Bifidobacterium breve (HA-129) 4 Billion

Bifidobacterium longum (HA-135) 1 Billion

Lactobacillus rhamnosus (HA-111) 250 Million

Lactobacillus rhamnosus (HA- 114) 250 Million

Lactobacillus plantarum (HA-119) 250 Million

Lactobacillus fermentum (HA-179) 250 Million

Lactobacillus salivarius (HA-118) 125 Million

other companies have similar ones but I know this company worked well for my mom and I. I also saw excellent reviews on multiple sites and has multiple strains that are being studied and are theoretically supposed to help your immune system, anxiety and convert vitamins more effectively. Hope you find a solution. God Bless.

[Beckie210789 in reply to HealthAnxietyGuy]

Thanks so much for your reply, I will look into this as well.

[ozzy666]

This is typical of benzodiazepine use. What happens is the drug is no longer effective. You possibly have reach what they called tolerance are you actually need more of the drug in order for it to work. What also happens over time that your brain is unable to deal with anxiety on its own has benzodiazepines have already basically right now you need to get off of this drug and stay off of it forever. You need to get off of the drug and allow your brain to heal. Benzodiazepines are only meant to be used very short-term and in emergencies. Talk to your doctor and get on a tapering schedule to taper slowly off of this drug. Google Doctor Ashton. You want to tape her 5 to 10% every two weeks 2 a month depending upon how long you've been on it and how you're able to tolerate the withdrawal symptoms. There are numerous Facebook groups that help people get off diet benzodiazepines and give you support. One good group is called benzo Warriors. Join it. Another website with a lot of useful information is called benzo Buddies. benzobuddies.org/forum/inde...

[ozzy666]

This link explains a little bit about what benzodiazepines do to the brain. benzobuddies.org/forum/inde....

[Wxman]

I have the same issue with klonopin. I was prescribed .5 mg to take before bed or as needed and have mostly stuck to that for 2 months but now I fear I'm already dependent on it. But because of my anxiety I may just be worrying about it for no reason. For example I can go 2 days without it and feel fine then I take a dose and the next day I'm panicky. Seems like the withdrawal would take longer than a few hours before kicking in but I really dont know. My dr gave me a taper schedule so I should probably follow that and just get off it all together but I know it can help alot of people

[tuxi]

I would like to suggest that see a therapist or a psycologist (like I'm about to do).

They would be able to help you professionally. For what I read it seems like you have good control over your anxiety at work so that's a great start. And it is always a reason f anxiety . So...