Anxiety: adrenal rush or not....? - Addison's Disease Message Board

paxo · 03-24-2007, 01:35 PM

Hi my kindred spirits

Can u help?
I mentioned earlier in a post that I have acute anxiety.This shows itself in a wrench in the stomach, a sensation like a metal girder is on your chest... shaky legs, trembling all over....which lasts all day

Now, when I research the symptoms above they are said to be the result of an adrenal rush. Well, you can imagine my confusion here as I do not produce adrenaline (cept the use of cortisone maybe). So I am trying to work out what causes these symptoms. Perhaps it is adrenalin, as I have heard that we can produce small amounts from other glands. However, these small amounts don't seem enough to cause the agony I and others go thru.

I am actually beginning to think the opposite that these symptoms ( wrench in the stomach, a sensation like a metal girder is on your chest... ) are maybe the result of no or little adrenaline as they resemble somewhat a pre crisses. I maybe hopelessly out here but I'm trying to find a reason for what's happening to me. I realize that anxiety is also said to be the lack of serotonin..which others dispute. All this is aggravated unbearably by my Addison's.
What do u think, as any input would be appreciated
Thanks
Paxo
UK

gettin' better · 03-24-2007, 04:57 PM

Hi Paxo
I have secondary adrenal insufficiency and have also struggled with anxiety. My Addison's has been under good control since I was diagnosed almost four years ago, but I still had anxiety. In the end, I started taking an SSRI, which helped a lot. I'm not sure what the anxiety had to do with the Addison's Disease (if anything), but whenever your body is not healthy, it can affect your mind. You might check into getting some treatment for the anxiety separate from the Addison's. It really helped me. Good luck.

paxo · 03-25-2007, 01:54 AM

Hi gettin' better

thanks for the input.

I started taking an SSRI (Cipralex) but after two weeks the side effects were unbearable so i stopped.

Could i ask which SSRI u take and how u got on with any side effects as i have been looking at peoples stories on other boards but they do not have Addisons

Thanks

Paxo

gettin' better · 03-25-2007, 11:10 AM

I take 200 mg. of Zoloft and 150 of Wellbutrin. I never had any side effects from these drugs, although I did with some of the other SSRIs I tried before I tried these. They have helped my anxiety a great deal.

paxo · 04-02-2007, 02:34 AM

HI

I've found out s that we do make adrenaline, but not cortisol and aldosterone. It is only the adrenal cortex that's destroyed

Pax