Please help... medicine transition

[kcmonkmi]

Hi there. I guess I need some reassurance. I had a crisis last year and was in a crisis home while the medicines -celexa, kicked in. Well, 18 months later the Dr tried switching me to Prozac 60mg. Reason?in the last 6 weeks I have experienced my home being robbed, loss of job, death of brother in law and my husband having a heart attack and possibly lung cancer. 3 weeks on Prozac and I cannot leave my house for fear of the unknown. Went back to my Dr yesterday and she said to quit the Prozac and go back to CeleXa for a week to get stabilized. I am scared. I won't get out of my bed, I am dizzy, I feel out of my head, muscle weakness and just generally scared of everything. My husband and son need me yet, I don't know if I am going to make it until tomorrow. Has anyone else been to this point and am I going to get better?

[kcmonkmi]

I should add that I am a college graduate that has not held a job because of anxiety for the last 18 months. I feel like I have lost my mind, constantly feeling new illness symptoms, and will never be a "normal" citizen, wife or mom again. I think these meds have put me into a hole that I will never get out of.

[lostaloveone]

Yes I have been to that point myself. It will get better when the meds kick in. I know how you feel. I stayed in bed for almost 5 weeks. You are having some major stress in your life right now and most people would feel as you have. Try to be easy on yourself. Please know you're not alone. We are here for you. :)

[sandyrdh1]

Yes I have. Mine was from Zoloft. I had a reaction just like what you are saying. Home bound and scared of everything! It took a good week to start feeling better after I stopped taking it.

[kcmonkmi]

So everything I describe you felt? I am so scared that this won't pass. I tried going to my living room for a little bit but was light-headed and anxious and came straight back to my bed. My sister just drove 1200 miles to visit for Christmas and I don't know how i am going to leave my house and travel an hour to go tonight.

[sandyrdh1]

Yes I felt all that and more but I layed on the couch for weeks and had a shock of a panic attack like every 10 mins I could feel it coming I could only eat grill cheese sandwich and that was me making myself, I could not feel if I had to pee until my bladder was so full it hurt. I was scared of everything and had terrible dreams. Could not sleep for more that 20 mins at a time and would wake up each time to a panic attack. I was always shaking in fear. Had bad thoughts. It was terrible. I have tried other meds like that and started the same reactions so quit them. So they now say i cant take meds like that. But even when i still have panic attacks and anxiety it is nothing like when i was on the meds. I could not function. At least i can function till one hits me now. I may be afraid to go somewhere one day but i can force myself. They just kept upping my meds until I went to hosp and they took me off of them. . It took a week to start feeling better and about 2 weeks for it to be out of my system. I took xannx to help me stay calm while I was coming off of it. So now I suffer with these attacks and I guess will for the rest of my life since I can't take those meds:(

[kcmonkmi]

That has to be horrible to not be able to take anything. I actually got myself out of bed, only to sit on the exercise bike and rode for 45 mins at a very slow pace. I weight over 300lbs so that was more than usual. I have no idea how I did that much. Overall I had a fair afternoon but getting anxious again this evening. It hasn't helped that I got a call that my grandfather is in a coma from a sudden heart attack this morning. I have found hearing other peoples battles reassure me that I will get better. Its just getting past this "insanity". Its just not fair that a person had to be trapped in this fear.

[sandyrdh1]

Sorry to hear about your grandfather:( will be praying for him and you. I agree, it's hard going through this and only people who do really understand how much we want to feel better. I have been having a hard day today but making it:) it's a struggle everyday of our life. I just have to remember that the attacks do pass for a bit but when your having one its so hard to remember that. Lol.

[alankay]

It's not so much the meds, what came first??? Anxiety did. If AD's don't help ask for a benzo like ativan or klonopin. You need not be effected to the point you are. Just use them sparingly.

AD's can elevate anxiety for a while when starting them but that should fade. That being said some folks can't take them. Alankay

[sandyrdh1]

I take clonopan. But only if I have to. If my heart is skipping all day or I start feeling really anxious I will take only 1/4 of one. I cut them in 4's. I try my hardest to make it with out one each day but some days I just have to. I will not take a lot because I don't want to get dependent on them everyday and get addicted. I have seen to many people get addicted to them. Today I have not taken any. I do feel a little nervous but right now not a lot of skipping beats so I have not taken anything. I have some sewing to do today and cleaning for the holidays and that helps me keep my mind on things other than anxiety. If I am just sitting around doing nothing it will escalate.

[kcmonkmi]

Sandy. Same here about scared of getting addicted. I cut my xanax in half but half taken religiously the last 4 days to get though this transition. My biggest downfall is dizziness. If i feel dizzy; i get panicky and it escalates from there. I just want to have a normal day again. Where i can leave my house without being scared of the what ifs. And people have no idea what we mean when we say that we want to be normal again.

[sandyrdh1]

K- don't forget that clonopan also can make you dizzy even in the smallest amounts:( just remember that when you feel a bit dizzy don't panic, and just say, its the med. even if you don't take it for a day and the next day you get a dizzy spell, there is still some in your system. It takes 2 weeks of no clonopan for it to be out o your system completely. I get the same feelings. I am sure some has to do with anxiety but add the meds too and it happens.

[sandyrdh1]

Forwells- I have tried everything since the Zoloft. I can't take any of that stuff and I believe that if you are not really depressed or over compulsive the meds are not for you. If you just suffer from anxiety and panic attacks there is not a med just for that except Buspar. And I believe when you take med like Zoloft etc it changes your chemistry in your brain that don't need to be changed and that's why so may have reactions and more anxiety and depression and terrible thought while on this than when not. I have never been depressed nor compulsive etc. just nervous and worry a lot. When I don't have anxiety or a panic attack I feel great. I can have great days and then bad days. I know some who are depressed and they are very sad, sleep all day, can't get up, etc. I am not like that. So I really feel that, that's why so many who suffer from just anxiety and panic have the opposite effects when on those meds.

[kcmonkmi]

Had a great day yesterday and even drove to the store! Now today, I haven't left my chair because of dizziness. What gives?

[sandyrdh1]

Had a great day yesterday and even drove to the store! Now today, I haven't left my chair because of dizziness. What gives?

We all have good and bad days. But you did go out and had a good day so that should show you it's all anxiety. Make yourself get out of the chair and do something. Take you time doing it. Wash cloths, dishes or just put head phones on and walk around the house. When your done then you can say I May of been dizzy but I did not pass out and I got up and did something so I won't let this anxiety take full control of my life.

[kcmonkmi]

Thank you Sande. The doctors think I have Menieres but that is undiagnosed. I am just tired of taking this Xanax everyday (last 7 days) but its the only thing getting me through this medicine transition.