Anxiety meds for asthma? - Asthma Message Board

byrdwoman · 03-01-2004, 02:23 AM

Does anyone have anxiety attacks with there asthma. I had a major anxiety attack years ago with a asthma attack. The dr. put me on ativan. It really help to calm me down. I had to explain to my new doctor who didn't want to prescribe ativan that if he was drowning and gasping for air wouldn't he want to be relaxed? He fumbled around with the theory, but is still hesititate to prescribe them in the future. He is a young doctor and explained he doesn't believe of anxiety meds in his practice. So im looking for a new doctor. Not because he won't give me anxiety meds. Because he has already shown me on this issue and a few others he is shallow. With being asthmatic all my life i don't need a shallow doctor that seems like a robot when you talk to him. Sometimes when i go to see him i feel he is going to put me on the table to scan me like a piece of merchandise. Like im just a number and its his way or the highway. Just curious if anyone else takes something to calm them especially when taking predinosone.
Jane

Cloie · 03-28-2004, 09:39 PM

Hi, Just saw your last post.

I have also found that anti-anxiety meds like ativan help to relax some asthma symptoms. And the stress of not being able to breathe also causes tightening, so relaxing is a good thing. However, all the benzo's: ativan, valium, xanax, can have an interdose backlash effect. When they wear off or if you get acclimated, can cause much worse anxiety/panic/stress symptoms than before. Your body gets easily acclimated to a dose, then needs more or starts to withdraw. The withdrawal symptoms can be very stressful and feel like sheer panic, thus plummeting you into a vicious cycle. Withdrawal from prednisone can also cause anxiety/stress, so some docs supplement prednisone withdrawal with anti-anxiety meds. It's a tricky and dangerous game of balancing the two without making symptoms worse. I was on 70 mg. of prednisone titrating down by 10 mg. every two days for asthma. When I got down to 20 mg. I started to have severe prednisone withdrawal symptoms even though only on it 23 days. Extreme anxiety, tremors, weak, sweating, vibrating, seizure-like sensations, etc. Doc put me on .5 ativan rather than increasing the prednisone. It helped. I wouldn't want to stay on ativan more than 2 weeks though or the withdrawal anxiety will kick in. Hope this helps. Cloie

bluebanana · 03-29-2004, 06:09 AM

Hi
If you find anxiety makes the asthma worse it may be worth trying to get a referal to a speech pathologist to see if you have something like vocal chord dysfunction, which can contribute to asthma symptoms and make attacks worse. It is something which can be treated by doing excersises and training yourself not to do it, although it is not a voluntary concious thing. It can actually mimic asthma and you may find that it makes a real difference to you asthma symptoms, it can be severe enough to require a tracheostomy!
I get really bad depression esp with the pred and take deptran (i think thats how it's spelt) to minimise symptoms, doesn't work though. Maybe some kind of counselling or therapy would be beneficial. Please don't feel that I don't understand. I am a Brittle Asthmatic and have bad attacks once a week, and was recently in intensive care after an attack. I know how scarey they can be and I do suffer from the VCD I mentioned earlier. When they first suggested it I thought they were trying to tell me that I didn't have asthma and that it was all in my head. But that isn't it at all, I'm starting treatment next week, so keep your fingers crossed for me!
Take care and I hope you feel better soon.x x x

byrdwoman · 03-29-2004, 06:13 PM

I know what usually causes a asthma attack. Thats simple. But what i don't understand how a therapist is going to help me when i am at 100 on my peak flow meter. Is she going to help with breathing techniques. I just am alittle confused on how a therapist can help a asthmatic. Unless there asthma attacks are brought on by anxiety or stress things in that nature. But, not pollen, dust, mold or smoke.

wrin · 03-29-2004, 07:25 PM

The stress reaction is amazing when it comes to respiratory problems; I've been at the crux a few times of hospitalization vs. complete recovery and the only thing that kept me out of the hospital was refusing to panic.

The ativan/xanax etc is great for taking the edge off, because the main reason for getting hospitalized is because you go into respiratory failure -- it's a lot easier to draw out your reserves and not fail if you're not panicking.

That's all it is though -- it isn't treating your asthma, per se, just keeping you from hella-panicking so your compromised status doesn't get more compromised for no reason.