Panic attacks at 71/2 dropping to 7

[rescuedogs]

Hi everyone, my husband is doing the dead slow drop and was doing great until now. He is dropping from 71/2 to 7 but major anxiety and panic attacks have set in. I have a feeling this may have to do with the adrenal glands. This is going on for 2 weeks now and he's up every night at 2AM pacing the house. Should he be on magnesium citrate or a different magnesium? I will take any advice you can give me. Thank you so much and have a wonderful day

[Manchesterlady]

Hi , sorry to hear this . I’m now on 7mg and can identify with the anxiety on lower doses . Have wondered if it’s the lower dose or am I more anxious because of the situation we are all in at the moment . Maybe a chat with your GP would be helpful . I was prescribed 2 mg of diazepam, to take if I’m really struggling .

[rescuedogs in reply to Manchesterlady]

Thank you

[SnazzyD]

Although I didn’t get actual panic attacks I do remember my moods going up and down like a yo-yo and feeling anxious. It subsided as other low adrenal symptoms went as well. If it is so bad that it is affecting sleep, I’d consider some help from the GP’s prescription pad, before the sleep deprivation selves him into a tail spin.

[rescuedogs in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you

[HeronNS]

I certainly didn't have panic attacks as such but your post reminds me of about three weeks when I was tapering to about 7 when I had a feeling of unfocused uneasiness, as though I was very mildly panicky. I remember posting about it but it was years ago now. It was short-lived. I think this must be relatively common at the time the adrenal glands start to kick in. I wonder if it's ever been studied? I do remember wondering why I felt this way as at the time I couldn't think of any reason why I should be worried or anxious.

[rescuedogs in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don't understand the question about magnesium - magnesium is magnesium in the context of cramps (for example). Whether you use citrate or any other salt is related to other potential uses. I mostly take magnesium pidolate which is used for cardiac arrythmias. You may find some have a more laxative effect than others - find what suits him best.

[rescuedogs in reply to PMRpro]

I purchased a book on adrenal glands and it said to take magnesium citrate for anxiety. Other magnesium’s help with constipation . I wanted to make sure he’s on the correct one. Thank youn

[Jan_Noack in reply to rescuedogs]

not sure, My memory is poor. Magnesium citrate is better absorbed in general than say Magnesium Carbonate with less laxative effect supoedly. Magnesium itself is a very strong muscle relaxant. It was used (and probably still is) to relax muscles to hold back about...or I've heard if it used for that I suspect you may be thinking (from memory only again) of Magnesium threonate,as It supposedly MAY be more effective in a supposed ability to cross the blood brain barrier...not a lot really known about it though I think. I think the forms Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Taurate as well as Magnesium Threonate seem to help better than other forms for anxiety. Ther's also Mg lysinate. As has been stated magnesium IS magnesium no matter what you take. Nut sometimes that second name helps too. e.g. Mg Taurate is really plain old Magnesium with l-taurine...and the L-taurine itself helps.

I also experienced anxiety badly a few times tapering, I think also around the 7mg mark. I snuck in some old valium only half of tablet (small dose) over a few days as I couldn't cope... but I did have a reason I had just been diagnosed with moya moya. It took me a full year to look it up and follow it up..and now almost 2 years to actually really look at it. My anxiety is definitely hereditary. I recall my Grandmother was the same with medical stuff about herself.. prefer not to know and follow it up.(even if it means death). I tend to be anxious and yes It does seem tapering on pred adds to the anxiety.. I KNOW I should NOT be that anxious.. but I now when it happens that I am.. now matter how much I tell myself not to be at the time!

[Bro-]

Oh I feel his pain. My anxiety and panic attacks were so bad at 60mg now that I’m tapering they are subsiding which is the opposite of your husband . My dr prescribed Ativan and had to stop all caffeine.

[rescuedogs in reply to Bro-]

Thank you

[Purplecrow]

About my 7.5 pred level, I recall having no...zero..tolerance for stress of any kind. Even a television show could trigger feelings of anxiety, bordering on panic.

I have never experienced these feelings before. After being examined for thyroid problems, cardio issues, and anything else the doc could suggest,

It finally boiled down to prednisone taper and adrenal gland activity.

Once I identified the likely cause, I was able to get through the episodes by

Sitting down, putting both feet on the floor, and focusing on slow even breathing. It only took a few minutes to pass, and I was able to go about my business.

I stopped using caffeine.

I will say, I still have a hard time with stress, be it scary movie, USPolitics, Covid pandemic fears, Argument with spouse, or murder mystery books.(which I no longer read)

I am now at 5 mg pred, and pretty well past the panic attacks. I do decline event invitations that may be Covid risky. I read cozy mysteries, and watch mostly romance movies. Nothing scary.

Good luck, this time will pass. You will be fine.

Kind regards, Jerri

PMR diagnosed 2013.

[Viv54]

I was in a similar situation wide awake when i should have been sleeping , not able to relax , short tempered just to name a few !! The pred keeps you wired , i tried for ages to cope but the lack of sleep got to me in the end , Hope you have a good Dr? mine was great . I know take a low dose sleeping tablet.I sleep much better and am able to cope with pain etc.btw im down to 7 mgs of pred. Hope he gets it sorted for all your sakes, its a nasty drug to deal with. Best wishes Viv x

[rescuedogs in reply to Viv54]

Thank you so much

[Kath567]

I am not sure if it’s the prednisone but I get very anxious at times especially yesterday. I have been feeling quite off this last month or two and I am at 5 mg. Lemon balm tea, no caffeine, lavender may help a bit. Getting outside for a walk in nature. I take magnesium bisglycinate 200 mg but it hasn’t helped with anxiety or sleep. All the best.

[rescuedogs in reply to Kath567]

Thank you

[rescuedogs in reply to rescuedogs]

I live in the USA. It says women should take 310 mg and men 400 mg of magnesium before bed. Maybe you can take more than 200 and it will hopefully help you

[Noosat]

I am now tapering from 3mg to 2.5mg. It took me a longer time on the 3mg. than I had expected as each time I thought of taking the step to go lower I became anxious.. I found in all my tapering over a 2 year period, that I had to fight this feeling of anxiety and dwelling too much on the action and looking for negative results. I try to dismiss the anxiety by meditating and/or finding other things to dwell upon, read something that interests me, play bridge on the computer, garden in my pots on the deck etc. Best of luck to you and your husband.

[rescuedogs in reply to Noosat]

Thank you. Good luck to you too. Your on a nice low dose

[ChinaWuntoo]

This is a helpful thread for me - thanks to all.

I am starting 81/2 mgs to 71/2 mg tomorrow - taper over 16 weeks. I, too, get anxious over little / silly things - a novel that is rather over the top on drama, granddaughter getting bullied at school (that’s not silly or little), the virus etc. I had to travel on the London Underground on Wednesday to get a DEXA scan. Got home to receive a phone message that I’d left something at the hospital and had to do the journey again on Thursday. All rather stessful with many many people not wearing masks and not social distancing .... in Tier 2 East London!...- which gets me worked up. Then today had to do a click and collect of groceries. No adverse reactions yet, except the constant fatigue!

I am thankful to have your warnings about anxiety as I progress with tapering and will be extra vigilant.

[rescuedogs in reply to ChinaWuntoo]

Good luck to you