Does anyone else have this? I am so scared. It all started with panic disorder but now I am severely depressed which in turn is causing me more anxiety and panic. It's a vicious cycle. I'm back on Celexa but I really don't have much confidence in it. It never really got rid of the fear and depression. I read so much about meds not working for people or meds only working for a short time and it scares me to death. So even if I find something to help, I'll always be afraid of it pooping out. I can't live with this fear and depression. I love my life and my family but I don't want to live like this. Has anyone ever been so bad but found a way to happiness and normalcy again? There are no "issues" I need to work out. It's just fear of the fear and I can't get a break from it. I've never felt so hopeless. I am battling to survive each and every day. I have now known fear and depression that I have never known before. I feel doomed to live the rest of my years like this. I don't think I can.
I feel the same way. The Dr. has had me on so many things that I can't even remember all of them. I am so scared all the time. I am about to lose everything. I know that this is not an answer to your problems. Just letting you know that you are not the only one. Best of luck.
Yidda - what's your backround with this disorder and what meds are you on at the moment? Is anything helping? I want to talk to my doctor about other meds but I'm not sure what. What do you mean about losing everything? Your job? House? Family? I'm so sorry. I'm sure you will find a way to feel better.
I have Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia which is causing me to be very depressed. I have had it for about 5 years. I am currently taking Wellbutrin, Klonopin and Xanax. Why he gives me 2 benzos is beyond me. I think that I am losing my job because I hate to leave the house and often times get panic attacks at work and/or while driving there. So if I don't find a way to fix this soon then yes to everything that you referred to. I hope that you can find something that works for you. They tell me it takes time to find the right combination, but I feel that after 5 years they should have found it by now. Best of luck to you and I really hope that it all works out!
Yidda - I'm not sure what you have taken in the past but Wellbutrin is not really used much for panic disorder. It's more for just the depression. I think your doctor has you on Klonopin for long term relief and Xanax for acute attacks. I tried Wellbutrin by itself and it didn't help. Maybe try an SSRI with it?
Last edited by ms_mod; 02-25-2011 at 11:37 AM.
Reason: Removed posting rules violation. Ms_Mod
Well, I have had a good bit of depression and still have it but I got used to it. For anxiety, well, I take Prozac and it works. When my Prozac wears off, I watch TV (cartoons, Smoking Gun Presents World's Dumbest Criminals, anything that will make you laugh). Or you could move in with a friend. You can also get a dog or cat to keep you company. I have a little bit of Agoraphobia so I don't like leaving the house except if it's for Church , seeing my Grandma with my dad (he comes to visit from Brown County), or go to my aunt and uncle's farmhouse a few counties over. So I will pray for you all that you can the answers you've been looking for.
I am so glad I found these forums... I feel this same way.. I am currently just taking xanax for panic attacks. I used to be on Lexapro, but took myself off beacause I felt like my life was better and did not want to be on any meds forever... But I think I need to be back on the lexapro because it really seemed to help. I ordered a program to battle anxiety, I hope it works, I don't want to rely on xanax forever. Hope you find some relief... If this prograam helps me I will post so everyone can try or think about trying it! Take care.
I feel the same way. The Dr. has had me on so many things that I can't even remember all of them. I am so scared all the time. I am about to lose everything. I know that this is not an answer to your problems. Just letting you know that you are not the only one. Best of luck.
I feel the exact same way. The drugs do poop out on you after awhile. I am mainly trying to deal naturally with my GAD and panic with diet and meditation but it is helping only minimally. I have been stuck for almost 3 years now and just living with the constant anxiety that I abhor. The benzos really do not work for me anymore. I took these meds for over 20 years and my GABA receptors are just worn out I think. I also feel doomed and hopeless sometimes. I am now isolated and have not enjoyed life in over 3 years. I have been doing CBT for 2 years. It also helps a little but just not enough. The chronic GAD is worse than the panic.
I am bipolar, ADHD, claustrophobic, and got threw into a high security jail cell. That was my first and hopefully my last "spinner". Now that is fear to me, and enough to remember to take my meds every day on time. My wife left, but my son came back. You need to remember what pain and consequences are left to the loved ones you leave behind if you quit on life. We all have fears of sorts. I am just hear for my kids. Hope this helps a little. I broke some fear by making my first post.
No, not yet. I feel like I am getting worse. I took a half of a Klonopin earlier and it didn't work very well. I need to call the doctor and ask about another med. The Celexa is not working.
I tried Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro. The Lexapro was the best and seemed to work well for a few weeks, but somehow I'm back at square one now. It's really scary! I just want to be how I was before all this started.
It's really scary when you need a med to work and it doesn't. I think it makes the fear so much worse. And then everytime you go to another, your that much more scared. I really don't see how these antidepressants quell fear and panic. The benzos do but we aren't suppossed to use them long term. So what do we do when we are full of terror and depression? And even if we get relief, how long are they going to work for us? I just wish I never knew what extreme anxiety felt like. I can't get it to stop! How do people get it to stop?
