Anxiety with fibro

[Hardy99]

Hi all im just wondering if anyone else has severe anxiety when they have pains i suffer with severe pains and get really afraid that something bads gonna happen does anyone else have this?

[ickihun]

Yes Hardy99. I've taken my meds to sleep off but saw your post and I agree on your feelings towards longterm pain/pain management. My thoughts are with you. Everyone has an occasional bad day with managing any illness /condition. Pain knocks everyone's confidence. Especially uncurable conditions. I hope you cannot reply to me because you've managed to nod off?

[Hardy99 in reply to ickihun]

Hi i did nod off eventually thank you makes me feel better to know its not just me i hate the fear n my anxiety allways makes me think im going to have a heart attack as my pain mainly affects my shoulders and chest its an awful condition hope you are well xx

[Hidden in reply to Hardy99]

Yes I've called ambulance thinking I'm having a heart attack its all my fibro symptoms that pain is the worst for me ur not alone xx shooting stabbing pains on the chest was my first symptoms...

[Hardy99 in reply to Hidden]

Its awful ive had an ambulance vefore and spent hours in a abd e terrified that something is wrong with my heart for them to tell me im not having a heart attack but the pain is so debilitating and terrifies me hope you are doing well xx

[Dizzytwo Moderator in reply to Hardy99]

Hi may I ask are you on any kind of medication for your anxiety?

If not then you need to speak to your GP. If you are then you still need to speak to your GP because its sounds like its not working.

Its a vicious circle. Anxiety/panic will increase pain. IMO you need to get help to sort out the mental health side of your problems and I'm sure you will see a difference in your pain xx

Momo

[Hardy99 in reply to Dizzytwo]

I am not currently on medication have been trying behaviour therapy and counselling i am trying to avoid antidepressants x

[Dizzytwo Moderator in reply to Hardy99]

Hi there, I am sorry your suffering. I do understand I have had the same issuies for the last 45 years. Thankfully they are not quite as bad has they once were.

But again I would advise you to talk again with a GP. Antidepressants is not the only medication. In fact I have never been offered them for my anxiety /panic.

I have been offered them for my fibro and depression in the past which I tried and found they were not for me.

I can only take a limited amount of any medication due to how they make me feel.

But for me personally without a small dose of anxiety medication when I need it. I know I would still be going through what you are right now. I am also doing CBT. But short term you may benifit from a little anxiety medication to help along side the behavioural therapy. Just a thought. Good luck xx

[Hidden in reply to Hardy99]

Hi I agree with dizzytwo maybe try a really low dose of something to help with your anxiety I found mine only got worse with out medication to the point were I was in constant flight or fight response dont fear meds they really fo help x

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

I think getting anxious about severe pain would make a lot of people feel this way and sometimes very frightened , so I completely understand , have you spoke to your doctor recently ?do you have meds to help with your pain at all? Having fibro is not easy but I hope your doctor can help you with this and do chat about the anxiety, having been through this I completely empathise, take care.

[Hardy99 in reply to Yassytina]

Hi i have spoken to my gp they dont offer much help i am told to take co codamol for pain but dont use them as im a full time mom and they make me drowsy i am trying to stay off antidepressants i av done anxiety management but dosent make it easier and im hopeing u are doing well with your anxiety xx

[LisaSnow FMA UK Volunteer in reply to Hardy99]

Doctor can give you medication specific for anxiety.

[Shooby]

Oh Hardy99 I totally sympathise with I suffer exactly the same and I don't get help from gp, pain management actually None , I'm left to handle this on my own and it's horrible I've no support at home as my hubby thinks his pains are more important, I totally hate life

[Hardy99 in reply to Shooby]

Hi im so sorry u are suffering i understand its difficult my gp is the same and im sorry u dont recieve support at home the pain can be very debilitating i sometimes use heat gels and hot showers and sometimes light exercise helps a bit you are not alone if you need a chat give me a message its not easy but youve got this xx

[Arymretep]

Yes I think chronic pain affects us mentally, has your Dr suggested anti depressants at all ?

