New here - Anxiety and Panic overwhelming and creating havoc!!

Hi All,

I have come across these boards whilst trying to find some sort of group support that understands. I am a 43yr old single mother of a 6yr old child. The only person I have close by is my Mum who is displaying short term memory loss and I have been supporting her through her problems which has been overwhelming. I have a few friends that are great but you know I always think you don't want to ask too much of people as they have their own issues to attend to.

Anyway long story short I had major depression in my twenties and completely broke down after years and years of suffering anxiety panic depression I finally hit bottom and lost everything....my job, my relationship, my home....ended up moving back to Mums getting help finally when I couldn't function at all and after some false start meds eventually Effexor became my hero....I eventually recovered fully and although there has been some lows here and there for the most part I have been pretty good for last 17yrs....I definitely had no anxiety or panic attacks during that time....just a bit of depression here and there.

Now fast forward to the last few weeks and OMG....I know I've been under stress  for a long time but thought I was managing ok and wham all of sudden massive unending waves of anxiety and of course usually ended in panic. Every thought seemed to produce anxiety...even my BP has shot through the roof.

I have always taken between 75mgs and 150mgs Effexor.....at the time this started I was on 112.5mgs, so we put it back up to 150mgs.....the anxiety retreated mostly with the odd breakthrough.....but them wham again......full on disabling anxiety again...arrrghhhh!! Anyway back to the docs she has raised the dose to 187.5mgs and added a beta blocker to help my BP and racing heart....that was only 3 days ago so I've just been resting as much as possible and waiting to see what happens from here....I feel so scared....I'm so scared that I will get so sick and what happens then to my child, my mum....im in the middle of studying.....I know this story too well and know how it turns life upside down.

Anyway like it or not this is where I'm at and hoping sharing and talking with others will help.

Aww hang in there 2frogs!! I was on effexor for 4 years - worked wonders for me! Maybe now with your adjusted dosage and beta blockers you'll feel better! Take care, stay calm, rest up and have a nice evening:)

Sorry you are going through this again.. I don't know how to help but I will keep you in my thoughts.. It sucks when we think we have anxiety beat, and then it returns. Mine has done that twice now but we can overcome it. I fight through for my daughter and think of your child, maybe that will give you some strength. Best wishes to you.

You bring up a good point that it's a journey, it isn't a destination,....even as much as we'd like it to be.

Sometimes meds just peter out. Sometimes we need to change meds entirely or change the dose, or even add new ones.

The thing to remember is that especially in this day and age, we have so many different options to choose from. Things have come a long way.

I'm of the strong conviction that medication and therapy combined work better than either one of them alone.

This Forum, too, is a remarkable source of comfort.

For choices of my own (along with some of my own little psychological buggeries) I do not get out much and not a big one in the way of being social. So yes, this online forum with people who I don't know (but I admit I've gotten to know some of them quite well over the time),...yes,....it's become of my absolute strongest forms of community support.

HW has helped me in more ways than anything or anyone could imagine....

Judgment-free zone here,.....lots of support, understanding, dialogue, discussion, suggestions, questions, answers, ideas,.....

Good place, all the way around!!












M.

I was wondering if a some of your ups and downs emotionally are related to your hormones as well, as you're getting older.  Maybe your doctor will check in to that regardless.  I do hope you can get involved in a group or find a few close friends to be supportive at this time, since you've been caring for your daughter and your mother, both.  You can't be superwoman.  We all need help!  HUGS to you!