Having a really difficult time....

[ladywillow]

Hi everyone. I'm new here. I've been struggling with severe panic disorder, generalized anxiety and agoraphobia for what seems like for ever.... I can remember going to the doctor when I was 17 or 18 because I "just didn't feel right". I'm 32 now. I was diagnosed about 6 years ago and since then things have gotten out of control. I have been off work for the last 2 years and just want to be a productive member of society again.

I just started taking Cipralex again as I have been off meds for the last 7 months. I was on Cipralex for about 2 years (and it worked great!) and then it quit working a couple of years ago. Since then I have been on about 10 different medications, all of which I couldn't take because my psych says I am "medication sensitive".

I am just so frustrated. I started the Cipralex 2 weeks ago and increased my dose 1 week ago. How long will it take for this to start working?!

On top of it all I have been having a terribly upset tummy for the last 3 months, just came down with a cold and I keep thinking I am having a heart attack. I know that sometimes the meds make things worse before they get better, but I'm at the end of my rope. I do have Ativan that I can take when things get really bad, but I'm terrified to take it because I don't want to become addicted.

Basically, I am miserable and want this to all go away. :(

[kmarie30]

What kind of symptoms do you have? I've had a really bad bout the last 6 months after a vestibular issue. I cannot stand it. But I'd like some insight as to how others feel. So I don't think I have some weird nerve disease that can't be cured. It's really scary:(

[ladywillow]

You name the symptom and I have or have had it. It's really disconcerting and I know it's my anxiety logically but it's hard to get my brain to grasp that!

[anxietykidd]

Do you have extreme head pressure and sharp pains for prolonged periods of time?

[kmarie30]

Do you have extreme head pressure and sharp pains for prolonged periods of time?

I get waves of head pressure and dizzy feelings on and off throughout the day. Quite often I can hear my heart beating in my ears.

[ladywillow]

Yes! I get head pressure and a dizzy feeling. I also get sharp pains. And numb face and fingers. And I feel and hear my heart beating all the time. And stomach issues. The list goes on and on. The worst is the internal shakes. That one sets me off every time.

[momof31977]

Is your numb face all over or on parts of your face? That one is the one that freaks me out the most, the numbness. I also get pressure and shakes. Then the hypochondria sets in and doesn't stop. I've convinced myself I have a brain tumor and just about every neuro-muscular disease out there.

[anxietykidd]

Me two iv been having head pressure for about 2 going on 3 months... Some days is better then others but its scary because its been goin on for so long... I got an Mr so hopefully everything comes back fine

[ladywillow]

anietykidd, I'm sure it will come back just fine. The first time I had the head pressure it lasted for about 6 months.

momof31977 I get it on different parts of my face depending on the day. Sometimes its my chin, sometimes my cheek, sometimes my jaw. I too thought I had a brain tumour but it was just the anxiety.

[alankay]

I wonder what led your doc to say you med sensitive if lexapro worked so well for 2 years? It will take a few weeks but you may need a ssri augmentation agent like Mitrazapine (Remeron), buspar or even a trial of an SNRI like effexor. Just some thoughts. Alankay

[ladywillow]

It's because I had horrific side effects on every other medication I tried. Apparently the cipralex is more pure than the others and she thinks it's actually the fillers/binders that I react to. I have been on: effexor, cymbalta, cipralex, seraquil, wellbutrin, prozac, celexa, clonazepam, lithium - those are the ones I remember. I might talk to her about the remeron - I have a friend that is on cipralex and remeron and she says it works great! What is buspar?

[alankay]

I am on escitalopram as well and it is the most selective acting on serotinin of all the ssri's. Acts on no other neurotransmitters and why so few side effects. Buspar is med that acts on serotonin and is used for General Anxiety Disorer and as an addon to ssri's. I think your doc would like to give the escitalopram more time or just up the dose. I take 15 mg daily. My doc said some docs go a high as 30 mg with escialopram(cipralex/lexapro).
As long as you take the ativan say once or twice a week, I bet you'll be fine using it. Very good med. Alankay

[anxietykidd]

My doctor put me on paroxetine (generic form of paxil also an assri)
And from what I've heard they work great... Some people say they give them more anxiety but from what i can tell that's just there anxiety scared of the drug... And it reacts more but also it takes 1-6 weeks depending on the person...

[ladywillow]

My grandma was on paxil for years and years. she had a severe panic disorder and agoraphobia as well. It worked wonders for her. I was on effexor and it was terrible (I can't remember things that happened when i was on it, I got violent, i tried to divorce my husband.... bad bad bad) so it obviously didn't work for me personally and thats why my doc doesn't want to put me on paxil - apparently they are similar. But for others it works very well apparently. I was on the cipralex for 2.5 years before it quit working, but my doctor is confident that it will work for me again since it worked so well the first time. I just upped it to 10 mg one week ago. I go to see the doc again next thursday and my husband has decided to come with me from now on, since i've gotten so bad. I tried upping it to 15 mg last time I was on it but it made me really tired.

[ladywillow]

Thanks for the info kev! I will keep it in mind if this stuff doesn't work :)

[LynneeaAlicia]

Have you guys figured out what your head pressure is from? I just started Buspar a week ago for my anxiety. I hope it helps me out.