[sanking111]

Hi....I have been having panic/anxiety attacks approx. 6 yrs. now. I first thought i was having a heart attack. Several trips to the E.R,many Doctor visits, test, etc. I realised it was my nervous system going wild. Been on everyhing known for anxiety/ depression, nothing worked. Some I think bout killed me!, as I found Doctors dont want tp prescribe narcotics. After a nervouse breakdown, 2 days in the mental ward, My Doct. finally put me on Xanax 0.5, but graduated to 2 mgms x 3 daily. I wish i could live without it, tried to cut down to 1/2 the dosage for 2 months but had continual attacks, so had to resume old dosage. I feel so helpless,Most anti-depressants increased anxiety as well, and i am so depressed too......Well, sorry to drag on this way, but I'm new to the board, thought I would introduce myself........Nice to meet you all...

sandra king

[gerald_smythe45]

I am 46 male married and suffer from pretty severe GAD. I have made the rounds of all the SRI's...the side effects are simply unacceptable (say goodbye to a healthy sex life). The one thing that works for me is Alprazolam (xanax)...but for whatever reason the docs seem paranoid to prescribe it. I can probably get bye with 10, 0.25mg pills a month along with breathing techniques and exersize and relaxation techniques yet the docs insist on keeping me in a paxil or effexor or whatever fog. Why won't they just prescribe a medication made for GAD. It's easy to keep an eye on the patient for any abuse.
I am considering just going to an online pharmacy and bypassing my doc who seems intent on making me dependent on SRI's
Frustrated

[DMS321]

Hiya Gerald,

I too suffer from anxiety and have just recently stopped taking Lexapro (that's why I am here) but I have also been on Xanax (.25mg as needed)... My doctor was very nervous when i asked him for the rx but in good faith decided to give it to me, i usually go through 30 in like 2-3 months.... i just told him that i feel like my head is going to explode, that my anxiety keeps me up all night (i have taken ambien to sleep and that never helps) and the only time i feel better is when i take the xanax... the xanax calms me and helps me sleep... the doctors love to keep you in the fog with any other med than something like xanax but sometimes that is all you need... right now that is all i really need to keep my head straight and my sanity level at a normal.... i wouldn't be too pushy with the dr about the xanax but if you still don't get your way with the next visit i would see another dr.... i honestly do not feel comfortable with the online pharmacies, lots of them are scams... have you told your dr that you only want such a small amount of the low dose xanax?? does your dr know that you do breathing exercises and exercise also??? if not maybe letting him/her know this might change his/her mind on the xanax.... also do you want to stop your ssri med because your sex life is going down the tubes? there are some ssri's that help you keep your sex drive.... my husband is on Pexeva, a newer form of paxil, and the sexual side effects are on the plus side (prolonged ejaculation) and my husband's drive has never been better.... hope i could help some...

D

[sanking111]

sorry, kinda messed that one up..........sorry![:I]

[sanking111]

quote:Originally posted by Kiana

Taking meds, or herbs without psychological help is worthless. The anxiety will never truly go away.
Medications just mask or cover up the symptoms, and true recovery will never happen.
Getting to the "core" of the anxiety is the key to true recovery.
Find a counselor or psychiatrist trained in anxiety disorders. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a good start.
As an alternative health care provider, I think it is a shame doctors don't require to tell you this information.

Kiana:....I 'm sorry but I have to agree w/ (livea). Untill you have experienced it as bad as we have, you have NO IDEA!! what hell we go through. We are well aware that lifestyle changes are in need but sometimes options arent open to some of us..(I'ts called walk a mile in my shoe's!). Bi-polar people have real not imagined physical problems, and 9 out of 10 of us have exhausted every drug (Natural) too. As well as therapy.........S/King[V]

sandra king

[skribla]

quote:Originally posted by Twizted

Hello Jennifer,
Grave's didease is a thyroid desease! As with people who have Hyper/Hypo Thyroid...It's just alot harder to control!!!
So because I was diagnosed so young! I wasn't able to have invasive treatment to control it! so thus leaving me way too high! For way too long!!! Thanx for your concern....Twizted[:I]

Hi, I need to know what about Wellbutrin???

I dont know about wellbutrin,but i am familiar with GRAVES
I was just like U until I decided to hell with all the Doctors practicing on me,so I took the radioactive pill designed to destroy your thyroid and started using synthroid now im normal.

