Serzone and Paxil

[oldbridgenj001]

Hi, have had panic disorder and agoraphobia since 1986.  Pamelor and navane, along with trazadone and xanax helped back in the 1990's (1997 to 2003)).  Gradually came off of the navane and trazadone and the pamelor and xanax worked well for 4 years.  Then in 1998 was switched to paxil with xanax (paxil 60 mgs and xanax .25 tid).  This combo worked well for 4 years (2003 to 2007).  Paxil pooped out and was switched to zoloft, which didn't help.  Then went on to try effexor xr (337.5 mgs), which didn't do that much.  Dr. added serzone to the effexor xr and it helped a little more but still didn't want to travel far (couple of miles) from the house.  Dr. discontinued effexor xr and have bee on the serzone 350 mgs qd, with a half tablet of the .25 mgs of xanax daily.  
Today the doctor decided to restart me on the Paxil (10 mgs) and keep me on the Serzone (350 mgs qd).  Only take a quarter of xanax before bed.  So again meds will be Paxil 10 mgs qd, serzone 350 mgs qd, xanax .125 mgs qd, inderal 10 mgs qd and zocor 40 mgs qd.  
I've taken serzone and effexor xr together so I'm guessing the serzone and the low dose paxil will also be okay.  I desperately need to get rid of this agoraphobia and panic attacks so that I can return to the workforce and begin to again enjoy life.  Thank you for all your help! :)

[ducky8]

You've been doing a good job of trying to get your meds just right, and changing when you need to.  But you also have to do the desensitization.  Do your babystepping, along with your meds, and that is what will get you free from agoraphobia.  There is no magic pill, but certainly meds can help you get out there to do the work.  So make a plan, and get going!!!
Good luck, and let us know how you're doing.  
Ducky

[oldbridgenj001]

Thank you for your response :)   I just bought a book yesterday, "Master Your Panic and take back your life," by Denise Beckfield."  Really hoping that it will help me with my problem.  To be honest I could write my own book with the knowledge I have about agoraphobia and panic.  Unfortunately, for me, knowledge about the disorder doesn't translate to overcoming it!  
Again, thank you for writing and any help you can think of would be GREATLY appreciated!

[MrGreen]

The condition can be beaten back. That's for sure. Myself and Ducky were housebound for many a year. Not leaving the house at all. Not the same house. Just thought I would add that in. I am in Ireland, Ducky, America. We are friends. It just takes a lot of effort. Effort to confront what you fear most of all. That would mean placing yourself in situations you would normally run from. The more you put yourself in these situations the more your body actually gets used to them. Oh, the first time is always the hardest. I mean, who wants to go put themselves in harms way? It sounds whacky in itself. That's why we do it slowly. I began with the hall door. Just got used to the feeling of standing at the hall door again. One I was used to that I moved out to the garden. That is how slow I am talking. Until the body accepts the new feelings. Then outside the front gate. Then a walk along my own road. It was a slow process. You can speed it up and fall flat on your rear and feel the worse for it. Like you have failed. But worry not. We get those moments every now again. Small setbacks. We have learned to see them for what they are. We have to pick ourselves up again and just get on with things. All comes with practice. CBT helped too. To change the way the thought patterns worked. Bit of medication too. Medication is only a minor part of the sollution. The real work is done by you. Getting back out there and getting your life back. One that awaits you. It is out there and it can be got back too. Just get ready to fight for it. May have a few slip ups along the way. But the fight goes on. You sound determined enough. That is a good thing. Good luck at finding the answers and getting that life back.

[RobertaSpeyer]

I had panic disorder and agoraphobia since I was 13 and I am 53 now. At one point 25 years ago it was so bad I couldn't go in elevators, drive too far, sit in the back seat of a car and on and on...
Xanax was what helped me enough so I could help myself through Behavior Modification therapy. I since have flown over 1,5 million air miles and have not had a spontaneous panic attack in over twenty years.
My 17 y/o daughter started and I got her in a behavior therapy clinical trial and on Prozac immediately. Nipped it in the bud so to speak. I also got her a program (quite expensive $700) to do at home by Lucinda Bassett which really helped her and me. Now I can find it on EBay for cheap-cheap. Search under "lucinda bassett" and you will see it.

My point is no matter what meds work to really get control of panic and anxiety I found behavior mod an essential part of my "cure".

I wish you success. Take heart in the fact that panic/anxiety has one of the greatest cure/remission rates of all psychological disorders. So we are the luckiest of the un-luckies!

Hang in there and keep fighting the good fight. Agoraphobia is always ready to steal your life and must be beaten back like the terrorist it truly is. So use all resources and let it take no hostages.

Best,
Roberta