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Insomnia / anxiety?

Messages
91
Hi,

I feel almost a fraud for writing on here because I'm actually feeling a lot better with my normal pvfs symptoms/glandular fever (feeling totally off my head, unable to read properly/ Unccordination) I think I'm finally coming out the other side of it. Although still have swollen glands/sore throat/headache.

However, I feel like the final hurdle is getting over my extreme anxiety (which I didn't have before the illness) and insomnia which has gotten worse in the past few weeks since taking chalrithromycin.

I feel sense of dread all the time as if something awful is going to happen to me/I'm going to go insane even though I know this can't happen. I think it's because I was totally off my head for 18months with the illness.

I just feel general anxiety about nothing, and can't sleep because of it. I also have a fear that I'm actually losing my mind. i feel like my brain can't get over the trauma of being ill (even though I wasn't seriously ill) but I did have extremely debilitating symptoms. And now I feel the insomnia and anxiety is stopping me making the most of my new found "health".

The weird thing is I'm not anxious about normal things like work/uni/relationships... I'm just anxious in myself and about sleeping.

What do you think the best solution would be?

I've tried herbal stuff with no success.
 
Last edited:

Snowdrop

Rebel without a biscuit
Messages
2,933
I think the clarithromycin may be contributing to the symptoms of dread, free floating anxiety and insomnia.
I had these symptoms so bad on this drug that I had to stop it's use.
 
Messages
91
I think the clarithromycin may be contributing to the symptoms of dread, free floating anxiety and insomnia.
I had these symptoms so bad on this drug that I had to stop it's use.
I stopped the antibiotic two weeks ago and started doxyclycline. So I'm not sure if it would be contributing... do you? X
 

Snowdrop

Rebel without a biscuit
Messages
2,933
@Lucy1996

Sorry, missed that point. Then no, I wouldn't expect it to still have an effect.
Hope you find relief soon.
SD
 

Crux

Senior Member
Messages
1,441
Location
USA
The tetracycline type antibiotics, such as doxycycline, have an antagonistic relationship with zinc.

I like zinc for its calming properties. It also helps me to fall asleep, though insomnia is much more complex than that.

Antibiotics lower estrogen, which may lower serotonin and melatonin production.
 

jpcv

Senior Member
Messages
386
Location
SE coast, Brazil
It´s a normal reaction to the physical psycological stress of being sick for a long time...The best treatment: Psycotherapy + drugs: benzodiazepines for the beggining + antidepressive drug with anxiolytic properties like trazodone ( helps with your sleep), then when you start feeling better , stop the benzodiazepine and keep the antidepressant for a while,
That´s how I was treated, in a few words, but you need a good doctor to monitor your treatment.
 

Dechi

Senior Member
Messages
1,454
CBT Is known to work well for anxiety management and it has worked for me. And for insomnia, I have a specific sleep routine recommended by my therapist and consisting of not being in bed anymore except for sleeping (or feeling ill of course). The purpose of this is to retrain the brain and improve the sleep cycle. It took almost 2 months but now 80% of the time, unless I have unusual stress, I can sleep the whole night without having insomnia. If I can't fall back asleep within 30 minutes when I wake up, I get up until ready to sleep again. At 9pm, I turn off the light and read in the living room (on my tablet) before going to bed. You need to avoid anything exciting.

Once in a while I take melatonine. Never two days in a row, not to habituate. I can't take sleeping pills, I don't tolerate them. Anyways, this has worked for me. I never thought it would but it did.
 

jpcv

Senior Member
Messages
386
Location
SE coast, Brazil
CBT Is known to work well for anxiety management and it has worked for me. And for insomnia, I have a specific sleep routine recommended by my therapist and consisting of not being in bed anymore except for sleeping (or feeling ill of course). The purpose of this is to retrain the brain and improve the sleep cycle. It took almost 2 months but now 80% of the time, unless I have unusual stress, I can sleep the whole night without having insomnia. If I can't fall back asleep within 30 minutes when I wake up, I get up until ready to sleep again. At 9pm, I turn off the light and read in the living room (on my tablet) before going to bed. You need to avoid anything exciting.

Once in a while I take melatonine. Never two days in a row, not to habituate. I can't take sleeping pills, I don't tolerate them. Anyways, this has worked for me. I never thought it would but it did.
A sleeping routine works well, but if you´re in a middle 0f an anxiety crisis, medication helps a lot
 

sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
Hi,

I feel almost a fraud for writing on here because I'm actually feeling a lot better with my normal pvfs symptoms/glandular fever (feeling totally off my head, unable to read properly/ Unccordination) I think I'm finally coming out the other side of it. Although still have swollen glands/sore throat/headache.

However, I feel like the final hurdle is getting over my extreme anxiety (which I didn't have before the illness) and insomnia which has gotten worse in the past few weeks since taking chalrithromycin.

I feel sense of dread all the time as if something awful is going to happen to me/I'm going to go insane even though I know this can't happen. I think it's because I was totally off my head for 18months with the illness.

I just feel general anxiety about nothing, and can't sleep because of it. I also have a fear that I'm actually losing my mind. i feel like my brain can't get over the trauma of being ill (even though I wasn't seriously ill) but I did have extremely debilitating symptoms. And now I feel the insomnia and anxiety is stopping me making the most of my new found "health".

The weird thing is I'm not anxious about normal things like work/uni/relationships... I'm just anxious in myself and about sleeping.

What do you think the best solution would be?

I've tried herbal stuff with no success.

I kinda feel like you, my virus is diminishing and I'm feeling better. But for the love of god can not sleep and it makes my anxiety worse and then it's an endless loop of no sleep and anxiety. Nothing has really helped me it all really depends if my body lets me. I could take things but some nights they work and some nights they don't. I decided to do acupuncture and give that a try. It works with the nervous system where the virus hides. I've only had 2 sessions and actually slept the night. Some insurances cover it.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
I stopped the antibiotic two weeks ago and started doxyclycline. So I'm not sure if it would be contributing... do you? X

It depends on the mechanism of the drug, not just the half life.

For example, I was taking a proton pump inhibitor for reflux. I stopped being able to absorb magnesium, so then I had mag deficiency symptoms even though I was taking mag. The mechanism is, it kills off the proton pumps, and it takes 56 days to grow back new ones. So I had trouble with mag for about 3 months after discontinuing.

I think it's also possible the antibiotic may have killed off some good gut flora, and that can be linked to anxiety. This is may be a bit of a long shot, but it's possible that taking some probiotics (several hours away from when you take the antibiotics) could be helpful.

Otherwise, you may just have to wait for whatever it caused to get totally out of your system. If it did something to neurotransmitters directly, it could be in the 3-8 week range until your neurotransmitters adapt to the change.

Note that neurotransmitters are also used for sleep as well as mental health. Specifically serotonin and melatonin.

You may also be able to get some relief by using 5htp (converts to serotonin) and possibly melatonin. The serotonin will also convert to melatonin, so you may or may not need to add melatonin on top of 5htp.

You can also try googling the name of your antibiotic(s) and "depletes" and see what nutrients are depleted by it, and then supplement with those.

I've also taken both benzos and SSRI antidepressants, as well as done CBT. The psych drugs are both addictive and can cause additional side effects and issues. My suggestion would be to try the alternative supplements and even CBT first, then if you're not getting any relief, consider the psych drugs.