[Greeneyes]

quote:Originally posted by jaye

it takes a while for the drowsiness to subside. Also, I have found that much less than the "usual" dose works well.

Roberta

[Greeneyes]

test





quote]Originally posted by jaye

quote: the celexa makes me very drowsy. I'm reducing my dosage on that until I'm completely off.

it takes a while for the drowsiness to subside. Also, I have found that much less than the "usual" dose works well.
[/quote]

Roberta

[Greeneyes]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have suffered from anxiety and social phobia's from the age of 28, I am now 68. In the 70's I took a 16 week course in panic disorder. No therapist will help, only someone that has knowledge and has been trained on the subject. Anxiety attacks are mostly a cemical embalence. Phobia's have a lot to do with your self talk that puts you in a state of fear. Over coming phobia's takes a lot of hard work which I did but the anxiety problem took medication. I know all of the antidepressent's work, Zoloft, Paxil. I have been taking Klonapin for the last 12 year's, its in the benzodiazapam family-- less side affect's but the downside is it's addicting--work's for me.

Roberta

quote:Originally posted by medik8

Anxiety

Do you suffer from anxiety?
We want to hear your story.
Your symptoms, and your treatment. What worked for you. What didn't work. Please feel free to share your experiences.

Roberta

[RPh]

hey! we all know what a b#@tch anxiety is!!..i felt i was a guinea pig when my previous shrink was Rxing me evrything.Ive tried everything starting with SSRIs to MAOIs..then i was on Klonopin for 3 years, and Adderall..my shrink so i have this new MD and she wont give me anything but lexapro 10 mg and Inderal 10 mg BID
..I dunno if it`ll start working any soon..I just didn`t response to anything but benzos(Klonopin), but she says it`s addictive..so??am I suppose to live with this anxity all my life now? U guys are lucky ur docs rx u bzds..

quote:Originally posted by welder85

I finally decided today to go to our family doctor to see what he could do for my High level of stress and anxiety problem that I am having. Which I have waited about a year and half to see if it would just go away. No chance there responsibilites and life still continue. With the responsibilites at work and teaching in the evenings two nights a week, seven kids and a sleep apnea problem that I wear a mask for ever night, stress is not going away. So today the doctor prescribed Lexapro for the problem and Zanax to get me started until the Lexapro kicks in. But I was wondering how the Lexapro has worked for others for stress and anxiety. I am not depressed, as the medicine is also used for that. Just Highly on edge a ready to jump down anybodys throat in a moment. Thanks for sharing.


I have just started take the Lexapro today and have read several post of the medication effecting the sexual drive of women. So I was wonder is that also the unfortunate situation for men too.[?]Or does it just depend on the person. I really would not like for that to happen.

" If every, lets say, ecstasy pill contained nothing but pure MDMA, there would be no such substance in the world as of today"- Me

[tlw121065]

I take paxil, which in my opinion (and that's all it is, just my opinion), is a miracle drug.



I T-total agree with you, i work with the public, and i get so cranky when the stress level is high, my dr started me on paxil because of premenopausal symptoms, i love it, except i have gained quite a bit of weight, and my sex drive, which was like wow, is now like, hmmmm ok i git wicha....LOL
but i deal with it, because i tried to wean off, and lord i felt that i was having a heart attack....so im there and my doctor says i need to stay on it.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
III John 4

[morticia]

hi
i have really bad panic attacks that they feel like heart attacks my doc put me on Xanax XR 6 mgs it worked great for a while well about 2 years then i was diagnoised with adlut ADHD and i was on 20 mgs of ritalin so im on medicare part d and that med costed 450.000 which dosnt cover the benzos. since then just recently he switch me over to klonapin and adderall for my ADHD the klonapin 5 mgs helps the best and it dsoesnt interfer with the adderall like the Xanax XR did with the ritalin.

im on SSD because of mental illness i have more then just anixey disorder. i have schitzoeffective do anoerxia anmd borederline personality do.

