Anxiety/Panic - Full Body Muscle Weakness?

[EmmaAnx]

Hello, the first 3 paragraphs are background, if you want to skip to the question.

My name is Emma and I have a long history of panic and anxiety issues. My main anxiety is health-anxiety. Lately, I had been doing really well with 2 or less panic attacks per year in the past couple years. I'd slowly been decreasing my Zoloft and was fine. Then at a normal doctor's visit with my primary care, I mentioned that I think the Zoloft affects my drive, and my doctor decided to put me on Wellbutrin instead of Zoloft, which would hopefully perk me up. This ended up being a gigantic mistake.

More than a month or two after starting Wellbutrin, I became dizzy, every single day, for about a month. I underwent every imaginable test and scan only to figure out by myself (after missing a dose) that it was the Wellbutrin. So I then stopped immediately and did not start back on the Zoloft. A couple of weeks later (and a week ago now) my anxiety came crashing back to me as if to undo 7 or 8 years of progress.

Needless to say, I spoke to my psychiatrist and we restarted my Zoloft that day. Now I've been on it for over a week and slowly I am regaining some control. However, at the moment I have one persistent problem that is bothering me.

For reasons I cant place, my whole body feels very weak. And although I don't feel shaky or vibrate-y when I am at rest, as soon as I use any muscle, it becomes VERY shaky and feels very weak. I'm writing in the hopes that people with similar issues might re-assure me that it's part of the process of recovering, or maybe the Zoloft, or normal for panic attacks/anxiety? Does anyone else get this when they have had a week of panic attacks? Is it normal? I'd love any advice at all on the subject.

-Emma

[CalicoKi]

I have the muscle weakness feeling just from the after effects of panic attacks. Your body is in fight or flight with adrenaline surging, tensing your muscles to prepare to escape danger. Once you are out of the worst of the panic attacks, your muscles are depleted of energy and nutrients. I think this is normal affect of panic attacks.I also have health anxiety like you.

I started out many years ago with Effexor XR.

I took Zoloft for a long time, 200 mg., I weaned off of it many years ago. I tried Wellbutrin, could not tolerate it.

I now am on Cymbalta, a low dose 20 mg.

Anytime I tried a new ssri or snri I felt weird, shaky, brain zaps, etc. until I got used to it.

[Figgins42]

Hi Emma,

I'm here to reassure you that yes, it's recovery and reintroduction to Zoloft.

Give yourself some time to get re-adjusted to the Zoloft. It was only a week ago that you re-started it.

Muscle weakness is probably a few things. Withdrawal and re-starting back on Zoloft. All the destabilization you've been going through the past few months. It takes it's toll on you mentally and physically. And also, health anxiety. I have it too and it can make me feel like I'm dying when I'm clearly not. Any little change in my body will trigger anxious feelings and thoughts. I've had muscle weakness to the point where I'm using a cane.

I totally know how you feel. I'm with you 100%

Just try to stay strong and tell yourself that anxiety is a big gross nasty liar! Once your Zoloft is back on track, you'll start to feel better. I've been on it for almost 20 years and once tried to stop it. Several ER trips later, and being on it was the answer for me.

I'm always here if you want to talk.

You got this!