Why Do Meds Stop Working ?????

[Laura]

Hello Everyone

Can anyone tell me of your experiences about when and if your meds stop working. As some of you know I have had a real difficult time the past few days with anxiety attacks slamming me out of nowhere ! Since my last bad attack on Sunday I have been not as bad but still feel anxious ! I feel it as soon as wake up . Yes I have done my breathing, listened to nature music, walked etc. My question is why is my body allowing this to happen when I am on 300mg Effexor, 20mg of Celexa, plus a sleep medication. I know I have to do a lot of work myself but I find it confusing that I am still feeling the way that I am ! Your input would be so much appreciated !! I am seeing my Physc. in a few days. I am getting pretty worried about this .

Laura : :

[babycristy]

You are probably going through a time where your anxiety is way high. I am glad that you are going to see your doctor, that is the best thing you can do for now. Just hang in there. They come out of nowhere, but they also disappear out of nowhere (at least for me they do).

Medications sometimes stop working on your body because your body builds resistance against them. That is why a person on lifetime medication need to keep increasing dosage. I don't know the science behind it, but it is normal that your meds might not be effective as of now.

This might sound like a simple gesture, but maybe some hot tea will help :? It relaxes your nervous system and clears you mind. It might not be the answer to your problem, but my mom makes it for me at night so I can calm down sometimes...Just passing down mama's prescription :lol:

Good luck. I know it is not easy, but just look forward to feeling better soon!

[shoe]

Laura,
some people do grow tolerant of their medications and it loses its effectiveness.. if you are at the maximum dosage you might need to consider switching to another SSRI, multiple reuptake inhibitor, or other anxiety medication.

Currently I take clonazepam daily for my anxiety, I've actually grown a little tolerant of it at my current dose, but typically the medication is prescribed on an as-needed basis in which case the effectiveness usually doesn't change too much. I will possibly be upping my dose of it soon.

I did try Paxil and also Effexor but both of those had negative side effects so I never took it long enough to offer a useful experience as far as tolerance goes.

anyway, thats my experience
dan

[Laura]

Thank You Shoe and baby Christy for your input !! It means a great deal to me that someone understands what I am going through ! Baby Christy your Mom is right a nice hot cup of tea does help at times.

[Brett]

Hi Laura !
Have you ever thought that maybe you might be over medicated. I have been on meds. for anxiety for about 17 yrs. now. When the doctors first put me on them they just kept uping the dosage until I was just a spacey ball of nerves. I have been on everything from A to X. The reason I didn't say A to Z is because I am currently taking Xanax XR. WOW !! As soon as I started taking this medication I could actually feel the anxiety just roll off of me. This is the best medication that I have ever had. At one point in my life I thought that there would not ever be anything to help relieve the anxiety. Xanax got a bad rap when teens and adults started abusing it, but for people like us, it is a wonder drug. You just take one in the morning or at night and it dissolves through out the day. You might ask your Psch. about it when you go to visit. Hang in there and remember, your not alone in this fight. ----------------- Brett :D

[shoe]

I've also had good experience on Xanax (not the XR, just the regular). I did however get a little spacey on it at times and my memory/concentration suffered as well. I never tried taking it on a daily basis though, or in the extended release form.

Do you get any memory/concentration problems Brett?

P.S.
Xanax (alprazolam being the generic name), for those that don't know is a benzodiazepine (muscle relaxant). I'm currently on another benzo - Klonopin (clonazepam), and have faired better cognitively - but I seem to have grown tolerant of it at the dose I'm taking it.. I may have to increase the dose or switch to another med grr :?