A couple of months ago, I was here on these boards everyday. I had developed an anxiety problem. Was a very scared kid then, I would go to the hospital like everyday, because I thought i was dying. But I am here to tell you all that I am doing very well right now. I haven't had any anxiety related issues for a month now. I get the migranes and stuff once in a while, when I'm under alot of stress, but nothing a tynelol couldn't take care of. I wasn't really diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder, Doctor just said that i was going thru alot of stress, and it was causing the anxiety. I have taken Lexapro since then, for 2 weeks, and it has helped me a great deal. I am now off the lexapro. It was not just the lexapro that did the trick, I sought help from my university counseling center, and it has been a great help. I seems like I just had a lot on my chest and needed to talk to someone. I have also realized that if u worry about the problem it will only get worse. Relaxation is I think the best treatment for anxiety, along with medication. Take care of yourselfs, treat urselfs to massages, spas, vacations, take your mind off stressfull stuff for a bit, it will take u a long way. I am now a junior in college, with a double major, so stress level is really high, I have boat load of hospital bills to pay, but I don't drown in sorrow over them, just find a way to get it done and do it. It will help ur anxiety in the long run. Also being well informed about anxiety will go along way. I had a really bad panic attack once, my last panic attack. I was taken by an abulance, and on the ambulance, I thought today was the day I would die, My heart felt like it stopped beating, I could barely breath and my vision was fading. The EMS guy even did an EKG and siad I was having a heart attack. We got to the hospital, and i was rushed to the emrgency surgery location just in case, I had passed out from hyperventilating for like an hour or so. In the morning the next day after alot of test done, they concluded that I was not having a heart attack, but it was a very bad episode of a Panic Attack, they even said my heart was one of the healthiest they had seen in a while for a young adult. After going thru that episode, I realized that this anxiety problems is not lethal, I had always thought it was, and i was afraid of dying, that's what made the situation worse, the viscious cycle of Anxiety. I just want to thank you all for the support I have recieved here on the healthboards, and I hope u all get better also, just remember, U have to break the cycle, or u will never surpass this. It starts with you not medication, you have to get your mind right and have confidnece in urself.

:)

applause .... good to hear.. i have a litte more motivation now.. thank u :wave:

Excellent post cardinal06!, especially the last two sentences.

First off, let me say that I mean NO offense to anyone by this post!

I'm glad you're feeling better and that you were able to let go of the worry and stress that was causing you're problems.
For some of us, no matter how hard we try, the letting go or positive thinking just does not work.
Nothing at all againest you, I'm happy that you were able to do that and that you're feeling better.

I've said this about 10 million times already :D but.
I have had what I call "Cycles" of Anxiety and Panic since I was a little girl...I'm now in my late 30's.
These cycles usually last 6 or 7 years and then I'll wake up one day and the panic and anxiety is just simple gone...I mean I go to bed with it and wake up with out it and it stays gone for another 6 or 7 years.
Then nothing changes, I go to bed one night feeling fine and wake up the next morning and it's back....I'm in an panic free cycle right now going on my third year!
It's very strange and nobody has ever been able to figure out the cycle thing.

I have at least 10 family members...Mother, Grandfather and several Cousins who also all suffer from this and theirs runs in "Cycles" too.

So, while I believe that if your panic and anxiety is caused by SOMETHING such as a time of high stress...like the death of someone close to you, divorce, getting married, changing jobs, by something tramatic that may have happened in your past, school, a health scare, ect.
That letting go of it, or talking with someone, short term medication or even just postive thinking can and will help.
But I think that if you're someone like me who has nothing tramatic or no change going on in your life and who's only factor is a family history then medication MIGHT be the only thing that helps you.
I'm not saying that it's the ONLY way for everyone, I'm just saying it was the only way for me, nothing and I mean nothing else worked...trust me, I tried it all.
Everytime my panic/anxiety problems came back, yes I was a little less scared of them because I knew they weren't going to kill me, but they wouldn't go away no matter what I did, so I went back on my medication.


I'm glad you found your way out of the panic and anxiety...I'm glad I found my way out too!!!
It truly is horrible to have a disorder that most people simply can not understand unless they've lived it themselves.