XanaX XR is a great med its long lasting Xanax it helped out alot i definalty recomend it

good luck
Morticia[:I]

[SweetSpiritn2004]

quote:Originally posted by flower3

I started with a few anxiety attacks that started suddenly and got bad quickly.I was started on Lexapro 10mg and Ativan.5 mg untill the lexapro kicked in and I have been seeing a therapist and all is going well now. I am learning some relaxation techniques and some breathing that has seemed to be working. I am worried that i am getting a false sence of security in my situation since I am feeling so much better?!
Does anybody have a story to share

SweetSpiritn2004

[BobaFett49]

Hello everyone...I'm a 23-year old male, and I was officially diagnosed with GAD + Social anxiety when I was 18, but I started experiencing anxiety attacks as early as 15. I can remember getting so nervous that my brain was running so fast that it literally sucked physical energy from the rest of my body. By the time it's over, I feel physically exhausted, like I've just run up a flight of stairs. I am currently taking Effexor XR, Klonopin, and Depakote for anxiety, and it is working very well; however I still get nervous in certain situations, and sometimes major anxiety attacks can be set off by the smallest thing. The medicine helps, but only to a certain degree. I find the best thing that works, oddly enough, are opiates...I was on Percocet for my back a few weeks ago, and the euphoria it gave me seemed like my anxiety did not even exist.

[nebulous1]

I have no insurance and I spent approximately $1000 dollars of my own money to try several therapists. It was hard to find a psychologist, because the field is dominated by social workers!
Every single one I went to told me things I could read free in books I have, such as "Think Positive". I don't see how this sort of talk can command $100-125 dollars per hour for their services. They aren't even doctors and they charge more than my family physician.
I got so tired of the circus. It takes forever to get in to see one of them, and when you do, they seem so helpless at helping you. I told one all about my anxiety disorder and panic attacks, and she just sat there. Didn't do a thing. Didn't care, and didn't have any solutions or ways to fix it. I told her, when I paid her, that I felt like I was being robbed and filed a complaint.
I hate to trash a whole profession, but something really has to be done about these people, who have a lot of accreditations behind their names, but aren't really helping anyone.
I have been 5 therapists, counselors, whatever you want to call them, and they can't help with anxiety disorder. I am very solution oriented, so I shouldn't have to be there asking them for a solution and trying to pry it out of them. I got the feeling with all of them, that they didn't really know how to turn all of this around. I think that profession should be regulated, and they should not be able to take someone's hard earned money without giving something for it. I wasn't looking for an "ear" or someone to listen. I wanted someone who had real answers and understood medically what this is about. I shouldn't have to explain GAD to them.
I don't have anxiety disorder for no reason. I have been through some really stressful things in the past 3 years, and bam, bam, bam, one right after another.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder isn't something you can think away. It is a physical reaction(s) to stress. The Benzos are allowing me to function at my job. Without them, I am a mess. I am not even on a high dosage. If I was not on the Benzos, I would be fired again, and I have lost 2 jobs because of the anxiety disorder.
SSRIs, such as Effexor, Prozac, etc., did not work for me. Prozac was horrible. I became more anxious and shook horribly, had bouts of double vision, and my doctor said they can do that. I wondered why he would prescribe a drug that would do that to me, when I have anxiety! When I took Effexor, it felt like there was this sharp pain running through my body from my head to my feet, and I vomited a lot. Nice in the morning before you try to go to work. I lost some work time because of that drug.
For the people who claim therapy works...if we could just outthink this, it would be bliss. My anxiety disorder is due to real stresses in my life. In 3 years, I got divorced, moved, lost 2 jobs, got in an accident, had a debilitating disease, accumulated debt from those incidents,. Now, I understand that other people go through things like that too, all the time, and I don't really know why I have anxiety disorder from them. But I will say, therapy is just a venting thing, and if you have a good friend, you can have an ear, too, and it won't cost you $125 an hour. Venting can be a good thing, but it won't fix anything. That is why so many of us use the drugs, they do allow us freedom from the horrible manifestations of anxiety. I know how it is when I am at work, and anxiety strikes me, and how I come off as unconfident, with a trembling voice, and shaky, and I am in a profession where I need to appear to be confident, capable, and credible.
So before people the people who use drugs, I see more benefits coming from the drugs, than people who use therapy for years and years and years and not get better.
Let someone come forward who went to a therapist who solved their GAD, and I will listen to them.

[nebulous1]

Originally Posted by sanking111

Kiana:....I 'm sorry but I have to agree w/ (livea). Untill you have experienced it as bad as we have, you have NO IDEA!! what hell we go through. We are well aware that lifestyle changes are in need but sometimes options arent open to some of us..(I'ts called walk a mile in my shoe's!). Bi-polar people have real not imagined physical problems, and 9 out of 10 of us have exhausted every drug (Natural) too. As well as therapy.........S/King[V]

sandra king

I think the Psych profession wants us to believe they are the cure, they are the best way we can get better. I haven't met anyone who has really benefited from them, or can testify that going to counseling got rid of their anxiety disorder. Again, I am not talking about anxiety, I am talking about anxiety disorder. There is a lot of money to be made with counseling, with the big fees, insistence that "you can't get better overnight" and these sessions can be dragged on for years, while the person with GAD hopes and holds out for a better tomorrow. Snake oil.

