Stress causes multiple health concerns

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been reading about the benefits of meditation and dietary changes, and I now realize that stress (sometimes intense) is a major contributor to my current condition. I need guidance in dealing with my overall well-being.

I am a 56-year-old woman, 5 feet 5 inches and 175 pounds. Most of my excess weight is belly fat, and I am beginning to experience discomfort in this area. My eating habits are not particularly good, but I do avoid sweets, an abundance of carbs and excessive portions.

Exercise has been limited by fortitude, energy and perseverance. I swim and want to do more than I currently am. I was a heavy smoker but quit 11 years ago. A heart attack six years ago has me taking ongoing medication. I also take drugs for depression, anxiety, migraines, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and back pain caused by scoliosis and sciatica.
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Anxiety drug may have unwated side effects

DEAR DR. GOTT: I would like information about Ativan to include its long-term use, side effects, and whether a person — especially a senior citizen — should be taking it on a regular basis.

DEAR READER: Ativan (lorazepam) is part of a group of drugs known as benzodiazepines. It is used to treat anxiety or anxiety-related disorders associated with depression. It affects brain chemicals that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety. It can be prescribed for other purposes as well.

There are a number of issues that should be discussed with your physician before taking this drug. For example, you shouldn’t take it if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, severe liver disease, if you are on sodium oxybate, or allergic to benzodiazepines or any of the ingredients in Ativan. [Read more...]

Can anxiety drug be addictive?

DEAR DR. GOTT: My mother is 74 years old and has been taking lorazepam 0.5 milligrams nightly to help her sleep for almost two months. She would like to continue taking it but is concerned about the side effects. She prefers this medication over the other brand-name sleeping pills.

Should she try to go without for a few days to see if she has become dependent? She doesn’t want to skip it for fear she won’t be able to sleep. Please advise, and thank you in advance.

DEAR READER: Lorazepam is one in a group of drugs known as benzodiazepines and is commonly taken to treat anxiety and symptoms of depression. As with most drugs, it can also be used for other conditions, such as sleeplessness, as determined by a personal physician.
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Metallic smell may be due to medication, anxiety

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 54-year-old female in fairly good health. The only medications I take are Buspar and Dexilant.
I would like to know if you could tell me why I smell metal all the time. My husband and son don’t, but I do. Do I need to have blood work done to find the cause? Thank you for your response.

DEAR READER: One of your medications may cause this smell. The Dexilant is commonly used for erosive esophagitis caused by acid reflux. Reflux can cause bad breath and a metallic taste (and possibly scent). The medication itself can also cause breath odor.
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Medical woes plague young reader

DEAR DR. GOTT: Since childhood, I have been suffering with tonsillitis, chronic colds and allergies — both seasonal and medication-induced. At the age of 24, I was diagnosed with discoid lupus; at the age of 30, with fibromyalgia, pleurisy, kidney stones/infection, vertigo, depression and anxiety.

My ANA test for three years has come back normal, but I continue to get lesions, my hair falls out, and I get sick easily. I have been to two rheumatologists. Both say I do not have SLE, but my family doctor feels I do. What do you think?
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Reader finds help for abdominal migraines

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have had abdominal migraines for the past eight years. I had to retire from my teaching position because of them. In the past two weeks, since your article appeared, I found that stress and anxiety caused the daily occurrence of migraines. An anti-anxiety drug is assisting in my mission to find some sense of balance. We need more doctors like you to add to the existing information. Keep me posted on your new discoveries.

DEAR READER: I’m glad I could help. I will definitely provide an update as new developments unravel.
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Fear, Anxiety Likely Cause Of Mysterious Illness

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 47-year-old male smoker. I have a lot of stomach problems that started after a stomach virus in January 2007. I used to weigh 214 pounds but now weight 138 pounds and am 6’ 4” tall.

I have had 3 complete blood counts, thyroid and B12 tests, a CT scan of my chest, stomach and pelvis, a colonoscopy, and an endoscopy. I was told I have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) since my tests have all come back normal. A nutritionist has told me that my body mass is extremely low.

My symptoms vary and can include headaches, increased urination, fatigue, lower stomach cramps, plugged ears, tender stomach, nausea, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, skipped heart beats, different bowel patterns every day, and high anxiety. [Read more...]

Daily Column

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 82-year-old mother has been diagnosed with panic disorder and anxiety. She is currently taking 100 mg of Ativan and 100 mg of Zoloft. When she takes these in the morning she is wiped out and cannot seem to function until around 6:00 at night. Could these medications be too high a dose for her? She has always been sensitive with medications, so I am wondering if by the time 6:00 comes around are the medications out of her system? Perhaps this is why she feels better later in the day. She doesn’t have a problem sleeping. She is physically healthy otherwise and does not want to nap all day. It is frustrating for the both of us.

DEAR READER:
Ativan is used to treat anxiety disorders. It is also unavailable in 100 mg tablets. At that dosage she would have to be taking 50 of the highest dosage pills (2 mg) every day. I highly doubt this is the situation. Perhaps she is taking 1 mg daily. This is something that you need to clarify in case of an emergency. Knowing proper prescription names, dosages, etc. is vital. The same holds true for her Zoloft.

Zoloft is prescribed for panic disorders and as an anti-depressant. It is available in 25, 50, and 100 mg tablets. A general initial dose would be 25 mg per day for the first week, with graduation to 50 mg following that. Periodic evaluation by a physician would determine a necessity for an increase in dosage. Therefore, your mother could certainly be (and in my opinion, most likely is) overmedicated.

Side effects from the two medications are similar. These include confusion, agitation, drowsiness, dizziness, balance/coordination problems, weakness, nausea, and changes in appetite. Ativan carries the very serious side effect of seizures and Zoloft may (usually during initial treatment) worsen depression and increase thoughts of suicide or bodily harm. Also of interest is that Zoloft can adversely interact with Ativan.

I believe now is the time to sit down with your mother’s physician and psychiatrist to explain what is going on and express your concerns that she is being over medicated. If they are unwilling to listen, perhaps it is also time to find a new psychiatrist who will re-evaluate her and hopefully reduce her medications.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Medical Specialists” and “Mental and Emotional Illness”. Other readers who would like copies should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 (per report) to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

Stent implant leaves reader breathless

DEAR DR. GOTT: In May 2006, I had a stent implanted in my heart. Since that time, I have had shortness of breath. I also occasionally have to stop and take one or several deep breaths while doing a variety of activities such as bending over, carrying light loads (up to about 10 pounds), going up and down stairs and many more.

When I visited my heart specialist following my surgery and told him about the situation, he would only say it was anxiety. He continued to ignore my list of incidences and maintained it was anxiety. I have had anxiety before on various occasions, such as when my car was totaled, but I never had to stop and take deep breaths. I explained that this only began after my stent surgery and that i thought it was something other than anxiety.
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