I need help with this one. I am stuck.

[bosnianworrier]

My anx. started nearly 2 decades ago at age of 12. I experienced a sudden fear caused by a huge noise/sound that made me depersonalized and completely physically numb for about 30 seconds. Then it lessened but never went away. I lived with it (suffered with it) for a few years then I saw a doc. He gave me an anti-depressant. Then I saw another and I was slowly getting better and better. Celexa did the best job for me.

But in all these years I developed new symptoms. Something lake paranoia (mistrust in others but with a basis) and some weird OCD/anxiety symptom that almost ruined my life. These intrusive thoughts almost made me handicapped but they now reduced by 80-90% probably thanx to efexor and klonopin. I don't wanna mention them because they are too weird.

So today I saw a new shrink. I've known this guy for 3 years because my brother is seeing him too. I told him my problems. I thought I have paranoid personality but he disagrees. He thinks I have mild PTSD. As for my weird intrusive thoughts he thinks it is some OCD. Well if I saw him 2 years ago when it was severe he would perhaps call it extreme OCD or who knows what. Agrees that I have GAD.

Here is the thing. I am hypochondriac also and skitzophrenia is one of my big fears. He knows that. YET HE PRESCRIBED ME SEROQUEL. I said "that is an antipsychotic and you said I have nothing similar to skitzophrenia or psychosis of any kind". He tried to assure me that he is giving me seroqul for ocd,ptsd and anxiety. He says he took it for physical pain himself. Repeatedly told me he doesn't think i have skitzophrenia. How can I trust him?

So I asked my pharmacist and he said people use it for various things.

HAS ANYONE USED THIS DRUG FOR OTHER CAUSES THAN ITS TITLE "ANTIPSYCHOTIC" and if yes how has it worked?

I wish I never saw him but I need to treat myself.

[nora006]

Hi!

I can assure you that Seroquel is used (mostly off-label) for several things besides antipsychotic treatment. It has strong sedative properties. I have used it(still do) as a sleeping-aid. It is very effective for this purpose.
Seroquel is known for being a rather weak anti-psychotic compared to other low-potency AP drugs. It works antagonistic to dopaminergic receptors as well as parts of the seretonergic system and interacts with a number of other neurotransmitter receptors(i.e adrenergic and histaminergic)(if that should possibly be of any interest to you....;))

I don't know if you wanted anyone to comment on what the new doctor said to you, but I take the chance: I most certainly agree with him in that you probably are not having a paranoid personality disorder,but rather suffer from PTSD(but mild?), given the fact that your problems began after a shock experience. You were only a child at the time and they are more sensitive to sudden dramatic incidents. It is not unusual to develop other kinds of phobias/anxiety states after experiencing shock/depersonalization.

As for the schizophrenia you can most definetely relax. He would have spotted that instantly:)

Hope your new medication is working well for you and if not there are always others to try. And ALSO: I really hope it turns out for you that this doctor can be trusted. It's so much easier when one can rely(at least to a resonable degree) on a doctor's opinion.

Best wishes
Nora

[Paxiled]

Sorry, meant to say obsessive actions along with the obsessive thoughts.  

[Paxiled]

This has become common due to a study that didn't study anxiety sufferers, it studied depression sufferers, and determined that adding medications helped improve the treatment results.  Don't know if it'll help you or not and haven't taken it myself, but that's why it's being added to your Effexor.  Also don't know if it'll add to your side effects.  I guess you won't know unless you take it.  Only you know how disabled you are by your anxiety, and whether you've tried therapy or other options and exhausted them.  If it was for bipolar, you wouldn't be on the Effexor.  I also don't think you're describing OCD.  Many psychiatrists misdiagnose people with this, just as they do bipolar 2, which probably doesn't exist.  You only have OCD if you have obsessive actions along with the obsessive actions - that's the C in OCD, compulsive behavior.  If you've just got obsessive thoughts, that's what everyone with depression and anxiety have.