Feeling Hopeless With Meds! Need Some Input!

[Chaoticmind]

My anxiety started the beginning of April. Went to my doctor and was told it was vertigo because at that point I was just feeling dizzy and off balance. As days passed, I began to have panic attacks and increased anxiety. My general doctor prescribed me Xanax to take as needed. Even after only taking it a few times I realized with out any meds I would have constant panic attacks and started to become agoraphobic and left my job.

Finally went to a psychiatrist who kept me on the Xanax but also on 10mg Prozac. Prozac was horrible for me I couldn't eat or sleep, my anxiety was even worse, I was having more panic attacks, throwing up and my fear of going out got even worse. She then switched me to Zoloft 25mg. My first week was good. I still felt anxious and panicky but was able to leave my house. I'm now about 3 weeks in and I'm feeling as if I'm almost back where I started. Every day I wake up dizzy and shaky, my anxiety goes up and down through out the day and I've barely left my house.

I'm starting to think SSRI meds are not for me. I'm debating maybe trying an SNRI. Was just hoping some people can share what meds helped them or didn't help them and how they dealt with their anxiety. I feel like I'm at my breaking point.

 

[Sideways]

It's not what you want to hear, but to be completely honest (coming from a fellow agrophobe) - meds have had only minimal impact on alleviating my anxiety. And I've tried the whole gamut, from old school MAOIs to hot off the press a-typical anti-psychotics and everything in between. Valium anyone?

The most help I have in controlling it: daily exposure exercises (if I have nowhere to go, I go to the park or the library) because I know that the less I get out and get amongst the people, the harder it gets (and vice versa). And lifestyle - can't escape it, daily exercise and relaxation is absolute must. When my head says "I don't have time", I remind myself that I don't have time for panic attacks and constant social avoidance either.

Like I said, not what you want to hear. But for me, the meds don't work for my anxiety, so it's hard work daily or I end up not being able to leave my apartment even to check the mail.

 

[Chaoticmind]

It's not what you want to hear, but to be completely honest (coming from a fellow agrophobe) - m...

No it's not that I don't want to hear that. I appreciate the response. Totally agree that I need to do some exposure to get myself out again. However, my panic attacks and anxiety aren't from being out. They just happen randomly, lately panic attacks at night so that's what I feel I need meds for. Controlling that aspect not the agoraphobia part

 

[Sideways]

Cardio exercise in the morning should help bring the whole system down a point or two on your suds scale, and it doesn't take long before that really does help all day long.

Even though it seems completely random, it may be a stress cup issue. Something in particular is keeping your stress cup waaay too full, so any little random inocuous thing is enough to make it spill over into panic attack territory, you know?

 

[Enaila]

It's not what you want to hear, but to be completely honest (coming from a fellow agrophobe) - m...

I can so relate Rag doll.

 

[KeepingTime]

I cannot take ssri meds. Can't really explain what they do to me other than the analogy of you were to spin a bottle half full when you stop the bottle the insides don't stop moving. Sounds crazy, I know but after taking every one available a doctor finally explained to me that some ppl can't handle the increased boost of serotonin.
I have had some luck with Xanax and Ativan to curb those bad moments.
But I also take seroquel which is an antipsychotic that has plenty of side effects but it keeps me at a more even keel.

But that's just from a medication stand point. I can however take some of the older antidepressants like elavil. It's not an MAOI but I don't really know what effect it would have on anxiety.

 

[Chaoticmind]

I cannot take ssri meds. Can't really explain what they do to me other than the analogy of you were...

Thanks appreciate it. This is my third ssri and as the days go on, I feel more and more hopeless and feel worse and worse. I just want my life back

 

[EveHarrington]

The anxiety started in April so it's something quite recent?

Did something change in April? (I'm not sure of your history.)

Sometimes nutritional imbalances can add to or cause anxiety. I urge you to not brush off this possible cause as nutritional issues can indeed contribute to great anxiety. (Straightening out my diet and taking supplements worked wonders for me as I was deficient-----prescription meds won't fix this.)

It may not work for you but I think it's something to seriously inquire about.

:hug:

 

[Chaoticmind]

The anxiety started in April so it's something quite recent?

Did something change in April? (I'm...

My grandma passed away in March. I believe that was the tip of the iceberg for me. The past few years I've experienced a lot of traumatic events. Pretty sure my grandma passing just pushed me over the edge and got me where I am now

 

[EveHarrington]

I'm so sorry! :hug:

 

[KeepingTime]

So sorry for your loss.

I just know that I wished that someone had told me earlier that ssri meds could make you worse. I went through several hospitalizations before I was told. Thought I was going crazy.
This was back when they were relatively new and supposed to be the magic drugs. But don't stop them cold turkey without discussing with your doctor.
You can probably find some info on the net about this that may be helpful to you.

 

[joeylittle]

I'm absolutely not a doctor. But I'd encourage you to look into Abilify.

The major side effect is weight gain - it hits different people differently, depends on your age, gender, current overall health, etc. So don't panic about the weight gain, it's just to be considered.

Also ask about Latuda.

The SNRIs won't necessarily address panic as a primary symptom, and so, you'd need to be taking into account the whole picture of your mental health and functioning, not just the anxiety piece. I've been on SNRIs since I started meds, and they did reduce my anxiety a few notches, but I was not dealing with regular panic attacks to begin with - depression was my issue.

SNRIs are known for being very, very difficult to discontinue. Some people cannot even handle the physical pain of it and never get off of them. On the other hand, they tend to be more effective, and when symptoms don't respond to SSRIs, they are often the next move.

But you should be looking at mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics as well - these are names for drug classes that don't really mean what they say - in other words, plenty of people who aren't dealing with active psychosis take anti-psychotics. The drugs are loosely grouped by mechanism.

Don't be afraid to really ask your doctor to collaborate with you on this.

And you MUST incorporate some kind of cognitive approach as well - drugs that aren't addictive (non-benzos) will only ever manage the problem half-way; and even benzodiazepines need to be coupled with cognitive approaches in order to keep you from developing a dependency on them.