Anyone else suffer from Anxiety?-Long

[fowltemptress]

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[ShysCreations]

The world feels unsettled, scary. Find ways to help yourself unleash the stress--whether its medication or ways you handle stress. The basics in your life (your job & hubby's) feel shaky... use whatever social network helps you (maybe BYC does?). Talk with other people...church...clubs...family...do you & hubby communicate to each other? Write in a journal, talk a country walk, your fav music. Try yoga, I do yoga in the backyard with the chickens. Materials are free to borrow at a local library--books/videos. Maybe a group of gals meets to play cards. Give your body good nutrition, and plenty of water.
Some people have to take medication to make it thru the day, nothing wrong with it. I've done well w/ Sertraline for depression but Fluoxetine made me sleepy. Whatever it is has to work for you or try something else and be strong with the doc to get what works for you.

 

[Smoky73]

Wow, I never expected to see three pages of replies when I got home from work. I appreciate the support here. I have a few friends but hubby and I are loners, we like to stay home as he does not like people in general.

I want to add that my father was a mean man so growing up was not a good experience and he tried to down a bottle of advil when I was 16. After that he moved out, parents got divorced and mom did what she could for us. Mom has suffered from phobias, depression, anxiety and has had counceling. She has taken all kinds of meds in the past and still does. My brother apparently has anxiety, depression and is bi-polar he is 27. My sister just started with panic attacks at night. She is 24. I am 35. I have taken depression meds years ago but have not for at least 7 years now. Last year I thought I might be depressed and doc tried me on Cymbalta and Lexapro and Lexapro darn near killed me- vomiting constantly and I do not even remember a full day after I took the one 1/2 of a pill! I was a walking zombie for 2 weeks after that one dose. Cymbalta made my heart race and slow and race and slow and nausea. It took until a few weeks ago for the Dr to get me to try the anxiety meds because I have been conviced that I would have a severe reaction to all meds now. I am terrified to try new meds as I am afraid they will make me vomit. So, I will not try anymore depression meds. I asked the doctor about the ones I used to take but he did not want to try those again.

I am currently taking Xanax, but the generic for it- alprazolam, 1/2 of a .5mg tab. He told me I could take 1/2 pill, three times a day. I started on my days off with just a half at night, incase I was sick but was not. I was a bit drowsy for the first few days. Then I started taking them in the AM too before work, when I usually start to get the queasy ness in my stomach. I have taken them three times a day when I was doing my bird show this past weekend. I mentioned to the doc that I also suffer from Insomnia at times. Since taking this, I do feel more relaxed especially at night, my mind doesnt race through all kinds of things and have slept pretty well. I also have not had any night terrors, nightmares or choking episodes. I have been taking it in the Am still before work, but I hope to not need to in a few weeks once I get more used to my job.
When I was off of work for 2 months, I loved it and was pretty calm. However, I was in fact very worried about getting a new job and how I would be able to cope with my anxiety and stomach issues. Mine seems to be really related to stress/stomach and food issues. I am constantly worried about whether what I ate will make me sick. No matter what, so I have a hard time eating away from the house.
Its funny as when I was a kid and in high school I was extremely shy, and I am still but only when I first meet people (like at work) after I get to know you, I do tend to be pretty outgoing and have been know to have issues with people because I voice my opinions a lot. My hubby used to hate to take me out to eat at restaurants a few years ago because if something is not right, I will make an issue of it etc. I kinda have a short temper, but I have worked with that I think. I think that the anxiety meds have helped there as well as it seems I tend to not let littl ethings bother me as much.
I know alprazolam is addictive, but I have never been addicted to anything in my life really. I tried smoking as a teen and never got addicted, and never did drugs.
I probably could use some therapy, but we will see if the doc thinks I need it. He is a very nice doc,he listens to what I need to say- he is a pretty compassionate guy.

 

[Smoky73]

Well, today was not a bad day, but I had a revelation this evening.

