Depression/Anxiety Struggles

I was taking Xanax at bedtime and found out that it doesn't let you go into stage 3 and 4 sleep. So now I take it about 4 hours before I go to sleep and I am sleeping better. Make sure that the Ativan isn't going to interrupt sleep. Have you ever tried meditation? It helps me a lot.

I am going to lock your other thread now that you started a new one.

I hope you get some restful sleep...

Hugs, Karen...

Yes, I called him today and they're able to get me in, so we'll see what he says.

I'm sorry you had severe depression yesterday.

Karen, I've never tried mediation, although I pray a lot. I feel like I can use all those things to help, once i am out of this crisis mode, but until then, the only thing that helps is swimming. I went three times yesterday

The remainder of yesterday was okay. I got through everything i needed to do, but without any enjoyment, even when it included my kids.

I replaced the ambien with ativan like my pdoc said, and i slept better and woke up in a better mood than the few days before. I've been able to concentrate better at work today.

The anxiety is still subtly there, it seems like it's always there, on the edge, just to different degrees.

It's day 16. The doc said that decreased tears mean that the lexapro is strting to kick in. I hope so.

I've noticed that almost every day, i get a little burst of light, like something turns on and I feel hope and happiness. Is this normal to experience in the first couple of weeks? It never lasts more than a few hours, but it certainly helps.

Sometimes i still have anxiety when i get it, but it makes the axniety more bearable.

Did anyone experience this? Is it a sign that it is working? I'm desperate.

I take every minute I can :)

Today was actually a pretty good day. I just wish I could fall asleep without taking anything. I don't take ambien anymore and I'm afraid to take Ativan. I keep reading all these bad things about it.

I'm so tired that maybe I will fall asleep.

I don't think Ambien was working well so I stopped. I want to only take Lexapro but I need to sleep so I take the Ativan 1mg per night. THe doctor told me I can take 3mg, but I don't need that much.

Does anyone have experience with Ativan for sleep while starting Lexapro?

keaz said...
I've noticed that almost every day, i get a little burst of light, like something turns on and I feel hope and happiness. Is this normal to experience in the first couple of weeks? It never lasts more than a few hours, but it certainly helps.

Sometimes i still have anxiety when i get it, but it makes the axniety more bearable.

Did anyone experience this? Is it a sign that it is working? I'm desperate.

Day 26 of Prozac, first time trying any kind of AD, SSRI...

I notice that burst of happiness during the day, after I take my pill in the morning. My mood does seem to dip down at night and in the mornings I still wake with some anxiety/negative thoughts looping in my head.

I hope my mood stabilizes so I feel good all the time. I'm curious if this happens... I hope so!

Here's good luck to both of us finding relief!

Thanks Karen, it's an interesting experience going through this.

I hope all of us find help and happiness!

Day 18:
Anxiety was minimal, not sure if it had anything to do with the Ativan I've been taking the last three nights to sleep.

I did feel a little tired and out of it, but I attribute that to the Ativan and getting used to a new med

I did have a few good moments during the day and in the evening I went to the gym and ran, did weights and swimming for a long time.

Still no appetite. I continue to lose weight.

I do feel leveling out of emotions. The anxiety stays low and the depression is still there, but I get little bursts of energy and hope every now and then.

I know this is a slow and subtle process and I'm just not patient enough.

I'm having an open mind to it. I start next Wednesday and will keep you updated.

I just had to look up EMDR. I'd never heard of it. Sounds interesting and hopeful.

Keaz- when you went off Lexapro a cpl months ago, did you titrate slowly off of it through your doctor or quit cold turkey?

Btw, where are you located? I'm always interested where everyone is from. I'm in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Lisa

So I looked back over this 3rd week and realized that only one of my days I rated below a 5, meaning that the other 6 were 5 or over, which I would consider good.

I think the progress is so subtle that sometimes it's hard to tell. But I know that the anxiety is much better and I'm sleeping better, although it's with Ativan (.75 mg at night).

My appetite still comes and goes. Yesterday I had an appetite for a sandwich, and today I had to make myself eat.

I think in the first two weeks I had some really low days, but then some days that were almost normal. Now it seems like they are leveling out from 7/8 and 2/3 to 5/6.

I think that's a good thing, but it's so hard to tell.

I know I still feel strange and like it's not really me. Not sure if that's the depression, or medication or a combination of both.

I am able to accomplish a lot more at work and at home.

So maybe things aren't as bad as they seem?