Anxiety: effexor & cbt not working? help! - Mental Health Message Board

Daphnesmum · 09-24-2003, 08:50 AM

Hi everyone,

I have had an on again, off again problem with anxiety over the last few years. It has become worse since having my kids- they are 3 1/4 and 20 months. I don't think I am depressed- when I'm not anxious, I'm actually quite content and happy. But, if you give me something to worry about, just an inkling, I run with it. I like to describe it as "give me an inch, and I'll take a mile."

My latest episode began in early August when I had a fear that my daughter was showing signs of an autistic disorder. We had her assessed- they do not think she has anything on that spectrum, maybe just a mild speech delay. When I look rationally at her, I am not worried. But then my emotions take over, and I get all freaked out, to the point that I can't function. I don't have traditional panic attacks, but I can't think about anything else, I am really hot and sweaty, I can't eat or sleep, and am super-irritable.

I am on Effexor XR 75 mg, and was taking Klonipin 0.5 mg for the first little while, until the Effexor kicked in. It wasn't my regular dr. who prescribed this, he was away at the time this all came down. I started feeling better right away thanks to the Klonipin, I only took that for the first 10 days or so. Then, at about the 3 week mark, I started to have bad anxiety again, took the Klonipin again for a few days to settle myself. Same thing last week, took it for a few days. But, at the 6 week mark, shouldn't the Effexor alone be working for me?

I am going back to my dr. next week for a reassesment. This will be my regular family dr. When I first told him what the other dr. put me on and we talked about what I'd been going through, he wasn't so sure that Effexor was right for me. He said though that since I wasn't having side effects, to stick with that for awhile and watch it. He did suggest Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, he is a big believer in it. I have started it and gone to 2 sessions so far, but it is so far not doing much for me I fear. The homework is tough to do, especially when I am in a crisis.

I have heard that it can take awhile to get the right dosage of Effexor figured out- I would love to hear anyone else's experiences with this. Also with cognitive behavioral therapy- so far I am a bit skeptical, but it has only been two sessions.

Help!

Thank you...

Janik · 09-24-2003, 02:19 PM

I was myself a CBT skeptic for several weeks. The stuff does not work unless you do your exercises and take them seriously. But keep going. Two sessions is nothing. I didn't see the improvements until months later. But it worked. I'm off meds now.

Daphnesmum · 09-24-2003, 02:51 PM

I'm glad to hear that it worked for you. I find the "homework" difficult- it is pretty easy to do when I am not in a high-anxiety mode, but at those times I don't buy into it because I don't feel anxious at that moment. It is tough to do it when I am in a full-blown panic, but I suppose that is when I need to do them the most. I'm going to keep at it, as I don't believe that meds on their own will do it for me.

Rap it up everytime! · 09-24-2003, 11:24 PM

really?

Janik · 09-25-2003, 05:50 PM

I totall y relate, it's hard to be rational when you are utterly convinced that something is terribly wrong. Some of the stuff can be done after the panic has subsided. I do believe you can get relief from meds, but they don't teach you how to deal with your triggers, and CBT does. If it had not been for CBT I'd be stuck with meds forever.