cyberwolf

I stumbled across it for support in my quest to stop drinking (none since Sunday morning at 02.30!), and now I find I can also read helpful supportive posts about my anxiety aswell. This is great.

I have kind of posted this as an answer to a question but thought I would post it in its own right aswell (hope thats allowed?) at the moment (since last Friday) I am on 5mg valium 3 x daily (or as required as is printed on the label) and 80mg of half-inderal propanolol 1 x daily twice if required, to help me with my anxiety. and sometimes it just seems like they don't work!! At other times like yesterday I took one propanolol in the morning and 1 valium and that was it all day and I felt fine even though I was at work, and today I am at home and feel really anxious and shaky about nothing in particular and have had 1 propanolol and am on 2nd valium 1st was 7am.

My anxiety usually manifests itself in a constant state of alarm, I feel totally on edge like something catastrophic is about to happen, and I can't get any peace and then every once in a while I have a total meltdown it can be walking the dog, at work or particularly often being in a large supermarket especially in the queue. Mad or what???!!

I have tried all the stuff about "it will pass" "I am not dying - it just feels like it" "it is unlikely I will pass out" " I do not have to run" but each time it hits me like a train, legs go to jelly I feel really disorientated, feel instantly sick, I sense impending doom (on the scale that armageddon is about to occur) and I get very tearful (aren't our bodies great)

The last time I went top docs, last week, I told him I thought I was going mad, and he said it is nothing psychological but purely chemical and went on to explain about the adrenalin rush and your body not being able to use it so that is why I feel need the need to flee. Put my mind at rest a bit but I still wish I could learn to control it, I probably have full blown attacks at least once a month though in the last month I have 5! I now live in fear of it happening again, therefore rationally I know, making it a self fulfilling prophecy!!!

I have recently been trying to kind out about "tapping" which I believe people like Paul mcKenna and derren Brown use to reprogramme the brain - does anyone have any info on that - I ordered a book by roger callaghan called tapping the healer within but am still waiting on it to be delivered.

Does anyone know how or where to "tap" or do you have anything that takes the edge of things for you. I have tried the deep breathing, the focussing on my fear and trying to move it to the pit of my stomach so I can "control it" but when it happens I literally go crazy

Sorry for the long post but would appreciate help comments and advice

Thanks so much

CW

WalkOfFaith

CW,
Oh how I can relate to the nagging anxiety! I found a new doctor recently who provides assistance to residents at the substance abuse treatment center. What a blessing! Not only does she have the meds down pat for withdrawal, anxiety, sleep, etc. but also for the codependent behaviors, anxiety, sleep problems, etc.
She changed my meds completely: from Lexapro 20mg to Celexa 40mg; from Trazadone 20mg to sleep to Seroquel 100mg. She told me not to take the Klonipin (sp?) but prescribed a very, very small dose of Ativan for break thru anxiety. Apparently the Seroquel is also a mood stabilizer and the Ativan goes in quick and gets out quick so the relief is more immediate - same for the Celexa...... Maybe you just need to consider a med check..... I can't tell you how much relief I have received just from changing my meds. Best of luck! hugs to you

wreckovery

does celexa help anxiety?

bluenena

I have been on Celexa for about 1 1/2 months. It has helped me. I am still anxious sometimes but not like I was. I hope that with time it will continue to fade. ..

I felt like you do back in June it started and it was a constant state of terror. I quit my job and never left the house. There were a lot of days I didn't even get out of bed. I was taking Effexor that did nothing for me. I was also taking 1mg of ativan 3 times a day.

Now I am on the Celexa and like I said it is helping. I no longer take the ativan my doctor switched me to klonipin 2 times a day as needed but I haven't had to take it lately. I am even sleeping some nights without any meds.

I wish I new what to tell you to do to make it stop right now. I know that feeling...But I can at least give you hope, things will get better.

scarlati

If you're just seeing your family doctor, a lot of them don't know much about anxiety. I think you should see a psychiatrist about the meds and get some ongoing therapy with a psychiatrist or councellor. The meds can help with the physical symptoms but therapy can help you understand and address the thought processes involved with your anxiety. Some people have told me that therapy didn't do much for them, but I know my anxiety levels are way down since I started and that was just a month ago. So it's worth looking into if you haven't already.

Lilya

Welcome, Cyberwolf.

