What is going on here? (please help!) - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Message Board

The_Cheese_Man · 02-12-2004, 07:14 PM

Hello

Ok, a little about me first. Male, 42, x-smoker (quit one year ago), x-drinker (I drank a case of beer each day for over a year but quit nearly 2 years ago), x-chewer (quit 2 months ago - snuff) with a history of anxiety, depression, OCD, hypochondria, Irritable bowel Syndrome, allergic rhinitis, acute sinusitis, Tourette's Syndrome, moderately high blood pressure (average=150/90), GERD, Lactose intolerance, really bad (and sensitive) teeth and I sit at the computer for up to 12 hours a day and have been for years.

I have also taken the following medications off and on for anywhere from the last 6 months to the last 8 years...

1) Xanax (I have taken this off and on for 8 years)
2) Ativan (I rarely take this)
3) Prevacid (I have taken this for 4-5 years for my acid refux disease)
4) Atenolol (I have taken 25mg each day for my hypertension for the last 5 months)
5) Buspar (I hav'nt taken this in awhile)
6) Cipro - 500mg twice each day (I just came off of this recently for a UTI)
7) Nicotine gum (4mg pieces)

Here's my most recent problem. I was doing pretty well for awhile considering I had just spent the last month and a half being bounced around from doctor to doctor for various tests (all of which came back negative) and I was just starting to feel somewhat normal again and ready to get some work done around here. However, a little over a week ago I felt just a tiny bit nervous/anxious and so I took a 1mg Ativan (Lorazapam). This made me incredibly sleepy, gave me WEIRD dreams and a nice little hangover the next morning. In fact, I felt this way for 3 whole days!. So then I sort of freaked out and took a 1/2mg Xanax (which did'nt seem to help much), then skipped a day and then took another one. Then, I took another Ativan the following day. Today and yesterday, I have not taken any Ativan or Xanax and after 7-8 years, Xanax does'nt seem to be doing anything for me anyway.

During all this I have been battling the following symptoms...

1) Weird feelings in my head at night while I'm laying there trying to go to sleep. These weird feelings are: mild "head shocks", spacy feeling, room spinning, dizzy, surrealistic, seeing scary things in my mind, feeling like I'm going crazy inside my head or something, etc). These feelings in my head are always accompanied by multiple mini-panic attacks and a racing heart/"adrenilin rush" feeling.

2) Mild, sharp pains from time to time on the right side of my head (I've had this for a number of months actually - Atenolol?)

3) Metallic taste in my mouth (although I have had this off and on for months and it could be the result of bad teeth or a side affect of the nicotine gum or one of the other meds - any ideas?)

4) Last night we had spagetti and it felt like I was swallowing golfballs or something (sort of a thick or lumpy throat feeling).

5) When I talk sometimes, it feels like not all the words are coming out correctly (sort of like "lazy" or garbled speech where my brain is just too tired to put it all together or like I'm getting tongue-tied or something). Sometimes, it's like I have to stop to remember certain words and so everything comes out in bits and pieces instead of just one nice, fluid sentence.

6) Another problem that has come and gone over the years (and had been affecting me lately) is that sometimes I have periods where it seems as if my brain is misfiring. This affects my ability to type a letter out on the keyboard because I end up with my fingers going every which way and LOTS of typos (keyboard dyslexic?). Perhaps this is the same thing that happens to my speech (as I mentioned earlier). Sometimes I'll take long pauses in between the letters in a word like I'm thinking..."ok, what comes next?" or I just draw a mental blank and go off into a trance or something.

7) Lately I've been going around here feeling like I've just drunk 3 pots of black coffee even though I've only had one cup or none at all. It's just a very unpleasant "wired up" feeling.

Well, there's more but this should do for now. Sorry this is so long and I would be greatful to this group for any insight you could provide. I have no idea what is going on here or if it's something simple or some dreaded disease, etc. I just read where Tourette's Spasms (mine are head-jerking ones) can cause atrophy to occurr so I imagine my head/neck/brain are probably pretty fried by now).

hangtenvetter · 02-13-2004, 09:40 PM

I am not sure what is happening to you, CheeseMan. Just want to let you know that I read your post and hope you can work through things. Sounds like you have been in a tough battle. Take care.

Renee1234 · 02-13-2004, 11:38 PM

Omigod, you've described a lot of my own symptoms here, ones I don't often hear about. I lost much of my speech a while back, and body co-ordination as well. I couldn't walk in a straight line.

I discovered caffeine was a big contributer. I also realized sugar was causing me severe concentration problems, and that was affecting my speech too.
So I've cut out all sugar, except carbs, and caffeine. I used to be quite a drinker too, and stopped most of that (I feel like a nun!) and everything got better.

With tons of practice my speech returned to almost normal again, but something still isn't right. I get the same blankness you described, and can't always form words correctly with my mouth. I don't feel like I have as much control over my facial muscles as I used to.

I experience panicky, surrealistic feelings like those you mentioned. and vertigo. Everything worsens when I have caffeine or sugar, or the next day after I drink. Or if I don't eat.
It also worsens if I focus too much on how I'm feeling and make it into a big deal. It's like I'm freaking out because I think I'm going crazy or dying and then my freaking out contributes to those feelings.
sometimes, i'm sure there's something physically wrong, and sometimes feels like my emotions are just out of control.

I also have OCD, bruxism, severe restless legs, and both worsen with sugar or caffeine. I spoke with a nutritionist who believes my adrenal glands are not functioning properly. She recommended 500 mg. of Vitamin B5 twice daily, and a product called CellEnergy. I haven't tried them yet.

It sounds like your medication could be causing adverse affects, but we have such similar symptoms, there must be something else doing it too--
I've never taken any medications, only herbs.
Could be low blood sugar, vitamin deficiencies. And allergies..just some ideas. Hope this helps at least a little.