It's me, Jessica =)

[Jshort89]

Hello boys and girls, My name is Jessica, I live in a tiny town in southern KY. We just got cell phone service about 3 years ago (I know, right?) I'm originally from Cincinnati- and moved here 10 years ago. I'm a mommy of two beautiful girls (one of which is currently suffering anxiety along with me) and that's my full time job.

Now- onto why I'm here. I began having panic attacks 2 years ago, quite randomly. Once I had the first one, they never stopped. I did well for awhile then became pregnant with my 2nd child and chose to stop taking my medication- since then it has been rough waters. I also have OCD obsessions, and a few tics. The doctors in my area aren't well rounded when it comes to these illnesses (much less any others). I hope being a part of this community will benefit me, as well as all of you. Not to mention it might save me a few hours googling whether or not my runny nose is actually cancer ;-)

Thanks so much!!
-Jessica

[darkavenger]

Greetings Jess,

Welcome to the community :). I'd like to ask, how severe are Your anxiety/gad symptoms on the scale 1-10 where 10 is unbearable and bordering with death-like states, and 1 which is nearly noticable? I ask because You didn't notice any psychopharmaceutic medicine, nor any nature derived alternative - I mean namely, dosage, type, etc.

Do You visit a psychologist/psychiatrist? Do You attend any supportive psychotherapy?

Regards,

Bryan

[Jshort89]

As of right now they're at about a 5, it goes up an down depending on my environment. (i.e. way worse in the evenings, and when I'm alone). I do take Celexa 40 mg, but I think I may need to switch to something different. I do go to therapy, but like I said, I feel like I know more about these symptoms than they do. For instance when I asked if they had ever heard of aggression obsession as a symptom of OCD they were clueless. =/

[darkavenger]

Salutations Jess,

Well, due fact I do suffer from fully evolved "anxiety" for almost a decade, there are massive chances that a "random" psychologist, or psychiatrist will not be able to fully help me, due to simple reason - they do lack the experience. So I wouldn't be angry, or fed up with those people. They do something they're not "quite" qualified for, because tbh, when I want to be a beautician, I need to train it on myself first, and then on other people. But psychologists and psychiatrist don't have this option [in most of the cases]. In the end, the best doctor for Yourself will be Yourself. You don't have broken leg, or cancer, or something that needs "normal" treatment. You suffer from GAD, where the best dosage, and best medicine is "eventually" prescribed by Yourself.

My psychatrist told me that I should do the fine tuning of the medicine, she prescribed me some stuff, I tried this and that, and now I'm on the "best" viable combination, that came up as a fusion of her knowledge about the psychofarmaceutics and my experience and empiricism.

Here are a few tips:


when You start taking a new medicine, follow Your doctors lead
after a short while, try to lower the dosage, in 33-50% "tops" and wait for few weeks what'll it do. If it gets bad, You know where You went wrong
don't try to get more alternative medicine from Your doctor, because You may end up spiralling and going from one medicine to another
when You have some "global" experience, e.g. with benzos, and You know they are addictive, and doc prescribes You some "massive" dosage at the beginning, try the lower doses first
benzos are fast acting [in most of the cases] so You'll see how You fare with each of them
don't give up, when You give up, You can as well die, because without hope, there is no chance for getting better!
eventhough doctor is a doctor, use Your common sense while taking the medicine. Don't let the dosage be too high, just because the docor said so. You might easily end up winded up on some medicine, when You're not carefull
but also don't miss the dose of each medicine, it can have very harmful effect, mostly if Your body is sensitive
heed the doctors opinon at all times, but most of all, think about medicine You have been prescribed, think about food You, think about Your rituals and Your routines, how can the medicine affect You, at all times. Your doctor knows You well, but You know Yourself the best [at least You should, there are some rare cases when people know very little about themselves]


Hope these will help at least a bit :)

Take care Jess!

Regards

Bryan