Dear Walt,
My anxiety attacks have escalated. They are so severe I have had to drop my summer classes and return home to my parents. I'm sure, as a doctor, you know how bad these can get. I shake constantly and have muscle tremors. I can't breath if I get too warm. Riding in a car is difficult, but sitting in a doctor's waiting room is impossible (as is shopping, visiting friend, etc). I can't sleep, and my muscles are so tense in my shoulders, you can literally pick each one up with your hand. My feet and hand tingle all the time. I have heartburn. But the worst is a full blown attack. They occur daily. Each time I feel as though I'm going to die.
The doctor prescribed a nonhabit-forming azapirone. Bad, bad, bad reaction. The problem with these medications is you can't just stop taking them. You have to stop slowly. It was two weeks of hell (excuse the language). They now want to try an alternate medicine. Quite frankly, the thought of trying another treatment scares me.
This is what I'm doing for myself: I take a stress multi-vitamin, digestive enzymes, and a chelated calcium/magnesium supplement every day. I do deep breathing exercises with yoga postures. I work on concious muscle relaxation (at this point, as soon as I move to a new group of muscles, the previous ones tense back up). I've eliminated all carbonated beverages and reduced sugar intake. I exercise as my body allows (sometimes I'm too dizzy to stand for long).
Is there anything else I can do to get some relief? I live in Michigan near Grand Rapids/Muskegon. Do you have any doctor referrals in this area? I feel trapped by my body....Help!
Carol
In Reply to: Out of control posted by Carol with Anxiety on July 13, 1998 at 10:10:53:
Dear Carol,
1. Have you checked your relaxation technique with biofeedback? If not, you are probably wasting your time.
2. One way to stop living right on the "edge of the cliff" is to get a deep, total body, therapeutic massage 3 times a week for 2 weeks. This will give you relief for a few weeks.
3. Another way is to be Rolfed (10 sessions would last you a year or so). Call (800) 447-0150 for information AND the names of the Certified Rolfers close to you.
4. You would understand your triggers a lot better if you read some of the resources about this in the back of my book: "Brain Allergies" by Dr Philpott; "Nutrition & the Mind" by Gary Null, PhD are examples.
5. By "cutting down on sugar" your system becomes a LOT more sensitive to each dollop of refined carbohydrates you DO take in. Much of your "worsening" sounds like the exacerbated withdrawal caused by this mechanism. I don't think you should even try diet at this time until you have at least digested Beth Loiselle, RD's book "The Healing Power of Whole Foods"----also referenced in the back of my book. Call (800) 870-5378.
Please let me know if you have checked out your relaxation technique with biofeedback since, if you have, I would have to take that into account. The only thing you are doing that could make you worse is the way you are trying to get rid of sugar (the VERY worst way).
Walt
I suffer occasionally from feeling very panicky and tend to lose concentration on things, is their anyway to overcome lack of concentration I find it to be very frustrating?
In Reply to: panic attacks posted by nick on July 13, 1998 at 14:36:15:
looking at the messages down the board about anxiety attacks maybe I havent got it quite as bad as I thought.
peace and out
Nick*****
In Reply to: panic attacks posted by nick on July 13, 1998 at 14:36:15:
Dear Nick,
Panic attacks are SO well understood that it is a crime that the conventional medical monopoly still pretends to know nothing about them. There is a LOT more money to be made treating the symptoms than teaching the patient WHY they have them and what to do about it!
First, you would greatly profit by gaining a different perspective about problems like this by reading a copy of my book (link on this page). THEN, if that makes sense to you, some of the resources in the back: "Brain Allergies" by William Philpott, MD and "Nutrition & the Mind" by Gary Null, PhD, would get you started.
Once you have this infromation under your belt, please write with more questions. THEN, as you get well, please share your experiences with the BB participants since this is an increasingly common problem & your experience would help others see that they DO have choices not being offered by the conventional medical monopoly.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: panic attacks posted by Walt Stoll on July 14, 1998 at 11:16:04:
I suffer from panic sometimes, too. After I read your astounding comment, I had to go back to your book and read again about panic and related disorders. Now I know why you constantly have to refer people back to your book--it was as if I hadn't read that section at all!
I was so excited when I first got your book that I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. Now I see that I need to read it several times and take time to assimilate everything.
I have a question: Once we've solved the real cause by doing skilled relaxation and avoiding offending foods, how do we get rid of the conditioned responses and events associated with the panic attacks? It takes on a mind of its own.
In Reply to: Read the book a million times if you have to! posted by Lana on July 16, 1998 at 15:22:33:
Thanks, Lana.
You are absolutely right about the value of understanding & how hard that might be.
You are also right about the conditioned responses needing to be addressed after the actual physiological causes are gone. This also points up the need for dealing with the physical causes BEFORE working on the psychological complications. In most cases, these take care of themselves once the causes are gone. In those that do not, mopping up is pretty easy once your horsepower is back.
Walt
Dr. Stoll,
I was diagnosed with GAD in February 1998. While my condition improved the first few months I gave been having different physical symptons weekly for the last two months.
Back spasms, cough not cold related. Most recently I woke up to what appeared to be a lump or knot in the lower left side of my neck. The area of my necked throbed locally and to the side of my neck into my left ear. This continued for the better part of a day. Are these symptons, the result of my GAD? Please help.
