Celexa- Brain Tumor anxiety. :(

[fifthxxchild]

So I have an extremely long story. For the past three years, I have had major health anxiety. About three years ago when I was 20, I had a terrible panic attack with the works. Slight brain zap on the left side of my head, tingling of the left side of my face, fast heartbeat, felt someone was strangling me, sweating, the works. For the past three years, I was able to live with these symptoms despite thinking that I had major heart problems. This summer changed everything, when I had panic attacks nearly daily, almost convincing myself that something terrible was wrong. I went to the ER at 10 o' clock at night one evening in late July simply because I thought I was a heart attack after feeling some chest pains and thinking that I couldn't eat without choking and throwing it back up. My ECG and blood enzymes test all came back normal and I was suggested to follow up with my GP. The week or so between that time was the probably the worst experience, as I thought the worst of everything; my dizziness, stomach sickness, and brain zaps on the left side of head indicative of a brain tumor. Finally managed to get an appointment around July the 4th and finally been got on Citalopram 20 mg, while also having a CBC test to rule out any abnormalities. I noticed almost immediately that my chest pains and rapid heart rate almost disappeared. However, within the first day of taking the citalopram, I noticed radiating headaches throughout skull, sometimes accompanied by a feeling that my head had a rubber band around it, as well as general fatigue and some minor vision blurriness if I stare at one thing for too long. These symptoms sometimes occurred at random, sometimes due to increase stress, but I haven't had any instances of full-blown panic attacks since. After a month, I was bumped up to 40mg a day. Some of the symptoms started to disappear a bit more.

Fast forward to now, and after beginning to get tapered off the medication, the headaches have gotten worse, I have had terrible diarrhea, worse vision problems, facial tingliness, neck pain, a feeling of being choked, and the headaches have just gotten got to the point that they are just scary sometimes, all bringing back the brain tumor fear. I'm a Senior in my Chemistry. I just want to the bottom of this. I've seen my GP at least two times since being on the medication, and despite telling me that all of these symptoms are just anxiety and side effects of the medication. I plan on making an appointment to re-evaluate the issue. I just need some help and confidence if any one else has had similar brain tumor anxiety. :/ It sucks being a 23 year old male with these issues and not getting the guidance I'm looking for.

[debs71]

Hi,

I must say that I tend to agree with your GP on this one. My first thought when reading your post was side effects, from both when you started the meds and now they are being reduced.

First things first - please be reassured that you are definitely not alone in this. I think that most of us here would say that we have experienced similar things, mostly coinciding with meds. Myself definitely!!

It does sound to me like very high anxiety that you describe. I have self-diagnosed myself so many times, with every horrendous illness under the sun (it does not help that I was a nurse, which fuels my worries of any symptoms! ) The problem with the kind of anxiety symptoms you describe - chest pains, head/brain zaps, tingling, headaches, nausea and dizziness is that it is so easy to automatically link them to either your heart or a brain tumour - it is highly deceptive and a real worry, I know.....but as you can see from the fact your results were all fine after your initial tests, it really is just the tricks played by anxiety.

Also looking at when your symptoms happened - after first starting meds, with the headaches, vision problems and fatigue (fatigue is a HUGE initial side effect) the timescale fits that this is purely two things - number one side effects of the drug and secondly, a heightening of your anxiety, which also happens after initially taking meds.

The fact that you also later began to feel your anxiety and panic attacks lessening also fits with this being meds induced. I had the exact same experience when I first started meds, and when I have had to restart them (sadly)

Ok....so now you are at the point of tapering, and again, what you describe sounds pretty par for the course. Firstly, tapering meds is a daunting thing, especially if you have levelled out significantly after a while taking them. The awareness that you are reducing them can create anxiety alone, and I think that this may be what you are experiencing here, along with the fact that the drug being reduced will also have a physical effect on you, and your serotonin levels (a drop in serotonin can cause headaches) and also it again is to do with your body and brain now adjusting to a reduction in meds, the same way it had to adjust when first STARTING meds, as you can maybe see from similar symptoms again - the physical stuff, heightened anxiety, etc.

The main question I would be inclined to ask is have you been on meds long enough? Is it the right time for you to try to taper them? Are they being tapered very, very gradually - if not, they should be!!

I would see how things go right now, but please don't feel you must suffer with all of this stuff, and definitely do seek advice from your GP is things don't level out again for you.

Please also be reassured that it really does sound (to me at least - I have had depression and anxiety and panic disorder since 2003, and have been on and off Escitalopram) like you are experiencing side effects and some heightened anxiety again. All of your symptoms fit around the meds stuff, so there is a definite pattern there.....it doesn't sound like anything sinister to me, and please believe me when I say I have experienced all of your symptoms and fears, and then some!!

