Does anyone else have debilitating weakness

[Mary B.]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share what I am going through right now in hopes of finding support as I feel so alone in my suffering. In addition to anxiety and panic i have been experiencing debilitating tiredness and inner weakness. I feel like I have no strength physically to do much of anything. I tire very easily and feel like I have to sit alot. i was away with my family for the weekend and was having anxiety about how weak i was feeling. My diagnosis was anxiety disorder not depression. Are these symptoms more like depression? Could this mean that my anxiety has turned into depression? Then of course my creative mind came up with the catastrophic idea that maybe a serious illness is causing this fatigue. Maybe it's the lexapro and Xanax Xl I've been taking for the past 2 weeks that's the cause. I feel so incapacitated. If there is anyone else going through similar symptoms I would really appreciate hearing from you as I would feel less alone. Thank you so much!!
Maria

[forever young 06]

symptoms of weakness was the first feelings I had after going off my anti depressant I was taking. I became very afraid that something was wrong with me. I guess that is one of the sideffects of the medicine. as time goes by it will get better. also anxiety cause the same thing after a panic attack you feel extremely weak and shaky. I had all kinds of blood work done and could not find any thing except low vitamin d and low potassium levels and they said they weren't low enough to cause the symptoms. I have since gotten back on my anti depressant and feel better.

[Mary B.]

Hi Forever young,
Thanks for your reply. It seems that I'm having the opposit effect. Iam blaming the Lexapro and Xanax Xl I've been taking for a few weeks now for the extreme weakness and fatigue. I also have Mitral valve prolapse and having symptoms that compound my fears. It's a terrible feeling to constantly worry if something more life threatening is going on esp bc I have 3 young boys who are relying on me to be well and strong. I feel the complete opposite. I feel so desperate wondering how I will be able to take care of things and fear the worst. It is very hard to comprehend how such severe symptoms can be caused by a non life threatening condition as anxiety. How can I remain calm if I feel on the verge of death-lol. If there is anyone else who can relate esp with the added mitral valve prolapse symptoms I would love to heat from you. Thanks again!
Maria

[forever young 06]

I know where you are coming from. I felt so weak at the first then I would feel strange in my chest. I even went to the er thinking the worst. I then started to worry about it every day. I even had the symptoms all day long or at least once a day. I had a hard time getting back on an anti depressant too. I got severe insomnia then I became afraid of that, I also had heart palps too. I was keeping my grandbaby at the time and I was afraid something would happen to me. I have been where you are. I thought about my heart all the time. have you been to your dr and what do they say?

[Mary B.]

Hi, I have been to a cardiologist and he says my scary symptoms are nothing. Meanwhile, I am completely convinced that it is only a matter of time before my heart gives way or a stroke hits. It's a miserable feeling. Like a walking time bomb about to blow at any moment. But the "moment" never comes. Luckily, and exhaustion sets in. Mental and physical exhaustion from all the worrying and trying to figure out what's going on. It's always comforting to hear that your not alone. Im sorry that you were going thru a tough time too. Sounds like you found a treatment that works for you. Where are you in the program?

[forever young 06]

I am on lesson 8 I have fell behind during the holidays. I was eating better and exercising but have fell back on all of it. I want to get back on track. I had some weakness yesterday with not feeling well. my heart skips beat at times. I also feel short of breath if I do a lot. I have started to worry a little but I am trying not to think the worst. I have had ekgs and a heart echo gram. I find not very many people can relate to the weakness as I have asked this question on other boards. my symptoms didn't always be like this but what happened was I was on Prozac for over a year and was doing great so I decided to go off it and did okay but after about 2 months I had the worst spell it started in my head and like I felt weird all over then weak and as I say it also is in my chest too. I didn't think a lot about it and a week later I had another one. I went to the er and they did an ekg and blood work. I started to get scared of them and of course they started coming every day. I went to a dr and they did blood work but couldn't find anything. I finally started back on Prozac but had severe insomnia that caused more anxiety. I switched to celexa and have been on it since july. I have gotten better but some times I have mild spells. I have had trouble with low blood pressure but not every time I have the spells do I have low blood pressure. I at one time was taking my blood pressure all day long. I am working on my faith and working on believing God for healing and that I will be okay. I have a daughter that has two small kids and I need to help her with them. I was having to keep the baby during my worst time. I was afraid to be there alone with him but had no other choice. Is this the way you feel? How long does your spells last? I hope you get better when you get on a good dose I feel like you will get better.

[hope11]

Hi MaryB: I have weakness and shortness of breath like you are describing. As a matter of fact, today I have just felt like crap. I have this on and off all the time. It is really hard for me to get going until several hours after I get up, then recently I have started having to lay back down around 2 or 3 in the afternoon for a while just to finish out the day. I think the meds make me feel bad but I don't really know. I just wish it would all go away and I could feel like the person I used to be.

[forever young 06]

hope what meds are you on ? I think they can make you feel tired. I don't sleep good at night either and I feel like that also is part of my trouble. I don't like not feeling like doing any thing. I think it is a never ending circle as the more I lay around the worst I feel. how long have you been on the meds.

MaryB are you feeling any better?

[Mary B.]

Hi, it's comforting to know that I am not alone. I too hate feeling so tired and weak. I keep ctastrophizing that its because I'm falling into a deep depression and will need to be hospitalized just like what happened to my mother about 7 yrs ago. It really frightens me! I know that depression is secondary to the anxiety and panic but sometimes I fear that the depression is taking a strong hold on me. I tried to attend a yoga class yesterday and my body felt so weak and shaky I had to stop while all the other "strong bodied" women worked around me. I feel sick and like I'm falling apart. It really scares me. I'm glad to get other people's support. Thanks

[hope11]

Hi Forever young: I am on Klonopin (trying to reduce) 0.5 mg twice daily but used to be on it three times a day, and Paxil, 10 mg. daily. Have been on them going on three years. Wish I had never had to start them at all. My life has been completely changed since this. You have to be careful what you eat, like no sugar and no caffeine and you have to be so careful of what other meds you take with these. That alone keeps me anxious. Yet, other people I know who take these meds have no problem eating or drinking anything they want. I will be so happy if I can ever get off these but am still having anxiety and don't know if that will happen any time soon. It is bad enough to have to take these but I still have so many problems that I don't know if they are helping or hurting. Today I woke up extremely anxious and felt like I was about to have a full blown attack this afternoon. But using my techniques I have learned, I got through it one more time. Nobody understands this if they have never been through it. That is why this website is so good. You can talk to others who are going through the same feelings. I pray every morning that today will be a better day and every night that tomorrow will be even better. Then I just have to hang in there and ride it out. I have come a long way but am not well yet by no means.