I used to have symptoms just like you on a daily basis.

Although I do get attacks and had one just recently, I have noticed a combination that really helps. Hopefully it can help you too. It´s therapy based on CBT, tai chi or yoga, swimming (or some similar exercise), writing (or painting, playing, working with numbers, etc), listening to relaxation music and making a goal-orientated list.

Therapy, like Scarlati suggested, is very important. I find that I get over the attacks much sooner, the symptoms go away for some time and I feel it´s not as difficult on the body.

Keep posting and know you´re not alone. Just talking about it with someone who understands can be really healing.

Love and light,

cyberwolf

Hi guys

Thank you all for your replies and advice. I am off to see a psychologist this afternoon so hopefully that will help. Though have to say I am feeling sick with anxiety at thought of this!! Yesterday really bad didnt get out of bed till 7pm, but today I am up and have blitzed the house!!

Hope to get some answers today and then got docs on Friday to discuss this appt today.

Am freaking out that I will have panic attack at counsellors but doubt I would be the first or last if that happens but just how I tell myself that in mid attack is another thing!!

Thanks again

cyberwolf

Well made it through the appointment and it seems that I am a good candidate for therapy!!!

Should have said yesterday I have changed meds since 1st post...I am now on citalopram(sp) and propanolol. However doc did say he'd review after report from psychologist.

The 1st 1 to 1 appt I can get is in mid november but at least I know that it will happen then she wants me to consider group therapy sometime in the new year. But in the meantime she will send out some literature and a cd to help me.

It was very difficult and lots of tears and feeling very anxious (shock there huh) but I am glad I didnt cancel and I went and I really hope this is the start of a glimpse of light at the end of a very long tunnel.

I'd be interested to hear anyones experiences in relation to psychologists??

:-)

Lilya

Hi Cyberwolf,

Good for you. I´m glad to hear you´re going into therapy, because in my experience it can change everything for the better.

I´ve had all kinds of therapy since my mid-twenties. Unfortunately I had psycho-analysis for four years, which was (and is) a very popular form of therapy in France. That didn´t get me anywhere, because it was all about going back to childhood, be angry at parental figures and look for some memories that were not there and scratch old wounds.

I had different kind of therapy to help me get over the psycho-analysis and finally found Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which for me, works best on my anxiety. It has really enriched my life and helped me to live life to the fullest.

I also took citalopram and still do from time to time, if there is a crisis in my life. It is very effective, but the first three weeks were tough. It made me feel worse, which is common, but then it really helped.

Keep at it, you´re doing great.

Love and light,

cyberwolf

Thanks

I believe it is CBT that I will be focussing on predominantly (sp) She said there is a 3 pronged approach to anxiety, physiological (which can be treated with meds) behavioural eg avoidance and thought processes eg catastrophising, I think. She said that they could help me with the last 2 which through time could hopefully eliminate the need for meds.

She went through what the mind does and why and was able to pre-empt what I was saying when she asked me about certain conditions and things that made me anxious (pretty much everything lol)

I would basically like to learn coping mechanisms so that it makes things easier

But hopefully I will be on the long road to normality whatever that may be and it will make life easier for me and those around me!!

But thanks for your helpful comments and sharing your experiences

CW

GailJ

You are definately on the right track, The cilitropam should help to level out the overall anx and the ativans definately will help with the panick attacks and the triggers that are causing them. Good luck with your therapist and the CBT. We're hre if you need us.

scarlati

This is all good news. CBT is all about figuring out what triggers your anxiety and coming up with a way for you to gradually expose yourself to those things to prove to your subconcious mind that they don't pose any real threat. To do this your psychologist might ask you to start doing things on a regular basis that push you outside of your "comfort zone." So I just want to warn you ahead of time that in the first week or two your anxiety levels might actually increase. But it's just like getting off alcohol; it may not be fun at first but you'll be much better off in the long run.

Since you have another month before you get to start therapy you can use this time to get a head start. Find a book about meditation. There's probably an "Idiots Guide" or a "Meditation for Dummies." Find something like that and start practicing now. It does take practice but if you can learn to relax and clear your mind before you even start therapy it'll help you a lot, and it is something you can learn on your own.

Jeanee

I was having a panic attack & just read under POWER POSTS THE ARTICLE Who is controlling your mind & I found it beneficial. Jeanee