Just When My Anxiety is Under Control, Life Acts UP
Living with generalized anxiety disorder is difficult. Here I am, spouting how well I do with my anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications. Then, suddenly, I turn around and find myself face to face with a life situation with the potential of driving me over the edge. It is hard not to feel like I am “being tested”. It is hard to remain confident that I will get through yet another mini disaster.
I admit that without my xanax, I might not make it through those days. Not even the best of anti-anxiety medication can always be enough for someone like me. Well, on …
Had to Tweak My Celexa and Neurontin Again
So after the last adjustment, (See the post “My Psychiatrist Tweaked my Anti Anxiety/Depression medication“) I felt good for a few days and then not so much. I was feeling down each morning and very jumpy during the day. Upon visiting the Psychiatrist for my regular maintenance visit. he said we should go down a drop on the Celexa which could be over stimulating me, and up a bit on the Neurontin. So I am taking 90 mg of Celexa now and 2700 mg of Neurontin.
Guess what? I feel great again. I feel happy when I wake up and …
My Psychiatrist Just Tweaked My Anti-Anxiety/Depresson Meds
So my doc just called me back. Only a few hours after I’d left a message saying that I was not feeling so great. (See the last post Advocating-for-your-anxious-self-with-your-doctor.) He agreed that it is a good idea to make some small changes today and then discuss the results when I see him next week for my regular visit. He said to increase the Neurontin from 2100 mg to 2400 mg, and the Celexa from 80 mg to 100 mg. Wish me luck!!!!!!!!
Advocating for Your Anxious Self with your doctor
It is so hard to realize when I need a change in my medication. Now that my depression and anxiety disorders have been stabilized, problems do not jump out at me. Bad feelings creep up slowly, and I find myself being sucked down without realizing I need a rope. And/or I question my own judgement, accusing myself of being dramatic or overreacting. If I discuss this with my now part time therapist, she will focus on my reactions to daily life. While this is relevant, I know that it is more than just life’s bumps. It is my inability to deal with them. And not because I need …
Don’t stop taking your anti anxiety medication if you feel good!
My daughter, who I have written extensively about here (see the post My Daughter Got Help with her Anxiety) had been doing soooo well. Anti anxiety medication alone was not enough for her. With the addition of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, she began to have many anxiety free days and was sleeping well. In addition, she started acupuncture for her migraine headaches which had not been responding to medication (and are connected to her anxiety). The acupuncture was working well for her too! And then her therapist and her psychiatrist decided that maybe Beth should try to wean off of some …
Paxil Withdrawal
I added a 4th Celexa, bringing my dose to 80 mg. In the US, that is considered too much but in Europe, according to my doctor, they use as much as 100 mg. Since I was on a high dose of Paxil, I probably will need the 100 mg eventually. My psychiatrist said that although the Paxil is now out of my system, my body is craving the Paxil and the Celexa does not satisfy the craving. Therefore, it will be about 6 more weeks until the craving is gone. In the meantime, I will continue to have days where …
Off Paxil CR and On Celexa
So it took about a month but I did it. So far so good. I have some morning drowsiness which one cup of coffee is taking care of. I am feeling pretty good, despite some unusual stress happening right now. This is just a quick entry to let you know the switch went well.
Third Week Switching from Paxil CR to Celexa
I am now taking 60 mg of Celexa and only 25 mg of Paxil CR. I am doing fine except I was drowsy the first few mornings of taking the 3rd Celexa for the first time. The psychiatrist told me to cut the morning pill in half and add it to the night dose. He always tells me to spread out the anti-anxiety medication into 3 doses a day. I think some doctors tell people to take it all at once. What does your doctor tell you to do?
Sleeping at the wrong time due to anxiety disorder and excessive worrying.
My anxiety is now under control most of the time thanks to my anti-anxiety medications - Paxil CR and Neurontin. (Read the post The Results of my visit to the psychiatrist and Your anxiety might be caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. ) When the anxiety was free to enjoy itself in my brain, I often had trouble sleeping. When I would try to fall asleep my over active mind refused to stop its thinking. The anxiety disorder which caused me to think too much and worry about every little thing would render me sleepless.
During the day, I …
There is no cure for generalized anxiety disorder.
I came across a website that flaunts a cure for GAD. There is no such thing as a cure for a chronic illness. Like diabetes, for example, generalized anxiety disorder is a disease that can be controlled using the proper medication and/or therapy. Do not be seduced into thinking that you can go off your anti-anxiety medication just because you feel good. Anxiety disorder does not go away with time.
There is an annoying radio commercial that has a woman with a silky voice cooing about the symptoms of anxiety and saying that you should not have to take a pill …
| older posts »