Some people are very sensitive to the side effects of medication. So much so that some thing down the list and considered rare can be a real night mare. Literally. A lot of meds have anxiety or nervousness listed as side effects. But there are also hidden side effects, Say you have a fear of getting fat and the side effect of your med is weight gain. Then the invisible side effect is anxiety even if it is not listed. SSRIs is an example, most cause some weight gain.
In the hyper vigilant any change in body chemistry or how one feels can set off anxiety even though it is not a side effect. Having flu like feelings when you don't have the flu sends you off into the realm of "what if". Some medication induced anxiety in the sensitive can be very strong.
Pain killers can do this because that which blocks pain blocks pleasure too. Especially the opiates. Most people don't even realize they are turning into a zombi on them. But what do you do if you need them? It is a trade off, but if you realize it is happening you can use CBT to a certain extent to control the side effects. Some times the feeling is compounded for other reasons and the anxiety breaks through pushing all positive thought aside.
This happened to me last night. Anxiety had been building up since starting a new medication.
A combination of things including being tired allowed it to slide over into panic. It could have been worse as I am supposed to be taking something to counteract the anxiety but thought I could do it alone with CBT. I probably could have but at three in the morning I was just to tired to try. So half a valium and some journaling and it was gone again. I'm not disappointed in this because I was supposed to be taking the valium any way, I just don't want to. I think I can do it with journaling alone. So over the next two weeks it may happen again. Ho hum since this is caused by medication and since it was weak I still feel I am panic free. Now if I could just be stubborn free.
In the hyper vigilant or the over sensitive even cough drops can be a source of anxiety.
If this happens to you, it is just part of the condition.
Here for you,
Davit.
