Anxiety | Arthritis Information

I've been having a lot of problems with anxiety. It's bad enough that I have trouble getting, and staying asleep. I feel nervous and I feel like something bad has happened, or will happen, when nothing is going on. Does that make sense? My mind races and sometimes I feel like I just need to relax.

I really don't want to add another prescription to the aresenal I already take. I've tried some relaxation techniques, exercise, and also increasing Calcium and Magnesium. No luck. My crocheting doesn't even seem to relax me, which it always did in the past.

I was wondering if anyone has tried any natural remedies that helped? I was researching yesterday and found an article about L-Theanine? Has any tried it? Did it help?

I take a homeopathic stress/anxiety tonic by Brayer. I don't know if you have that over there. _popupControl(); anxiousness can be a side effect of the lortabI was feeling that way a few months ago.. I felt sad, depressed, unable to decide things, always wanted to sleep yet unable to. I felt insecure in myself. Timid and quiet (NOT the usual me!!)

I think my symptoms had alot ot do w/ each other... My inability to sleep and stay asleep due to RLS made me relatively nonfunctional at my usual level during the day.

Once I was medicated for RLS (often an accompaniment of RA) I began to sleep much better. I believe at this point I need to adjust my meds for that now, since getting to sleep is presenting difficulties again.

kweenb, i'm having the same problem right now and i know exactly what you are talking about. i'm having heart palpitations and it is causing me anxiety, or maybe i'm having the anxiety which is causing palpitations. i feel this dread feeling all the time. i'm sick to my stomach most of the day right now but i refuse to take any meds for it. i see my doctor on tuesday and i'm going to discuss this with her. she is so traditional, i'm sure she will send me home with a large paper sack of samples i never use and usually take back. My daughter and her family have gone vegetarian and she is trying to convince me...and she almost has for me to go vegan for a month, then go vegetarian. I'm thinking of this type of lifestyle change to help get my body into a better balance so that I can feel more calm. I'm at the end of my rope with this feeling and have to do something but feel that a med will just add an undesirable side effect that i don't need right now. i hope you get some help with yours. have you tried a hot bath, going to the pool. It seems that water always helps me relax a bit. good luck and keep me posted. Buckeye, I only take Lortab when I'm flaring. I haven't had any for a while.

Lorster, will you let me know what your doc says? You described exactly how I feel, except I don't have palpitations, but I do feel like my heart is beating really hard some times.

I was on SAM-E, but that was before I was even on NSAIDS and I think it may cause interactions? I switched to Lexapro though, which I like. Had a few weeks before the Lexapro there were I took a Valium every now and again, but didn't need them after the Lexapro. I woke up in the middle of the night with my heart pounding, not worried about anything in particular except why is my heart like this, wasn't having a bad dream, but then couldn't get back to sleep. Didn't even occur to me until later that it was a panic attack, but that's what it was! Seeing a therapist from time to time, journaling have helped. I was having huge hormonal swings, had just stopped breastfeeding, but also the HUGE uncertainty of RA dx.

Good luck

KatieG, I take SAM-e, which is for depression, joint health and liver health, but I've never heard of it for anxiety...if anything, I would think it's the opposite. Also, I don't believe there are any interactions with NSAID's, just with mtx.

kweenb and others, if your doctors don't find a physical cause, definitely consider seeing a therapist of some sort. I was diagnosed long ago with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which is an anxiety disorder, and although none of the meds helped me, therapy was useful. You could also Google for relaxation techniques.

I hope things improve.I have had anxiety for years. I have been on lots of different antidepressants. I am weaning off effexor right now. Tired of the weight gain and lazy feeling I have. I also take buspar with is a prescription anti anxiety med. It is great. I feel so good on it and haven't noticed any side effects. I have been on it for almost a year.

I also take rhodiola which is an herbal/health food product. That works great for stress/anxiety.

Good luck!