Am I ever going to be normal again???

I feel so badly for you kittybear because I too am suffering from a very similar condition. I woke up this morning with my heart pounding, mind racing, thoughts that I was going crazy, almost didn't make it to work and the whole thing is so exhausting and scary. I am just on Xanax right now but I've upt my dosage to what the doc originally prescribed for me (.5 3x daily) in the past week just because I've suddenly become so debiitated by all this. I used to just take 1/2 pill in the morning (when my anxiety is the worst) but now it's lasting all day. I have short periods when I think "you're okay, this will pass" and then "wham" the fear and bad thoughts and nervousness hit me again. We all know what anxiety is I suppose but knowing doesn't make it any easier. I have had it on and off (sometimes gone for years at a time) since my teens and I'm now 64. I've always thought I'd end up in the hospital but it's never happened.....you WILL get through this and although you may suffer from it again at times, you will get through it and have better days. You are NOT crazy....you are just a victim of this cursed disease that so many of us have. I don't know what your life is like but I have family issues that could certainly be helping to cause all this sudden anxiety but to tell the truth sometimes I get it even when things seem to be going ok. It's an unforgiving illness and I just keep waiting and hoping that tomorrow will be better and I certainly hope the same for you. In the meantime, know that you are okay, you will get through it and we here on this site are here for you because we truly understand.

KB,

You are not alone in this thinking so please no you are not "crazy". I find the problem  with trying to think rationally about high anxiety  is when it stikes there's nothing rational about the experience so your mind starts tricking you into the "I must be going crazy" mode.

What you feel in your body when you are anxious are only normal feelings that are exaggerated. They do not mean anything else is wrong or that something bad is going to happen.

Remember, above all, that a healthy and cosmic sense of humor is essential to your health (physically, mentally and spiritually). Even in my darkest moments I am thankful that I have been blessed with a sense of humor.

Kindly,

Kitt

 

I know you will get through it as we all do - but it seems impossible at the time.  Believe it or not, my best cure is going to this website and feeling like people understand what I'm going through.  It has a great calming effect and I really appreciate that it's available.  What did people do years ago when these venues weren't available....spent alot more time in the psych's office I guess.  But seriously, I do value this site and all the people that I have connected with over the years.  Sometimes I go away for a long time but, invariably, I come back again when old anxiety kicks up.

Kitty, I'm not totally understanding why your doc has you on Zyprexa and Lamictal. Are you bipolar or schizophrenic? Sorry if you've given this info out already in another post, but there are so many, I don't remember who has what half the time. LOL!

The reason I ask is not to be nosy, but when people are bipolar, they sometimes aren't able to take certain ssri's. Some of them tend to make the bipolar worse.

I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling so bad right now, but give your meds a bit of time to work and you should be feeling better in a few weeks. You WILL get through this. It's just a bump in the road to recovery. All of us go through it at some point.

Like andwes, I too have had anxiety/panic disorder for years. Mine started in my early teens around 13-14, and it goes into remission for a few years, and then it comes back.

Please know that we are all here for you, and that you are not going crazy. It just feels that way right now, but it will go away and you'll start to feel better soon.


((hugs)) Fox

Well the Zoloft should help you with both, the anxiety and depression. So if you are only taking the Lamictal for depression i'd drop it all together, but that's just me and what I would do myself. I would recommend talking to your doc about it though. I know if it was me, I wouldn't want to take any medication that was not absolutely necessary for my treatment. I'm a mediphobe, so it would freak me out. LOL!

If you read my DX at the bottom, you'll see that I also have PTSD, OCD, GAD, Panic Disorder, and Depression. The Zoloft works really well for me in treating all of these. I plan on starting to wean off of the xanax as soon as I get to my target dose, then just keep that for an as needed crutch.

Hope you start feeling better soon. Keep us updated on your progress.

((hugs)) Fox