Posted by IsoM on October 28, 2002, at 18:54:06
In reply to Bruxism, Clonazepam, Buspar, posted by Toast on October 28, 2002, at 11:49:25
About bruxism: Not everyone can do this so don't feel bad if you can't, but I've trained myself to be aware of when I clench my jaw muscles tight. I do it during the day too, not just at night, so it makes it easier to be aware of. I can clench my jaw muscles tight till they ache without even pressing my teeth together. As soon as I'm aware of it, I let my jaw sag. I may need to do it dozens of times a day at first. I can sag & then go back to clenching in a minute or two. But by persisting & keeping at it, after a week or so, you'll find you're rarely doing it. Mind you, the muscle tension or energy has to come out somewhere, so I fidget & squirm a lot, but I don't mind.
Are you sure the Buspar is helping? It works great for many people but for some, it can increase muscle tension & anxious feelings.
Do you only get an upset stomach when you become anxious or worried. If life is completely calm with no outside influences, will your stomach ever be upset then? The reason I'm asking is because IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) can tie in with neurotransmitter problems. It's considered sort of the digestive equivalent of a migraine. There's nothing structually wrong with the digestive system but the nerve messages can get mixed & instead of smooth muscle action resulting, it can spasm. A person can get a range of symptoms from excessive gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea, constipation, nausea (& vomitting) all the way to very severe pain. Is it possible you have IBS & stress causes it to flair up?
IBS tends to run in families. I have it & two sons do too. My stomach behaves most of the time, but if I feel sick from too much stress (especially when a situation feels hopeless to me), my IBS flairs right up. It has nothing to do with diet or viruses, just stress. I have medication for such times as this but it's not something you can get in the States. It's a calcium-channel blocker designed for IBS that's available by prescription only in Canada (called Dicetel). But if you live here, it may be worth taking to your doctor about it.
Mr Cushing's advice about clonaepam is sound & it should help make panic attacks milder & hopefully, less frequent. There are other medications that can help with both the anxiety (panic attacks) & the bruxism together such as certain SSRIs.
poster:IsoM
thread:125542
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021025/msgs/125590.html