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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 10:34:39
I'm BipolarII and have GAD and panic attacks. I take 60mg Cymbalta and 200mg Lamictal, and .25mg Xanax as needed - which means, once a day. I can't predict when the anxiety will come over me, it's not situational, and I have tapered down from 1mg xanax to the present .25mg which seems to keep the yucks under control.
My question is - can I expect my GAD to eventually go away? My depression and mood swings are under control with the Cymbalta and Lamictal - yahoo for that!! - but I'm distressed about the anxiety not really improving to a point where I don't experience it at least once every day.
Should I just accept this as the way I am now? I developed GAD over the course of the last 10 years, gradually. It became severe a year ago, and since that time I stopped working and changed therapists (several times). I'm happy with my present T and with the medication regime I'm on... except for this anxiety.
I'm not looking for "it's OK to take xanax every day". I'm looking for "just as the anxiety gradually grew in intensity, it will lapse back into remission". Is this unrealistic? Have my adrenal glands been permanently recalibrated to this "ON" position?
Oh, and I know that worrying about my anxiety makes it worse.
thanks all,
ClearSkies
Posted by linkadge on December 2, 2005, at 10:41:06
In reply to Can anxiety eventually resolve itself?, posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 10:34:39
Anxiety can resolve itself.
I think that anxiety prone individuals just take longer to adapt to their environment.
Linkadge
Posted by med_empowered on December 2, 2005, at 11:22:19
In reply to Re: Can anxiety eventually resolve itself?, posted by linkadge on December 2, 2005, at 10:41:06
It really depends. I think benzos might be the best med for incapacitating anxiety, *if* they're administered properly. The goal of anxiety treatment for most people really should be to handle it mentally, with pharmacological interventions at the most intense, unmanageable points--since benzos work well PRN, this would be an appropriate use of them. But yeah..I think overt signs of anxiety can be dealt with (panic attacks, etc.) w/o drugs and often w/o therapy. More subtle anxiety is sometimes more a personal style than a disorder per se; its probably not something to worry about unless it proves incapacitating.
Posted by Racer on December 2, 2005, at 13:18:54
In reply to Can anxiety eventually resolve itself?, posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 10:34:39
> ...I have tapered down from 1mg xanax to the present .25mg which seems to keep the yucks under control.
That's great progress, and it's come in a pretty short time, when you think about it. Think of where you'll be that same length of time from now -- perfect in every single possible way, right? :-D You've improved so much, and it's likely to keep improving, too.
In my own, pig-ignorant, knee-jerk opinion...
>
> My question is - can I expect my GAD to eventually go away?
>
> Should I just accept this as the way I am now?Yes. You can accept this as the way you are RIGHT NOW. And be aware that in another month, six months, year, things will likely be very different. Your panic attacks may be gone entirely. You may have a whole new set of symptoms, of course, but you may not. You're doing everything right, and it's likely to improve. At least, I think so.
>
> I'm not looking for "it's OK to take xanax every day". I'm looking for "just as the anxiety gradually grew in intensity, it will lapse back into remission". Is this unrealistic? Have my adrenal glands been permanently recalibrated to this "ON" position?
>
> Oh, and I know that worrying about my anxiety makes it worse.
>
> thanks all,
> ClearSkiesMy guess is that your adrenals are going to reset themselves, but it will take a long time. Mine seem to be much improved -- though I must admit the propranalol probably had a lot to do with that happening as rapidly as it did. I still get tense, scared, etc -- but I'm not in that state of constant hyperarousal.
It will take some time, though. The whole LHPA axis is pretty delicate, and tends to take a fair amount of time to adjust to anything new. A friend of mine had trouble after a week on a steroid, which reset his system -- took approximately one full year to return to baseline. And that's from a one week course of steroids for some sort of allergy (I think), rather than chronic anxiety.
I hope that helps.
Oh, and one of the worst things to do to your HPA axis is called Mother's Visits...
Posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 18:35:55
In reply to You know what I'm going to say, right?, posted by Racer on December 2, 2005, at 13:18:54
:-)
It is still sinking in that I suffer worse aftershocks from stress than during the actual events. I bumbled through the week with my mother with a Homer Simpson-like stupor on my face. About 2 hours after I put her on the plane home I began to hyperventilate!
Moms - you gotta love them (not). It does make xmas shopping for her a challenge. Coal in a sack seems like a good idea.Thanks to *all* for your sage advice, as always. I am going to let time do its healing thing and look forward to the eventual diminishment of my anxiety.
Posted by Racer on December 2, 2005, at 18:49:06
In reply to Re: You know what I'm going to say, right? » Racer, posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 18:35:55
" It does make xmas shopping for her a challenge. Coal in a sack seems like a good idea."
One year, in my childhood, I did gift-wrap charcoal brickets and have that year's "Santa" -- I think it must have been my aunt -- put them into her stocking. I highly recommend it.
Posted by Phillipa on December 2, 2005, at 22:16:53
In reply to LOL! » ClearSkies, posted by Racer on December 2, 2005, at 18:49:06
Sounds like you're doing well. Keep it up Clear Skies soon to be Sunny Days. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by lynn971 on December 3, 2005, at 21:08:44
In reply to Can anxiety eventually resolve itself?, posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 10:34:39
I usually worry about healt issues. Do you mind sharing your type? Maybe we can help eachother.
Posted by RobertDavid on December 3, 2005, at 21:33:04
In reply to Can anxiety eventually resolve itself?, posted by ClearSkies on December 2, 2005, at 10:34:39
Before taking klonopin, I did years of therapy, relaxation techniques, excersize, meditation, etc. Though all things helped me it was not until I took Klonpin that my anxiety was manageable. I've tried many other meds, none have worked as well.
After years of being on Klonopin I wanted to see if I was better, didn't need to take it for my anxiety. But when I stopped, it all came back. I had forgotten how uncomfortable I was, particularly with SAD.
As far as I'm concerned I'm taking Klonopin (or some other anti anxiety med should something come out better) the rest of my life.
As my doctor told me "it's good for you, take it." I didn't realize what he meant then, but do now. That it's better for my health to be without anxiety by taking klonopin that it is to be very anxious without it. For me, therapy alone was not enough. Just my take......
Posted by ClearSkies on December 4, 2005, at 4:16:35
In reply to Re: I have GAD too. What type of anxiety do you ha, posted by lynn971 on December 3, 2005, at 21:08:44
My anxiety has to do with accomplishing tasks, being with lots of people in public place (grocery stores, malls), feeling overwhelmed by life in general, and failing at whatever new thing I might try.
It creeps up on me when I am sitting quietly at home, not doing anything. Instead of getting up and doing something, I feel horrible with the physical symptoms and try in vain to slow down my breathing.
My goal is to become active in spite of the symptoms and try to distract myself until they pass. Sometimes the feeling lasts 20 minutes, sometimes hours. It's much, much better than it used to be, an all-day affair.
CS
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