[Hardy99 in reply to Arymretep]

Hi yes they have i am trying to avoid them if i can i try to deal with it without medication xx

[Arymretep in reply to Hardy99]

I tried that for a very long time, till I had a melt down and had to take them and they worked for me , take care

[Hardy99 in reply to Arymretep]

Really tbh i am scared to take them and thank u you too x

[LisaSnow FMA UK Volunteer in reply to Hardy99]

Not antidepressants, the medication for anxiety is a class of drug called anxiolytics. If anxiety is so bad that you are unable to function, they can help.

[Jolaine]

I am.Going go ing through pain and anxiety at present.hurt my ankle very painful hubby just out of.hospital so.I am.having to be much.more on my feet .and having Fibromyalgia osteoarthritis.plus family feud not helping

[Hardy99 in reply to Jolaine]

Im sorry to hear that hope your doing ok remeber you need rest aswell try not to over do it i find my pain is severe if i try doing to much all at once take care xx

[chrissy30]

Fibro is an awful condition. I've had it for years and sometimes the pain gets so bad one doesn't know what to do. I take a simple painkiller and hope for the best. Anxiety can make things worse and also stress seems to aggravate Fibro unfortunately. I've tried all the meds myself including morphine but no joy so just decided for myself to keep to simple painkiller and get through it the best I can. Fibro is not a killer so I take comfort in that but it does feel like it sometimes! My husband is the same and he's tried everything too but he's coming ot the conclusion not a lot can be done apart from rest and some painkillers. It is said that gentle exercise can help to loosen the muscles but don't overdo it. Tai Chi is suppose to help as well. My husband found it beneficial when he tried it but for myself I found it more stressful! I think sometimes we have to experiment to see what might give us a bit of relief.

[Dizzytwo Moderator in reply to chrissy30]

I so agree, I have had fibro for 40 yrs. I have ended up in a wheelchair. But I am a mirror image of yourself. We just have to keep going ❤️

[Hardy99 in reply to chrissy30]

I do take relief in the fact that its not something that slowly kills you i do the same take paracetamol and try to take it easy hope u and ur husband are doing well xx

[Sambino78]

Anxiety is sky high and as others have suggested it is a vicious cycle. New symptoms are what trigger my anxiety or does my health anxiety trigger new symptoms. What I do no is that the anxiety ramps up whatever it is I am experiencing. I am convinced I am dying of cancer and that it's not fibro or inflammatory arthritis the diagnosis I have. So many different symptoms and pains all at once. My latest is pain in both armpits (not a fibro symptom I've heard anyone having) so now I have given myself lymp node cancer. Before that it was colon cancer when my stomach was in agony and bowels had gone to pot. I have been resistant to taking the sertraline the GP prescribed for anxiety as I don't want the side effects that come with them, especially insomnia which I have just gotten sleep under control again so I can empathise with your reluctance to try anti depressants. I hope you are able to get a mastery of your anxiety soon.

[Ballroomdiva in reply to Sambino78]

Well I have exactly the same symptoms.. so you can take comfort in that😂 Its one of my semi constant ( if that makes sense ) symptoms. along with the really tender sore pain on the breastbone area. ..? . Also a good friend of mine started with pain in same areas and her homatsu practitioner thought it may be fibro , so she went to docs and they sent her for mammogram ( she has had breast cancer previously ) the mammogram was clear and the doc is thinking she may have fibro ..pending further tests .. SO although it may not be a common thing in Fibro/ Fybro ..? Some do have similar symptoms, and I totally agree it’s frightening , My anxiety is always health based, for me and my loved ones.. …my husband told me yesterday he has been to the doctors to have a mole examined.. and he said don’t worry it’s fine.. I’ve just had results. I didn’t tell you before cos I knew you’d worry for two weeks… 🤷‍♀️❤️

I

[Hardy99 in reply to Sambino78]

Its soo great to hear that its not just me that thinks this way cuz mine is in my chest shoulders and back im convinced its a heart attack n i dont take antidepressants for the same reason im scared of the side effects hope u are coping well x

[Dukes-]

Yes most definitely even around people that are very close to me. Why this happens I can’t understand as I never use to be like this.