long car rides

[c.s.]

what can I take other than xanax or klonipan to help stop panic attacks. I don't really want to rely on these two to hold me.I've been trying to find something to take so I can get off the xanax. What would be your recommendation to help me. I have a fear of an attack if I'm on the road to long.I want to go on vacation. I want to be able to enjoy traveling again.

[RiTuaL]

I take meds on occation.  At certain times in this cycle I got very very depressed... never to the point of attepting suicide, but I was absolute rock bottom.  I needn't describe further.. those who've been there already know what I mean.  Anyway, I took paxil for awhile, with klonopin.   I've used both xanax and klonopin on an as-needed basis.. for particularly stressful situations.  I'm currently on a very small dose of Ativan to keep the generalized anxiety at bay.  I'm no longer depressed, but especially in the summer when I'm more active, I want to keep the over-stimulation due to the anxiety to a minimum.

From what I've read on this board and others, I've concluded that I'm not a big fan of meds.  I think its possible to find a combination that works for you - but I think that comes at significant risk - side effects and otherwise.  If you can go med free, I'd advise it.  If you need them, take them - but stay objective and keep yourself educated.  There are some potential breakthroughs in this condition that may be far more effective and with much less risk than our current meds that are shots in the dark and can only hope to treat the symptoms at best.  

This is all lay opinion - but I've been studying at the school of real life with this for the last 8 years. :)  Hope this is helpful.

[shelley67]

Hi,
Thanks for your comment, it is inspiring, and yea you must take action to keep from being defeated by this, but it is a step by step day by day thing.  Im curious, do you take any meds to help you with this at al?
Thanks

[RiTuaL]

I used to be agorophobic... wouldn't leave the house.  When I started having panic attacks I had just left for school in another town and was in the middle of a concert.  This led me to be afraid to go outside for fear of them occuring again.  Eventually, after I found out how panic works, and how you gradually put up walls around yourself, I understood that I was the one placing those walls.  And I determined to take them down.  I left school and went back to my home town, but I was still afraid to go back to that town where school was - because it brouht back all those old feelings of panic.  But every year I determined to drive back there.  And each year I found myself more and more able to deal with it - to the point when this last year I went back and told myself - "this is the last time I will come here." ... I was healed from it - it was the last time I needed to go.

Theres still other walls I put up.. phobias.. all apart of the anxiety and depression cycle.  And I deal with them as they come.  But we must stand up to it - you can't be a victim forever.  (actually - you can - *I* just wont!)  But I will say I've had some good friends, and a good God, who have helped me see through it.  I pray the same for anyone else.

[shelley67]

I too have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks for over 10 years, and i seem to do okay in most situations but when i get too far outside my "safe" area(hometown), i get nervous and sometimes have a pa.  I take xanax as needed, but doesnt seem to help enough to get really far.  I would love to travel and hate to keep making excuses as to why i cant.  I have lost my last job because i could not travel out of state to a seminar/class.  I dont know what to tell you, other than there are alot of folks out there with this, some have probs wiht crowds, some with elevators or public speaking, some with germs, and yea, some with travel.  I go throuhg periods of months where my anxiety is manageable in certain situations, but sometimes i hit a bad patch and get panicky in usually easy situations.  Its day by day thing i suppose.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You should ask your doctor about Paxil and Zoloft, both of which are excellent long term medications for panic attacks, and are not addictive.