I'm not at all making light of your problem or saying that mine was worse than yours because frankly even one hour with this disorder is one hour to much.

I guess what I'm saying is there's no shame in having to rely on medication for long periods of time, especially when nothing else works.

Again Congratulations on feeling better...I know it feels wonderful.
Like I said right now I'm in an 'Good" cycle and I know the sunny days seem sunnier and the cloudy ones seem less gloomy somehow.

Graciecat, Your post helped to answer a couple of questions I've had lately regarding anxiety. Thanks! Hopefully the anxiety will stay away for good this time for you. Steve

You're welcome Steve, I'm glad I could help.
Thanks, I hope they stay away for good this time too, but if they don't they don't but I know I've made it through them before and I know I can make it through again if I have to.

GracieCAt:

I completely understand what your saying for me it all started when l was about 5, at least thats when l started to remember what was going on. I would have episodes about every 5-6 years, they would last for about 1 day and then go away. When l turned 19 l had an episode that lasted for over two years and then went away for about 7 years. About 2 years ago it came back and l am still living in it hoping that it will go away very soon. Its like one second everything is completely normal and then the next second your whole life is completely different, not worth living, you want to just curl up and die.
What medication have you tried that works, l have been to so many docotors and they have tested thyroid and adrenals, l have had CAT scans and MRI's and everything comes back okay. The only thing they can find is possible adrenal fatigue and low testosterone with high prolactin. I have read this can happen with Anxiety. So the doctors put me on Lexapro and l threw up for 2 days straight and had to get off it. They want me to try Effexor but l am a little scared to take it.
Its so strange how one second your fine and the next your not, is there a way to fix all this or do you just have to take meds the rest of your life so you dont slump into another episode?
I dont have family history of this so l am not sure where it came from, however l have a brother who is Bi-Polar.

VAN

Hi Van,

Mine are off for six or seven years and then on for six or seven years.
I don't mean to say that I live in a constant state of panic 24/7 for 6 or 7 years, I just mean that it's "There" for 6 or 7 years at a time...a may have a week or two in those years where I feel okay, but it's still there just under the surface...I hope that makes sense.

I'll probably hear about it for saying this, but Xanax was the only thing that ever helped me.
I took 1 quarter mg. twice a day....some people would find that they needed to up the dose...but that never happened to me.
I have to add here that I also suffer from OCD...and I honestly believe that's what kept me from EVER taking more..my Doctor told me to ONLY take what I needed and to NEVER take more and if I ever felt like I needed more that I should stop and call him.
In fact I even asked him to write the prescription so I said that I could only take 1 quarter MG. twice a day...with my OCD if the bottle says that ALL I could take, then that's all I would take no matter what...I could have been crying in the corner and I would have NEVER taken more...I guess OCD does have some benifits :D

I did try to different SSRI's, which ones they were doesn't matter...I had allergic reactions to both...and just because I did doesn't mean someone else will...that's why I won't mention them.

Honestly, I don't think there's a way FOR ME to ever be able to say that I'll never have another bad period of panic and anxiety.
That's not to say that everyone is like that.
My Doctor told me one time that some people have them for awhile and when they go away they stay away, some people suffer all their lives and others like me have them for years at a time and then they go away for years at a time.
He said nobody has the answer as to what causes them in all cases...he said some are clear cut, like a case of PTSD he said when someone like that has panic or anxiety problems the cause can usually be traced right back to the tramatic event.
I asked him about the commericals for two very famous SSRI's ...which shall remain nameless...that mention chemical imbalances.
He just grinned and said "Those commericals actually say MAY BE CAUSED BY A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE, they say MAY BE because nobody really knows what causes them in most people."
I listen to one of those commericals more closly to one of those commericals and he was right, they do say MAY BE.

As far as staying on the medication all the time, I don't do that I only stay on them during my bad periods and then when the morning comes and I just KNOW that they're gone, I wean off.

The family history thing is kind of odd in my case, nobody in my family ever talked about the fact that they had panic or anxiety problems until I started to talk about my problems...then they all came out of the woodwork :D
Also, it's all on my Mom's side of the family and I'm the only one of my siblings who's ever had a problem.

Okay, I wrote yet another novel :eek:
I hope you're still reading and it answers your questions!

