New to the forum, need advise on supplements for anxiety and panic attacks

Hello,
I have been reading this forum for quite a while, but it is the first time I am posting something. I have been recently diagnosed with GAD and depression and I also have panic attacks. They happen every early morning - suddenly I wake up around 2 a.m. trembling and very anxious, with my heart racing. I go back to sleep next minute, but continue waking up till the time I get up around 7 (10-15 times sometimes) shaking and trembling and wanting to cry. Mornings are extremely hard for me. My psychiatrist put me on klonopin twice a day. I take 0.5 in a morning and 1mg at night. I also take 200mg of trazadone for sleep. She said I can take xanax when needed, but it helps me very little, and I do not want to get addict to it. I have tried celexa and zoloft both for a month, but had to get off - could not tolerate the side effects (nausea, worsen anxiety, insomnia, muscle aches, etc.). My anxiety is better with klonopin, but still is not totally under control and I live my days in fear and hopeless felling, and my nights with nightmares, trembling and feeling so unhappy. I will see my Dr. next week again, she will probably will have me try another antidepressants. I am so tired of side effects form Antidepressants, so I was wondering if tree is any natural, less harsh chemically supplements that I could try to help me to ease the anxiety, to feel a bit more at peace. I read about L-tryptophan - would this be a good one to try? Any advise would be appreciated.
Olga

Thank you, Scaredy Cat, of your thoughtful reply. I do realize that natural supplement can have interactions with Rx's. meds. I will definitely discuss anything I try with my Dr. I was just looking for options. Thank you for giving me a few. I will do my research on them. Yes, I have been seeing a specialist (another psychiatrist) for EMDR sessions (bilateral brain stimulation). It's mostly "talking and feeling" sessions, which sometimes help people with traumatic past to "heal", or rather to change the way they see these traumatic events, to ease up the negativing thinking about them. So far the sessions have been very disturbing; I have to look into my past, and that involves steering some emotions and talking about events that I berried deep, so I did not have to think about them. I realize it is all part of the process, so I will continue my sessions. I will look at the Resources here as well. Thank you, I really appreciate you welcoming me here, giving me advise and, most importantly, sympathy. Like someone mentioned here - anxiety disorder is a lonely journey, and it is so important to be able to talk to someone who knows what I am going through.

FB,

You have my utmost admiration for continuing along with your therapies, despite the discomfort it is bringing to the surface. Know that this is part of a healing process...and that you are not enduring this without future reward!

Keep up the great work...and know you have a group here cheering you on.:)

Peace and progress,

S.C.

Thank you, VM and Hibee.

VM, I agree with you - things like yoga, tai chi and acupuncture can be helpful. I used to do yoga, but now my hip is bothering me and there is very little I can do in yoga besides some restorative asanas. Have not tried tai chi - we live in a country and there is no classes near by. I tried acupuncture for 6 month with no success. about the supplements, you are totally right, one have to be very careful with supplements. If I start something new, I always watch very closely what effect does it do for me. Now, when I am taking prescription meds, i do realize, that it is necessary to consult with my Dr. on any supplements that I take or planning to take. I even asked my Doc if Vitamin B complex was OK to take (which I pretty much I knew was OK. But better be save than sorry).

Hibee, I was just researching Mindful meditation. Is there a link online where I can learn more about it? I found some local classes, but have not signed up yet. I have been very fatigued lately and slow on making any decisions. I need to push myself to do anything these days. But I appreciate the advise, and Mindful mediation sounds like something I would enjoy.

Thank you again, everybody, I wish everyone well.
If today is a good day - that's great. If not - we will live one day at the time...

JRF007 said...
Hi forestbook - Good for you for looking into all your options for recovery. My therapist also does EDMR therapy. I've only had a couple of sessions, but am curious as to others experiences with it. Do you think it seems to be helping?

I am not sure yet. My therapist takes a little different approach. She is not using light and REM, but instead she is using two little buzzers that I hold in my hands, and they take turns to vibrate (she called it bilateral brain stimulation). I only had one session with this device, and four session before that, when she was collecting a history; we just talked about my feelings (about the past mostly) and what would be important to let go. The goal is to release some of these negative disturbing feelings, that I have been carrying for years now, and they have been growing as a snow ball. The sessions eventually should help with anxiety and sleep, and just finding a peace with myself. I believe that if someone has traumatic past or a lot of guilt feelings that they are carrying around, it eventually (if not released) will develop into depression and/or anxiety. This what happen to me, I think. I will let you know in a a few weeks if I think the sessions help. I go to see my therapist once a week.
P.S. I also think that therapy along can only help people with mild disorders, in some cases therapy needs to be combined with medications. I can't even imaging being without my anxiety meds. right now.

