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| tris | -- 02-28-2004 @ 7:40 AM |
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Is anyone out there on an SSRI medication for panic/anxiety? If so, does it help? Which one do you take, does it help you, how long were you on it before you noticed a difference and did you or do you have any strange side effects? I am very afraid to try these medications because I read about the side effects and it scares me. But.... I have been battling panic/anxiety disorder for over 3 months now by seeing a psychologist and taking xanax and I still do not feel better. I am still afraid all of the time and I have hypochondrial symptoms that are basically keeping me from living a normal life. The psychologist keeps tellimg me that the SSRI's will help me but when I tried one (Lexapro), I felt really weird and it scared me so I quit taking it after only one day. Can anyone share any positivie experiences about SSRI's? Please help!!!! I want to be normal again and I don't want to be afraid anymore!!!!
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| Susanne | -- 02-28-2004 @ 9:22 AM |
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Hello Stuff, There is a wide variety of SSRI's out there. They all slightly differ when it comes to side effects. SSRI's usually take about 6 weeks to get to their desired effect. I would suggest you talk to your Doctor about this, these meds to work well for panic/anxiety. Susanne
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| pamela343 | -- 02-28-2004 @ 8:30 PM |
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stuff, I take zoloft for my panic and anxiety and have had no side effects from it. In the beginning it made me a little tired and upset my stomach slightly , but other then that I haven't had any problems. Honestly it was one of the best decisions I've made concerning my GAD. I fought taking an SSRI for a long time because I was scared of them also, but I continued to get worse and finally had no other choice. Now I wish I had taken it a long time ago. Hope this is helpful.
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| tris | -- 02-28-2004 @ 8:39 PM |
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Pamela - thank you so much for responding. I am doing exactly what you said you did, fighting the idea of taking an SSRI. I am at the point where I can't stand how I am feeling so that is why I am finally thinking about trying something. Did you start out on small does of the ZoOloft and then build up or how did you do it? How long have you been on it and how long did you take it before you felt more like your self? Also, were you able to drive and go to work and stuff when you first started to take it?
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| dCheryl | -- 02-29-2004 @ 12:02 AM |
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Stuff, I started taking Paxil CR 3 weeks ago. My doc said to take it in the morning but I'm weird about meds and don't like taking stuff then leaving the house. I took it on an afternoon that I was home. He started me on 12.5mg (he gave me samples). I took it and definelty felt it. My head got kind of warm and I felt dopey (a very nice dopey I might add) for about an hour. The next day, same thing. By the third day I felt nothing at all. After a week of the 12.5mg he told me to start taking the 25mg that he prescribed. Again I waited til I was home because I was concerned about the increase. Took it and felt nothing out of the ordinary. I do get a daily headache now but advil knocks that out quickly. Other than that I feel great. They say that most SSRI's can take up to 8 weeks to get the full effect but I definelty felt a difference within a week. I've had one panic attack since starting the Paxil CR but it came and went quickly. As for the daily anxiety I was feeling, that is gone. I wake up feeling good instead of anxious.
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| tris | -- 02-29-2004 @ 7:51 AM |
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Cheryl, thank you so much for your reponse. That is exactly the kind of encouraging information I am looking for. I really appreciate your sharing that with me. I would love to wake up and not feel anxious or afraid about the day ahead. It seems like I fight to get through every single day and it is becoming so very difficult for me. I have a couple friends who are also on Paxil and they also say it has helped them and they are strongly urging me to try it. Hopefully I will overcome my fear of trying it. I was planning on doing the same thing you did, beginning to take it on a Saturday so if I feel a little weird I won't need to worry about having to drive or go to work. Thank you again!!!
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| Lester | -- 02-29-2004 @ 10:34 AM |
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Hey, I'm taking Paxil, but I'm currently trying to get off it. It has too many BAD side effects for me!! I was taking 10mg a day, but I have cut back to 5 mg for the last 3 weeks, now I'm working on 2.5mg for a few weeks. For me , Paxil worked fairly well when I first started taking it ( took about 3 weeks to "kick-in"), but after a couple months I began having terrible nightmares and severe back pain. Right now, I'm having some pretty severe withdrawal symptoms. It just ain't the drug for me!! I'm not sure if or what my Doctor may try next. On the other hand, I my niece takes Zoloft, and it works very well for her! I guess the bottom line is that these drugs have different effects on different people, and take several weeks before you feel a difference. HTH!! Good Luck!!
