Multiple medication questions.

[Cody]

First has medication made a major impact on your anxiety? Whenever im in public i'll get an attack, i'll start breathing heavy, fast heartbeat, shaking, chest and stomach pain, migraines, and once when i had to give a speech i started throwing up. Im 18 and my life is being ruined by anxiety (dont leave house, no drivers license, no job, stay in my room with door locked) and i will not be able to stop thinking about a single bad social interaction for weeks. even just trying to talk to my family or sitting in my room alone can cause an attack. Is there a different way i should go about this besides medication? How does the doctor visit usually go (do they just ask questions about your symptoms, what else so they do?) Is the medication expensive? Like i said i dont currently have a job as well as i would prefer not to spend a large amount of my check on medication. will i have to be on medication for years and will i ever be able to stop using medication without anxiety coming back?

[Anne1221]

I'm actually afraid to give you an answer because of your age, which is why I suggest you talk to a doctor. For some reason, there are warnings on my medication about younger people taking medication, so I am just to afraid to advise you.

[gypsylee]

Hi Cody and welcome

Meds can make a massive difference to anxiety but you really need a holistic approach - lifestyle changes etc. I’m on meds and I still struggle but I’m not as bad as I was. Sorry to not be of much help.. You might like to read my story on my webpage because I was 19 when the anxiety hit me so hard I had to tell my parents and defer from university. It was horrible.

All the best,
Gypsy x

[Kirk]

My internal medicine physician once told me that one should do whatever is necessary to get there life back on track. You are very young at 18 and are too young to give up or throw in the towel. I would contact a physician immediately, so they will develop a plan of action to get you back on the right track. Time is of the essence in your situation.

[Kirk]

Everyone is different in regards to medication. Some people can be on them temporarily, while others need to be on them long-term. It is difficult, if not impossible, to say for sure. For example, I know of someone who never had any anxiety at all, until she had a brain aneurysm at the age of around 50. She was hospitalized for over 3 weeks and they were not sure if she would make it, but she did and she functions pretty well now and is working full time. However, she is worried it will happen again, so she is on Antivan daily.