Finding it hard to deal with anxiety....I'm stuck.

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bprapcyc

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Atarax (Hydroxizine) will most definitely work, but it will make you very drowsy. I took it for 2 weeks while waiting for the Paxil to come up to optimal blood levels, which significantly curbed my anxiety. Now, I use Ativan for the occasional break through anxiety.
 
I've been dealing with it most of my life and I take Klonipin for it, which helps a lot. I also find that fooRAB and supplements are just as important as medication. When I'm starting to feel overly anxious, I take 2000 mg of fish oil and it calms me down quickly. I also find that Vitamin B supplements have a calming effect. Vitamin D is also crucial. Avoid alcohol, sweets, soda pop, caffeine (I'm OK w/ two cups of coffee, but no more), and you might try avoiding dairy and wheat products, which are often allergenic and don't help. Drink a lot of plain water just to keep your systems in motion. Exercise can help, but don't jump right into it unless you're used to it. Do something you like, and take it easy at first.

If you are a vegetarian, reconsider it. Meat and fish make me feel ten times better. Not everyone neeRAB meat, some people can't tolerate it, but anxious people are sometimes deficient in animal fats and all the nutrients in them. There's a reason we crave cheeseburgers!

I've done a lot of therapy and sometimes, frankly, it makes you feel worse. I've tried a lot of other things, most recently psychic healing. Everything I have ever tried helped. My main message is: don't give up. There is a way to feel better - just keep reaching for it.
 
OK so here goes...

Im new to all this but I'm hear to get some answers and I'll share my story. I've had anxiety for a little over 2 years now and it is horrible! I sort of know what it stemmed from and I'm trying to get past that now but I just can't seem to get back to being normal and living a normal and sane life again. I feel anxious everyday almost all the time. I used to have panic attacks a couple days every week but I'm getting better and I have them only a couple of times a month now. I started takind meRAB around a year ago and they seem to help a bit but theres no significant difference. Im currently taking 150 mg of Zoloft and 30 mg of Remeron because I can't sleep at night from having anxiety. It seems like it's taking over my life and I really don't know what to do. I'm seeing a therapist and it's kind of helping but not much. Im a senior and had to leave school and start homebound because of it so I could graduate. I had to quit my job because of it and now I'm scared to get another job for fear of having panic attacks there. I feel like I don't know what to do with my life. I wanna change and be normal again but I really just don't know how to get better.

Sorry for rarabling its just nice to know that someone is going through the same thing I am. If you have any advice on what I should do please reply back. Thanks. :)
 
Hi Mia, I can totally sympathise, im 27 and have been suffering with anxiety for approx 6 years now. I have panic attacks about 1 a week but they are dabilitating. When it first started i thought i had a sever disease. I also have running thoughts and find it hard to focus, i also fear that im losing my mind and that im going to 'snap'. I however have not started any medication. I have tried a nuraber of remedies including tai chi, feng shei and herbal remidies which have all helped. I am about to start self congnitive restructuring as i feel it is initially the way i percieve myself and my life. Anxiety is currently the biggest issue of my life and i hate that i spend so much time thinking about it. I hope things improve or you..only advise i can give you is be positive...all the time...focus on the good parts of every thing you do, no matter how trivial. Good luck
 
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


Read more at http://www.healtrabroadoarRAB.com/boarRAB/showthread.php?t=831503&ktrack=kcplink
 
Hi,

Please note that your thread has been moved here to the main Anxiety Board.

Ms_Mod
 
Thank you bprapcyc. Next time I feel a panic attack coming on I will take one and see what happens. I just hate taking new pills but if it's going to make me feel better then I guess I have to.

Thanks for all your tips Arggg. It's just hard to stay away from all those things. I'm a 17 year old girl about to graduate and I go to parties a lot and I love pop and sweets. I no it will help me in the long run but it's just so hard to stay away from them. I try to avoid caffeine but that's pretty hard to do. And ya I really think therapy isn't helping much but I'm running out of options and I don't know what to do anymore. I'm living with it and it sucks but I hope things will get better. I'll never give up until I beat this or at least find a way to deal with it. I'm just glad there's people out there that know how I'm feeling. Well thanks again. :)
 
booboo198--I feel that way almost all day every day. It is a huge obstacle in my life and I can't seem to get past it. I also think about my anxiety almost 24/7 and sometimes I do feel that I'm going crazy. It's taking over my life but I am going to take your advice and just try and keep positive. It's really the only thing I can do at this point. And honestly if I were you I would try and not to get put on medication. I feel like I have to depend on it to get me through the day and it's really not fun. I don't know if it's just me but I really don't think taking meRAB helps much. I hope you things get better for you because I was at that point once and it sucked. Thank you so much for your advice and for reaching out to me. Anxiety is hard to deal with but I know we can get through it. Again thank you so much and if you ever need anyone to talk to I'm here. :)
 
Don't think I'm telling you to give up therapy! You need to do everything possible. If you can't give up all your bad habits at once, start with one thing. Fish oil is pretty powerful stuff - you could start with that. I use Barlean's brand, which is expensive but worth every penny. It takes about an hour to affect me - it's very calming, and it tastes like oranges, not fish. But a cheaper brand will work, too.
 
