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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lilvipr23 on January 22, 2007, at 18:44:02
Ok, kinda new at this so.....bear with me. I have been batteling anxiety since I believe I was 5! Always a nervous kid, always anxious, and hyperactive. Since I have gotten older I started to notice my anxiety was getting to the poing I was having "attacks". Since I am not a big pill pusher, I decided to just grin and bear it. Well, I got to a point where everyday I was living a panic attack, living in fear of dying or becoming deathly ill from some sort of disease etc. I finally decided to take medication. First, we tried Lexapro.....BAD IDEA!! Then we tried Zoloft....eh, worked for a while then started getting attacks again sop they simply uped my dose. Well that didn't do much justice and by this time I was sick of being a lab rat, I was fed up, and just decided I had to live like this and get used to it.....after all this was ME! After yet another breakdown I decided I "needed" the meds to stay sane (for all I knew I was going INSANE) So now I moved to citalopram (celexa. Finally something that worked, or so I thought! I also decided to go talk to someone while on the medicine(although it took me 5 therapists to finally find one I like) I have been feeling so good since I have been seeing him, yet my medicine started making me feel worse...nervopus belly, headaches, and anxiety all over again. I decided enough is enough and I stopped my meds cold turkey! And this is where I am at.....questions un answered, feeling withdrawal symptoms, scared to death I am dying of some stomach thing (And yes I have my annual physicals, and yes they tell me evrything is fine but yet I stil think something is wrong) I am tired of feeling alone, and feeling like a lab rat! Some days I have great days and others I scare myself thinking that I am going to feel like this forever......what do I do? Does anyone else feel the same? Thanks for letting me vent, sorry it took so long.......
Posted by blueberry1 on January 22, 2007, at 20:14:12
In reply to citalopram, posted by lilvipr23 on January 22, 2007, at 18:44:02
The serotonin antidepressants like lexapro, celexa, and zoloft are favored by doctors to treat anxiety. The problem is they usually INCREASE anxiety in the first few weeks of treatment, and sometimes they don't work at all no matter how long or what dose. When they do work, they can work for a long time for some people or they can 'poopout' on some people. Most people at this board have had lots of poopouts.
In that class of drugs, I do not understand why they had you do celexa after failing lexapro. Lexapro is celexa with the inactive part of it removed. Not exactly the same drugs, but very similar. One is made from the other.
Anyway, the powerhorse in that class of drugs for anxiety is Paxil. I wonder why they didn't go with that one? If you were to try it, it would likely increase anxiety in the beginning.
But I am puzzled why they did not give you immediate relief, which is available. You don't have to wait 6 weeks for a drug to 'kick in'. They could give you another drug that provides anti-anxiety like immediately, within 1 hour, no waiting, and then withdraw it slowly weeks later after the antidepressant has taken over.
The drugs I'm talking about are the most common drugs prescribed on the planet. Xanax or klonopin or valium or diazepam. They say you get addicted to these. You do. But I tell you what, if you take lexapro for a year and stop it, you'll realize you are addicted to it as well. They fail to recognize that. Stop xanax and they call it 'withdrawal'. Stop lexapro and they call it 'discontinuation syndrome'. Silly play on words. They both feel like the flu mixed with viscious anxiety.
Anyway, to be free of anxiety and live your life you might have to consider being dependent on a drug. If not paxil, then one of the benzos I mentioned, or both. Some people here have failed all of those things and found profound immediate relief with a low dose antipsychotic like zyprexa or seroquel. They are also commonly prescribed to senior citizens and just about everybody, handed out like candy, for everything from anxiety to insomnia to depression to mania.
Just some ideas to bring to your doctor. Tell them you want relief right now. Waiting 6 weeks for a 'maybe it will work' gamble is too much at this point. Save the antipsychotics for your last choice. Ask for xanax or klonopin.
Posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2007, at 21:34:18
In reply to Re: citalopram, posted by blueberry1 on January 22, 2007, at 20:14:12
Blueberry agree and well said and how true. Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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