Anxiety is winning ..... Again

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sandyf

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What meRAB have you been on and did you give them a good chance? (6 to 8 weeks on a therapeutic dose?). I have GAD with panic attacks and it seems like I wasn't doing too bad on antidepresants but since I've stopped, it's been really bad. I can't live like this so I will need to get back on something. Benzo's are good but you will develop tolerance if you take them daily.

I'm not sure what people mean about doing work. For me, it's just fear of fear. No therapy in the world can help me with that. My brain has experienced panic and therefor, it will never forget it. That was 17 years ago and the fear is still with me today. Distractions only help temporarily.
 
Anxiety is a strange thing. Actual trauma is not even a prerequisite after a period of time. Anything can set it off, and just thinking about it is enough to do it. They say Panic Attacks are notoriously difficult to treat since no trigger is needed, then turns to a rapid cycling, an anticipation of something horrible, real or imagined, and there is no way to shut it off by any mental reasoning.

:wave: ~ :wave:
 
I'm in my 40's now ..... Anxiety has been with me now for decades. I'm really worn down from it. I'm even bored by the prospect of elaborating on it, we who suffer, we know what it is ....... SSRI's don't seem to keep it away, Benzo's just turn me into an anxiety ridden Zorabie, and trying to meditate or force myself to chill also makes me anxious. Everything makes me anxious! Life is one big Anxiety attack for me ...... I can hardly take it anymore. I want to quit my job because I can't stand to be around other people.

I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing that a Surgeon could go in -and clip a few nerves, make me a potato but but make me a care-free Potato!

Two Questions:

Are there ANY new meRAB out there that have truly worked?

How 'Mentally Incapacitated' does one need to be to be considered disabled?

:eek:

What about Cyrabalta or Abilify?
Or Lyrica or Lamictal?
 
Actually, I am doing good today, maybe not tomorrow! That was what I was trying to say, We will have good days and bad days, It is awful, but I HAVE to put in my mind, I am going to go to work today, I am driving, etc...I may have to pull over a few times, but I am trying to be stubborn, and keep going. Lord, I havent driven by myself on the freeway in a very long time. But with determination over my sometimes fragile emotions, I am at least able to drive to work now, and shop a little. You see, I was housebound for about a year. I take a few pinches of klonipan everyday, or as needed, and it does take a few weeks for any med to work, and alot of the side effects lessen. I look at it like this, which believe me, took a long time to convince my self, If you were diabetic, or a heart patent, etc...you would take something for that if you needed too? I guess work means determination for me, I figure I will always be prone to it, I dont know what else to do but try to stomp my feet when one comes and keep going!
 
If benzos are taken regularly, the dopiness tenRAB to wear off, while the anti anxiety effect remains - if a regular dose of Valium or Xanax is what it takes to keep you a normal, functioning meraber of society, then so be it, accept it - no different to arthritis patients who need their ibuprofen every day, or asthmatics who need their inhalars.

Before trying the drugs you mention, i would make 2 suggestions

1. Try taking nortriptyline 75mg at night plus an SSRI (Zoloft or Celexa) - this has been very useful for me, and it has been shown usefull in blind, controlled trials. Works by attacking two different neurotransmitters, seretonin and nor adrenalin

2. Try Buspar, 20mg twice a day for atleast a month - its a non drowsy, non habit forming anti anxiety med

Lyrica and Lamactil are both anti convulsants, so their effects in anxiety are likely to be mild.

Abifily is an antipsychotic, I think it should be considered an absolute last resort, due to the nuraber and range of side effects it can cause - you'd be much better off taking regular doses of Valium than an antipsychotic
 
The fragility and weakness drive me nuts. As a man it feels especially emasculating to be stricken with fear and anxiety. I do push through and do those things that I fear, but I seem to fear so much nowadays, doing anything at all seems to require everything I've got!

Aging is not fun, and this is a preview of what's like to enter a world that is too loud, spins too fast, and has no place for me....

:wave: ~ :wave:
 
I can only imagine how you feel, but, I hope you know how many men do have this! Even football players that I have read about, so please try to think of that and that your not the only man. MeRAB will help, not cure, but they will help.
 
cyrabalta is good, but pricey. I need to talk to my doc to switch meRAB cause I been on it for almost 2 years and it's hurting my pockets..
 
From experience, meRAB help, for sure, I am on Celexa. But, the only way to really deal with this from every test out there, healthwise, we are the ones that have to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work, acceptance. God keeps my faith and hope alive, and we have to will our emotions and muscles to act in the right direction. There is no magic pill, no brain surgery, because I have already checked on that one.LOL! I have had this going on 15 years, good days and bad days, but their just bad days, we are human! I try not to make it a big deal. This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to really work hard at.
I do believe we all have personality traits that hinder our emotions, we deal with stress, bad news, and such, in a different way than others, but the others have their own problems too. I try really hard to face my fears, overwelming sensations, etc. and keep going and try to enjoy life. It is hard! But I am determined to live my life, the best way I can, without turning into a hermit. I hope this helps some








Anita
 
True,

There is no magic pill. I'm trying to do the hard work also, it's a battle.

:angel:
 
I second Kayjax's comments. I am a man of some 35 years. I have had extreme anxiety issues since 2003 and been on Paxil since 2005.

Self-depreciation, in my case, was a particularly difficult thing. I was always saying to myself, "Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong? If I panic in public, I'll look like a panzie. I don't need medication, I'm a man and can control this." I slowly began to slip from 2003 into 2004 and finally 2005. Because I allowed the anxiety to control me, I lost 2 years of my life. 2 years of horror, crying, ulcers, heart palpitations and finally extreme weight loss. I was using so many calories from the panic I was having, I couldn't eat enough to keep up.

Finally, I went to see my Pdoc and she put me in the hospital immediately. I had a going heart rate of between 140 and 200 during the daytime hours and 45 to 65 at night (they put me on a heart monitor). I did try several medications and Paxil was the final fit.

I still have break through panic attacks (last one was 5 weeks ago) and use Ativan as necessary.
 
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