relax
08-25-2012, 01:39 PM
Hi all,
This is a long story, so I won't blame you if you don't want to take the time to read it all. All started 4 years ago with a suddenly and bad panic attack, in August 2008 where I thought I was dying with a heart stroke and of course I went to the ER. After that bad experience it was like a roller coaster that triggered a anxiety disorder pathology. Note that at the moment I have a good and happy life in terms of work, social, family, etc. I do exercise often, 3 to 5 days a week and I can't find any direct reason to have anxiety issues, other than - my mother have chronic anxiety/depression issues since 15/20 years ago, maybe I have inherited this from her. Also I have to be honest and tell that I took drugs (ecstasy) between 2000 and 2006 which may not have helped.
While I was living in Europe, I went through 2 treatments for anxiety that went really well. This time, I am dealing by the 3rd time with this issue, and it started this February, and the story is completely different. Btw I am living in US now.
1st treatment
For about 4 months I tried to beat the problem without any medication, but I got to the point where I could not handle anymore (dizzy feelings, like I was going faint, no energy, shaking, etc) and I was desperate and finally I decided to look for a help and then I was prescribed with Zoloft (up to 100mg) + Xanax XR (0.5mg twice a day) for the first 2 months then I drop the Xanax. It went well, slowly but after about 2 months I could feel noticeable improvements. After about 6 months I was feeling 100% normal, no anxiety. I was feeling well and it was time to left the Zoloft. I left the Zoloft slowly after a period of about 10 months with no problems or withdrawal effects.
3th treatment
After a period of about 3 months without any drugs, once again I started feeling symptoms of anxiety during the day. Note that the anxiety symptoms I feel, seem to change slightly over the time, this time the main symptoms I had were: lack of breathing sensation and hard time to stop/relax. I noticed myself forcing a full breath many times during the day, because it was like I needed too. My normal/unconscious breath was not enough. I also had a really hard time to sit down in the office and get comfortable and relaxed. After about 1 month with these symptoms and with them getting worse every day, I realized once again that I should seek medical help (at February 2012). So I went to a doctor and I explained my issue and my past experiences. Unfortunately, unlike the past treatments that I went through really well, this time is being totally different:
- He prescribed me with the generic of Celexa - Citalopram 20mg. The doctor told me that he rather use a SSRI instead of SNRI (as Effexor) and that Citalopram is good for anxiety. I did not feel any bad side effects but I did not feel any improvements either over the time.
- After about 2 months I went back to the doctor and I told that perhaps I should go to Zoloft since it helped me in the past and also Xanax - Alprazolam ER 1mg in the morning. I started with the Sertraline 50mg but when I tried go up to 100mg I felt really bad side effects after taking the pill in the morning such as getting dizzy and heart beat raising up really fast. I went back to the doctor and this time I asked to try the Zoloft brand instead of the generic to see if there was difference, but I kept feeling this bad side effects so I stopped.
- I went back to Citalopram 20mg and Alprazolam ER 1mg in the morning. Note that for a while I took Citalopram at night since the doctor told me to try it, but I felt it was doing better in the morning so I started taking in the morning. For a while I did ok with this combo in the morning however I still could not say I was feeling noticeable improvements regarding my anxiety. Since about 1/2 months ago the symptoms of anxiety when I wake up are really bad and they are getting worse over the time. Once I wake up in the morning I feel like my body is not relaxed and most of the times I do feel slight symptoms of general anxiety. But the anxiety symptoms get even worse once I take the pills (Citalopram 20mg or Alprazolam ER 1mg). I even tried couple times taking Alprazolam first to calm me down, before take the Citalopram but it seems that my body is not reacting well to these medication anymore. In general once I take the meds, I get feet sweating (although I think that is a normal side-effect), I get a little bit dizzy, disorientated, some parts of the body sometimes tingling, get numbed and warm, and recently I am starting getting in panic because of all those symptoms. These symptoms usually last for about 1/2 hours after taking the pills and they kind of go away slowly. Now every morning I am concerned if my body is not reacting well to these drugs and as so I should stop (slowly), and change to something else or if it is possible that is my mind that is putting me in panic, but sincerely I do not think it is the case. I have a doctor appointment for this next week with a new doctor (as I need to hear a second opinion at this point) but until then I am kind stuck as I don't know what to do, and my mornings are like little nightmares at the moment. Right now I think I will cut the dose of Citalopram to 10mg and I will start take at the night again as I never felt any side effects when I took at the night. The most strange thing to understand is why the Alprazolam ER 1mg at the morning does not help me to calm down and instead give me bad side effects? I always had a good experience with Xanax and Xanax XR in the past, with no bad side effects, why it is changing? Can it be because I am taking the generic and not the brand? Did I develop tolerance to Xanax? Even if it was the case, I can't understand why I feel all those bad side effects. Anyone had or know of someone with similar experiences?
As a side note and after reading the Sticky post "Amino Acids and Magnesium cured my Anxiety" I just ordered online:
1) Daily Journey - A really truly Easy to Swallow Multiple Vitamin/Mineral Rich in Vitamins, Minerals, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Lycopene, Beta-Carotene, also supplying vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12,buffered C, D3, E. Also includes Biotin, Folic Acid, Choline, and Inositol, calcium, magnesium, zinc,selenium, manganese, Chromium polynicotinate, molybdenum,potassium, vanadium, boron, Rutin.
2) Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium (200 Mg Elemental), 240-Count
I hope those supplements help me regarding my anxiety. Looking forward to try.
