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Posts created by Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Question about side effects of SSRI´s

Hi Queens,

I'm in the same boat. I have been on Celexa on and off (through 2 pregnancies -off) for the last decade. I too go through times where I decrease my dose, until just before christmas I was still only taking 10 mg every other day! I was so excited that I had gone so long so well! But then, I started a new job in Nov and about 2 weeks in I started having anxiety and I started noticing they were getting a bit more constant. So, I upped my dose to 10mg every day for a week, then the anxiety got even worse! Then I went to 20 mg, was better for a few days and then they went through the roof! Along with all the side effects - excessive yawning (a real good one to have in a new job), dry mouth, etc etc. It was terrible!!

My doctor added clonazepam to help with the bigger attacks. was good for a few days and today I'm having a bad day again. So now I've found this website, and am definitly doing the program. Anything to bring relief!! I don't want to have to be on the clonazepam - habit forming and side effects after stopping..

I took a half dose this morning.

The problem I'm having is with the CBT you have to expose yourself to your anxieties, and as far as I can tell, this time around my trigger is in the morning. In bed still.. thoughts like "oh no, I have to get up and face the day" or "oh no my kids will need me soon" (they're 1 and 3). So I'm looking forward to working through the program and trying to get over that.

I take comfort in knowing that it took Juanita 6 weeks to start seeing a change. I'm hoping I won't have to up my celexa dose yet again...

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

SAD, light therapy

Hi,

My symptoms of anxiety and depression always get worse in the winter. For the most part, I can usually significantly decrease or stop my meds alltogether in the summer months (and here in Winnipeg, our seasons are very pronounced).

So if I were to get a SAD light, would I not need to be on SSRI?

Where can I get one? What is the cost?

Thanks!
Delia

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Hi... my name is Delia and I have Panic Disorder... :)

Hey,

So I'm 30, have a wonderful hubby, a 13 year old stepdaughter and two rugrats of my own, 3 and 1.

My panic attacks started when I was 21, recently enrolled in college, lost my license and subsequently my job, and so whenever I would lie down to go to sleep at night, I started getting panic attacks. I even called 911 in the middle of the night one time, convinced I was having a heart attack. It took my GP and school counsellor a few weeks to realize that I was having panic attacks (after I had an episode in class). Then, I was on and off of meds. I was always the happy one, had tons of friends, was the life of the party! That all kind of started to slow down after that. I would go off the meds because my friends and family didn't think I needed the meds, it was "all in my head". So after I met my husband 6 years ago, it became clear quickly that he was very supportive. He asked me if I had cancer or HIV would I not take meds? Of course! Then his question was why I was hesitating to medicate my anxiety. It's a disease too.. so since then I've been pretty good.

Just recently (in Nov) started a new job after being home for the past 3 years with my babies. Now, they're in daycare, adapting well, my job is OK - not my dream job, but it pays the bills. And on christmas eve my anxiety kept me in bed all day! Now my trigger is waking up in the morning - certainly no avoiding that! So now what?? I upped my meds, am now on 20mg Celexa, (was down to 10 mg every other day before this) and my doc even perscribed Clonazepam to help calm my nerves. My anxiety attacks wax and wane and stay almost all day. I'll get a few minutes of relief, and then I'll think - Oh, I'm not panicking, and then I panic... it's a vicious cycle.
I'm hoping that after 10 years there's still hope for me. I have never done CBT before, but from my recent research, I believe I should be able to get better. I also have a counsellor booked who doesn't have a whole lot of experience with CBT but she said she was willing to try - it's through an EAP, so it's free - beggars can't be choosers -eh?

So, that's me ... anyone with similar stories? Or suggestions?

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Hi... my name is Delia and I have Panic Disorder... :)

Thanks all for the welcoming comments! :)

Well, today was better than yesterday, and here's hoping to tomorrow being a better day!

Can't wait for next week to start working on session 2.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

I upped my meds and we will see I guess

Hi,

I know how you feel! I too feel terrible when upping my meds because I feed like it's a step back, when all I want is for this to go away!

I recently had to go from 5mg to 20 in a week because my panic attacks were just escalating. Then my doc gave me a clonazepam, which can be highly addictive... so then what? right? I took it twice and haven't needed it yet, but my celexa is at 20, and I'm Ok with that now. I have an anxiety towards medication too, so it makes dosing for this even tougher.

But don't feel bad. You gotta do what you gotta do to feel better. I'm unfamiliar with Prozac. But I know Celexa takes between 2 - 4 weeks for it to start making a noticeable difference. I just recently read on one of these discussions that there was a lady here who noticed after 6. So even though my symptoms are still there (albeit not as bad) after 3 weeks, I'm confident that after 6 I'll be OK again.

Hang in there too! :)

Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Physical Symptoms of Panic Attacks

When I first started having panic attacks I always got them at night - I couldn't sleep. I've called 911 thinking I was having a heart attack. That was 10 years ago. With medication alone I have been able to live virtually panic free, with only a few episodes a year, that would usually happen over the course of a month in the winter.

This time, they hit me in the morning. To the point where I couldn't go to work. Meds alone weren't seeming to help. So I found this website - stumbled upon it really, and it's been really helpful! Seriously I've been using it for less than a week, and I already feel better. Just knowing someone there gets what I get, and I'm not really going crazy.. I was starting to think I needed to check myself into a local mental health hospital - but now I know I'm fine.

I'm very much looking forward to working through the CBT, and getting a real handle on my panic.

And prayers, and reading scripture works for me too. :)

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

How to Keep Motivated?

Hi guys,

For me positive thinking - actually forcing myself to ignore the panicky, anxious thoughts. For example. My panic attacks come at around 5 am. I am, and always have been a night owl. I am NEVER up at 5. But for the last few weeks I've been waking at 5, just to have a panic attack. Now I am only on session 2, but I understand that in the next week I am really going to focus on what exactly my thoughts are. But, this morning I prayed (for those of you who do - it's great to get others to pray over you too) - and then I just focused on what I was going to do today. Get up, enjoy my kids while I get them ready for daycare - quite different from my usual: "Oh no, the kids are gonna be up soon, and they'll need me, and I'll have to get them fed, cleaned up, dressed and get ready myself and start the car and get them bundled up... etc etc." Today I woke up my kids with kisses, stayed in my undies and tank top (I told my 13 year old stepdaughter as she came upstairs she was gonna have to get used to that

) ... and got their lunches packed, their breakfast fed, dressed, and I still made it to work on time.. just like I always do.

The anxious thoughts are still there, but it sure made my usual panic-ridden morning routine enjoyable.

Take care friends!

Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Anxiety Disorders

Hi,

my anxiety is triggered by needing to wake up and get my kids aged 1 and 3 ready for daycare. I struggle with my role transition from stay-at-home-mom to working mom.

Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Alternative therapies

Hi,

I have tried massage - always relaxing. I went when I was at the height of a panic ridden day and it didn't help all that much, but it was worth the try.
Yoga and meditation helps me too.

Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Did you know€¦

It seems just about right to me. Mine started when I was 21. I just wish I would have known of this program earlier in my life, I wouldn't have suffered this long.

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