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| phoebe1 | -- 02-29-2004 @ 11:58 AM |
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Stuff I am currently taking Zoloft and it has definitely helped with the panic. Although I had taken this medication before, my doctor started my off very slowly, starting with 25mgs,increasing to 50mg, then to 100mgs which I am currently on. By starting off very slowly, it allows your body to adjust without side effects. It may be frustrating in the beginning, because the dosage is really too low to notice significant improvement, but as you gradually increase to a therapeutic dose, you will feel much better. It is a slow process, but well worth it. The only drawback I have experienced, is weight gain. But I guess it is a small price to pay for feeling better and being able to function normally again.
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| pamela343 | -- 02-29-2004 @ 4:11 PM |
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stuff, I started out on 25 mgs of zoloft, then after a week began to take 50mgs. This doseage seemed to help , but I was still experiencing anxiety on a daily basis so after a couple of months my doctor increased it to 100mgs. I have been able to drive and function normally throughout the whole process. But I think my experience is slightly different them most because when I was at my worst instead of being scared to go out and do things, I was more scared of staying at home, as long as I was around people then I was ok. After about 6 weeks on the 100mgs I began to feel better then I had even prior to my panic and anxiety episode. One other thing that really helped me was Klonopin. While I was going through the process of trying to find the right dosage of zoloft, the klonopin really helped me to deal with the extreme panic and anxiety. I know there is alot of controversary surrounding these kinds of meds, but I wanted to get well so badly and what I was doing on my own obviously was'nt working, so it got to the point that I had to do whatever I needed to ,to get well. Now that I am so much better I don't take klonopin anymore and I'm hoping in the next couple of months I will be able to lower my dosage of zoloft, my doctor says I just have to take it slowly, but she knows I won't have to be on it for more then a couple of years. Keep hanging in there!
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| tris | -- 02-29-2004 @ 6:17 PM |
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Just wanted to thank everyone for the responses. I really appreciate all of the feedback!!!
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| antsy | -- 03-01-2004 @ 10:34 AM |
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This is amazing. I was going to post a question today about Zoloft. My doctor (a new doc, first time I saw him) prescribed Zoloft for me on Friday. I have been too scared to start it. I feel like my anxiety is somewhat situational, and taking a daily medication freaks me out. Hah, anxiety about anxiety medication. I'm mostly afraid that I'll take it and it'll make me feel worse. Is there anything that can be taken during a panic attack to lessen it, rather than a daily medication? I've heard of Xanax, but that's about it. Also, for the people who are taking meds, do you combine this with therapy? My doctor didn't even suggest a referral to a therapist, which made me feel like he's just throwing drugs at me.
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| dCheryl | -- 03-01-2004 @ 10:46 AM |
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I would definelty ask for a referal to a therapist or counselor. Meds are great but they are basically suppose to be a short term thing while you learn other things to help you cope. They don't change your thinking behavior and from everything I learned, the key to beating panic is Cognitive Behavior Therapy which teaches you to make these changes.
