SD and Panic/Anxiety (attack) Disorder

I was going through a very sressful time when I developed SD about a year and half ago, and the panic/anxiety attacks have gotten even worse since then - I used to have then very occasionally before. I'm now 38.

I am wondering if there are others out there with SD (or even MTD) that also have panic/anxiety disorder - as they call it.

Answer: YES...life-long issue (I've found this to be common in the SD'ers I've met). It's also common in another syndrome I deal with...fibromyalgia.

Remedy (for me): Avoid certain circumstances which are much more likely to promote it (ie: work stress, family stress, financial stress, frenetic rat-race-pace, etc.). Easier said than done, obviously. Once I realized I had it and identifiable circumstances brought it on, it was so much easier to address. Living in Barbados as you do would help me alot (I personally need sun and ocean and a mild climate and all that) but I suppose it's easy for me to say because I live somewhere else and, when I've been in Barbados, it's a relaxing vacation. Different from living there, I'm sure. I sure hate to think of Barbados as a "rat-race" however.

Good luck with your symptoms.

So, you been to Barbados. When & where might I ask?

Good luck with your symptoms too.

Gotta be brief...leaving for a few days in a few minutes. Thus, I can't really elaborate on fibromyalgia but there is alot of info on the web. FMS is part of the rheumatoid family but non-inflammatory. Usually goes with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Has become quite common in the "mostly-female, middle-age group" lately (often women who have been life-long caretaking personalities). Involves 17 "tender" points in various muscle areas in the body. Very painful. Fortunately, my FMS is mild as long as I'm not doing those 14-hour work days with a long commute (which I did up until 17 months ago). So, I "treat" it the same way as I "treat" the panic/anxiety disorder (avoiding circumstances which make it flare).

I definitely have SD. I was dx'd (and operated on) by an expert in the field with 30 years of very deep experience with SD patients. Also, MTD is not neurological (to my understanding...with all the reading I've done on it). My whole family is FULL of other neurological things, such as Parkinson's, and my doc says I was a classic case of "severe AD-SD." Plus, since the problem was mitigated by SD surgery (RLN)...SD it was and SD it is.

I took a Carnival cruise in 1993 which included Barbados for the day so it was just a short thing. I met some people who had a friend who worked for the government in Bridgetown (that is the main city, right?) so we spent a couple hours there and hired a cab for the day and the guy took us everywhere. "Fun" romping through those back roads on "the other side of the road." I remember him stopping to buy a 6-pack of the local beer and drinking beer during our tour. He said everyone did it and it wasn't illegal(???). I remember Barbados being the first place I ever saw incredibly striking turqouise water. Siince then, I've been to Cancun a few times and the water is pretty gorgeous and turqouise (did I spell that right?) there also. Where are you on the island?

I live of the south coast of the island about 3-4 miles from the city (yes, Bridgetown is the capital).

Hope you have a good trip.

Sorry for the late response here. I suffered with panic attacks for several years in the last 80s and early 90s when I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The attacks were horrible, I'll never forget them! When I had to fly down to LA for company sales meetings, I would have them on the airplane where I thought the top of the aircraft was crushing down on my head. Or when I was forced to park my car underground, I was sure the cement ceilings were going to flatten me. I would lose all control and curl up in a ball like one of those rolly-poly bugs (can't recall their name).

For the most part, I overcame this devastating disease in 1995. In '98 and '99 I had a tremor in my left hand. By the way, I have tested positive for autoimmune disease. In August '99 I was diagnosed with adductor SD, and by then the tremor in my hand was gone. Somehow, I can't help but think that all my maladies are connected in some way.

All disease is caused by either deficiency or toxicity. Either the body is not getting something that it needs, or it is being poisoned by too much of something. Too much alcohol causes alcoholism. Smoking causes lung cancer. Deficient nutrient levels puts you at risk for chronic diseases like arthritis, and cancer. Too much red meat and sugar can result in diabetes, and so on and so on. Basically, it's all the same disease. It's really malfunctioning cells throughout the body. When a body reaches a point where it "can't take it any longer," it will cave in at its weakest point.

When I had CFS, many of my bodies systems were shutting down which resulted in myriad of symptoms. One could of said that I had arthritis, digestive disorders, mental problems, migrains, allergies, leaky gut syndrome, etc., etc. etc. It was really all the same disorder, again, malfunctioning cells.

David, we know that new cells retain the memory of the old cells. So perhaps there is a connection to my brain conveying messages to my vocal chords to spasm, and my past experiences with panic attacks. We don't know, but it's fun to explore and share our thoughts on the BB.