ANXIETY/PANIC, DEPRESSION

[IRISHDODE]

I am currently taking 60 mg. of Cymbalta (morning)  and 2 grams of Xanax (morning & bedtime) per day.  How can I wean off of these drugs and get help with my depression and panic/anxiety?

I feel like I am losing my mind and life is passing me by.  I don't want to go anywhere, socialize, or even visit with family due to the weight loss.  I feel like these drugs have caused the weight gain over the years and I can't lose weight even with diet and exercise.  I've been on many anti-depressants and benzoids (sp?).  

I am desperate!  Please help me get help!

Many thanks,

IrishDode

[IRISHDODE]

Thanks for the lesson.  

I am so discouraged with the weight and drugs and everything.  The doctors don't seem to care or they think I'm a hypochondriac....the latter is probably the problem

I'll keep plugging along....or whatever.  

Many thanks.  

IrishDode

[MrGreen]

Japers, Irish lessons or anxiety information. Which soiunds better. Is Mise is like you ending a letter to someone with sincerely and the likes. Dia duit is just hi / hello. I am from Dublin. The public health service over here was ranked worse than that of third world countries. That is how bad it is. You can queue for three hours to be seen for three minutes. Think we have the higest rate of male suicides in Europe. That is how bad it really is over here. I think when we hear these things it makes us look at out problems and it doesn't half seem as bad as it once did.

I have the same fear of having to face life drug free. I am coming off of a heck load of stuff at the moment. As I have always been on something I do wonder about life without any sort of medication at all. Because I have seen the lowest of lows and never want to go there again. But how do we know what we will be like drug free? Guess we have to go there to find out. If it doesn't work out at worse we will be put back on something new. They will never leave us in a bad way. So I try not to worry about it. Will face it when it happens.

As for good feck? LOL. You can work that out for yourself.

[IRISHDODE]

Thank you so much for you rpely.  I have been to many counselors.  This has been with me since 1985 after my dear brother died.  Then, started a new job and couldn't concentrate and the wonderful boss let me have time off.  Turned into two horrid years with deep depression and panic.  Finally, was able to return to work with medication.  Never did fully recover and it's been hard.

Don't know if I can deal with everything without the drugs.  I've been feeling somewhat weird about everything and someone mentioned that Xanax can do that after many years of treatment.  

I've haven't been on the Cymbalta long, so it must have been the Lexapro, Zoloft and all the others I've tried  

My maiden name is O'Connell.....lots of Irish, but sure don't speak it!  Where are you from?  I would love to visit Ireland, but don't think I could make the trip.  Always been a dream of mine.  Your health service is bad?  We are a mess here with our government.  But, maybe I should hear about some other countries, eh?

What does "Is Mise" mean and also, "Dia Duit" and "good feck"?  I'd love to learn!

Best Wishes and Many Thanks,  IrishDode

[MrGreen]

Dia Duit IrishDode. Xanax wouldn't have made you gain weight. Not sure about the other tablet. But I was on xanax for years. I'm skinny as good feck. I would imagine that was the anti-depressants. Have you gone anywhere for any type of counciling at all? At times that's all it takes. Depending on the effort the patient is willing to put in. In other words if we believe in the therapy it will work. Some rubbish it before they try it or even after a one session or so. Maybe a good form of therapy and your gp ( doc ) to help you wean off the xanax first. Maybe your doc will replace the xanax with something else. But will probably still mean weaning off whatever else he gives you long term wise. But if he was to replace the xanax and you felt no withdrawls, the newer meds you could wean off in a quicker time frame. It's the longer we stay on the tablets the harder it is to come back off them. Not sure if you are in Ireland. But god help you if you are with our mental health service. Even third world countries have better services than we do. Hence most people are going private. Keep us posted anyway. Interested to hear what you do.

Is Mise
MrGreen