I did not take any anxiety meds this Am as I felt good. So this afternoon I did not take any either. I was at work, about 4pm, when I was stocking stuff at work and came around the corner and a half gallon of juice fell off my cart and hit the floor and busted. Well, there, if there is a spill of any kind, you are not allowed to leave it for any reason, (in case someone might slip in it) So I was standing there waiting to see another employee to tell them to call for maintenance. Within 3 minutes of the spill (even after the maintenance gal saw me and left to go get supplies) I started to get gas bad (which usually means diarrhea) and started sweating and got a bit nauseous. I took off my jacket to cool down. It was at that moment I recognized that I was getting anxious because I was stuck there and my mind was thinking okay, what if I have to uyse the bathroom, or if I start feeling sick, etc. I was not really thinking those things, but I KNEW I was stuck there to that spot until someone could help. So, I actually recognized a trigger of my anxiety this time, which I think is good.

My mom (just chatted with her) she has had the exact same symptoms as me for about two weeks. I told her it appears its anxiety and nothing more, and that the meds really do help. She is kinda stuck though as she is taking half the dose I am and it knocks her out so she only takes it once a day instead of twice like the dr recommended. I told her maybe she should try on her days off to take it twice a day to get more accustomed to it so maybe it won't hit her so hard.

I wonder if anxiety could be causing my itching I have had for years. I get itching like I have bugs all over, especially at night after a hot shower. Dr several years ago (different dr.) told me I had Urticaria, which is (for lack of a better term) itching for no reason. I know I have too many histamines in my body, as if I scratch or rub like my neck, I get red blotches. And back then, what that dr had prescribed for my itching, helped, but it was also an ANXIETY med. I will ask my dr about that too when I go on Friday.

 

[willowcol]

Well, I went to the councilor today. It wasn't to bad, I drove in the rain for the first time in 5 years. Feeling pretty proud of myself. I just kept repeating, nothing bad is going to happen and if it does it will be just fine to myself. Hope everyone else is having a good day. Yesterday was rough but today seems pretty ok to me.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
Willow, I'm so glad you are having a day of relief, a day that feels more normal. I hope you get more and more of them in the future.

Smoky, good thoughts your way - it's cool that you figured out a trigger. It helps to stand back and look at yourself as if you were the doctor looking at Smoky the patient.

 

[klf73]

sorry you have to deal with that. I have had anxiety my whole life(although mild compared to yours) and unfortunately most of my children inherited it too. My 11 yo son is a wreck, he always sits in some type of fetal position and eats his nails so they are pretty much nonexistant. It doesn't help that he also has depression(linked to his anxiety) and ADHD(also linked to his anxiety) to top it off his therapists all say they think he has Aspergers(which makes sense as it runs in families and his 3 yo brother was dx autism). I feel horrible for my little man and worry that he won't be able to survive the next few years through puberty.
My daughter (13) has the itching from anxiety, I can always tell when she is anxious because she itches, she also gets the red blotches which makes it look like she touched an allergen or something.
The therapists have helped greatly with my children and hopefully you will find someone/something that works well for you

 

[bheila]

I think we all have good and bad days

My 6yr old DD is having a Mother's Day Tea tomorrow and I've been dreading it

I just can't bring myself to go. I feel horrible about it. She has worked so hard to learn all of the songs and made beautiful cards for me and I just can't go. I hate feeling like this

I don't have the heart to send her to school and let her see all of the other mother's show up for their daughter's. I made the decision to let her stay home tomorrow and we've planned to go on a picnic together instead.
I managed to go to her Thanksgiving gathering and I was fine. So that's why I say we all have good days and bad. This week has been difficult trying to figure out how to make this right for my daughter

Thanks for listening

 

[SilkieBaby]

WOW.....I am so glad that I am not alone with this anxiety thing! I always felt like that noone would understand. The doctors say that they do but you always wonder....... I have taken everything from Zoloft to Paxil. The only one that has helped me is Effexor. That is what I am currently taking. It REALLY REALLY manages my stress level. It also contains a time released pain med that helps with the pain that comes along with depression and anxiety and you only take it one time a day. The doc also gave me a Rx for a really bad attack that will pretty well knocks me for a loop so when I do take it it is usually just a half of one. My attacks are not as bad as they used to be.....maybe from the Effexor??? I have always wanted to talk with someone that knew EXACTLY what I was feeling and could relate and understand. I feel like this could help us all by communicating about this and have our own little "support group".

 

[willowcol]

Yes I agree, and don't worry about the tea party. Her picnic with you will be a wonderful memory and she will be just fine. We do what we can do, and if there are somethings we can't do, well we can do the best we can to make it work. Have fun on your picnic it sounds like a great idea!!! I love the support group idea, it alwasy helps to know your not alone. Its great to have others that understand how we feel.