Looking for advice/ support

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tshont

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Hey guys,

I'm not sure if I really have a point, but please follow me :-)

I started having panic attacks when I was 17 and have been taking medication ever since. Now I'm 21 and have been off the SSRI for 3 months, but still taking klonopin (very small dose, .5 mg a few times a week) I started taking the SSRI again 2 days ago as I don't really like taking the klonopin, but still have quite a bit of anxiety and panic. My psych tells me to take both, and my general doctor says to take just the zoloft as klonopin is addictive. I personally don't want to take anything. I guess I'm sort of in a rut now. I know that my life is much happier on medication, but it sucks that it has to be that way. I've tried therapy and it helps, but not very much. I also work out at least 4-5 times a week, which helps a little too. Anyone else ever feel that way? Thoughts/ advice/ stories would be much appreciated.
 
HI there, well I can relate. I have not gone to a psych yet but I am going to set up an appt this week. My PCP prescribes very small doses and quantities of Xanax. My cardiologist (I have mitral valve prolapse-- very common heart condition in women-- which is probably responsible for my anxiety issues) has prescribed a beta blocker and doesn't want to give me Xanax because of the addiction issue. Like you, I have tried not to take it (klonopin is similar to Xanax) but I feel awful on the days that I don't. I have not gone the SSRI route yet; I'd prefer not to, just based on my frienRAB and family experiences that were not good.

Just wanted to say that I can relate to what you're going through :(
 
Thanks for all the replies. OSU- I have tried a few medications including xanax, klonopin, cyrabalta, lexapro and zoloft (I think that covers it!) Out of all those I think zoloft worked the best for me. I have in the past been up to 100 mg, but right now I'm on 50 mg. I never had any terrible side effects. I've been a little nauseas (sp?) lately but I know that will subside. I've also been feeling a little more jittery, but I think that will go away soon, too. Weight gain or sex drive were never a problem for me personally. Anyway, zoloft works well for me, but it may not for you. You're probably just going to have to do the trial and error thing until you find one that helps. Just keep good communication with your doctor :-)
 
I've had an anxiety disorder my entire life, but was only diagnosed when I was 21. I honestly thought I was just a "cry baby" because I'd get so upset when i was in a conflict situation that I'd start crying. Turns out they were panic attacks!

i was put on paxil when I was 21 and stayed on that for about 6 years. I decided to try to get off of it to try something else because the paxil at 40mgs made me VERY tired all the time, although it worked wonderfully on my anxiety (maybe a little TOO well, I have to admit). Anyway as I was weening I started taking it less and less and then BAM everything hit me all at once and I ended up in the hospital with a particularly bad anxiety attack (the withdrawal from the paxil coupled with my tendency for anxiety attacks made things super bad). I was given a prescription for ativan.

Anyway after an emergency referral my p-doc told me he didn't think I needed anything and that therapy should work out for me, but if I felt I did need something later on then to come back and see him.

Five months later I was still having that underlying level of anxiety that "normal" people don't have. And, while I managed to be able to stop psychological anxiety attacks i found I was also having physiological panic attacks which were messing with my blood sugars (I'm a diabetic), so I was referred to a different psychiatrist and put on wellbutrin. Wellbutrin was ok, and I'm still on it, but it initially made my anxiety worse. It's ok now. But my new psychiatrist put me on lexapro (10mgs) and gave me a prescription for klonopin and said to take it twice daily when needed. The lexapro has been a bit rough side effect wise, so I'm holding off till next week to re-start it after my exams are over and I have a bit of time off before summer classes begin. The klonopin helps A LOT and is much better for me than ativan was. Hopefully the lexapro will work. If not, I'm considering going back on paxil (but at a lower dose) because despite its side effects a) they weren't as bad as the ones I initially had on lexpro and b) at least I know it works for me.

I hope this helps! You're certainly not alone! If the zoloft is working for you, then I'd keep at it. It does suck that some of us do need to be on medication, but when the chemicals in your brain are messed up there's really no other alternative. I look at it like taking insulin: I need to take insulin because my pancreas is shot. No one would have problems with having to take that for a medical condition and when the chemicals in your brain are irabalanced, then it's a medical condition that requires treatment! So don't feel bad for having to take an SSRI. I know I"m going to be on an SSRI for the rest of my life, and I'm ok with that because I'd rather take a pill every day than live with my anxiety untreated!
 
Don't be upset if you have to take an SSRI
I'm in the same boat..tried to get off..and bam..it's all back again.
I have never wanted to take klonopin or Xanax...because I didn't like the doped up feeling I got from them.
Really I'm just thankfull that they make SSRI's...as without them my life would be hell.
My doctor says that just because I've failed at getting off them twice..it doesn't mean that there won't be a right time for me.
I need the SSRI's just like Diabetics need their insulin ..Don't feel bad for having to take a drug to make you feel right again.
We all understand
:)
 
I can relate to you so much. I am about to be 21 in a couple of months. My anxiety issues also began when I was about 17 in high school. It started with blushing/sweating in many social situations and has elevated from there into full blown panic attacks. I got prescribed SSRI (Prozac) when I was 18 and stayed on it almost 2 years, but went off it cause I gained a little weight and felt lazy all the time. Now, it's back to hell and my doctor has me on Ativan, which does nothing except calm me down a little when I panic. I wanna go back on SSRIs because I want my well-being to be better, not just a quick fix. I feel what you're going through :)
 
and i was recommended zoloft by a lady I know with anxiety...what was your experience like on it since you are about my age? did you notice any of those awful side effects like weight gain/low sex drive?? ick! how many mg were you on. Thanks!
 
Thanks for sharing Catheryn :-) SounRAB like you've been on the same rollercoaster I have. I never thought of the insulin comparison but it makes sense. I hope your lexapro starts working soon, and good luck with exams. I know how those are, too. :-)
 
I went to my doctor last week and he put me on 10mg of Lexapro. I took it for 4 days and I really didn't get bad side effects, but I spent too much time reading bad things about it and I think I psyched myself out. So I stopped taking it before it could even work. I am just so afraid that all the bad things like weight gain and no sex drive with happen!! I guess it's worth a shot because my anxiety/social phobia is driving me nuts!!
 
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