In Reply to: Anxiety posted by Scott on July 16, 1998 at 09:40:10:
Dear Scott,
What does GAD stand for? We MDs are so enamored with assigning names to things that we need to rename things when we run out of things to name.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Anxiety posted by Walt Stoll on July 17, 1998 at 09:50:40:
Dr. Stoll,
GAD stands for General Anxiety Disorder
In Reply to: Re: Anxiety posted by Scott on July 17, 1998 at 12:20:37:
Dear Scott,
My chapter about this would be the quickest way to put you in charge of this (link on this page). You could then follow this up with the resources in the back of the book.
Also, you could go straight to several references: 1. "Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer" by Dr Pelletier, 2. "Brain Allergies" by Dr Phillpott, "Nutrition & the Mind" by Dr Null, etc. However, I think the quickest way for you to see the l;ight would be to start with my book.
THEN, if you still have questions, write again.
Walt
I have aniexty attacks since I was 9 years old. Of course
thje doctors would say it was all in my head. I am now
40 years old and still have them and I am taking medication to help. My blood work always show below normal magnesium levels. I have heart fluttering all the time and
after my last pregnancy 3 years ago my heart went into
atrial fibrilation. I think it does it alot for a short period of
time. I have taken lot of magnesium supplements and still can not seem to get my body to absorb it. It is really starting to worry me. Got any help. Willing to listen, read, or try any thing to get my levels back up.
In Reply to: Re: Anxiety Attacks posted by Noreen Petersen on July 17, 1998 at 01:41:53:
Dear Noreen,
You need injectable magnesium (at least 2 grams of elemental magnesium IV, 3 times a week for 2 weeks, before your level will be high enough for you to keep it there orally. Call (800) 532-3688 for the closest physician who might know how to do that. Although a normal magnesium will likely help, I suspect that it is only a small part of your problem.
NEXT, this low intracellular magnesium is almost certainly due to leaky gut syndrome that keeps you from absorbing it. LGS is the cause of peptides leaking into the bloodstream that causes your immune system to attack your brain & trigger "Brain Allergies" (read the book by that name by Dr Philpott). Also, you might read "Nutrition & the Mind" by Dr Gary Null.
Once you have this under your belt, write again with any questions.
Walt
before starting a magnesiam supplement, is there any test that can be performed to determine if i have a magnesium defeciency?
In Reply to: Re: Anxiety Attacks posted by Carol R on July 20, 1998 at 16:03:14:
Dear Carol,
An intracellular magnesium is the only test that means anything and Meridian Valley, in the back of my book, is the place to call for the physician closest to you that would know what to order & what to do about the results.
Unfortunately, there is a wide range of normal and people with low magnesium symptoms should at least do a therapeutic trial even if their levels come back as "normal" since our bodies are still the most accurate laboratories for what is normal for US. MVL's number is (800) 234-6825.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Anxiety Attacks posted by Walt Stoll on July 21, 1998 at 12:11:32:
A magnesium challenge test is a useful way to evaluate magnesium stores. It involves the i.v. administration of MgCl or MgS and pre- and post- urine mg tests.
Intracellular analysis is much easier and valuable as well. Read about it at the site below.
Dr. B.
http://HealthChoice.net
http://DirectLab.com
In Reply to: Re: Magnesium testing (was: Anxiety Attacks) posted by Dr. B. on July 22, 1998 at 12:14:15:
Dear Dr B.,
This is a new one on me. The link you provided was very helpful. I am going to call their (800) number & have them send me research demonstrating the accuracy & reliability of this new technology.
I knew about the challenge test but have not used it so far.
Thank you SO much!
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Magnesium testing (was: Anxiety Attacks) posted by Walt Stoll on July 23, 1998 at 10:02:38:
This is a test I used in clinic for years. Gathering the data for his reseach papers, Burton Silver (the developer of the test) left word to be called anytime an open-chest surgery was done. Sometimes he got up in the middle of the night and ran to the hospital to wait in the corner of the operatory hoping the surgeon would feel he could step back for a moment to allow Burton to take his samples. Burton would then sample the cardiac muscle tissue and the buccal tissue. He repeated this until he was satisfied that he had reliable evidence. Ask him about it if you get the chance.
I read the lit myself and tested the evaluations for about 5 years comparing the results with other samples and tests before accepting it on its own. I found it useful in evaluating the transport of nutrients and identifying localized deficiencies. It helps to complete the vague picture of mineral assimilation and adequacy in patients.
Dr. B.
In Reply to: Re: Magnesium testing (was: Anxiety Attacks) posted by Dr. B. on July 23, 1998 at 11:46:39:
Thanks, Dr B.,
This opens up a whole new area of learning for me. Have you connected with Robert McFerran yet? You two have a number of things to offer each other.
Walt
I was lead to believe my anxiety attacks were the result of too much serotonin in the brain. I find it ironic that dring certain times of my work life I have to take melatonine to go to sleep. My new doc has put me on Buspar(not a narcotic) and I can control the attackes when they happen better, and can get thru an attack quicker. I dont get a lot of workout at work, though my husband and I won our own business and are under a whole lot of stress.
In Reply to: Re: Anxiety Attacks posted by jackie on July 29, 1998 at 21:39:48:
Dear Jackie,
You need a LOT more knowledge than you now have to resolve this kind of problem:
1. You need to understand that more than 90% of stressors that cause the stress-effect are not psychosocial which, from your note is what your definition of "stress" is. See the FAQ page for this 'site and read everything you can find about "stress".
2. Read "Brain Allergies" by William Philpott, MD.
3. Read "Nutrition & the Mind" by Gary Null, PhD.
4. THEN, if you still don't know what to do about your problem, read a copy of my book (link on this page).
If you still have questions, after you have the above under your belt, write again.
Walt