- Is there a correlation between anxiety and epilepsy?
QUESTION:
Dear Doctor,
Getting straight answers from Physicians seems to be a walk up hill through a briar patch. But, maybe you can help!
I am a 47 suffer from anxiety and epilepsy. I had two grand mal seizures 1 year apart in 1973 and 1974. I was put on 400 mg dilantin, have been on that since. In 1977, after having a few too many drinks, I developed a panic disorder and was treated with Tofranil until I broke away from my parasite shrink in 1982 and found a doctor who weaned we back into normalness.
Now as I get older I suffer severe anxiety attacks with very little of the panic heart pounding of before. I am able to control most, except I have this new intense fear of a heart condition and fear the testing or surgery more than death itself. I am not on any other medications except welchol since I can not tolerate Lipitor. I take a 15mg tab of oxazepam as needed periodically. My doctor has suggested Celexa. But I am afraid of sups.
Is there a correlation with my epilepsy and anxiety someone is missing? There seems to be new research, but I can find little, nor are my doctors much help.
Signed about to give up, I am worn out by the fight.
After doing the screening test:
First of all, I would say fractured enjoyment and panic disorder, are all me. Since getting the panic attacks under my control, the final symptom of waiting for the next panic has eased up. But, waiting for impending doom or a doctor telling me I need major surgery or am terminal? That thought is with me 24/7 every minute…
ANSWER:
You describe persistent panic disorder with phobias very strongly. Slightly higher than normal SSRI doses can do a great job for panic, particularly when combined with a medication like Xanax. You’d likely do better with Prozac because of the “fractured enjoyment” (f.k.a. depressed personality). Tofranil helps some with panic disorder, but side effects and its lethal overdose potential limit its use.
Your high degree of anger suggests that the BPD might be present. I’d highly recommend you take a good look at the BPD to see if it fits you.
