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Anxiety Community

This patient support community is for discussions relating to generalized anxiety, anxiety and eating, anxiety and sleeping, mood swings, and phobias.
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I will try to help with my 10 years experience

by Brother786, May 13, 2007 12:00AM
Tags: years, Anxiety
Dear Friends, I have joined this forun since about 10 days. I have written couple of things about myself and also asked few things. I read each and every mail on this forum everyday. I think this is a wonderful way to communicate. Frankly initially I thought my participation in this type of forum will confuse me more about the medicines I have been taking for ten years for anxiety and depression and my health will get worse. But to tell you the truth my health is getting better after I have joined this forum. I can relate to people who are like me. My psychiatrist, wife, parents and friends are great help to me but they cannot feel the way I do and u guys r like me. I can understand u and u can understand me.
Since I have been reading all the mails in this forum I am getting lot of knowledge but there are few things I would like to tell u guys that are important. I am not a expert as u know the anxious people r always looking for answers, pat on the back, people telling they are ok and they feel they r ok with o physical symtoms and catastrophic thoughts and the medication they are taking is the best for their illness with the least side effects.
I have been anxious since 10 years and have been on prozac since then with benzos on and between these times. I am also taking mood stabilzer devarporic acid tablet as when I take just the prozac I talk a lot and feel very high and up and then I feel depressed afterwards. This mood stabilizer really made a big difference in the fluctuating mood swings. I am happy about it.
Continued on next ...

Member Comments (10)

by Brother786, May 13, 2007 12:00AM
To: Continuation
My doctor prescribed me the mood stabilizer about 3 years ago along with prozac 20 mg and benzo whenever I get panic attack as my anxiety was getting better but my anger and restlessness was making me and others mad. At that time 3 years ago someone very close to me was also patiant of depression since 15 years was also prescribed mood stabilzer lamictal, generic name Lamotrigne made by Glaxo-Smith kline along with anti depressant she has been taking since 15 years. But guess what after taking this mood stabilzer she had the drug reaction and all her body became dark color in one day. Her family did the Liver Function Test and it came bad then after few weeks she died in England as her family took her for liver transplant in London as it is not available here. After ssing this all in front of my eyes all my fears of drug side effects specially the fatal ones looked a reality and made me extremely panic and anxious all the time. I thought I am next and I was not ready to die nor was she. Then on top of that my doc prescribes me the mood stabilizer, " You must be joking doctor I said." But God gave me the courage and after few weeks I went to the doctor and said that I am willing to take the risk as I will die when my time comes. I just pray that God gives me the courage to face anything bad and make things easy for me. Well after taking the medicine I felt good and my health started to get better.
But I have this problem with me that at the back of my mind I am always afraid of the medicines I am taking.
Contiuned.....

by Brother786, May 13, 2007 12:00AM
To: Continuation Again
Anti-depressants, anti-anxity, and mood stabilzers most of them are addictive and can cause harm to your organs including kidneys, liver and other things also. But this reaction of drug could happen with almost all the drugs even with pain killer. One must do medical tests regularly for early diagnosis. There was a time five years ago when I did not take any medicice. I did not stop all of a sudden but tappered off. My doc was against my this decission but I was sick of taking the medicines. But my health got really bad and when I use to be in my house i would get depression and when I leave the house I get anxiety. I could not work. My life was a mess. You name it I use to get every possible physical symptoms and mental negative thoughts all the time. Then my doc insisted that start again wth prozac. Then I started to feel much better and happy.
For those who want know about benzo. I have used them a lot. I use to take 1 in the morning and at bed time 10 years ago for 6 months. Then afterwards 1 in the morning only and the for 3-4 years I would take it whenever I get panic attacks. Then as I started to get insomnia I had take 1 benzo at night fora year. Then after 1 year I started to tapper off the benzo but it was not easy as I could not sleep. but eventually I could sleep normal after 6 months. Then again in between when I get panciky I would use it calm down during anxious times. Now lately since about 14 months I am taking 1/2 in the morning but I can't get off it. I have tried but my physical symptoms like palpitaions, shortness of breath, missed heart beat, chest pain made my life miserable and I am having hart time to get rid of this.
Anti anxity drugs gives you the immediate relieve but it is the most addictive.
With benzos I feel fatique, memory loss. blurry vision, lack of concentration, etc.
REMEMBER THIS, All these drugs are not a cure but to make your life normal and bearable. You should think this way that as the diabetic needs to take the medicene as there body cannot produce insulin we need to take these drugs. Try not to read the side effects of the medicine. Don't doubt your doctor. Sometimes too much knowledge is not good for you. People who are perfectionist and want to know everything and need all the answers are often unhappy as God has his own ways of doing things. You do the best you can in your situation and still something bad happens accept it with dignity and your fate was meant to be that. But expect the best and be positive

by torque, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
Thank you for sharing your story. I am not sure if you had read my posts, but I have been contemplating the idea of a drug. I am trying diet and exercise first to see if that helps. If I do not feel better in a couple of months I will go on something. My doc says it wont hurt me and it will be easy to come off of. I really want to beat anxiety naturally, but if this doesnt work, I will admit defeat and try something else. Anyway, thanks again for sharing your story.

