anxiousdad75
11-20-2013, 11:48 AM
So this is my first post and it is on a day I am really spiraling downward. I had my first panic attack in 1998 and was diagnosed with GAD and panic in 2001. I have been on most medications at one time or another and was just prescribed alprazolam again and carbamezapine for the first time. I am married with a great wife and 2 young kids.
Things were going great for the past year and a half or so, no real anxiety flare up and I thought I beat it. I let my weekly meetings with my therapist lapse as I finished grad school. Things were going well and I was busy.
Then all of the sudden I made a stupid mistake, drank too much one night with colleagues and got behind the wheel. Thankfully, I was arrested before injuring anyone else or myself. Cue anxiety and panic.
That process went on for a few months as I did everything I needed to do, paid the fines, took the classes etc - definitely a lesson learned, but my anxiety began to creep into my world again.
Started back with my therapist and things were going well for a few months - although I did have one ER visit for back and side pain they attributed to musculo-skeletal, did a full blood work up just to be sure. Then, at a business dinner I drop my cell phone in the trash and was poked by a needle. You can imagine my fear and worry. Went to the doctor immediately and they said that while the risk of anything is small, I should begin a 28-day regiment of this drug called Atripla. Atripla is an HIV medication, but they will give it to you within 72 hours of that type of exposure to help reduce the risk that you might contract it. All initial tests came back negative, but you can imagine my anxiety.
Atripla is a pretty serious 3 drug anti-viral cocktail that has some significant side effects including anxiety and depression. Deciding the trade-off was worth it I began the meds. Now I am well into my 3rd week and my anxiety hasn't been higher. I am fearful of having something seriously wrong with me - while I eat well and exercise I have lost 6-8 lbs without intending to. I don't sleep and sometimes wake up sweating.
It worries me because you are supposed to gain weight with this medication. I am now coupling that with my anxiety drugs and things seem to keep spiraling. I am depressed and can't engage with work or family. I went to my general doctor and he wasn't too concerned, but wants to do a follow up blood test in mid-December.
I am at a pretty low point and nothing seems to be working - the drugs, the therapy (although my therapist is great) - nothing. Trying to avoid going to the ER, but just can't stop my catastrophic thinking. And with all that, my birthday is this weekend. :( I am in that "I think I am dying spiral" and avoiding a lot of basic things.
Anyone have any recommendations, thoughts, advice? Thanks for the help.
Things were going great for the past year and a half or so, no real anxiety flare up and I thought I beat it. I let my weekly meetings with my therapist lapse as I finished grad school. Things were going well and I was busy.
Then all of the sudden I made a stupid mistake, drank too much one night with colleagues and got behind the wheel. Thankfully, I was arrested before injuring anyone else or myself. Cue anxiety and panic.
That process went on for a few months as I did everything I needed to do, paid the fines, took the classes etc - definitely a lesson learned, but my anxiety began to creep into my world again.
Started back with my therapist and things were going well for a few months - although I did have one ER visit for back and side pain they attributed to musculo-skeletal, did a full blood work up just to be sure. Then, at a business dinner I drop my cell phone in the trash and was poked by a needle. You can imagine my fear and worry. Went to the doctor immediately and they said that while the risk of anything is small, I should begin a 28-day regiment of this drug called Atripla. Atripla is an HIV medication, but they will give it to you within 72 hours of that type of exposure to help reduce the risk that you might contract it. All initial tests came back negative, but you can imagine my anxiety.
Atripla is a pretty serious 3 drug anti-viral cocktail that has some significant side effects including anxiety and depression. Deciding the trade-off was worth it I began the meds. Now I am well into my 3rd week and my anxiety hasn't been higher. I am fearful of having something seriously wrong with me - while I eat well and exercise I have lost 6-8 lbs without intending to. I don't sleep and sometimes wake up sweating.
It worries me because you are supposed to gain weight with this medication. I am now coupling that with my anxiety drugs and things seem to keep spiraling. I am depressed and can't engage with work or family. I went to my general doctor and he wasn't too concerned, but wants to do a follow up blood test in mid-December.
I am at a pretty low point and nothing seems to be working - the drugs, the therapy (although my therapist is great) - nothing. Trying to avoid going to the ER, but just can't stop my catastrophic thinking. And with all that, my birthday is this weekend. :( I am in that "I think I am dying spiral" and avoiding a lot of basic things.
Anyone have any recommendations, thoughts, advice? Thanks for the help.