People who are afraid of meds..

[BrookeLynnnn]

I've been seeing a lot from people who say their anxiety is really bad but they're afraid to take meds..

I promise you, no side effect from the meds (if you have any side effects at all) will be as bad as your anxiety will be later on..

Almost two years ago my Dr prescribed me meds, I took one for a couple days & gave up.. Then he prescribed me another & I never filled it.

My anxiety never went away, I dealt with it for two years.. Until almost a month ago it got so out of hand. I went to my Dr.. Knowing he would prescribe meds but deep down hoping he'd tell me by some miracle that there would be another way.. Nope. Prescribed me Prozac. I asked him, what do you do when people refuse the meds? He said, "well.. They eventually go until they can't go anymore.. & then they take them."

I was at that point. I couldn't go anymore.
Taking that first pill was extremely hard.. I kept scaring myself. But I did it..

2 weeks down the road I got my meds switched & I am on day 8 of the new one..

I'm fine with taking them now.. I couldn't even take vitamin c tabs before..

So the point in my story.. If you can't do this fight without meds but you're afraid to take them, DONT be.. Get help before things really suck!!

My experience.. :)

[Enduronman]

Thank you for taking the time to post this, it helps others more than you know friend..

E-Man... :)

[ab123]

Eman, I knew I'd see you on this thread soon!!:)

[BrookeLynnnn]

Thank you for taking the time to post this, it helps others more than you know friend.. E-Man... :)

You're welcome!!

I just don't want anyone in the same boat I'm in!!

[Enduronman]

Yes!! Here I am!!!
Had to calmmmm downnn a lil bit first,,good to see you AB...
I'm great again!
YAY!!!

E-Man.. :)

[Enduronman]

You're welcome!!

I just don't want anyone in the same boat I'm in!!

Shit, this place is filled to the brim with people in the same boat that you're in..
AND,..afraid of medications too...a tool, to work with, to get themselves out of this hellhole...that they decline..
Their choice, decisions, feelings,..and in this hellhole they (a HUGE % of them) shall remain..
If they only knew what some of my side effects sheets have said in the past... MAY CAUSE DEATH

Then, and only then, they may reconsidering a tummy ache....

Enduronman... :)

[Scdg17]

Thank you for posting this. There are some people that NEED meds. No question.
But after my experiences, I am said person afraid of taking meds. I get the same effect from my natural remedies as I did when I was on Xanax (minus the withdrawal and dependency.)
Since I'm a recovering drug addict, I simply couldn't be trusted to have consistent access to any scrips. So that forced me to figure it out alternatively.
Now, through lots of therapy I know my anxiety triggers and always have my emergency remedies if an attack gets too overwhelming.
I have a way expired Xanax that I carry around as a security blanket. But I reach straight for Bach flower stress spray, b12, 5htp, and lemongrass oil.

[Enduronman]

YOU^^^Scdg17, Just got voted as the go to person for natural remedies!!! YAY!!!! :)

E-Man... :D

[ab123]

Natural remedies. Sign me up!!

[amers85]

Brooke, I was the same way. Dr would always write me scripts but I would never take them cause I was to scared..... Well I wish I would have listened to my Dr cause if I were on my meds I probably wouldn't of had such a bad panic attack that landed me in the hospital. I've also learned , neverread the pamphlet that comes with my prescriptions lol, ill just freak out and begin to think those side effects will happen to me.

[BrookeLynnnn]

Brooke, I was the same way. Dr would always write me scripts but I would never take them cause I was to scared..... Well I wish I would have listened to my Dr cause if I were on my meds I probably wouldn't of had such a bad panic attack that landed me in the hospital. I've also learned , Bexar read the pamphlet that comes with my prescriptions lol, ill just freak out and begin to think those side effects will happen to me.

Same here!!!
I'll start to read & then I'll be like mom throw this away!!!!! Lol

[BrookeLynnnn]

Thank you for posting this. There are some people that NEED meds. No question. But after my experiences, I am said person afraid of taking meds. I get the same effect from my natural remedies as I did when I was on Xanax (minus the withdrawal and dependency.) Since I'm a recovering drug addict, I simply couldn't be trusted to have consistent access to any scrips. So that forced me to figure it out alternatively. Now, through lots of therapy I know my anxiety triggers and always have my emergency remedies if an attack gets too overwhelming. I have a way expired Xanax that I carry around as a security blanket. But I reach straight for Bach flower stress spray, b12, 5htp, and lemongrass oil.

