GAD???

[renegf]

Hi:
I have just been diagnosed with GAD. I will be 47 years old this September. I have never had a problem with this in the past, just seemed to pop up out of the blue! I have been suffering with severe anxiety since October and wasn't quite sure what was going on. I visited the ER and had all the tests done, all the tests came back normal. Then they thought it might be hormonal, so I was put on some herbs and vitamins and also progesterone cream but my body wasn't responding to that treatment either!! So now I am currently taking xanax and buspar - just started the buspar a week ago. Does anyone out there have any experience with these meds? Seems like xanax is the only thing that helps me! Any suggestions or any kind of response would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks! Rene'

[jitters]

No, I haven't used those exact meds, but I do suffer with GAD. It does seem to come out of the blue but there is usually a trigger any thoughts on what could of done this?

Welcome to the board.

Duncan

[renegf]

What meds do you use if any? I am scared to take the SSRI's, seems like way too many side effects. I do not have any idea on what triggered these anxiety attacks. Now I just wake up every morning with severe anxiety and have to pop a xanax, then I feel almost normal a couple hours later. I just want to feel normal again, I hate this feeling of anxiety and want it just to go away. Does anyone have any idea how long it lasts or will I be like this the rest of my life?
Rene'

[jitters]

I take an SSRI although I have recently decreased the dosage. They usually take around 6-8 weeks to have full effect so dont expect an instant miricle cure. The length of time needed to recover from GAD varies with the severity of the symptoms and the condition. Therapy is the only real long term solution as anxiety is not something that you can ever eliminate from your life and doing so would only make matters worse. The symptoms you are getting are a natural response to certain triggers in your life and negative thought processes. The best method of treatment appears to be CBT (cognative behavioural therapy) this works by training your brain to ignore thiese thoughts by replacing them with more positive ones. As the response is a natural one the illness will never go away as such however it can be treated to allow you to return to a normal life.

Stay Strong,

Things will get better.

Duncan