Experiencing terrible anxiety & insomnia when RA pain flares up- but gp & rheum won’t give sedatives.
They act like I’m an addict; so I take a few glasses of wine & I don’t even like liquor. Am in the USA.
These drs have no problem giving expensive, “big gun” RA meds & high dose prednisone - but won’t give Valium or Ativan.
That’s just cruel..,,bad medicine. The psychiatrist I saw needs a psychiatrist,
Any suggestion?
perhaps ask for short terms strong anti-inflammatories to tackle the flare? Rather than stuff to deal with anxiety caused by the flare?
I’ve never found sedatives to be any use at all (except for things like minor operations).
Have tried all the NSAIDs; sedatives give quick relief when the fight/flight/freeze anxiety pops in….
GPS are the same here they act like we're wanting to get high I couldn't think of any thing worst I literally have to beg my gp for a very short course 10 days worth of lorazpam for a side effect that steriods give me .
Exactly, & the drs used to give out scripts for Valium, like “candy”- “Mother’s Little Helper”- now have a big sign up in their offices saying “no benzodiazepines”. So they’ll up the prednisone & turn me into a drinker & I don’t even like alcohol…. Then I’ll get liver disease….🥺
would a cortosteroid shot help at all?
I was having repeated flares and I got diclofenac ( voltaren ) capsules and they dampened it down for me.
I can't help regarding prescription medications however I have bouts of anxiety and sleep difficulties. A doctor suggested I try meditation. It is a learning process and you get better at it gradually. Focussing on breathing exercises to slow your breathing down has a very similar effect. I find it works well for me. Not an instant fix but something I can control and has no nasty side effects. Good luck
It may sound unkind but looking for a quick fix for the anxiety doesn't help. That leads to addictive reactive behaviour. It's a lot of work but learning techniques to cope with the pain and anxiety is slower but lasts for ever.
You may need to seek help with distraction and calming techniques initially but you will gradually be able to cope
I've been using them for more than forty years now.
I take CBD oil tablets including CBD night support tablets which have helped me sleep better. Prednisolone steroids although necessary upset my equilibrium especially on high doses Do hope you can get some relief soon.
I tried the CBD and I felt relief. Unfortunately it shot my liver enzymes up.
Half of a Benadryl helps me sleep. I have never had a panic attack and my anxiety takes on milder forms of irritation. Insomnia has been my nemesis since my husband passed away. I have tried everything under the sun and I have difficulty getting out of bed and feel foggy all day. I go two days without sleep then my eyes get so tired I have to close my eyes and sleep whenever it hits me. Never while the rest of the human race sleeps. I accept it as my life and take it as it comes. Hence , I never leave the house much but I’m one to stay busy.
Codeine hits the spot for me; co-codamol, but quite a large dose 30 mg to keep the pain under control. Good luck!
I take Amitryptaline 20mg at 7pm. It helps me sleep more soundly, has eradicated my nerve pain and is also taken for depression.
Give that one a go..
you could ask for a short term high pain relief medicine- I was given two months of amitriyptaline a pain relief anxiety medication that worked. If you suggest an end date I have found docs more helpful. Good luck.
Do you have access to a therapist that knows about the mental concerns over RA?
On another post someone mentioned a group called Wren (UK) that offer mental health support. wrenproject.org Not sure if similar in US?
I used a local phone call mental health support and she helped me loads with the pain distress. Do you have access to pain clinics?
I too suffered terrible anxiety and insomnia with RA: it was truly horrendous. But when I found a DMARD that worked on the RA, the anxiety also decreased considerably and eventually went over time.
Try googling 'The Inflamed Mind Edward Bullmore' for more info.
I do hope you find something to deal with the flares and all the best.
I very much appreciate your reply. I was in such a fear-flight mode with severe sudden onset RA that my sister tried to convince me I was mentally ill & overmedicated, & belonged in a mental clinic, rather than taking to the U of M school of meds that was highly rated for RA & autoimmune diseases. She knows nothing about RA , but is a “know it all” & near killed me by neglect & bad advice.
I have clonasapam for those difficult times. My family doctor gave them to me. Even knowing they are in the cupboard helps me. If you aren’t taking them all of the time then what is the big deal? I agree. They give us these potent drugs and we have to trust the doctor. Why can’t they trust that you are wise enough not to overuse something like Ativan. Wine might curb your anxiety but it interferes with sleep so that isn’t great to use. I agree they are just being cruel and hopefully you can convince one of them to change their mind. My daughter takes Amitriyptaline that others have mentioned and it makes her extremely tired. She takes this for headaches . It would probably help with sleep. I feel your frustration and take care.
Thx for your reply.
Dr’s gave out OxyContin like “candy”, addicting millions & I can’t get just a small RX for Ativan or Valium. Drug addicts are supplied with free needles & suboxone.
You’re so right/ just knowing it’s there is a security blanket. Sometimes the RA pain & panic is unbearable!
They are turning me into a drinker- & I don’t even like the taste or feeling- but at least it calms me.
I had shingles & asked the dr to apply bacitracin to the patch on my behind that I couldn’t reach & they couldn’t find a sleeve of bacitracin & bandaid in the med office to help me!
ok so I looked up Ativan addiction and it doesn’t sound pleasant. But giving us the use of this on occasion is the right thing to do IMHO because Ativan is not hard on the liver. We have all had our share of liver damaging drugs. You don’t need to be drinking wine if you don’t enjoy it. Are either of your doctors reasonable? Can you explain how hard this is on you and how overwhelming your anxiety is? Do they trust you? Maybe say trust has to go both ways. I am probably not being very helpful but this situation just makes me so frustrated and angry. I suffer from anxiety that is crushing.
Thank you for empathizing. I woke up paralyzed one morning with sudden onset severe seropositive RA. Very unusual, but it happens.
The pain, fear & anxiety were/are so bad- I want to jump out of my skin. The rheumies/USA told me they “don’t do psychiatry” & had no referrals to give me.
They also did not refer me to PT, OT, support group, etc.
I have lost everything/ meddling from my sister almost landed me in a mental clinic - she tried to convince me the disease was mental/& that I was overmedicated. Actually, I was under medicated, on the wrong meds & had brain swelling!
A kind pharmacist saved me; but I have extensive joint damage; could have been in remission.
The anti-anxiety drugs work in about 5-10 minutes. I’m not going to be an addict- but may have a fear induced heart attack- but they don’t care. I’m a polite patient (a customer) paying big bucks for medical expertise/USA.
I feel bad for you , sounds like you need more support than you have a the moment. Call the support line for arthritis and ask to speak with someone. I was taking lorazepam for my anxiety and then I found L theanine supplement and that calms me down 2 or 3 of them. That may help you not sure but you could investigate it. I still take the lorazepam at night for sleeping as it helps but during the day it L theanine now. The lorazepam is monitored heavily here in Canada if you take Tylenol 4’s for pain. I also mediate with guided meditations for anxiety and numerous other issues and it helps as well. Having RA is challenging to get a hold of it to control so it becomes tough to deal with all the setbacks the pain , the family help , the fear of the unknown, it’s endless so if you can be in control of one or two things that are working for you that’s a gift and keep on researching and asking for help and eventually you will feel better and be in control if your health and it will get better ❤️🩹 big hugs to you 🫂 🤗
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