Has anyone ever experienced anxiety or panic attacks, not because of knowing they have Vasculitis, but because of it itself??

[John_Mills]

This question was asked by someone on the fb Vuk group, so I thought I would ask in the VUk/HU group too. We thought it was a very interesting question.

[shanat19]

I would have thought that every person experiences anxiety with the knowledge that they are seriously ill. That anxiety may cause panic attacks in some. So surely the panic attack is a psychological problem caused by the way that person is able to cope with that knowledge, plus the stress the problems being seriously ill brings - the cure, possible loss of income, etcetera.

What do we all think of this point of view?

[vivdunstan Volunteer]

I developed anxiety and my GP put it down to dealing with my cerebral vasculitis. I suspect Mycophenolate Mofetil may have played a part though - the anxiety worsened quite a lot after starting that, and it does have anxiety has a quite common side-effect. Either way it doesn't really matter what the cause is. I've found taking an SSRI works really well at making me more like me again, reducing the anxiety.

[John_Mills Volunteer]

Hi Viv what is SSRI please?

I know that one of the side effects prednisolone is depression and this in turn can cause anxiety and panic attacks.

Also , agreeing with both of you, John says that being so very ill and being diagnosed with WG came as a big shock to him, He had hardly ever had a days illness before WG and worked full time as NHS dental surgeon, so he was always very busy at work. WG made him feel vulnerable for the first time in his life, fear of the unknown, this then could bring on anxiety. Although he also says getting older does not help.. ..

It would be interesting to hear what other people think too.....

[vivdunstan Volunteer in reply to John_Mills]

It's a group of anti depressive drugs, some of which are also used by GPs to treat anxiety disorder. An alternative approach is counselling, but my GP and I agreed that it would be worth trying the pills approach in my case, for a quicker turnaround. And it worked.

I initially tried Citalopram, an SSRI drug often used for treating anxiety, but it gave me very bad (very very bad!) constipation, so I had to stop that. The GP then put me on Sertraline, which I've now been on, very happily, for years.

Actually I think I may have developed anxiety in the early years of my illness, possibly as a result of the brain damage. But it was at a lower level then. It worsened after I started on the Myco, and also after my huge relapse in 2004, when I was facing some very scary hard to cope with times. Hard to pinpoint the cause/blame. But we can treat it well.

[vivdunstan Volunteer]

Forgot to mention that the GP also gave me a supply of Diazepam (Valium) for in the house, if things get really really bad. So I can pop 1 of those if I my anxious level reaches ridiculous levels. That's actually really helpful. Yes it does indicate how bad my anxiety was at a time, pre-treatment, but it's another tool to control it. And I do very well on my Sertraline now.

If someone has a significant ongoing problem with anxiety they should talk to their GP to see if some form of treatment might be appropriate. There's no need to suffer on in silence. This can be treated, very successfully.

[BooBoo39 Volunteer]

Hi.... being a what will be kind of person i believe i do not get anxious but find frustration my biggest enemy. Vasculitis in itself causes frustration in many forms several discussed on this site.....Lack of awareness... big change on health and living day to day..lack of understanding even from loved ones... lack of knowledge in treatment... and loss of control of your own life,relying on others. Top of the list my own acceptance that my life will never be what it was before... Just when i think i have accepted this new life something c omes up to remind that i am not ready yet. This can cause tears of frustration but thankfully i do not feel it has depressed me. However the frustration tears come alot sooner than before the condition partly i feel to the constant fatigue and partly as Viv says and i agree down to the initial damage to the brain caused by the strokes prior to my diagnosis. Like John also i had very little or no time off work before and i still find it very difficult to accept that i cannot return to work yet even on my very bad days it rubs against who i am.

[gsmith in reply to BooBoo39]

i also get frustrated at the things i no longer have the strength or energy to do,poor husband bears the brunt of my complaints, he is so good about it(i think he switches his hearing aid off)i do what i can each day and leave the rest till tomorrow,sometimes i get very down but it dont last

[NoelHickson]

I had panic attacks before is was diagnosed with Wenegers, I would wake in the night and need to be reassured. But since I have been on medication I have had no further problems.

[JuliaLight]

I have panic attacks but they seem irrational! I can't seen to leave the house unless I have to shop for something or see someone, I can't go out for a wander or see if friends are in! I used to be able to go out window shopping or pop in to see my mum or friends, also when I take my little dog for a walk, I worry someone will steal him or I will drop his lead and he will run away! I have to call someone to chat on the phone to help me calm down! I thought this was something I just had to cope with. Thank you I will go a see my GP.

[SusanCh]

I had anxiety attacks soon after I was receiving cyclo infusions and was prescribed 2mg Diazepam. A drug that was given to me with cyclo made me very agitated during cyclo and after. This drug was changed after a few infusions but I was very depressed and didn't realise that was partly due to high doses of steroids and partly due to being so ill. I find I panic easily if something goes wrong so I remain on the low dose of Diazepam which also helps me go to sleep at night. If my son, who lives at home, stays out late I used to get agitated and not sleep but then many mums do that anyway.

[Hannah-Joy]

I found I was having bursts of overwhelming anxiety for a short time and also bad dreams and panic attacks. It was only for a little while though and I think it may have been to do with the meds I was on. I do find though that my experience with WG can get me very upset, for example- today I had a small operation but I was taken into the same room where I had a big op during the whole intensive care WG diagnosis awfulness and I just cried, not like me at all.

[cazy-g]

I have had a period whereby I felt very down in mood and also quite weepy when pushed about my feelings on this illness .My consultant advised me to see my G. P who discussed antidepressant treatments and gave me information on this .He also referred me for counselling to a hospice consultant as my fears centred around the chemotherapy treatments and high medication levels comparible to cancer sufferers .I was prescribed antidepressants however found that the side affects made my debility and thought processess worse and after 2.1/2 weeks decided to stop with these tablets .My mood now seems to have lifted somewhat as I ntruly believe what I need to start feeling well again and able to function .This is when I will regain my half cup full outlook .