GracieCAt:

Thanks for your prompt reply, ya l have heard that its different for everybody, l am very sensitive to meds and have tried two different SSRI's and couldnt handle either for more than a day. Its strange how you just pop in and out of this stuff, when l am normal its almost like what l live through is not real and doesnt make scence when l try and think about it and explain the symptoms and feelings, not sure if that makes any scence to you.
Do you ever try anything other than SSRI's?
Do you live a fairly normal life and how long does it take once on Xanax to get out of the Anxiety state we tend to live in.

VAN

Van,

Actually I was the one who wanted to try the SSRI's.
My Doctor had no problem with me taking the Xanax...in fact his words to me where "If it's not broke why fix it?"
The Xanax was working great but for some reason I just got it into my head that I wanted to try and SSRI...I still don't know why I had that idea :D
But no, after I was allergic to two of them I just didn't bother trying any more.
I stayed on the Xanax.

Yes, I do understand what you mean and yes it is very hard to explain what a panic attack or anxiety feels like.
It's almost like you can't find the words to explain just how horrible they make you feel.

Yes, I lead a very normal life it's a little harder when I'm in a bad period...but no matter what I still have no choice but to live my life the best that I can.

I'm 38 years old, I have a 39 year old Husband, a 19 year old Son, a 6 year old Daughter, a 5 year old Son, a 2 year old Son, a 5 month old Grandaughter an 18 year old Daughter-in-Law and four cats...Our Son, Daughter-in-Law and Granddaughter also live here...Our Son just finished his first year of college...I have all those people and four legged babies to take care of, so like I said I have no choice but to go on even in my bad periods..plus I have the OCD.
Geez I just read that, it's no wonder I am the way I am :eek:

For me once I take a pill, I feel normal within 15 or 20 minutes...Xanax doesn't have to build up in your system...it worked from the very first pill I ever took.

Again I wrote a novel, hope it answered your questions.

Cat:

I understand where u are coming from, some people's anxiety problems are more serious and more reoccuring than others. I have no idea how bad mine is, i think mine, whenever I get stressed out really bad, I start getting headaches, then two days later my Acid reflux starts, then that triggers my anxiety. Don't get me wrong, medication does work, very well. But a person shouldn't feel like he/she needs to depend on the medicine, becuase they all have side effects. I hope u find the right combination that is right for you. It sux that you have had it since you where a little girl, I hope that it hasn't prevented you from living your life.

Hi Cardinal,

You're right, from what my Doctor told me there are varying degrees of this disorder but as I said it doens't matter if you've only suffered for one week or 50 years even one hour with this disorder is too long.

No, there isn't anything wrong with taking medication and yes it does work.
In my case relying on medication was the only thing I could do, because no matter what I did nothing else worked for me.

I would say that I did find what worked for me, that's not to say what worked for me is going to be what works for someone else.
I knew from the very beginning that the medication I took had side effects, but it was either side effects and feeling normal or losing my mind.
So I guess what they say is true "You gotta do what you gotta do"

It would be wonderful if there was one single thing that everyone who suffers/suffered from this disorder could do that would make them better and would assure them that they would never ever in their lives have to live with this disorder again.

It's not bad enough that so many people live with this day in and day out, but then you have the people who simply refuse to understand that it's as real as another other disease, they seem to think that because it's mental and not physical that we can't possibly be sick.
Will you and I and everyone else who posts on any of the mental health boards here knows that what we have is very real.

No, it hasn't prevented me from living my life I have full and wonderful life.
Yes, I may be sick but if I let it take my happiness and my life from me then it wins and I've never let it win.
I might have to take medication to stop IT, but IT doesn't stop ME...I'm to stubborn for that :D

Hope its okay to butt in here, what have been your symptoms both emotionally and physically with your anxiety. I can say that without a dought the emotional and mentall stuff is what really kills me. The best way to describe it the world doesnt make scence at all, l fill like l dont have controll of my life anymore and just kind of check out of reality. ITs very scary and bothersome, can you explain what problems you have.
How long does it take for the Xanax to kick in, l tried Buspar for a few days and it made me fill worse, l tend to fill better of the meds that l have tried. Even though l still am very sick l get sicker on the meds, can anybody relate.

