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Anxiety & Panic Disorders
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Posted 1/24/2012 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
i have had panic for 25 years, the last 5 being severe panic disorder. i take 4 mgs of clonipin, 2 half mgs of zanax,cymbalta and depakote. my kids say i should be totally out of it, but lately it won't even take the edge off. i tried hypnosis, accupuntior, sorry about the spelling i am shaking so bad that i can barely type, thank you all for your responses.
Posted 1/25/2012 6:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hi starlight,
I'm a longtime sufferer as well. What's your worst time of day? I wake up anxious and spend an hour talking myself down over coffee and cigarettes. I know both of these are counter productive but its the only comfort I understand when I'm scared. I've been on several different meds over the last 25 years. Things will be going along fine and suddenly the meds stop working and I fall off the cliff and back into panic. It's exhausting isn't it? I understand the shakes. Usually I sit in a hot bath and then climb into bed and sleep until it gets better. Hope you feel better.
Posted 1/25/2012 1:20 PM (GMT 0)
HI waigtingfirthelight,          the worse time of day is afternoon i don't know if it is  because i have taken most of my benzos by then or if it is because of the stress of the day. i would do anything if i could sleep but i am lucky if i get 4 hours. thanks for your reply it is comfoting in a strage way to know that i am not the only one that has had this for so long, i would't wish this on my worst enemy. i am just so very tired and scared, i wonder if i can ever be happy or if the doc is right and the best i can hope for is meds to make life berable.  the doc wants to try thorazine and i am terrified. but then again i am terrified all the time anyways, and i do the same smoke and coffee even though i know it is te worst thing for my panic but it is all i have!!!
Posted 1/25/2012 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
starlight,

Good Morning and thank you for sharing your info. I have had A & P for 30 years along with depression so I can identify with you. 6 years ago I had a major meltdown and it was well over a year before I felt like I was making headway. I have been on many combos of meds and I do go to therapy plus I have a Psychiatrist whom I have come to trust and she listens to me. Of course that does not mean she always agrees with me but we work out compromises and I do trust her to have my best interest at heart.

I will share with you my current cocktail of meds and make a few comments but remember what works for one person does not always work for another.

I am currently taking: Buspar 15 mg twice a day - morning and bedtime for anxiety. Zoloft 50 mg every morning for Depression. Valium 2 mg as needed for anxiety ( this is one of the longest acting benzos) My Pdoc does not like the short acting benzos for long term use. Trazodone 150 mg at bedtime for sleep.

Added one month ago Rilatin 5 mg in the morning and at noon for depression.

I will share with you that insomnia was one of my biggest problems when I was at my lowest point and my PCP had me on Ativan 4 mg to help with insominia which my Pdoc about had a heart attack when she learned that on my first appointment with her. Thus we ended up with Trazodone low dose for the side effect of drowsiness. This medication has been a blessing to me and if I had to throw out everything else it would be this one I would cling to as knowing I fall asleep and get a good nights sleep is major for me.

I have been on at least 12 different meds that either did not work, I reacted badly to or the side effects were horrific for me.

I have learned that their is no magic pill that will cure you and I keep in close contact with my therapist, and Pdoc as my depression can creep back in and wham. At times I have cried over the need to use meds and have tried going drug free only to crash and have to start all over with new meds. This is where my Dr. has patience with me as she knows I will show up from time to time saying I want off all the meds and she counsels me wisely.

Tired and scared are words I know well. Trust me you will find what works for you but do add in therapy through self help or with a counselor.

Also consider getting a second opinion re your meds. Sometimes I feel Drs. get so tired of us that they just throw the next drug in to move us along but of course that is my anxiety talking. We A & P people tend to think this way smhair

Gentle Hugs to you,

Kitt
Posted 1/25/2012 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Boy I can certainly relate to ALL of you! LOL! I have been suffering for over 25 years myself. I started with anxiety and panic attacks when I was about 12 or 13years old, but I wasn't given anything until I was around 18 or 19 and that was Ativan, to take as needed.

Fast forward to about 23-24....Doc put me on Paxil because it got so bad for me that I was actually agoraphobic at this point. The paxil worked ok, but made me feel numb and zombie-like. No emotions, nothing....plus I gained a significant amount of weight from it. So I weaned myself off of that and was ok for about a year.

Then it all came back and I was put on 50 mgs of Zoloft, which worked extremely well! The only problem I had was MYSELF! I did not want to have to "rely" on meds to make me feel normal, so i'd go off of it, be good for about a year, (as I say it went into "remission") and then BAM it was back again, so i'd go back on the Zoloft....

This happened to me 3 times now, this is my fourth time on Zoloft, and this time i'm NOT going off of it! LOL! The last round of "remission" lasted for almost 3 years, I was anxiety and panic free! But it all came screaming back worse than ever before.

I am also like you in the mornings. I have to sit and have a my coffee and cigs before I even THINK about doing anything. LOL! It takes me a good hour or two to get any motivation to start the day.

You can see my DX and meds listed at the bottom of this post. You are SO not alone, and this is a great place to come and talk with people who know what you are going through.

Fox
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