Thank you all!
This is a long story, so I won't blame you if you don't want to take the time to read it all. All started 4 years ago with a suddenly and bad panic attack, in August 2008 where I thought I was dying with a heart stroke and of course I went to the ER. After that bad experience it was like a roller coaster that triggered a anxiety disorder pathology. Note that at the moment I have a good and happy life in terms of work, social, family, etc. I do exercise often, 3 to 5 days a week and I can't find any direct reason to have anxiety issues, other than - my mother have chronic anxiety/depression issues since 15/20 years ago, maybe I have inherited this from her. Also I have to be honest and tell that I took drugs (ecstasy) between 2000 and 2006 which may not have helped.
While I was living in Europe, I went through 2 treatments for anxiety that went really well. This time, I am dealing by the 3rd time with this issue, and it started this February, and the story is completely different. Btw I am living in US now.
1st treatment
For about 4 months I tried to beat the problem without any medication, but I got to the point where I could not handle anymore (dizzy feelings, like I was going faint, no energy, shaking, etc) and I was desperate and finally I decided to look for a help and then I was prescribed with Zoloft (up to 100mg) + Xanax XR (0.5mg twice a day) for the first 2 months then I drop the Xanax. It went well, slowly but after about 2 months I could feel noticeable improvements. After about 6 months I was feeling 100% normal, no anxiety. I was feeling well and it was time to left the Zoloft. I left the Zoloft slowly after a period of about 10 months with no problems or withdrawal effects.
3th treatment
After a period of about 3 months without any drugs, once again I started feeling symptoms of anxiety during the day. Note that the anxiety symptoms I feel, seem to change slightly over the time, this time the main symptoms I had were: lack of breathing sensation and hard time to stop/relax. I noticed myself forcing a full breath many times during the day, because it was like I needed too. My normal/unconscious breath was not enough. I also had a really hard time to sit down in the office and get comfortable and relaxed. After about 1 month with these symptoms and with them getting worse every day, I realized once again that I should seek medical help (at February 2012). So I went to a doctor and I explained my issue and my past experiences. Unfortunately, unlike the past treatments that I went through really well, this time is being totally different:
- He prescribed me with the generic of Celexa - Citalopram 20mg. The doctor told me that he rather use a SSRI instead of SNRI (as Effexor) and that Citalopram is good for anxiety. I did not feel any bad side effects but I did not feel any improvements either over the time.
- After about 2 months I went back to the doctor and I told that perhaps I should go to Zoloft since it helped me in the past and also Xanax - Alprazolam ER 1mg in the morning. I started with the Sertraline 50mg but when I tried go up to 100mg I felt really bad side effects after taking the pill in the morning such as getting dizzy and heart beat raising up really fast. I went back to the doctor and this time I asked to try the Zoloft brand instead of the generic to see if there was difference, but I kept feeling this bad side effects so I stopped.
- I went back to Citalopram 20mg and Alprazolam ER 1mg in the morning. Note that for a while I took Citalopram at night since the doctor told me to try it, but I felt it was doing better in the morning so I started taking in the morning. For a while I did ok with this combo in the morning however I still could not say I was feeling noticeable improvements regarding my anxiety. Since about 1/2 months ago the symptoms of anxiety when I wake up are really bad and they are getting worse over the time. Once I wake up in the morning I feel like my body is not relaxed and most of the times I do feel slight symptoms of general anxiety. But the anxiety symptoms get even worse once I take the pills (Citalopram 20mg or Alprazolam ER 1mg). I even tried couple times taking Alprazolam first to calm me down, before take the Citalopram but it seems that my body is not reacting well to these medication anymore. In general once I take the meds, I get feet sweating (although I think that is a normal side-effect), I get a little bit dizzy, disorientated, some parts of the body sometimes tingling, get numbed and warm, and recently I am starting getting in panic because of all those symptoms. These symptoms usually last for about 1/2 hours after taking the pills and they kind of go away slowly. Now every morning I am concerned if my body is not reacting well to these drugs and as so I should stop (slowly), and change to something else or if it is possible that is my mind that is putting me in panic, but sincerely I do not think it is the case. I have a doctor appointment for this next week with a new doctor (as I need to hear a second opinion at this point) but until then I am kind stuck as I don't know what to do, and my mornings are like little nightmares at the moment. Right now I think I will cut the dose of Citalopram to 10mg and I will start take at the night again as I never felt any side effects when I took at the night. The most strange thing to understand is why the Alprazolam ER 1mg at the morning does not help me to calm down and instead give me bad side effects? I always had a good experience with Xanax and Xanax XR in the past, with no bad side effects, why it is changing? Can it be because I am taking the generic and not the brand? Did I develop tolerance to Xanax? Even if it was the case, I can't understand why I feel all those bad side effects. Anyone had or know of someone with similar experiences?
As a side note and after reading the Sticky post "Amino Acids and Magnesium cured my Anxiety" I just ordered online:
1) Daily Journey - A really truly Easy to Swallow Multiple Vitamin/Mineral Rich in Vitamins, Minerals, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Lycopene, Beta-Carotene, also supplying vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12,buffered C, D3, E. Also includes Biotin, Folic Acid, Choline, and Inositol, calcium, magnesium, zinc,selenium, manganese, Chromium polynicotinate, molybdenum,potassium, vanadium, boron, Rutin.
2) Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium (200 Mg Elemental), 240-Count
I hope those supplements help me regarding my anxiety. Looking forward to try.
Thank you all!