SilverLinings
03-02-16, 16:33
Hi, just introducing myself; I have had panic/anxiety attacks on and off for 30 years. Not very often at first and periods where I don't have any for years until something triggers an episode.... like now.
Had a couple of courses of CBT and learned how to manage the attacks but it's different now.
In 2010 I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis and that diagnosis explained the frightening symptoms I was having: various muscle weakness and the most frightening being the trouble swallowing. I dont feel there is a lump in my throat, what I do feel is the throat feeling slack, my tongue feeling numb in different places, like it doesn't fit or sit right in its position. This would happen now and again but now its most of everyday. My speech will randomly go slurred and I feel I will lose control of my tongue if that makes sense. It makes eating and drinking difficult and even have problems swallowing my own saliva.
BUT I have been treated for Myasthenia Gravis since 2010, taking Mestinon for it, I now have a new neurologist who says, my bloods were so low of the antibody initially, that she would never have diasgnosed it in the first place and is weaning me off the meds. Now the Drs think it is all anxiety. Two years ago I was sent for another course of therapy and the guy said I don't need CBT but gave me a few sessions of EMDR therapy for PTSD, chronic trauma. So now with the new neurologists opinion and symptoms still here, I have been told it is all anxiety related with a possible functional neurological thing. All this on top of other health issues like asthma and a DVT I reckon I have a problem with health anxiety too. So much so I am too scared to take antidepressants. I go to bed with these throat/tongue symptoms thinking I wont wake up in the morning. Every new sensation gets me all anxious. I've recently had a colonoscopy, chest xray, an ultrasound of the abdomen in a few days and an ENT appointment coming up. They were checking for a cancer link to the DVT, maybe I am extra stressed now after all this happening lately, all I know is the throat/tongue thing is extremely frightening and I can't cope with it.
I've read all the symptoms can be due to anxiety but I haven't met anyone else with them yet. It's ruining my life just now.
Do the antidepressants really help?
That was longer than I intended !!:blush:
Had a couple of courses of CBT and learned how to manage the attacks but it's different now.
In 2010 I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis and that diagnosis explained the frightening symptoms I was having: various muscle weakness and the most frightening being the trouble swallowing. I dont feel there is a lump in my throat, what I do feel is the throat feeling slack, my tongue feeling numb in different places, like it doesn't fit or sit right in its position. This would happen now and again but now its most of everyday. My speech will randomly go slurred and I feel I will lose control of my tongue if that makes sense. It makes eating and drinking difficult and even have problems swallowing my own saliva.
BUT I have been treated for Myasthenia Gravis since 2010, taking Mestinon for it, I now have a new neurologist who says, my bloods were so low of the antibody initially, that she would never have diasgnosed it in the first place and is weaning me off the meds. Now the Drs think it is all anxiety. Two years ago I was sent for another course of therapy and the guy said I don't need CBT but gave me a few sessions of EMDR therapy for PTSD, chronic trauma. So now with the new neurologists opinion and symptoms still here, I have been told it is all anxiety related with a possible functional neurological thing. All this on top of other health issues like asthma and a DVT I reckon I have a problem with health anxiety too. So much so I am too scared to take antidepressants. I go to bed with these throat/tongue symptoms thinking I wont wake up in the morning. Every new sensation gets me all anxious. I've recently had a colonoscopy, chest xray, an ultrasound of the abdomen in a few days and an ENT appointment coming up. They were checking for a cancer link to the DVT, maybe I am extra stressed now after all this happening lately, all I know is the throat/tongue thing is extremely frightening and I can't cope with it.
I've read all the symptoms can be due to anxiety but I haven't met anyone else with them yet. It's ruining my life just now.
Do the antidepressants really help?
That was longer than I intended !!:blush: