Anxiety?

[Neeranam]

Neeranam, below are a few links on GERD (the 'D' apparently stands for disease BTW). No mention of anxiety as a cause. Smoking increases the risk, by the way, do you smoke?

Actually, I quit about 6 months ago. Since quitting, it has got worse(due to increased anxiety, I assume)

Try Deanxit. It's a non-addictive drug in the SSRI family (Prozac) but faster working. You can get them over the counter in any pharmacy in Thailand. Take one morning and evening for a week and see if it doesn't take care of the problem.

I've decided to avoid medication and deal with the cause.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Neeranam

[sabaijai]

Neeranam, below are a few links on GERD (the 'D' apparently stands for disease BTW). No mention of anxiety as a cause. Smoking increases the risk, by the way, do you smoke?

Actually, I quit about 6 months ago. Since quitting, it has got worse(due to increased anxiety, I assume)

Try Deanxit. It's a non-addictive drug in the SSRI family (Prozac) but faster working. You can get them over the counter in any pharmacy in Thailand. Take one morning and evening for a week and see if it doesn't take care of the problem.

I've decided to avoid medication and deal with the cause.

And the cause is ...? You've ruled out reflux?

[meadish_sweetball]

Anxiety sucks. I get it too. Think it comes from heavy emotional and/or physical abuse when your a child. Found no answers but for sleep when stressed I find that concentrating on your breathing and concentrating on how the different parts of your body feel re focuses your mind off the crap and you get to sleep.

have tried alcohol and every drug under the sun also but stopped 10 years ago and now just put up with it, Just started a new drug called Lyrica for neuropathic pain which is not addictive and have noticed it really helps anxiety too, similar drug to neurontin but very expensive. None of that herbal shit does anything for me.

I know many people who swear by Neurontin, mostly for coming off tranquilisers.

Based on the people I know and my own experiences, I think the chemical angle is the correct one, provided this is mainly anxiety, and not GERD as sabaijai suggested.

This doesn't mean natural remedies and cures, dietary changes as well as physical and mental exercise will not be helpful. They are.

It is not a case of either or I believe. I think what you are experiencing is partially due to your past lifestyle. I have friends with similar symptoms and who have had substance abuse problems.

The guy I know the best has been getting along ok by quitting all forms of recreational drugs, by reducing his alcohol intake (he wasn't really an alcoholic and can handle not drinking too much, his addiction was mainly grass and amphetamines), and by starting regular exercise, as well as using cognitive therapy to combat negative thoughts and sensations.

I know it is not so easy to find a doctor here in Thailand you feel you can trust, otherwise I would have suggested seeking a doctor too... are you still entitled to health care in the UK and go back on a regular basis?

[Neeranam]

Neeranam, below are a few links on GERD (the 'D' apparently stands for disease BTW). No mention of anxiety as a cause. Smoking increases the risk, by the way, do you smoke?

Actually, I quit about 6 months ago. Since quitting, it has got worse(due to increased anxiety, I assume)

Try Deanxit. It's a non-addictive drug in the SSRI family (Prozac) but faster working. You can get them over the counter in any pharmacy in Thailand. Take one morning and evening for a week and see if it doesn't take care of the problem.

I've decided to avoid medication and deal with the cause.

And the cause is ...? You've ruled out reflux?

Still searching for the cause. It's not reflux but I've stil to investigate GERD.

Also I just bought a book - 'Coping with fears and phobias' by Warren Mansell. It looks really good. http://www.oneworld-publications.com/fears/

Now reading 'understanding vicious ccles and how to step out of them'.

[YaiJung]

Hi Neeraram,

I have experienced anxiety and panic attacks since as long as I can remember.

Tried all the meds and whatnot. For me, as far a meds go, the only stuff I can recommend is some tranquillizers to control the attacks when they have gone past the point of no return, if u know what I mean. The thing about tranquillizers is that if u abuse them, or even use them daily they might not work when u need them. The thought of them not working when I need them is enough to keep me from taking them except in emergencies. I think people can run into trouble by looking for a wonder-drug to cure their problems.

I know u said u aren't going the med route. I fully agree with this viewpoint and I think thats the only true choice.

Exercise and clean living are what works for me. A good 30 min run/jog every other day does wonders. I have read that yoga is good as well. After a good workout my body is so relaxed and tired that it almost seems impossible to have an anxiety attack.

A book that really helped me was Don't Panic by Claire Weekes. She describes how anxiety attacks are the result of our bodies "emergency responce" to life threatening situations. Like if a shark is about to eat u, your adrenaline will kick in and your heart rate will increase, giving your body what it needs to get out of the life-threatening situation. The problem is that our body's natural response is kicking in at times when its not needed, like when u go into KFC to eat.

In the book she describes how to train ourselves to relax and "switch off" the emergency response. Lots of breathing and meditation exercises that I found to be very beneficial. I can't say enough good things about this book really.

Cutting out the cigs should help as well, since nicotine is a stimulant, which in turn can trigger anxiety. Maybe it will just take u a little more time to get used to not reaching for one. I think that possibly one of the reasons that cigs are considered relaxing is due to the fact that when people are smoking they are controlling their breathing by taking slow deep drags.

It sounds like u are doing all the right things. Keep it up.

[Ijustwannateach]

A number of years ago I experienced some irrational anxieties and depressions- really irrational, could not identify any real proximate cause. I felt like I was going crazy. Coincidentally, it was allergy season at the time and I was trying a new medication. Shortly after the season was over, so were the irrational emotional periods- I figured it out and never used that medication again. That's when I realised how interlinked my mental and physical health were. Don't know if you have GERD, Neeranam, but I'd eliminate it as the cause and perhaps have a very comprehensive general physical checkup before you move on to well-meaning but possibly futile psychotherapeutic approaches.

"S"

[thai_narak]

in 2003 when i was working in brasil i had too much stress and anxiety due to too much workload and beating deadlines. got advise from the doc to relax so after the contract finished i went back to thailand and did not work for the next 3 months and just went to the beach doing nothing. spent most of the time with family (travelling).

so my advise is don't take medicine, just relax, go out, travel, spend time with wife and kids (if you have), go to the south thailand and enjoy the beaches, snorkel, dive, etc...

Edited October 12, 2007 by thai_narak

[Sheryl]

Neeranam, I agree with Sabajai that this could be GERD and/or gastritis. Is there in addition to the anxiety a burning sensation in the chest or throat? If so this is very likely it.

in which case...stop or greatly reduce caffeine, try not too eat for 2 hours before going to bed and to keep the evening meal on the light side (if you must have KFC, make it for lunch not dinner!) and try antacids or one of the following meds which reduce stomach acidity: zantac, cimetidine, omeprazole. These last will help the inflammation in your esophageas and stomach to heal, take for a 2 - 4 weeks.

If non of this works, or you see a doctor and GERD is ruled out, then it may indeed be panic attacks, but I would exclude such physical problems first, especially since this seems to be a night-time phenomena only....

If you have not had a complete physical in the past year or so, would also be a good idea. Among other things, can determine if you in fact have any cardiac problems or not, which in turn can reduce anxiety from otherwise scary symptoms.

[sabaijai]

One of the key symptoms that suggests reflux is the difficulty swallowing while eating. Not a typical symptom of anxiety but absolutely typical for reflux. Horrible feeling too.

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