Panic attacks and fibromyalgia?
Hi,
About 5 months ago I started getting pains in my joints and muscles. I went to the doctor and had blood tests which came back normal. She believed I have Fibromyalgia and prescribed antidepressants to help me sleep better at night. The medication gave me nightmares so I stopped taking it and just lived with the pain.
Just the past 2 months however I have started getting panic attacks and just the past couple of weeks it has been very severe. I couldn't even get into work because I'm just so anxious and get a panic attack and have to come home. I went to the doctor this afternoon as this is getting rediculous and he thinks I have depression and not fibromyalgia and has put me on another kind of antidepressant.
Do you think this could be the case and that I have had depression all along or does anyone know if panic attacks could be a symptom of fibromyalgia?
I went to a different doctor this time and he prescribed me Citalopram.
Public Comments
1. Panic attacks are not generally a symptom of fibromyalgia, however, depression can be. Stress can be a symptom which intensifies fibromyalgia. When your doctor drew blood, did he draw a Sed Rate and/or an ANA? These are things you might want to check on if your pain continues.2. I would think having fibromyalgia and hurting like you do can cause the panic attacks. What pill did they give you for depression???? Some of them work great and others can give you the side effects you mentioned. If your joints and muscles still hurt I would assume the first Dr was right. Not sure if you went to the same Dr each time. If so I would go to a new Dr. and start over. Fibromylagia can DEFINATELY cause depression!
3. I'm not sure. I think you need to see a psychologist. I've done a lot of reading on your conscious versus your subconscious. Maybe you have repressed memories of a bad experience? Panic attacks are a sign of something going on psychological. The thing with your mind is that it never forgets when bad things happen. So even if you've made yourself forget something it is still their lurking in your thoughts. When you dream your conscious is meeting your subconscious. Hence the nightmares. - Just a thought. Either way if you have depression a psychologist can help you. Good luck.
4. I had fibromyalgia for several years and no doctor could help me. Then I started to investigate and treated myself. After one year I was completely healed. This is now three years ago and I am still symptom free. I have written a report about my healing process and about all I have done. I am not selling anything and don't want to convince. I am not offering any cure.
Who is interested to do something out of ones own responsibility can visit my Web site:
http://www.falconblanco.com/health/intro.htm
and I am willing to answer your questions, but need to say that I can't give any advice as I am not a 'health professional'.