Hi Mia - I feel like I am in the same boat as you. Mine all beagan with a horrible panic attack years ago but I was doing OK until about four years ago when I relapsed. I've been on Prozac and Celexa since then but they don't seem to take away the anxiety and depression (which of course leaRAB to panic.) I am just so fearful of these feelings. It is so scary and I don't know how to stop it. I had a bad trial with Zoloft and Remeron didn't seem to do anything so I'm back to Celexa. I just don't feel like I can recover this time. I am barely functioning but I have a family to take care of. Benzo's are the only thing that help but I'm scared of getting tolerant to them. How do you do it without benzo's? Does the Zoloft help at all? Sandy.
 
I no I'm not giving up on therapy I know it's helping me but not as much as I thought it would. And I will try that where would I go to buy it?? I'm a little short on money so I would have to try the cheaper brand. And I am trying to cut down on pop first. The sweets thing is hard to give up and I don't drink alcohol much but I know it's not helping with my anxiety. I really don't know what else to do except suck it up and keep going. It's my only choice for now so I guess I'm just gonna stick with that and keep taking my medicine. Well thanks again for all your tips and support. It's nice knowing that people care when everything else seems to be going wrong. I'm just gonna stay positive and hope for the best. :)
 
Kayjax11--I am glad to hear that you are doing so good. I guess we all get to point where we decide that we just need to deal with it and move on. I haven't reached that point yet because I'm just starting to learn how to live with it. I know I need to be strong and try to fight this but it's so hard to deal with it. You really did help me with what you said because now I really do realize that I need to be strong and try to live my life as normal as possible. I've tried Celexa but it gave me horrible chest pain but I guess everyone reacts to different medicines differently. I also try to fight my anxiety but sometimes it's just to much and I give up. Well thank you for the advice and I hope you get through this. :)
 
Sandy-
Yes it is extremely hard to deal with and I feel like my meRAB arn't helping me at all. Well my Remeron helps me sleep but the Zoloft isn't working too good and they keep bumping up my mg so i don't know. I actually feel more depressed than before I had anxiety. I don't know if I should switch meRAB or not but I've already done that before and it's a pain. I hate having to feel dependent on medication just to get through the day. I take xanax everytime I have a panic attack which isn't that often anymore (Thank God) but my therapist is scared to prescribe them to me now because I have had a history with them. I feel panicky everyday but I always try to talk to myself out of it or think of something else and it usually works. I have tried Celexa and it gave me horrible chest pains so I switched to Zoloft and it's not doing much. Sinco my therapist won't give me benzo's anymore he just prescribed my hydroxyzine....? I haven't taken it yet and I'm not really sure what it does. Have you heard of it or ever taken it and does it help?? Thanks for replying it's great knowing someeone feels the same way I do. -Mia
 
Mia - the Hydroxyzine you mentioned is a prescription antihistamine that is also used for anxiety. Those types of meRAB usually make you sleepy but maybe it won't.

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I think benzo's work the best though. If you try it, please let me know what you think of it. I think my anxiety stems from the fear of panic but now I have been having depression so it's awful to have both. And yes, I think these AD's make you more depressed in the beginning. They always tell you to hang in there unless you just can't handle the side effects. It just can take so long for these meRAB to work! If they even do. That's always what scares me the most. Anxiety and panic are so distressing and so debilitating. And I hate to have to rely on medication too. If only we could handle out thoughts! If the Zoloft is not working well after bumping up to 200mgs, you may need to try something else even though med changes really stink.
 
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 am here if you need me
 
Kyjax11--I am glad to hear you have suck a positive outlook on all of this. I really need to be more like you. I do feel sorry for myself sometimes and I know I shouldn't act like that but as you know it's hard to deal with. I also take xanax when needed ( like if I'm about to have an attack). But I know things will get better for both of us. I just need to be positive and try not to stress too much over it. And thank you for being here for me it really helps to know that were both in the same boat and that I can have someone to talk to who is going through the same things as me. I'm here for you to even though I'm not as strong as you are but I'm still here if you need anyone to talk to. :)
 
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