I've done a few sessions with emdr with my therapist. She is one that just couldn't believe such a treatment would work when she was taught the skill but has seen patients helped many times by using it.

I opt for the 2 things you hold in your hand and feel the buzzing back and forth. I don't like the eye movement version.

Does it help? I think it has helped. Am I cured of my anxiety? not yet......

JRF007 said...
Mine hasn't used those methods yet either... The last few sessions she has me follow her fingers back and forth while recalling a traumatic event. For me, it's hard to concentrate on both at the same time. I'm currently taking 20mg of lexapro as well.

I also wanted to ask you - does vistaril help you with anxiety?

Forestbook, I feel like I am reading my own post reading yours:( ... I found a hypnosis that works so good... Youtube chelsea hypnosis after you take your Trazadone... I used to get up 10xs a night, shsking, anxiety attacks, crying... Sometimes I would take 1/2 an Ativan and listen to stories about the bible ( I'm catholic)... or a mindful guided meditation... it's awful... My days ( especially) mornings are still very hard for me bc I have become a prisoner of my bedroom... Awful!!! I PUSH myself out of the house everyday against my will but I have to...
I put myself on a regime now... vitamin b50, omega 3, vitamin c, just started Magnesium citrate... I force myself to smile as soon as I open my eyes ("they") say it helps... Then I will do EFT TO relieve anxiety and stress, then I do a hypnosis from Catherine P perry (google) she has 3 free meditations on her page. I do the one to let go of fear... I also go on youtube and google Raleigh (penn)... His explanations are great for derealization and depersonalization...
You can message me anytime... You and I have the exact symptoms....
My best to you...
GG

gypsygirl315 said...
Forestbook, I feel like I am reading my own post reading yours:( ... I found a hypnosis that works so good... Youtube chelsea hypnosis after you take your Trazadone... I used to get up 10xs a night, shsking, anxiety attacks, crying... Sometimes I would take 1/2 an Ativan and listen to stories about the bible ( I'm catholic)... or a mindful guided meditation... it's awful... My days ( especially) mornings are still very hard for me bc I have become a prisoner of my bedroom... Awful!!! I PUSH myself out of the house everyday against my will but I have to...
I put myself on a regime now... vitamin b50, omega 3, vitamin c, just started Magnesium citrate... I force myself to smile as soon as I open my eyes ("they") say it helps... Then I will do EFT TO relieve anxiety and stress, then I do a hypnosis from Catherine P perry (google) she has 3 free meditations on her page. I do the one to let go of fear... I also go on youtube and google Raleigh (penn)... His explanations are great for derealization and depersonalization...
You can message me anytime... You and I have the exact symptoms....
My best to you...
GG

GypsyGirl, isn't it awful that the whole life evolves around anxiety? That we can only hold together with meds and constant self-help. It takes so much time - all of these meditations, relaxation sessions, etc. The time that I would like to use for something else. It is so tiring. Unbearable at times. I feel for you... We seem to have very similar issues.
Are you on any meds? They can be very helpful. I feel much better now that I am on knolopin. Before that I was a total mess. I take 1mg at bedtime (plus 200mg of trazadone), and still wake up with anxiety, shaking, etc. Now, for the last few days I tried something different - I took .5mg at bedtime and another .5 when I first wake up (around 2 a.m.). It reduced the number of awakenings for me, and they also are not so horrifying - less shaky, etc. Slept better last night. One day at the time.

gypsygirl315 said...
I just got off of Lexapro and started 10mg Paxil today... 2mg Ativan daily, prevacid ( gastritis) it actually has helped me sleep... Hey maybe you have Acid Reflux!!! Go get Maalox and take it before bed tonight and see if it makes a difference... Ambien 10mg...

No, I don't have Acid Reflux. And I eat pretty healthy. Gluten free, minimum process food, mostly organic. Before I turned for help to a psychiatrist, I spend enormous amount of money on holistic doctors. Nothing helped. Things were just getting worse. Some people just need meds, it took me a while to exert that. I used to take ambient. 10mg and sleep only 2-4 hours at night. I was so sleep deprived, I started hallucinating. Now doing much better with knolopin and trazadone. Unfortunately the antidepressants I have tried so far did not agree with me. (I tried Celexa and Zoloft). Discouraged to try something else, but I know I need too.. Good luck with Paxil, I know start up period can be rough...