BFS-Induced Anxiety Struggles

Hello friends

This BFS is just driving me mad. Every morning is such a struggle for me, my anxiety is unbearable. I have a hard time eating and feel nauseated from the moment I get up. I have been sleeping well, even though I quit taking klonopin two weeks ago. When I wake in the morning I get sporadic jerks in my limbs that immediately makes me anxious. Evrytime I move I get a twitch somewhere. I didn't have this until I started paxil in May, which I then stopped in June. Still twitching non stop in my calves and feet, ugh. I don't know how much more I can take of this.

Zenseo,

Sorry you are struggling so much at the moment, that really sucks! I know because I've been there, and occasionally I go back there but at this point I have accepted the fascics. The best advice I can give you is to shift your focus off the fascics and on to something else. By doing this, you will stop fixating on them and get back to living as normal life as is possible. But you have to deal with the anxiety first to do this. That is the hard part, but it can be done, I'm living proof. Maybe try some meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy, but work on the anxiety. It makes this condition seem so much worse than it actually is.

hang in there, things will get better.

Gary

I agree with Gary and I think you should consider getting back on the klonopin or some xanax. Almost two years ago, I tried to battle my anxiety with zero medication for a very long time, and then I finally gave in because like you, I was at the point where I almost couldn't function anymore.

I didn't tolerate the SSRIs at all. My regular GP had referred me to a psychiatrist (this was a huge downer for me, think I was the type of person who'd never need a shrink). Well, my psychiatrist was actually really cool, and was very keen about the different medications available. He knew I couldn't tolerate the SSRIs, so he asked me to promise him I'd stay on a month-long regimen of xanax instead. Usually, docs will prescribe xanax or klonopin for people to use on an as-needed basis. However, if you take a very small, but regular dose three times a day for a month straight, it will help keep your anxiety at bay.

Anxiety is nasty--and once you start going into a 'spell' of it, it just feeds on itself, and you keep worrying if you feel that way again and again.

After a month on xanax (and I was on a VERY small dose), I weaned off very easily. Another thing my shrink said is that people with anxiety have an extremely low liklihood of addiction. We just want to feel normal without any meds. He said he had a hard time getting people to stick to their drugs...and I believe him 100%.

Therefore, I say don't listen to Tom Cruise ( )---and get back on some meds temporarily to help you through this. Eventually you will learn how to battle the anxiety without drugs. However you need time to 'know' you can feel normal again, twitches and all....and the meds will help you get there much sooner.

Take care!!

Amy

Thank you for the replies

My big problem is that I have convinced myself that the ssri's and benzo's have caused my problems-hence I am scared to take them again. I took a very low dose of klonopin for almost a year. I was down to half of a half tablet at night, that is it. I keep making deals with myself like, in three months this will be gone and when it doesn't go away my anxiety goes through the roof, I hate it. I have never been a depressed person in my life but I feel so down. I just want my old body back, and mind. Thank you again guys!

Sean

Sean, I agree you should try other avenues to reduce your stress and anxiety. Have you tried exercise, walking, yoga, pilates, or any other hobbie you enjoy. I strongly suggest you learn to breath deeply often. You have to convince yourself of the positive and not the negative. Plant flowers in your brain, not weeds. Repeat often, "I am healthy, I am healthy". I am convinced you have BFS and you have to realize that is all there is to it. You may have to live with it for ever and you will have normal days and some real bummer days.
I also took paxil but went off of it 4 years ago. I do some sort of exercise everyday(it doesn't have to be full blown exercise, a walk to enjoy life etc).
Have you talked to anyone regarding your anxiety, in the psychology area. There is behavioral treatment that involves no medicine. Also, I have tried the Liquid Calcium Magnesium Citrate from the health food store and that has helped with the twitches and spasms a ton! Good luck! Val

I agree with TwitchFuzzey, especially about the exercising. I can't say enough about how helpful working out has been to me since I started twitching. It's a great stress-reducer and in our cases a very good way to convince yourself that you are not experiencing weakness.

Johnny

Sean,

Check your pm

and Johnny and I can definitely attest to Johnny's last statement!

Ginny

I actually have been working out again and biking daily. Almost the first thing I do in the morning (or afternoon in my case ) I do see a therapist at the anxiety disorder clinic here at the U of M and it does help. I just keep waiting for the twitching to stop and well you know, IT DOESN"T. Anyway, thank you for the kind words-it does help. Amy, I took you advice and took a klonopin tonight. I figured it says as needed and it was needed.

have you been checked for lyme disease?
is it possible the jerks in the morning may be attributted to a small scale seizure?just keeping it real i know sleep start jerks are sometimes normal but not when it morning..ask your doc..just to let you know lyme can cause all this and is in your area..
eric