I have spent the last year seeing MD's for a number of health issues. All minor, but new to me. I am 48 and extremely perimenapausal, as well as developing breast fibroadenomas and some thyroid nodules. I have always been an over acheiver and thrived on some stress in my life..... but as i described to each of the doctors, I have developed really unreasonable anxiety and panic attacks that have disrupted my life over the last year. I continue to exercise and eat well, but am not myself at all! The Internist prescribed effexor and sent me on my way. I have been taking it now for 6 months and have continually reported no change. I finally went to a therapist to help me deal with my inability to cope and she immediately sent me to a psychiatrist to deal with some medication. He increased the dose of effexor, and prescribed xanax for panic attacks and klonipen for sleep. Each of the new meds at a very low dose. My concern is how sleepy I am all the time. It has been a couple of weeks now and I was hoping the sleepiness would subside. The meds CERTAINLY have helped with the anxiety, but we all know it's not so good to fall asleep at work! I only take the xanax as needed for panic. the klonipen at bed time.
Any thoughts?