Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 838296

Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...

Posted by sundown73 on July 5, 2008, at 21:25:33

Since the beginning of May, I've been having severe anxiety issues. The onset was sudden after I had returned from a diving drip (so sudden actually, that i thought I had bent myself during the trip or something). Over a couple weeks some of the symptoms (blurry vision and tremors) started to get better, but then after a pretty bad relationship failure (got dumped), my hands started shaking again and I found myself to be constantly on the edge of a total breakdown and angry and hurt thinking the world would be better without me and all sorts of negative feelings... I finally went to my GP and he put me on Zoloft, Xanax, and Doxepin (to sleep). After a few weeks, there was no improvement at all (though I enjoyed the xanax), he switched me from zoloft to paxil. After three more weeks of no improvement, I went to a psychiatrist and he switched me from all of that to Effexor XR, Adavan, and Trazodone. I'm not even sure what all of this stuff is or what to expect. I've only been on the new cocktail for two days and all I feel that's different is that I'm out of it most of the time and fairly depressed instead of anxious...

7 different drugs in two months and I still feel off.

If nothing else, I am glad to be off of the Paxil as that is something I took several years ago for depression and I had a horrible time getting off of it. I actually quit cold-turkey when I had a few days off and those were possibly the worst days of my life. Couldn't sleep. Night seats. Crawly skin / itching. Auditory hallucinations. All sorts of badness. Of course, from when I read here already, I can see that the effexor may also cause issues when I try to stop taking it... Good times.

Anyway! I wanted to post here because this is a seriously rough time for me and I don't think my friends understand what's going on. I keep getting reactions out of them that are closer to "shake it off and go to the gym if you want to feel better" or "quit obsessing on the woman that screw you over"... Basicall like they think I can just get over everything by hearing them say I should get over it. I know they mean well, but it's pretty frustrating and shows that they have no idea what's going on with me. Of course, I don't have any idea what's going on with me either...

It's nice, but sad, to know that others are in the same boat.

Can anyone here tell me what I should expect over the next few days/weeks while I take the current drug cocktail I'm on? How about some advice for dealing with the friends that don't seem to get it?

Thanks!

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy... » sundown73

Posted by sunnydays on July 5, 2008, at 22:36:23

In reply to New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy..., posted by sundown73 on July 5, 2008, at 21:25:33

Welcome to Babble!

I wonder why your docs are switching meds so quickly. A lot of antidepressants can take 8-12 weeks to take effect, so I wonder why they didn't have you stick it out longer. I don't know about the other drugs, but Effexor XR has worked pretty well for me for anxiety AND depression. It did take me two FULL months for the drug to start working, however. You just have to stick it out until then. If you feel depressed and out of it, wait a week or two and see if it goes away, then talk to your doc. If the depression gets worse, however, you need to talk to someone as soon as possible to make sure you are safe.

Also, are you in therapy? Research has shown that a combination of medication and therapy works better than either alone in the treatment of things like anxiety. That might give you some real life support around the side effects you may be experiencing, as well. I know it has been tremendously beneficial for me.

sunnydays

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...

Posted by ronaldo on July 6, 2008, at 7:55:53

In reply to Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy... » sundown73, posted by sunnydays on July 5, 2008, at 22:36:23

> Welcome to Babble!
>
> I wonder why your docs are switching meds so quickly. A lot of antidepressants can take 8-12 weeks to take effect, so I wonder why they didn't have you stick it out longer. I don't know about the other drugs, but Effexor XR has worked pretty well for me for anxiety AND depression. It did take me two FULL months for the drug to start working, however. You just have to stick it out until then. If you feel depressed and out of it, wait a week or two and see if it goes away, then talk to your doc. If the depression gets worse, however, you need to talk to someone as soon as possible to make sure you are safe.
>
> Also, are you in therapy? Research has shown that a combination of medication and therapy works better than either alone in the treatment of things like anxiety. That might give you some real life support around the side effects you may be experiencing, as well. I know it has been tremendously beneficial for me.
>
> sunnydays

Sounds like good advice to me... Hope your meds kick in eventually Sundown73

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...