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| JenK | -- 03-01-2004 @ 2:08 PM |
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hi there! If I were you I would talk very seriously with your doctor about taking an SSRI. I know that they have saved my life when combined with CBT(cognative behavioural therapy) and meditation. SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. In a nutshell, Serotonin in a chemical/hormone in your brain that is thought to have effect on moods and the presence of anxiety. I'm not 100% sure of the exact way this works but I think that people with anxiety and depressive disorders produce too much serotonin. I'm not really sure how to explain this because i'm not quite clear on it myself, but SSRI's help to regulate serotonin levels. This can help greatly with anxiety.  I'm on a SNRI, which is SSRI taken one step further. It works with another chemical in the brain called norepinepherine, which is also thought to play a role in anxiety. I'm taking Effexor XR which works on serotonin and norepinepherine. I find it works very well with the combination of therapy and meditation/yoga. Don't lean on just one treatment, make sure you do therapy and relaxation to help you on your way Good luck!!! Jen
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| tris | -- 03-01-2004 @ 3:17 PM |
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Hi everyone,. I am so grateful for this site and for all of you sharing your stories. I wish we could all get together in person and have a group therapy session!!! What I am wondering is, is there anyone out there that is managing panic/anxiety without any meds at all? Is that even possible? I have been seeing a psychologist and working on the CBT for 3 months and the biggest thing that he taught me that has helped me is the controlled breathing or andominable breathing. That along with xanax helps when my anxiety level is extremely high to keep me from going into a full blown panic atttack (usually). I still just cannot kick the constant fear. Currently I am taking xanax and it helps to take the edge off but I am still too afraid to venture out of the house for anything other than what is absolutely necessary like work and groceries and even doing that is such a atruggle for me. I have big-time hyponchondria where my fear is that I am going to have a heart attack, a stroke or some other sudden on-set of some terrible illness while I am at work, driving, at the store, whatever. I am trying to learn "thought stopping" and eliminating "catastrophic thoughts" but I am having difficulty mastering that. When I have a really bad day is when I think about the SSRI's but to be honest, I am so afraid of those that when I have an "ok" day, I think I'll just try to continue to fight it out. Did anyone out there conquer this and resume a fairly normal life without meds? If so, how did you do it and how long did it take you? Maybe I am expecting too much in only 3 months??? What is the normal time frame for the CBT to really work well enough to feel more confident? Does anyone else out there have the hypochondria problem? Everyone, please continue to give your feedback! Thank you !!!!!!!
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| melanie | -- 03-01-2004 @ 4:59 PM |
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Hi Stuff, It is known that CBI and medication is the best method of therapy. As for time frames, regular practice will make techniques easier to use. In some cases you may feel that you are going backwards instead of making progress. Keep on working and if you feel like you are having setbacks then please jump back on the site and we can work through them together. Take care, Melanie
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| ohansen | -- 08-30-2004 @ 12:06 AM |
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The term "S.S.R.I" stands for "Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor". These are the new class of anti-depressants quite different from the tricyclics. Serotonin functions in the brain by latching onto chemical receptors. A chemical message is passed down through the nerve until it reaches the synapse. At this point or "Gap", chemical messengers transfer the message from one nerve cell to the next. The extra serotonin that "Isn't" used in the transmission is usually reabsorbed. However the anti-depressant action of "S.S.R.I." inhibitors is to leave more serotonin in the brain available to the receptors. Hope that helps you.
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| Khris | -- 08-30-2004 @ 12:42 AM |
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Well, I started on Zoloft almost 2 years ago for GAD..but I actually GOT panic attacks after being on it for some time. Then my meds were changed to Lexapro daily and Xanax as needed when the panic does come. The Xanax kills the panic attack in its track. The Lexapro has definantly made a difference in the way I feel and the anxiety.
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| MichaelP | -- 08-30-2004 @ 9:10 PM |
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Everyone reacts differantly to treatment...some people do better on just benzos and most of those take higher dosages of benzo. Ive always done well with a low dose of prozac 5-10 mg and low dose of klonopin .25-.5mg, along with diet, excercise, etc... The prozac scared me at first as well and I do have trouble with meds....I cant tolerate a higher dose of prozac and thus still am not 100% but the low dosaage seems to help but you need to start out low and see how it goes....