VAN

Hi Van,

If you look at the list of symptoms at the top of this board I've had every single one of them at one time or another.
The worst for me was the feeling of being terrified but not having any idea what I was scared of, feeling like something bad was going to happen but not having any idea what that something bad was.
The other really bad one for me was the feeling of not being real, like I was watching myself from outside my body...now that one is freaky!!

There's no adjustment period with Xanax, it works right from the very first pill.
I know that it does make some people tired at first, but it never did that to me.
Once I took it, I'd feel back to normal within 15 to 20 minutes.
Some people say it doesn't last very long for them, but I could go 8 to 12 hours between doses and feel fine.
But, Xanax isn't for everyone and not everyone should use it...it's just what worked for me.

To be honest I don't know if the SSRI's would have made me feel worse or not...I know most people say they do at first...but since I was allergic to the two I tried the most I took was two pills of one and one pill of the other one.

Hope that helps.

I think that l will ask my doctor for the Xanax and see if this will help, l aslo need to find a way to manage this so l dont run into episodes like this later on in my life if thats possible. I am not sure if l can help myself or if its just genetic and what and when it happens is just fate?
Anyway l appreciate your help, l believe that everybody is different and that medication is personal.

VAN

Van,

Please keep in mind that Xanax isn't the right medication for everyone and some Doctors won't even prescribe it...or any benzo's for that matter.
This is probably due in part to the fact that SOME people have a problem with it...SOME become dependent on or tolorant to it....they start out with one dose and then have to keep upping it.
Like I said that never happened to me, no matter what I NEVER took more.
Yes, there were times that I probably could or maybe even should have...but I would not allow myself to do it...again, I've always "Thanked" my OCD for that.
As I said before I even went so far as to ask my Doctor to write the prescription so it said that I could only take one quarter MG. twice a day.
That's a "Thing" with me...I'm assuming part of my OCD...if something says you can ONLY do it so may times a day then I CAN NOT do it even one single time more.

Also asking for a drug...especially a benzo...by name will raise a red flag with some Doctors...because they know that some people will use those drugs for other than their intended purpose...not to say that's what you'd do, but some people do that and the Doctors DO have to be careful.

Last thing, Xanax wasn't really made to be taken daily...but since my Doctor knew how that no matter what, I NEVER took more and the fact that I'd tried everything else under the sun and nothing else worked he was willing to allow me to take it the way I did.
Not all Doctors will allow this and not everyone SHOULD take it that way, again because of the depenency, tolorance issue and the fact it can be hard for SOME to wean off of...again I did that without problems also.

The best thing you can do is talk to your Doctor about the problems you've had with Lexapro, also trying the Effexor maybe the best thing you ever did..you never know it maybe the thing that works for you.
I know that there are "start up" problems with some of these drugs and maybe that's what you felt with the Lexapro or maybe it wants the right thing for you.
I know from reading on here that some Doctors will prescribe a benzo ( the class of drug Xanax is ) along with Anti-D's..to counter act the start up side effects of the Anti-d's and then once you're used to it you no longer need the benzo.

I hope this makes sense to you...I'm not saying anything bad about Xanax because it was the only thing that worked for me...but it's not right for everyone, nor should all people who do take it take it the way I did.
Just work with your Doctor to find what works for you.

If the panic/anxiety isn't an everyday thing and only happens one or two days out of a month then maybe a benzo would be okay for you, because like I said they weren't made for long term use.( I did take them that way, but not everyone should)
But if it's an all day everyday thing for months on end then maybe one of the Anti-D's is what would be best for you.
I know people who take them and after the start-up side effects wear off they feel great.

Just remember that everyone is different and nothing works for everyone.
Some people feel better with therapy and self help books, while for others that does nothing.
Some feel better using natural menthods, but that doesn't work for everyone either.
Some people take medication, but again that's not the answer for everyone.
Then some use a combintion of things, like medication and therapy, or self help books and natural methods.
The whole key is to find what works for YOU.
Sadly nobody can tell you what will work for you, and you with the help of your Doctor will be able to figure that out.

Good luck to you.
I know how awful this disorder is, because even though I feel great now, I've lived with it off and on my whole life.