hello

[Val]

hi, new to this forum, have been suffering with severe anxiety since xmas, which is now developing into agrophobia (will only leave the house at weekends with my husband.)
getting panic attacks and feeling desperate. have begun taking anti depressants but taking medication also contributes to my anxiety as I worry about the side effects.

[lmc618]

i know exactly what you are going through. My anxiety has been getting worse these past few months and I feel agoraphobic. I cant leave my house. What antidepressents are you taking? I am supposed to take prozac but I havnt started yet because I fear the side effects or a bad reaction. Im getting pretty desperate too.

[kp217]

I felt the same. I was so worried that the first day I thought everything that happened was some sort of reaction. That was even after I talked with my doctor and he let me start out with a lower dose (10mg I think). I read everything on the internet and I am still not sure if that helped or hurt me to read all of the stuff about Prozac. The good news is nothing happened. I take it daily and for me it has been a blessing. :)

[KookieTookie]

Consider the medication that your on and decide whether its really best for you. I was put on high levels of anti-depressants when I was at my worse and it actually made me ten times worse due to the side effects of the drug, It was so bad that I deveoped nervous twitches and I started stuttering in my speech and couldn't hold a sentance together for nearly three months! It was the side effects of the drugs they gave me which turned my into a nervous recluse, I was too frightneed to leave my house unless anyone asked me a question or spoke to me so that I'd have to talk and risk stuttering. Not only that but I also started to lactate milk from my breasts for ages, and I was convinced that I was pregnant and I had to go for lots of brain scans because the doctors became concerned I had deveoped a tumour on my piturity gland! (This in turm made me become anxious and constantly concerend/paranoid about my health....obsessed even- I thought I was going to die!)

Anyway, all I'm saying is think about all your options carefully and perhaps with someone close you that you cant trust to decided what the best path of treatment for you is. I'm not saying the drugs don't work, because in many cases they do, but in my experience they have a tendancy to make the situation worse rather than better (when it comes to anxiety anyway)

Stay strong and happy, don't let the illness get you down....remember its only a small part of you, don't let it take over your life!

[spicegirl479]

Use your mind! go out in small spurts and increase it!if you dont face it alone it will increase with or without medication.Your mind is alot stronger than you think it is dont underestimate your capabilities.Anxiety is a horrible feeling i know i too have suffered from it and to an extent still am but get angry with it and dont let it push you around.Good luck to you ,youl be fine your never alone.