That is amazing!! I would love to learn about natural ways!! I'll have to read up on it :)

[jloca215]

This is me to a tee! I have about 10 rxs laying around "waiting" to be filled. Not to mention bottles of klonopin which I am too scared to take. I suffer daily and there is help right at my fingertips. I just don't understand.... Sigh. I'm an RN too which is the irony of it all. I push pills all day. Sometimes people don't even ask what they're taking or why, they just down the whole cup! Why can't i do that? Idk. I'm terrified of not feeling in control of my body/emotions and I guess I'd rather deal with the evil that I've learned to live with (anxiety) rather than the unknown. I've been taking the same shitty lexapro for close to 11 years or so which has stopped working obviously but I refuse to switch because I had such bad experiences with others in the past. I never want to experience that trial and error period again!

[jessed03]

I've had a lot of bad reactions to meds, and I really mean a lot, but as long as I've taken them responsibly, none have been close to my anxiety symptoms. The med effects went in a few days, a week at most, even if I came off of it. The anxiety just lingered, daily, robbing me of my life and sanity for years.

[Scdg17]

Ok. Here's what I know about homeopathic vs allopathic. I should preface by saying my mom works for the CDC so I grew up with that perspective on western medicine. But when I went to college I got really into homeopathy and did my thesis paper on the pros and cons on both. Not saying this to brag. Just that I understand both opinions and learned the hard way what works for me.

I was on klonopin for anxiety, Paxil for depression and concerta for ADD for years without fully understanding what it was doing to me. I suffered crazy withdrawals and vowed that I would find an easier way. I did a ton of research on how these things were chemically affecting my brain. And this is what I learned: With antidepressants, the brain is tricked into thinking it has enough dopamine and serotonin to be 'happy.'
With 5htp it is a precursor to tryptophan and helps synthesis of serotonin. So it is increases the amount of the happy chemicals. That's why it's safe and effective with minimal side effects. As opposed to antidepressants which makes it so difficult to stop and withdrawal painful.

Some people need medication if there situation is dire and they're not improving with other treatments. Also, bipolar, excessive rage, and schizophrenia should be treated with meds.
But what irks me is that meds are so easily and quickly prescribed. I experienced it first hand at my initial doctor visit when I was diagnosed with GAD that lasted all of 15 mins, and my doctor wrote my prescriptions with his little Pfizer pen and sent me on my way without clearly understanding my background or the fact that I had a propensity to abuse (street)drugs in the past.

So on that note, 5htp has worked wonders for me and physically increased my serotonin and strengthening the receptors.
I also use Bach flower spray in emergency panic scenarios. I've done the research on the chemicals but honestly I think it's more placebo than anything.
After using it for 2 years now, my brain is trained to calm down at the first taste of the spray. And that's all I really need to stop a panic attack dead in its tracks.
Plus, after alot of therapy I understand my triggers and the tools I need to deal with them.

We live in a "pill for every ill" society and I think if everyone was less quick too fully trust their doctors and do their own scientific research we wouldn't be in such an over-prescribed country.

I don't say this to bash anyone who takes meds. Just that I'm an advocate for alternatives.

[ab123]

I really enjoy your insight for alternatives..I think it's a great idea to keep yourself educated about your body and what you put inside it. Unfortunately those of us who have health anxiety..take it too far and won't do certain things because of it I'm getting better. I still check for drug interactions. But I'll take the drug. Unfortunately I have so many issues physically and .25 ativan seems to really help. It either helps me be brave enough to face to day...with symptoms...or somehow it helps my symptoms, although not all my symptoms are anxiety. Like forwells...I'm getting anciety because of the symptoms. Ah. What an awesome process of figuring this all out: /

[ab123]

13.. before I hop on Google to satisfy my need to have the answer to everything I don't know, what is that you are speaking of?

[jessed03]

13 is it painful?

[ab123]

Ugh how annoying. :/ I'm sorry.