I am worst I have ever been - seeing Dr today.

[countrygirl]

I have realised that my anxiety has been getting worse and worse the last few months, every symptom is stopping me sleeping and I have developed big anxiety around sleep and then a week ago I got what they think is IBS ( had same symptoms 5 yrs ago and had loads of tests) as i have very noisy abdomen with feeling like something is living in there and kicking me and blowing bubbles and pulling things tight. its bearable during day but as soon as I lay down at ngiht its unbearable and once I can't sleep - major anxiety attacks are happening all night long.

I am so ashamed to admit this to anyone but by my 5th almost sleepless night ( even sleeping pills only give me 2 hrs sleep) last night I just didn't want to live anymore. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband so am not alone but had I been I am really fearful that I would have harmed myself .

My GP tried to persuade me to go onto citralopam a month ago because of my increasing sleep problems as he said I needed to treat the underlying anxiety as sleeping pills are only a sticking plaster that do not work (how true).

I am also major menopausal and its common for insomnia and anxiety to sky rocket with the changing hormones.

I have appt this afternoon and my husband has said he will come in with so that I tell the truth to the Dr ( in the cold light of day I do not want to admit how hysterical I am in the night or the fact I did cut my arm a little bit).

I also have severe muscle twitching in both legs and buttocks and feeling as if I have swallowed a huge lump stuck at bottom of my throat. I am sure these two are purely anxiety symptoms.

Wish me luck everyone.

[fizzle90]

Sorry to hear this countrygirl. I suffer with a lot of the symptoms you describe, especially the IBS like symptoms and the insomnia.

Good luck at the Drs. x

[Monostich]

countrygirl, I went through the exact kind of thing last night and have done since last Thursday.

It's awful isn't it. I am currently withdrawing from Mirtazapine and started Citalopram 3 days ago and am going through hell right now.

Please let us know how it goes at the doctors - good luck.

[countrygirl]

Sorry to hear someone else is suffering the same the nights are truly horrendous. Can you give more detail as I am very intereted in the drugs you are stopping/taking etc

Obviously you might not want to post on here but I would realy appreciate a private message if possible.

[swgrl09]

Oh my god, I was on my 3rd sleepless night last night and I tell you I totally relate with how awful you feel so I can't imagine what the 5th night feels like. Muscle twitching is def stress related, as well as fatigue. I find mine happens more when I am tired. I hope you feel better soon. It's amazing how bad not getting sleep can make you feel though - physically and mentally.

[countrygirl]

So many of us not sleeping! I have only had one totally sleepless night in the 5 and one where I had about 5 hrs but the other three have only been 2 hrs and I have taken a sleeping pill on all 5 nights which is the worst thing!

I find that the only sleeping pill that really works with me is zopiclone but I get horrible after effects of evil taste in mouth and very dopey but at the moment I would kill of one!!! Zolpidem and temazepan just have hardly any effect on me but I am a bit funny with drugs quie a few don't work with me.

[lelespears]

Have u checked ur thyroid levels recently?

[countrygirl]

Yep very regularly as I have an underactive thyroid and am on thyroxine and have it checked every 3 months max as mine tends to fluctuate - in fact its just 3 weeks since it was last checked. I have also been tested for adrenal gland tumour as well!!!!

---------- Post added at 18:43 ---------- Previous post was at 15:56 ----------

Dr was great- I was impressed. I actually printed out what I posted on her and said read this and he said perfect way I love it when people write down what I need to know.
He went into great explanations about how your mind influences your body and how its almost impossible for us to accept some of our physical symptoms can be from anxiety.
He got me to fill in the depression questionnaire and said that I was depressed as well as anxious.
Because of my serious sleep issues he presc mitrazapine for me to try.
He also spent time reassuring me on my abdominal pressures and my worries about my hiatus hernia heartburn not being perfectly controlled.

The only down side is that mitrazapine can cause alot of weight gain and as I am already very overweight although have lost a stone recently this is not good but he said worth trying to see what happens.

I am worried about side effects as these are a sedating anti depress so obviously have side effects! but can't continue like this so will be brave and try tonight.

HOpe the pills can overide the terrible pulling pressures in my abdomen.