by hatgal, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
To: torque
I commend you on trying to beat this naturally, but you must not "admit defeat" if you can't. It is most often a chemical imbalance just like any other disease that requires meds. I, for one, do not consider myself a defeatest b/c I must take meds along with diet and exercise to combat this illness. Quite contrary, I find myself very lucky that I found a med that totally agrees with the imbalance and corrects it - zoloft. Many are not so fortunate and continue for years experimenting with different meds until they get the correct one. Thiscan be a dangerous situation as some of the meds have the side effects that the drug is actually supposed to combat - depression/suicidal thoughts/anxiety, etc. When I was on effexor for a brief period recently, my disease was compounded 10-fold. I was lucky in that I recognized itand immediately stopped taking it and went back on zoloft. It's a very scarey situation.

My best to you, but please don't consider yourself a defeatest if you end up taking a med to balance the chemicals.

by suzi-q, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
Thanks for your post...I really need to try to help myself a little more and try not to rely soley on my meds...as stated, the meds help, but we need to change our states of mind....I have to start eating healthy and exercising...even if it is a brief walk.  I find that when you do something for yourself, you feel better about yourself, and therefore, reduces your anxiety.

by Raine9, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
Just wanted to let you know that I read your entire post. It was interesting.  I can't type much right now but I do have a few questions.  The first and most important question to me is "what caused your anxiety 10 years ago?"  A lot of people in the forum say that they suffered from anxiety for many years but they don't really elaborate as to what caused it.  Is it chemical, genetics, environmental, some traumatic event that occurred in your life that caused it?  

Thank you for taking the time to share your story.

by Brother786, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
To: Thanks guys for reading my article
Raine, to start with your question. What was the reason I had my first panic attack. That is a real good question, I am afraid to answer as it is personal and genetical both but I will share with you. I had my first marriage in 1995 which lasted for 2 years. I had this beautiful girl as my wife and to divorce her against my will totally devastated my life. It was something I could not imagine that it could happen to me but it did. Before my divorce I never had any panic attacks in my life and was very happy person. The reason for divorce was not such a big deal and I don't want to go into details. I just want to say she was meant for me for just 2 years.
Well the next year I got married again. This girl was also very good but to compare with the previous one look wise not so close. Well right after 1 month of second marriage I got my first panic attack. I went to the doc and then after few days I found out that I am starting to have panic attacks regularly and I need to take medicine for it on a regular basis.
After one year I was blessed with a daughter and my focus changed. But to tell you the truth up till now I miss her my ex. But my current wife is very cooperating and have taken care of me in this sickness which I doubt the first one would have done if I had this PA problem when I was with her.
The other reason I had panic attack was that my mother is also patiant of bipolar depression. But she has been taking tranquilzers since 30 years for sleep but she is reluctant to show any doc for  bipolar dep.
Now the million dollar question is that "what if I wouldn't have been divorced would I had panic attacks"? My heart says I wouldn't have had it and my mind says it is the chemical imbalance that could happen to anyone even who is living near perfect life.
I hope that helps you.

by Brother786, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
To: some suggestions
During my anxiety/depression period I have tried many things. I am not against medicine as I use to be but as we know that these medicines are not the cure and besides we need to do lot of other things to get better.
I have this phase in my life when I feel very low and depressed about everything for couple of weeks. I don't feel like watching movie, reading books, going out with friends and exercising and not enjoying the food I am eating. I feel I am getting old very soon and getting close to my grave. I complain to everyone and feel guilty of not working enough and being burden on my family.
Then all of a sudden this phase comes when everything is going all right. I am up and I like to call this th s"inspirational phase". This phase I know does not lasr for ever and I try to make the most out of it as I know it will be over in few weeks,
This has been going on for a long time. I take the medicines and at the same time I would like to reduce the dose and get better results, sounds unrealistic.

Exactly thats what we are lot of times. We don't give credit to ourselves and think that the next door neighbor should not know that I have panic attacks but who knows what set problems they have.
Here are few suggestions which I haver tried and keep trying to achieve. you may consider them and apply as you feel appropriate:
1. Follow the recommendations of your treating physician.
2. Take the proper therapeutic doses of medications, daily
3. Regular vist with your psychiatrist , atleast once a month
4. Cognitive therapy course atleast once a week
5. Exercise regularly, like walking, relaxation/breathing  exercise
6. Do Meditation or yoga
7. Eat healthy food. Avoid excessive caffeine, high calorie foods
8. Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs
9. Plan to do things you really enjoy. Before the weekend starts make the program during weekdays.
10. Develop a daily routine of work, play, exercise