Panic attacks and weight loss.
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Join Date: Sep 2008
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Panic attacks and weight loss.
I have been sober now since June. For the past couple of years I was drinking so heavy.. lots of beer at night..sometime as many as 8 or 9. At one point in May..I had a very bad panic attack out of the blue. this lead me to the ER. my heart was racing and I felt like I was going to pass out. I told them how much I was drinking.. and that I needed to stop... and that day was the day I took my last drink.
Now since that day I have suffered with not feeling well. I take xanax very low does per day..to take the terror away.
I have seen my medical doc and they have done all sorts of blood work, MRI..of the Brain,,CT of the abdomen, A complete cardio workup.. and I had my first mammo. Each test has come back perfect and normal My concearn is I have lost weight since I stopped drinking about 10 pounds since early june.. it's now Sept. Is this a normal weight loss to expect after quitting the booze?? I worry about cancer.. or something awful..but all tests are fine. Doea this weight loss sound normal?
Now since that day I have suffered with not feeling well. I take xanax very low does per day..to take the terror away.
I have seen my medical doc and they have done all sorts of blood work, MRI..of the Brain,,CT of the abdomen, A complete cardio workup.. and I had my first mammo. Each test has come back perfect and normal My concearn is I have lost weight since I stopped drinking about 10 pounds since early june.. it's now Sept. Is this a normal weight loss to expect after quitting the booze?? I worry about cancer.. or something awful..but all tests are fine. Doea this weight loss sound normal?
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Welcome to SR and our mental health forum.:ghug2
It appears that you have addressed these concerns with your doctor. I would also consider discussing it with a mental health provider. Your anxiety may be affecting how you eat which in turn might account for the weight loss. Also there are medications that can cause weight loss. I would keep bringing the issue up with my medical providers until I recieved some help and answers.
It appears that you have addressed these concerns with your doctor. I would also consider discussing it with a mental health provider. Your anxiety may be affecting how you eat which in turn might account for the weight loss. Also there are medications that can cause weight loss. I would keep bringing the issue up with my medical providers until I recieved some help and answers.
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Originally Posted by nandm 
Welcome to SR and our mental health forum.:ghug2
It appears that you have addressed these concerns with your doctor. I would also consider discussing it with a mental health provider. Your anxiety may be affecting how you eat which in turn might account for the weight loss. Also there are medications that can cause weight loss. I would keep bringing the issue up with my medical providers until I recieved some help and answers.
It appears that you have addressed these concerns with your doctor. I would also consider discussing it with a mental health provider. Your anxiety may be affecting how you eat which in turn might account for the weight loss. Also there are medications that can cause weight loss. I would keep bringing the issue up with my medical providers until I recieved some help and answers.
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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Weight loss is a side effect for about 2% of those that take xanax. I take klonopin for my anxiety and it has not had any affect on my weight but side effects vary from person to person.
Many people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression. Remeron is a medication that is given for depression. It is also used in the elderly for failure to thrive because it increases the appetite. You might discuss this with your doctor.
Many people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression. Remeron is a medication that is given for depression. It is also used in the elderly for failure to thrive because it increases the appetite. You might discuss this with your doctor.
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Originally Posted by nandm
Weight loss is a side effect for about 2% of those that take xanax. I take klonopin for my anxiety and it has not had any affect on my weight but side effects vary from person to person.
Many people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression. Remeron is a medication that is given for depression. It is also used in the elderly for failure to thrive because it increases the appetite. You might discuss this with your doctor.
Many people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression. Remeron is a medication that is given for depression. It is also used in the elderly for failure to thrive because it increases the appetite. You might discuss this with your doctor.
Thanks for the info. I have heard that Klonopin is similar to xanax.. do you know if that's true?
I tried lexapro and zoloft.. but back when I did my panic was so bad I was afraid to take them for fear I'd have some sort of reaction.I know that xanax is not a good drug to take long term due to it's addcitive nature..so right now I'm in the process of working with my doc. to find the right medication for me. I'm just starting to reduce the xanax..so far so good.
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Klonopin is also one that has pretty high addictive factors. I only use it as needed. That varies from day to day and week to week. Sometimes I have to use it daily sometimes I don't need it for a month. But I also take an anti-depressant and mood stabilizer. An over the counter medication that is good for depression and anxiety (also has benefits for the cardiovascular system) is Omega 3 and 6's. Basically it is fish oil. It has really helped to stabilize my mood swings and depression from the bi-polar and PTSD. I am not sure how much it has helped with the anxiety but I am sure it has had some effect on it. You might speak with your doc and see if it would be ok to start taking these.
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Just a point of fact here about the weight loss...
You are no longer drinking 8-9 beers a night. If it's lite beer, that's 800-900 calories extra each night on top of whatever food you're eating. If it's regular beer, it's more!
Since you've stopped drinking, you've stopped intaking over 1,000 calories a day/7,000 calories a week. It adds up. You've only lost 10 pounds since June. It's the end of Sept. That's a bit over 3 pounds each month. That amount of weight loss is nothing to worry about considering you've stopped drinking, and stopped injesting the amount of calories you used to intake with your beer.
Don't worry about it! Yes, it's perfectly normal!
Shalom!
You are no longer drinking 8-9 beers a night. If it's lite beer, that's 800-900 calories extra each night on top of whatever food you're eating. If it's regular beer, it's more!