Posted by Phillipa on July 6, 2008, at 12:31:25

In reply to Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy..., posted by ronaldo on July 6, 2008, at 7:55:53

Excellent advise in my opinion. Sounds like you've been properly greeted and it is a great place for knowledge. Welcome again. Phillipa

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy... » sundown73

Posted by nfc on July 7, 2008, at 8:11:57

In reply to New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy..., posted by sundown73 on July 5, 2008, at 21:25:33

Welcome to babble, sundown73!

anyway advice for the uninformed who like to give haste advice for you to get better - what might help is to understand that they really lack knowledge of whats really going on w/ you and w/ illnesses that affect you mentally and in a sense they're just uninformed, well ignorant kinda really, sorry if thats a harsh word but i've dealt w/ alot during my diagnosis and sometimes till now. Close friends, somewhat anyway can tell you're sad and depressed and they ask in a whats wrong w/ you kinda way "why are you looking so sad?" and in their tone of voice I can't really sense any empathy. probably due to their not knowing whats really going on. but yeah it sucks really and u just gotta deal. it gets better w/ time as long as your symptoms start to lift and u get better and u start to feel like yourself again.

i'm not a doc but w/ that change in meds sometimes u may be dealing w/ the side effects of getting off the old meds plus side effects of the new meds while waiting for it to kick in and combat ur symptoms.

and like sunnydays said, seek therapy as well but count the cost as well and see if your med insurance will cover. it can get costly. if you can find a close friend who'll listen to every rant and rave of yours (like how I do in therapy) and give u good advice(hopefully) then that can substitute a bit for professional therapy.

but yeah take care and wish u the best,

nfc

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...

Posted by blueboy on July 7, 2008, at 11:27:59

In reply to New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy..., posted by sundown73 on July 5, 2008, at 21:25:33

Gosh it's difficult to tell much from the information given. I'd really tell you to get a very good psychiatrist -- even if you have to go out of town to visit a great clinic.

I'd have a lot of diagnostic concerns and be asking whether you need to be on such strong medication and, if so, what kind. Prescribing an antidepressant is such a knee-jerk reaction for some GP's.

If I were a doctor, I'd especially want to consider your age and occupation, together with any prior history of the symptoms.

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...Sundo

Posted by ihatedrugs on July 10, 2008, at 0:45:10

In reply to New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy..., posted by sundown73 on July 5, 2008, at 21:25:33

Hi Sundown

I think every single one of us in this forum have been or is at the moment where you are. I can tell you from my experience that there is a brilliant light at the end of the tunnel. It usully takes a few weeks to begin feeling better once you have found the proper meds. I have never tried Effexor but it usually works well for most people. Relying on Xanax or other benzos for the time being can be helpful in taking the edge off until the meds kick in. Also something I learned through the years is to take each day as a new beginning, because that is what depression takes away, HOPE. We think we are never going to get through the pain and fear but it does subside.
I agree with one of the previous post in that you need to see a good psyc doctor. It makes a world of difference. Keep posting for as long as you need to, someone is always going to respond and eventually you'll be reading or writing post until you no longer need to use this site because you are too busy living life.

Good luck
ihatedrugs

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...Sundo » ihatedrugs

Posted by nfc on July 10, 2008, at 6:06:58

In reply to Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...Sundo, posted by ihatedrugs on July 10, 2008, at 0:45:10

--Keep posting for as long as you need to, someone is always going to respond and eventually you'll be reading or writing post until you no longer need to use this site because you are too busy living life.

*tear* :*)

brought a tear to my eye. well said, well said. so very true. Thanks for the post cuz it helped me realize something too!

nfc

 

Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...Sundo

Posted by ihatedrugs on July 10, 2008, at 23:14:04

In reply to Re: New Here: Feel like a walking pharmacy...Sundo » ihatedrugs, posted by nfc on July 10, 2008, at 6:06:58

> --Keep posting for as long as you need to, someone is always going to respond and eventually you'll be reading or writing post until you no longer need to use this site because you are too busy living life.
>
> *tear* :*)
>
> brought a tear to my eye. well said, well said. so very true. Thanks for the post cuz it helped me realize something too!
>
> nfc
>
You're welcome. We are all in this together!!!


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.