Anxiety is Killing Me!!

[Stacey8804]

I have never joined a group like this before, but decided to hoping it will help me somehow.  I was diagnosed with anxiety/depression several years ago.  I fought it without any meds until 2006.  November 2006 I finally went to my doctor and gave him all the reports where I have went from doctor to doctor practically begging for help.  Just felt like all the other doctors were missing something.  I explained to him that I was absolutely horrified of taking medication, but whatever he wanted to try I would do it....I was about ready to end my life and knew I had to do something.  He put me on 50 mg of zoloft.  About a week after starting it I felt so normal again.  Didn't have any issues at all, other than I had noticed that around the time of my period I would feel a little weird again.  Not every month, but some months I would notice it.  Well, this past summer around June, I notice the lightheadedness, feeling of passing out was coming back.  I waited it out until October and went back to Doctor and told them it was happening again and she they said they needed to increase my dose because it was never increased because I was doing so good.  Took one month of 100 mg and went off cold turkey November 2012, haven't had anything since then.  Symptoms coming back again.  I really feel like it is something with my hormones causing the anxiety/depression because it is ALWAYS a week to a week and a half that my symptoms start.  This week has been hell....takes all I can do to get out of bed and make it to work.  It starts from the time my feet hit the floor.  Have no energy, tired all the time, lightheaded and feeling of passing out.  Feel like I'm standing outside my body looking at my self.  Scares the hell out of me.  I have never had shortness of breath or feeling like I can't breath.  I wonder if it's anxiety at all.  I am trying to get in with an endocrinologist, they are just about the only ones I haven't been to.  My heart goes out to anyone with anxiety/depression.  Unless you have experienced it, you don't understand.  It's the most awful thing I have been through.  I forgot to mention that in October I asked my doctor if I could just try xanax and see if it will ease off with that so I don't have to take something every single day.  They did give me a subscription and I can't make myself take it.  Scared to death of it.  I am also scared to go back on zoloft everyday because my chiropractor told me that down the road I will eventually act like someone that is addicted to drugs with the body tremors and such.  What to do??

[Stacey8804]

Thanks to everyone for commenting.  

[Amy4891]

I understand your anxiety about taking medication, because I am starting to develop some myself. Although your chiropractor may have been right, that is not exactly a chiropractors area of expertise. It is your choice if you want to take medications or not. There are other options out there, like therapy or vitamin, herbal, and other natural remedies and supplements. Also if you want to take medications, but just have too much anxiety or are too scared to, then maybe you could see a therapist first to help you through the anxiety enough to be able to take it.
I have PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), and it sounds like from your symptoms it may be a possibility that you might have this. Of course I cannot diagnose you, and you cannot diagnose yourself either. I would suggest you talk to a doctor about your symptoms. They generally treat it with medications like Zoloft, they gave me Paxil which is in the same category of medications as Zoloft. However those kinds of medications don't work for me. Like I said if you don't want to take medications, I would suggest you talk to a therapist and they can probably help you learn some coping skills to help you deal with your anxiety. If you are interested you may also want to do some research on some more natural supplements and remedies.
Good Luck to you, I hope you feel better soon.

[asailorswife]

i have to disagree with jerry - not everyone has to take medication to get through what we're experiencing. people do it all the time without the assistance of medication, and have been for centuries. not to say his advice isn't good advice [because it was, jerry] but i just wanted to put my two cents in there as politely as possible. so please know i say that with the upmost respect for all parties involved.

i know just what you're going through. and although the only medication i ever took for depression or anxiety was wellbutrin for all of four days [ i couldn't handle it any longer than that, i became worse] i can honestly say that what you're going through sounds as though we're one in the same.

please keep in touch and post often.

[Jerry_NJ]

My wife takes Abilify (think that's the name) and we have a good prescription insurance plan (private) and still the cost is so high it is enough to cause anxiety, or bankruptcy.  When I saw the price I figured it must be a mistake, even if it were only 1/10 as much it would still be expensive.  With our insurance we have to pay the at about the 10% level once our deductible is paid.  Filling that prescription at the start of the year took our full annual deductible plus help form the insurance.  

I mention not because I see any indication of a desire to take more medications, but I send this warning so if your doctor utters the word Abilify, say please tell me how much it will cost.

[Stacey8804]

I hope your CBT comes back okay for you.  I've had all kinds of testing done and everything was normal, which I am thankful for, however, sometimes I wish something would show up and it would be something that would be an easy fix to this anxiety nightmare.  Woke up at 4 thus morning with lightheadedness again.  Just don't understand the vicious cycle.  Although I am finishing up my monthly cycle and really feel like I said before that its related to that.  Good luck again in your CBT test.  Keep me informed.

[sassiepage]

Hi there,
             I have only been suffering from anxiety for around 10 weeks but i do understand what your going through. I too have the lightheadedness and dizzy i'm going to pass out feeling on a daily basis. My job is very physical and i run around all day it's awful and some day's i wonder how i got through. I am also afraid of medication and currently on no meds at all. I'm waiting for cbt and pinning all my hopes on that at the moment.

[Stacey8804]

Thank you so much for commenting.  It is just so hard to trust anyone anymore.  I just feel like doctor put so many people on anxiety/depression meds without finding the root of why we are having these problems.  There has to be a root of a problem somewhere.  Finding it thought, how do we find it?

[Jerry_NJ]

While a permanent fix is what we all seek, many, most have to take medication to get control.  Counseling may also help.  

Some manage to go drug free by being focused intensely on "life" things outside self.  This could be work, study, friends, church, ... just for starters.

I for one would not take a chiropractor's opinion on a medical drug as the authority.  I am not saying the advice if incorrect, I do not know, but I would discuss it with my medical doctor and research on the web before I'd stop taking a medication that gave me relief.

Keep trying, you can win.