Since you've stopped drinking, you've stopped intaking over 1,000 calories a day/7,000 calories a week. It adds up. You've only lost 10 pounds since June. It's the end of Sept. That's a bit over 3 pounds each month. That amount of weight loss is nothing to worry about considering you've stopped drinking, and stopped injesting the amount of calories you used to intake with your beer.
Don't worry about it! Yes, it's perfectly normal!
Shalom!
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historyteach is right on the money. Beer has a lot of calories and they are all empty. Your weight loss is healthy unless you are underweight and then you may want to go see a nutritionist to find a healthy source of calories. Doctors are very intelligent people but seriously they are not nutritionists.
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Thank you all for your feedback..I really appreciate it. I meet with my primary care doc on Friday. and he is not at all concearned with my weight loss..so I guess, I have to stop obsessing about it.
Since I put down the drinks..I have had numerous testing done. CBC's like mad. A complete cat scan of my tummy.. the one where you drink the awful barium, an MRI and CT of my brain, 2 chest xrays, a complete cardio work up including 2 treadmill tests, an ecocaridogram, holter monitor and cardio blood work. Each test has come back NORMAL. oh and a baseline Mammo.. that was normal too.
I think what has happened to me..is that I drank to forget about my fears and obsessions. Now since the drink is gone..any little strange thing in my body.I feel is catastrophic,. when in fact that's not the case. I need to gain more control..through changing my thoughts using CBT. I don't know if anyone else has felt this way. but if you have I'd love to know how you overcame this.
Thanks.
Since I put down the drinks..I have had numerous testing done. CBC's like mad. A complete cat scan of my tummy.. the one where you drink the awful barium, an MRI and CT of my brain, 2 chest xrays, a complete cardio work up including 2 treadmill tests, an ecocaridogram, holter monitor and cardio blood work. Each test has come back NORMAL. oh and a baseline Mammo.. that was normal too.
I think what has happened to me..is that I drank to forget about my fears and obsessions. Now since the drink is gone..any little strange thing in my body.I feel is catastrophic,. when in fact that's not the case. I need to gain more control..through changing my thoughts using CBT. I don't know if anyone else has felt this way. but if you have I'd love to know how you overcame this.
Thanks.
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1
losing weight after hitting the wagon
I think losing weight is perfectly normally ... even if it's light beer, 10 beers at 100 cals and 5/carbs is a lot per day.
Plus, the body goes to work on the alcohol first - so whatever you ate has to wait.
Plus, the body goes to work on the alcohol first - so whatever you ate has to wait.
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 456
my goodness drinking is FULL of carbs and empty calories. You will most defiantly loose weight. I wish I had that issue hehe... but if you are very thin and would like to gain weight, have a milkshake before you go to bed at night... You mention that you are worrying about cancer... you sound fine. There is a perfect correlation between your drinking and sudden panic attacks. You may have had anxiety the whole time but it was masked by the booze, now because you took that element away, the initial issue has surfaced. It will take time... I really like the "Anxiety and Phobia Workbook"
Originally Posted by blondegurl
I have been sober now since June. For the past couple of years I was drinking so heavy.. lots of beer at night..sometime as many as 8 or 9. At one point in May..I had a very bad panic attack out of the blue. this lead me to the ER. my heart was racing and I felt like I was going to pass out. I told them how much I was drinking.. and that I needed to stop... and that day was the day I took my last drink.
Now since that day I have suffered with not feeling well. I take xanax very low does per day..to take the terror away.
I have seen my medical doc and they have done all sorts of blood work, MRI..of the Brain,,CT of the abdomen, A complete cardio workup.. and I had my first mammo. Each test has come back perfect and normal My concearn is I have lost weight since I stopped drinking about 10 pounds since early june.. it's now Sept. Is this a normal weight loss to expect after quitting the booze?? I worry about cancer.. or something awful..but all tests are fine. Doea this weight loss sound normal?
Now since that day I have suffered with not feeling well. I take xanax very low does per day..to take the terror away.
I have seen my medical doc and they have done all sorts of blood work, MRI..of the Brain,,CT of the abdomen, A complete cardio workup.. and I had my first mammo. Each test has come back perfect and normal My concearn is I have lost weight since I stopped drinking about 10 pounds since early june.. it's now Sept. Is this a normal weight loss to expect after quitting the booze?? I worry about cancer.. or something awful..but all tests are fine. Doea this weight loss sound normal?
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Saint Paul, MN
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In addition to the carbs/calories of alcohol, it also slows your metabolism so any other calories you ingest before/while drinking aren't processed as efficiently.
Alcohol is a sort of double wammy when it comes to calorie intake.
Alcohol is a sort of double wammy when it comes to calorie intake.
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: toronto, ontario
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im telling you 90% sure its the xanax that is causing the issues.
benzos are poison if taken more than 2 weeks ESPECIALLY xanax, xanax is the most potent benzo there is.
what you need to do is SLOWLY and SAFELY start to ween yourself off the benzo drug.
Also, you will need to tell me if you are taking the xanax on a daily basis, same dose or is it more of a "as needed" / yo-yo type basis?
these benzos really do a number on your CNS, and it takes time for it and the gaba receptors to get back to normal.
Feel free to contact me for more info.
benzos are poison if taken more than 2 weeks ESPECIALLY xanax, xanax is the most potent benzo there is.
what you need to do is SLOWLY and SAFELY start to ween yourself off the benzo drug.
Also, you will need to tell me if you are taking the xanax on a daily basis, same dose or is it more of a "as needed" / yo-yo type basis?
these benzos really do a number on your CNS, and it takes time for it and the gaba receptors to get back to normal.
Feel free to contact me for more info.
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