Panic Returns

[Laurana2011]

Hi, I'm new to these forums but have been reading lots from them over the past few months.

I have been dealing with general anxiety and panic attacks for the past 8 years but have been able to deal with them usually on my own. About 5 months ago I got to the point that I couldn't and started Cipralex 5mg around June, it gave me my life back. Lately, just the past 4 or 5 days I feel nervous all the time on the verge of panic and have an awful headache. I have been reading about plateaus with Cipralex, maybe time to up the dose?? I see alot of people are on way more per day than me but I can only ever take the very minimum of any kind of drug.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!
Laurana

[PanicCured]

Yeah, listen to Forwells.

Think of that. A drug that will take all your nervousness away. It doesn't even really make sense when you think of it. Of course they work, but they don't provide the long term "cure". Understand what panic is and how you can overcome it.

I know that there is a time for meds and they serve a great purpose when they are needed. But I also think doctors are doing a great disservice to anxiety sufferers when they get them on meds their whole life and then leave them hanging without the tools to get past it without meds.

[Laurana2011]

I have been dealing with the anxiety and have been going to councelling trying to get to the bottom of it. It has been helping lots. I have also had hypnosis too but didn't get much from that. I have done the homeopathy too and Valarian and D3's, neither worked for me.

I really do not like taking the meds and try to get through it without them and have been for years but something triggered it earlier this year and it completely destroyed my life. I do understand that there is an underlying problem and am trying to work it out. I will check out the link, thanks very much for that. I have read also that Calcium can trigger anxiety and realized today that in the past few days I have taken quite a few Tums extra strength with Calcium so maybe thats the issue. I truly don't want to up my meds if at all possible, I am going to see my Doc tomorrow and see what he says, he only wanted me on these meds for 6 months anyway so maybe things will change now. It is now almost 4:30 pm here and the feeling of nervous and aggitated is slowly subsiding, which it does most days around this time but the aches and pains are still lingering.

One day at a time I guess eh!!

Cheers!!

[PanicCured]

I am not a fan of homeopathic but herbs are great.

I suggest 400 mg Magnesium and NO calcium supplements. No B vitamins either. Tums have aluminum in them so stop taking them. For me personally, valerian and melatonin made me feel worse. Everyone is different. You may want to look into Passion Flower extract, gaba, 5 HTP, Suntheanine, and drink chamomile/mint/lavender tea. I still drink chamomile tea almost daily. There is a great formula by an herbal company Eastern Essentials called Stay Calm and Relaxed that is a mixture of about 10 Chinese herbal extracts to help heal the nervous system and calm anxiety.

Listen to your body and see what works and what doesn't work for you. But when you are working with natural means, remember, these aren't insta cures. It isn't like you pop a klonopin and in 15 minutes your totally stoned melting in the couch. The natural ways work on a deeper level, and may not be as quick, but in the long term, they will actually provide more benefit.

[Laurana2011]

Thank you for the advice, I do drink Chamomile every night but read your other post and will try a few cups a day, I also have been using Sweet Chestnut in my water everyday or a few drops on my tongue every morning. We have a local Tea House just down the block and will look for that mixture.

Again thanks so much!!

[PanicCured]

I used to take 2 tea bags of chamomile and drink it, then add more hot water and steep it again. So that was 2 cups of 2 tea bags. I would do that 1-3 times a day. It may have been excessive, but I never had a problem.