New Here, Panicking, Need some words of advice

[njhcnwk]

Hi there,
I'm 26 and i just starting having panic attacks about a year ago and change. it's been a tough 2 years for me as i've been laid off twice, have 2 immediate family members with cancer, a drug addicted brother, and i got engaged and moved in with my fiancee. my therapist told me that major life changes trigger my panic attacks. last september right before i moved in with my girlfriend i went through a week of constant panic attacks. I thought i was falling apart and wished I was dead. I went to a psychiatrist and went on 20mg prozac and 0.5mg xanax 3 times daily. I start a new job tomorrow and i'm losing my mind. I've so far taken 0.75mg xanax in the last 2 hours. I can't sleep, i have a loss of appetite, I'm uninsured right now so i can't see my therapist and psychiatrist at the moment. I just want to feel like I used to and i'm frustrated with myself for not being able to pull it together. anyway, it felt good to type this. looking for some works of encouragement or advic here. thanks

Brian

[mamascrazy1985]

so how any xanaxs have you took tonight? xanax are also a street drug to make people high from what i have heard... i have had friends beggin me for mine... i wont take them though i have developed a phobia of meds... i have had anxiety for 2 years now and the best adivce i can give you from some one who doesnt take or like meds is find out as much information as you can about anxiety.. and yes major life changes can trigger anxiety... the stress from my kids is whats making mine worse my oldest has adhd and my youngestis entering her terrible 2s but good luck 2 u

[vanphelan]

Believe me I have been there with anxiety. I am sorry to hear about the sicknesses and troubles you have with your family. It is no suprise that all this has your panic attacks becoming worse. I myself am on Prozac 20mg a day. I can tell you right now that when you are first on the drug you might feel a little crappy for a few days. The first few days I was on it I was a wreck but then it calmed down and in a few weeks I began to notice a bit of a difference. I have been where you are before so I know how it feels to be so frustrated but I can tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel. The hardest part of having anxiety and panic in my opinion is the fact that we have to accept there is no "quick fix." The medication (in my experience) never took the symptoms I was having away but helped my control them. I can now calm myself down easier and I do not panic the way I used to. My anxiety was triggered after I had a lung collapse that required surgery. It scared the hell out of me and triggered all this. You are dealing with several outside stressors that you cannot control which probably makes yours worse. If you need to talk send me a message and I will do my best to help you. Just know that what you are going through is in fact rather normal for someone like us. It will not be like this forever. Sometimes it just helps to talk to someone.