Newbie Needs Help

[boey]

Hi guys, first off all i need to say thank god for this site. I was diagnoised with an anxiety disorder 15 years ago which i seemed to manage ok but just recently i have been told i also have bipolar affective disorder and this has seemed to of kick started my anxiety i have been prescribed carbamazepine by my psychiatrist only been on it a few days so not sure if it's working yet! :(
My problem is i'm having trouble eating and drinking, keep thinking i'm going to choke and i have a heavy chest and i think i can't breathe properly, the more i think and worry about this the worse it gets it's really getting me down at the moment, i feel like theres no where to turn except to you guys who are going through the same.

please help!

[chrisz]

Hi Boey,

I have recently tried anti-seizure and antipsychotic meds.

Very strange side effects indeed. I cut back on the dosage and that
helped. It did seem to help my panic disorder/anxiety, but the side
effects were just too upsetting. I have temporarily stopped the Gabitril I was prescribed and continue on the Xanax, Inderal, Vistaril. I plan to
try Gabitril again, only on my terms and starting with very low doses.

If you have managed your anxiety disorder ok in the past, then maybe you still can. For most people the new drug side effects decrease with time. Some don't. But this med may be the answer for you. I would try
cutting the dosage in half for awhile and see how you feel.
Chrisz

[boey]

i was put on aripripazole which was is a anti psychotic drug which didn't agree with me and made my anxiety out of control i had to get an emergency appointment with my psychiatrist who couldn't understand why i had been given it either as i'm not psychotic, the new medication he prescribed is a mood suppressor which has helped my anxiety alot except for a fear of choking and not being able to breathe properly