[futurama91]

Originally Posted by nebulous1

I think the Psych profession wants us to believe they are the cure, they are the best way we can get better. I haven't met anyone who has really benefited from them, or can testify that going to counseling got rid of their anxiety disorder. Again, I am not talking about anxiety, I am talking about anxiety disorder. There is a lot of money to be made with counseling, with the big fees, insistence that "you can't get better overnight" and these sessions can be dragged on for years, while the person with GAD hopes and holds out for a better tomorrow. Snake oil.

I have to agree. I think that anxiety like ours (GAD) is a biological thing. I think that I was one of those babies that cringed when people touched me. I am just wired differently. Talking to someone who has memorized some catch phrases isn't going to fix that.

Trying to change the way that I respond, the way I am, the way I think, is like calling a cat a dog. Even if you call a cat a dog eight thousand times and charge it $200 an hour...and even if the cat finally agrees with you and admits that it's always been a dog, just to get you to shut up, it's still a cat. Always will be.

That's what therapy was like for me.

[karmayogi]

Alternative medicine too can provide viable solutions for conditions such as panic attacks and other anxiety disorders. And alternative therapy is usually without any side effects. Check out www.rvita.com for various therapeutic modes including Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and yoga. The site recommends only those remedies which show a scientific rating of ‘strong or good evidence’ by Natural Standards.

[prhacker7]

Not Sure if i am posting in the right Forum, But seems to be some good answers in here. My name is Ryan, I am 24. I have been watching my 54 year old mother go through the battle of her life. She has been having Panic attacks, anxiety, Periods of feeling herself with certian meds, and Periods of nothingness. Just yesterday she has hit an all time low, and tried to overdose to end the pain, and is now in the hospital. This all started 3 years ago, when her business was victim to one of her employees stealing $18,000.00 from her, and having no recourse to take against her. Also within 30 days of that occourance, i had moved out into my own apartment, and was no longer home to share the burden of keeping the house up. She was there with my Younger brother Jeremy (18 now) who was not making any of this easy on her. He turned to street drugs, cigirettes, and alcahol shortly after i left, and starting failing in school, which devistated my mom. This is all about the time when we first saw the panic attacks, and the anxiety start to happen. My mother has always been extreemely strong minded, and been able to get through any situation no matter how bad, or how hard. She has been a rock in our family and our community, that everyone could stand on, and go to for answers, and support. She is the most kind and giving woman you would ever meet, never ever puts herself first.

She Fought for herself with no one at her side except myself, and her best friend David for over a year till we finally got her to seek medical help. In the spring of 2006, she started to seek treatment, and looking for an answer to her problems. It was a tough year to follow with her being herself for a few days, then i would see her just sit there and shake all day. There was nothing we could do but hold her. She had a tough year of running her small embroidery business, and losing an employee. By the fall of 2006, she gave up on her shop, and closed the doors, and moved the business back to the house. This is where the treatment really began for her, and she started taking notes and keeping a journal. She was first put on Remeron, and Klonepin, along with taking Lunesta to help her sleep. They changed her doses back and forth, and finaly kept her at 15mg of remeron, and 1mg of Klonepin for a month ro so, then moved her to Strattera 10 mg in December, and also Celexa. Did horrible that month, and was admitted to the R wing in January of 2007 1 week. After she got out she was a whole different person from who we knew, scared of the world, and didn't know what to do about anything, could not make decisions. They gave her a prescription for Zyprexa, Lamictal, Klonepin, and Strattera on Jan 19th, and followed up with 12 Sessions of ECT (shock Therapy) Which totally erased her memories . She also started Chantex during this time to quit smoking.

