ANXIETY anyone?

[kosy2]

Anyone having unexplained extreem anxiety? I mean no family or work issues. You are just anxious and can not pinpoint it. Just wondering if it is part of PBC and just have to live with it.

[Jtxx]

I have only felt anxious and tearful at work a couple of times and have blamed it on the aide effects of the steroid that I take. Will be interesting to see what other answers you get. X

[Hidden]

Hi Kosy2

I suffer with anxiety for no real reason. Think it depends on how tired I am that day. I get very stressed when I want to do something and I just can't concentrate. My head wants to do things but my body says no you can't.

[spoul in reply to Hidden]

couldn't agree more this is one reasons i had to take medical retirement

[Jeri in reply to spoul]

I just started medical retirement yesterday. I found that I was losing track of what I was doing in the classroom which led to anxiety which led to needing to sit down which led to administration judging my abilities. Doctors claim this would not be happening in stage 2, but it is.

[spoul in reply to Jeri]

think we are all individual and our progression and coping with that is different too, I met a lady a few years ago who was holding down a full time job with no fatigue but to her surprise had reached end stage and needed urgent transplant, even the consultant was shocked

[Gioielli in reply to Jeri]

Same happened to me!! Had to take early retirement (without medical as didn't realise I could)! Started my own tutoring business which is less stressful and so far coping ok!

[Lisa30]

I suffer with anxiety. Its frustrating because most of the time i have absolutely nothing to be anxious about. it is not every day but it tends to happen in cycles of a few weeks at a time and i can find very minor things stressful. I have been to the doctors about my anxiety and he offered my anti depressants, which i have refused. When i get very anxious i go and see a counsellor but this can be tricky because he will ask why i think i am anxious and i have no idea. It never crossed my mind that it could possibly be linked to pbc.

[spoul in reply to Lisa30]

i believe that anxiety and depression are closly linked, so thatt after the initial shock of diagnosis there are so many life adjustments that it can all get too much.Its so frustrating when you wan to do things but don't have the energy, and i know from personal experience that i can get very anxious if i'm expected to do something i know i'll struggle with both mentally and physically

[Jeri in reply to spoul]

I can relate to everything you posted.

[Hidden]

Hello all!

YES definitely!

Pre-PBC I was one who was quiet (don't stand out in a crowd) but could simply join in. Never bothered me going out and about places or taking learning courses with strangers at the time on my own (I was widowed 1993) and once I got the PBC diagnose I simply feel anxious about doing certain things. I put it down to the times of feeling tired myself. Tired equals can't concentrate the same so you fluff up that bit more.

Only noticed in last 6mths or so that I have started calling my family with other family names and sometimes if I am thinking about something I automatically choose a different terminology. I don't think that is down to PBC, think more a case of all the years of thinking for your children (I still find I have to do for my son and he is 22 but perfectly capable of doing for himself!), come the time they are grown-up you start to relax to be you, only thinking about you (and partner if you have one. I remarried 3yrs ago), we sort of switch off to things.

I know one of my anxious thoughts is at some point socialising with family/friends in the setting where alcohol is rife. Tho' I only drank on special occasions previously before PBC (diagnose 2010) unlike previously where I would order orange juice in-between alcohol, never bothered me refusing but all of a sudden I get that panicky feeling just thinking about the setting.

[spoul in reply to Hidden]

i find if i consume smal amounts of alcohol it helps with the anxiety, as long as you don't overdo it. professor neuberger says that a glass of wine ok occasionally but to avoid spirits

[Hidden]

I don't know if you would call it anxiety but I do get very stressed when I can't even do the simplest thing and keep dropping things all over the place.

[Hidden]

Forgot to add I get anxious when I have to go out shopping in Asda like yesterday when I met an old friend who was amazed at the weight loss I have had ( I have lost almost 7 stone ) when I told her I had PBC she asked what it was and I told her, first thing she said was "but you don't drink much do you" this just did it and I went to bits and ended my shopping trip, I just came home, it's safer to stay in.

[spoul in reply to Hidden]

i tell people i have auto ommune liver disease as most people have heard of auto immune......it saves the pbc explanation

[melisab]

I suffered really bad from anxiety!! It was to the point where I didn't want to go anywhere. What cured me was iron!! I was so unbelievably low on iron! Once my doctor put me on iron supplements it went away! I couldn't believe it! It might be worth having your level checked. One website that did help me while I was suffering was ilovepanicattacks.com.

[kosy2 in reply to melisab]

Your reply got me thinking. My biospy showed iron overload, so low iron not MY issue. Then I Googled anxiety + vitamin and found the following.

"Vitamin Deficiencies Can Cause Anxiety

Vitamins play key roles in the chemical reactions that occur within our bodies. If sufficient amounts of a vitamin are not present our bodies cannot function correctly.

You probably remember learning about vitamin deficiency in history lessons at school. The classic example is scurvy, which was once common among sailors and pirates from a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables while at sea. Scurvy results in spotty pale skin, spongy gums, depression and unusual bleeding. The well documented cure for scurvy is Vitamin C.

Vitamins play an essential role in our metabolism and brain function. Shortages in vitamins often cause anxiety or depression."

So my conclusion is that we need to figure out what vitamins and minerial we are lacking and then supplement.

[melisab in reply to kosy2]

One thing I am getting ready to try is a hair analysis with my chiropractor. It will tell you what vitamins you are lacking and what you don't need. I could ask him what you should do if your iron is too high. He specializes in nutrition....I don't go to him for adjustments!!

[kosy2 in reply to melisab]

Thanks, that would be great. I think the treatment is giving blood but would be interesting to see what he says.

[Val02]

My doctor prescibed Amitriptyline for anxiety as was getting alot of headaches/migraines as well. When I felt better I suggested coming off them but she suggested a small maintenance dose to keep me stable and largely this works although sometimes it all gets the better of me!

[ladydawny]

inability to keep sugar /glucose levels are a problem in deficiencies too which really makes me anxious loe bs. Have zinc/copper, b vits tested. Thyroid t4 is converted to active t3 in the liver which can also make u v ill and nervous if low. Test for folate and ferritin, red cell magnesium too then supplement em as required God bless

[jilly3209]

Diagnosed 2009, Early last year I was off work for 4 months I work with the homeless which is a job I love, I found that I was unable to cope I would look at my desk and just move piles of work around wasn't really doing anything. I was having panic attacks and palpitaions and felt unable to breathe. I was put on Citalopram and Propranolol. These have really helped me although do have the occasional panic with things that I usuallly do without a though such as shopping. I notice that this happens when I'm really tired. Have cut down to 3 days a week at work, spoke to my doctor about DLA but she said she said she did not see me as disabled. Found all your replies really interesting. Thanks

[jilly3209]

Forgot to say I am a first time user, just found this site the other night and thought it was brilliant, big thanks to you all I feel so supported.x

[Christine69]

I have always suffered with high levels of anxiety even before being diagnosed with pbc. I have never thought that the two might be related. When I went to my gp complaining about fatigue, she put me on an antidepressant as she diagnosed me as depressed when in fact it was pbc. Funny though as I have stayed on the anti-depressant as I find that it greatly helps with the anxiety