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| rachele | -- 08-31-2004 @ 8:23 PM |
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Stuff, I have struggled with panic/anxiety for approximately 10 or 12 years now without medication. I have recently been considering it because I have just grown tired, physically and mentally, of coping with the tools I have. However, on a positive note it is possible to utilize only cognitive-behavioral tools to deal with panic. It DOES take more than three months... for a couple of reasons. First, your body/mind has to be trained to respond almost instantaneously to anxiety, this can only be done with practice, practice and more practice. Second, your nervous system needs to have time to rest. And third, you do become in a sense "used to" your panic and accepting of the fact it will go away when utilizing your coping tools, but this takes time. After all this time my anxiety/panic sort of comes and goes with long periods in between and I know that this is in large part due to the fact that I know how to take care of myself. There are times though that it can get the best of me when something very stressful is happening and it is because of these times that I have been considering medication. Maybe its a cop out, I don't know but I'm tired of doing the work and feeling the strain. Hhhhmmm, this isn't sounding very positive is it? I meant it to be, I know people who do perfectly well without meds aside from the rare xanax under extreme circumstances. You just have to be willing to do the work. Good luck whatever you decide. Rachele
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| heartbeat4u67 | -- 09-02-2004 @ 3:35 AM |
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Dear Stuff: Just wanted to put in my 2 cents worth. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder about 12 years ago, but only AFTER 2 years of going to the doctor for just about everything under the sun, only to have the doctor tell me nothing was wrong with me. He gave me Xanax, and told me to go home. I ended up thinking I must be "nuts" because I kept having all these "symptoms" and the doctor just kept telling me nothing was wrong. I was SERIOUSLY hypocondriac!!!! So I checked myself into the local mental health care facility. (No, I'm not joking!) I was supposed to spend 21 days there, however, after 3 days, the panel of doctors told me I needed to go home, this was not the place for me! (Actually, it's quite comical now to think about it) I was terrified to go home, because I was absolutely positive I was insane or something. It took me 5 years to get off the xanax, and to be honest, I wouldn't recommend xanax to anyone, since half my problem was because xanax is a short acting drug, and when my body would come down from the xanax, the deficit acts JUST LIKE ANXIETY!! So I never knew if it was because of the drug, or because I was anxious, the two are very similiar. However, I do take Paxil, and Clonazapam and I can honestly tell you, I feel much better.......without it I would not be able to function as well as I do. I am hoping this course is going to give me some cognitive tools so that I can start really living again. Jennifer
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| panicjon | -- 09-23-2004 @ 3:24 PM |
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Hi Stuff, I really don't like the SSRI's personally because I have been given Lexapro, Paxil CR, Ephuxer, Zoloft, and Xanax XR. All of these have given me some really bad side effects.
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| glofish | -- 09-26-2004 @ 2:06 PM |
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Hi, I've been trying to fight panic/anxiety disorder on my own for 1,5 years. I was really afraid of medications and also I beleived in a natural approuch like meditation, herbs, homeopathy, cognitive therapy. I finally got to the point where I was not able to leave the house and had to take medical leave from work. I was in bed almost all the time - so weak and aiky, i've head racing hart all the time and could not breath well. I hit the bottom. Than I've decided to go back to my MD and he asked me:"Who needs all this suffering. Why are you doing it to yourself. You will just looose you job eventually and the rest of your social life." And I've decided to to try drugs. I must tell you that first couple of of weeks were very difficult. Every time I would take Lexapro I would have panic attack. But I've survived. I am taking 20 mg daily now and feeling much better physically. At least I am not in bed any more and is able to do things around the house. I still have agoraphobia and I take xanax when I need to go out (which is still very rare case). But at least i am not that anxious anymore. I know it is very very hard to start on your meds. You feel that you've suffered enough already. But you need to tak that risk to potentially fell even worse for a while in order to get better. We are with you. You'll get througt it.:) Glofish
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| CanadianMe | -- 10-01-2004 @ 2:38 PM |
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Hi Stuff, I am in the same boat as you. I have been having panic/anxiety for 5 months now. I am Soooo scared of using the drugs. The weird thing is I dont really feel that anxious half the time, I dont wake up anxious, the one thing that gets to me is the physical symptoms like out of the blue I will just feel dizzy or like I'm going to fall over. I am worried that the meds will make the dizziness worse. Has anyone experienced any help with dizziness from meds? I havn't tried the cognitive therapy yet, but that is next on my list, however I feel like my physical symptoms come out of nowhere and I'm not even sure the cognitive will help. I have had a bottle of 12.5 paxil cr on my dresser for a 3 months now and haven't taken one. I dont take Xanax as I seem to be able to somewhat control my panic attacks and I have s .5 dose of ativan just in case which I have only taken once. Let me know if you decide to take the drugs.
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| robngina97 | -- 10-01-2004 @ 3:15 PM |
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hi canadianmel i too was just diagnosed with panic i tried zoloft for 1 month and 1 1/2 weeks ago swiyched to pazil cr 12.5mg a day i take it at night cause can cause sleepiness i feel totally different im happier i too was dizzy,nausous,shakyand very irritable. i was taking zanax 2 times a day now knock on wood its been 3 days and no zanax give the paxil a try its working great for me
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