I know how hard it is to deal with the suckiness of anxiety, but know you are not alone and this will pass! x

[mark84]

I think you answer your own question really, you've had some tests, everything is negative, you know you suffer anxiety (otherwise you wouldn't be here), I think you gp is right and that you are more than likely in perfect health. There's an excellent health anxiety sub forum on this board which I'd recommend having a look at

[fifthxxchild]

Thank you for the support very much. These last couple of days have likely been the worst days I can think of in a while. After restarting the medication at 10 mg sometimes last week, it just seems like the worst side effects have been occurring that have left me thinking the worst. As I'm typing this now, I'm getting massive shivers throughout my body (likely because it is cold outside) and my headaches have gotten even worse than when I first started the medication. To make matters worse, my digestive system has been acting up to, giving me some really terribly loose stool. :/ I want to think it's just symptoms of getting back on the medication after not taking it for a month, but I just don't know what to do. It makes everyday tasks like grading my students chemistry exams such as a chore as I sometimes just forget about what I was writing while grading. My GP's office isn't open on the weekends, so I would have to wait till this Monday to actually make an appointment. :(

[xvolatileheart]

This all sounds like classic anxiety thinking, coupled with side effects from starting and stopping the meds.

I have to say, it seems very soon to take you off the medication. Most doctors would advise at least 6 months on an SSRI, up to a year. It doesn't sound like you're ready to be taken off just yet, so hopefully you get back up to a steady dose and stay on for a while this time.

[Flash23]

Hi, first post for me too!! Had health anxiety about heart for 2 years. Back in sept went on hols and after flying felt very drunk/dizzy and ended up in A&E thinking I'd got a blood clot from the flight. Doctors said it was just vertigo and sent me away but the drunk feeling (I know exactly what you mean -a slightly fuzzy head thing and sort of affects vision a bit??), had carried on since then. I've seen an ENT specialist and had the MRI and blood tests etc which all came back normal (no brain tumour phew), but my eyes twitch a lot. The consultant said its migraine related linked to anxiety and has sent me for some speciality breathing support as he thinks I have hyperventilation syndrome!!! It's soul destroying I know. Sometimes I wish it was something more fixable like glue ear!!! I panic about these symptoms a lot!!

[Alan S]

So I have an extremely long story. For the past three years, I have had major health anxiety. About three years ago when I was 20, I had a terrible panic attack with the works. Slight brain zap on the left side of my head, tingling of the left side of my face, fast heartbeat, felt someone was strangling me, sweating, the works. For the past three years, I was able to live with these symptoms despite thinking that I had major heart problems. This summer changed everything, when I had panic attacks nearly daily, almost convincing myself that something terrible was wrong. I went to the ER at 10 o' clock at night one evening in late July simply because I thought I was a heart attack after feeling some chest pains and thinking that I couldn't eat without choking and throwing it back up. My ECG and blood enzymes test all came back normal and I was suggested to follow up with my GP. The week or so between that time was the probably the worst experience, as I thought the worst of everything; my dizziness, stomach sickness, and brain zaps on the left side of head indicative of a brain tumor. Finally managed to get an appointment around July the 4th and finally been got on Citalopram 20 mg, while also having a CBC test to rule out any abnormalities. I noticed almost immediately that my chest pains and rapid heart rate almost disappeared. However, within the first day of taking the citalopram, I noticed radiating headaches throughout skull, sometimes accompanied by a feeling that my head had a rubber band around it, as well as general fatigue and some minor vision blurriness if I stare at one thing for too long. These symptoms sometimes occurred at random, sometimes due to increase stress, but I haven't had any instances of full-blown panic attacks since. After a month, I was bumped up to 40mg a day. Some of the symptoms started to disappear a bit more.

Fast forward to now, and after beginning to get tapered off the medication, the headaches have gotten worse, I have had terrible diarrhea, worse vision problems, facial tingliness, neck pain, a feeling of being choked, and the headaches have just gotten got to the point that they are just scary sometimes, all bringing back the brain tumor fear. I'm a Senior in my Chemistry. I just want to the bottom of this. I've seen my GP at least two times since being on the medication, and despite telling me that all of these symptoms are just anxiety and side effects of the medication. I plan on making an appointment to re-evaluate the issue. I just need some help and confidence if any one else has had similar brain tumor anxiety. :/ It sucks being a 23 year old male with these issues and not getting the guidance I'm looking for.

I had all the these's symptoms with anxiety - if you can stick with the meds, it took months for my work fully work.