You took the words right out of my mouth. Benzos are the only thing I've truly felt relief from. I just don't understand why the SSRI's have failed/why I am even dealing with this. I miss my life before allt his started.
Seriously look into meditation Sandy. It does help some, altho no panacea. My meds are not really working either. I have been seriously depressed for 2 weeks now on top of all the anxiety. I sometimes wonder if the 20 years I spent on benzos (which did help some during those years) have messed up my brain's natural chemistry to the point of where nothing really works anymore. I am almost @ a point where I am afraid to take psychiatric drugs but also afraid of not taking them too. I will tell anyone benzos are terrific meds for anxiety and panic but longterm use comes with a caveat. You will become addicted and the drugs do poop out due to tolerance. Many ppl then spend years semi sick with horrible anxiety trying to figure out how to get off these drugs w/o literally going crazy in the process. They are really tough drugs to stop taking esp. if you have been on them for years. I spent a month in a psychiatric hospital in 2006. A psychiatrist there told me it is much easier for them to get ppl off painkillers and drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and heroin than it is to detox ppl from benzos. Benzos are a real challenge once tolerance develops.
Last edited by BlueSkies14; 04-13-2011 at 11:04 AM.
The Following User Says Thank You to BlueSkies14 For This Useful Post: PositiveBelief (04-18-2011)
singact>>>>Benzos also have been the only meds to ever help my anxiety/panic. I have been on lexapro for many years and it never has impacted my panic IMO. I am still taking valium PRN b/c of tolerance/dependence issues from taking these drugs longterm over a 20 year timespan. I have been through 3 hellish benzo withdrawals. Xanax after 8 years, klonopin after 9 years, and valium after 3. Now, I can only get like 20-30 % relief when I take 20 mgs valium. That is why I will only take it PRN now when I am really, really bad. I wish they would come out with a new non SSRI med specifically to treat severe GAD. The SSRI's and other AD's simply do not work IMO for a lot of GAD/PD sufferers.
I would continue to take PRN singact if that is working for you. How far apart do you space your doses and how long have you been on xanax? Tolerance starts to creep in when you take the same dose daily. Slowly, you discover that the drug is not giving you the effect that you are use to feeling and so your pdoc or PCP advises you to updose. That is how it all starts. I know ppl on 6 mgs klonopin per day which is equivalent to 120 mgs of valium. Many of these ppl are now in trouble and find it nearly impossible to stop taking the drugs. At this point, the drugs really aren't helping with the original anxiety anymore. You have to keep taking the drug to keep from being extremely ill. This has happened to me 3 times in my life. Now, I take valium PRN only when i get really bad. I know what will happen in my case if I go back to daily dosing and I can't endure another acute benzo w/d. If it was not for tolerance, benzos would be the perfect meds to take for a lifetime IMO. They are virtually devoid of any side effects. The irony to all this is that once you become addicted to benzos, many ppl say they are the hardest drugs in all of medicine to detox from. I know ppl who have gone thru heroin w/d and they say it is a piece of cake compared to benzo w/d. I can say personally that it is one of the most painful experiences you will ever go thru. If PRN is working for you, I would definitely keep taking the drug that way.
THanks for your help. I've been on it since December, but I've gone weeks without taking it.
If I have a bad week, I'll take 1 .5 a day to get out of the "funk." The doctor's didn't give me "instructions" though, so I'm not sure how to take them safely. The most I've taken in a day is .5 twice.
Hey sweet heart I know a little what you are going through I suffer from everyday anxiety it reall seems like it's apart of everything I do now and I am developing depression because of it. I actually used to only suffer from depression when I was younger but no anxiety and about 5 years ago I defeated the depression but three years ago I developed anxiety. Indeed it does seem like an endless cycle and I truely wish I had a helping answer for you but unfortunatly I am also searching for a cure. The only thing I can do is tell you you're not alone and that there are many ways to help subside some of those fears and attacks. Here are some that I have recently found helpfull. I meditate when I can usually before bed to help rest the mind, Taking a long walk or jog in the afternoon will help release endorfins which naturally help stress and depression, Cut down on any caffein or sugary substances because they can bring on depression and anxiety, And big big one keep your mind busy with little things you love to do. Keeping your mind of the problems of anxiety and depression will help you learn to push those things out of your head and if it's not in your head you won't have symptoms. So just try to be strong I know it's hard but there are plenty of people out there like your family that care about you and whenever you have an attack think of them and picture all of the great times you guys might of had. So honey I hope I helped even the smallest counts. God bless and take care if you need anyone to talk to I'll be here. I actually find myself feeling better just by giving kind advise to others on here with the same disorder how odd ;0) maybe it's my new calling lol. So anyway good luck on your journey peace and love!
AnxietyAli23
The Following User Says Thank You to AnxietyAli23 For This Useful Post: PositiveBelief (04-18-2011)
, seeing my Grandma with my dad (he comes to visit from Brown County), or go to my aunt and uncle's farmhouse a few counties over. So I will pray for you all that you can the answers you've been looking for.