February 1, 2007 wrote her for more Lamictal. and Feb 13, 2007 She was once again admitted to the R wing for a week and a half. She followed with a year of Different Meds, and from her list it looks like she has been on everything you could name. At the same time she was also taking Omega 3, and Vitamin D and B. Through the year she had no emotion, could not laugh at humor, and walked the house like a zombie, could barely keep her business running. She had lost all appetite, and was drinking boost, and max xxx just to keep nutrients in her system, and they were being forced down. She siad in July of 07 that the Zyprexa made her feel too good. She then had a total breakdown again and Could not do anything but sit on the couch and shake, Had no emotion on her face, and could not be alone. She had forgotten how to cook, make coffee, and was not even stable enough to take a shower. Very afraid to be alone, would not leave house, and could barely walk. Very confused..

Fall 07 Jeremy enlisted in the army, and was gone to boot camp till december 12th, then home for 3 weeks, and back to the army till the end of april. She flew down to NC to see him graduate and visit for the weekend the end of february. She was still doing good at thie point.

Moving ahead, because it alot of the same till we get to December of 07, she was taking Klonepin 1mg, Celexa 40mg and started Risperdall 2mg. along with the Vitamin D-3, and Omega 3. At this point she was herself again, and feeling great. She felt very put together, her nerves stopped shaking under her skin, and her physical shakes were very little in her hands. She was very speratic, full of life and energy, and could once again multitask, cook, clean, and be the mom i always knew. She did clean obsessivly?? She said she felt like herself, but a little Higher?? Had some trouble with her hearing be fuzzy.... Decemebr 13th She was finally feeling independant, and strong, and slowly gaining back all the weight she had lost. She was always hungry (side effect of Risperdall is weight gain) January 08 She ran out of D-3 and was always feeling tired, she went on to have headaches everyday, and was using a whitelite. She then In February started tanning, and felt great/tired up till March, where she started to feel depressed. Feelings of helplesness, and sititng or laying down alot, waking up in the middle of the night, and not being about to go back to sleep. Confused once again, can't handle Customer requests, and the burden of people asking for help, everything is starting to scare her again. Still at thei point she cannot quit smoking, and it really bother her. Still continuing weekly hospital visits with Psychologist, and Psychiatrist. Upped Risperdall to 4mg 4-9-08. On 4-14 she felt unglued, depressed, and insecure, and been having panic attacks that would last all day, from the moment she would wake up till she went to bed. Back to no appetite, Upset stomach, and constipation. Afraid to be alon, very quiet, clenching her jaw seriously, clenching hands and body, very unsettled and uneasy, scared to do anything, and have no energy. Does not like risperdall.
May 27th, Switched to Geodon, very lathargic, and feels like a vegitable, and shaking really bad. Nerves are running her system ragged. June 3, 2008 Her nerves are shaky, really bad panic attacks... June 11th Suicide note written, june 12th, very detailed list of what to do to take care of the business, and the house, bills, and funeral wishes. June 12th pm she took every pill she had left including muscle relaxers, and a few other things to try to kill herself, and was rushed to the ED at noon the following day. She slept at the ed for 20 hours without being able to wake up and talk... Now she is in a panic wether she will be sent back to the rwing, or a med pscyh.

I know this is alot, But what happens next? What is the right treatment. Is there a better hospital somewhere in the northeast to take her. We feel like the doctors here are doing nothing for her.

Thank you for your time,
Ryan

[useyourhead]

I've been anxious my whole life. ALways feel like I'm waiting for something to happen or some sign that I can relax that never comes. A stint on amphetamines didn't help this. After I quit the guilt and shame and realization of how much I f'd up exacerbated the anxiety.But, I have a good man at my side and made it through with teeny tiny steps.

Things that helped me were increased exercise, proper diet, and totally engrossing myself in school. Also just talking about it was huge; I could pull it off my shoulders and pass it on over and away from me.

I don't know if this will get deleted but I smoke the pot. Oh yes. Natures anxiety reliever (or increaser, I suppose, depending on the person). I find that it takes away that "waiting" feeling. It works for me. I have a friend that was perscribed antidepressants who stopped taking them and lights up instead and hasnt gone back to meds since. I think it's worth a try if you're willing to deal with illegal....ness. Clearly I'm pro but that's a whole other topic.

The only hump I have to get over is "line anxiety". Being stuck in a line by myself I go slowly insane. Hands sweat first, face gets red, I'm fidgeting, all of this is embarassing to me, it sucks. A line at the bank, at the sub shop, the tims line. Sometimes while stuck at a light. If I smoke before I go in I'm fine in my little cloud of happy. But it can prove hard to get anything done that way. THis is the only time where anxiety rears its head these days, so much has improved for me. One day i will stand in line with no fear!!!