Please help

[thekirbous]

I have been having anxiety/panic attacks for a little over a year...... I’m scared to try medications cause of side effects of making my attack’s worse...... sometimes I feel like dying. Are tingles/ numbness in face hands mouth signs of panic attack’s?

[Hidden]

Anxiety causes a lot of strange physical symptoms. If you are healthy then yes the tingling and numbness can be from anxiety. I am on a low dose of lexparo 5mg and it’s helped me a lot. You can take a low dose to start and eliminate a lot of strong side effects. Most side effects are manageable and lessen in time. Consider something like celexa or Buspar, ask your doctor and let them know your concerns.

[thekirbous in reply to Hidden]

I think I’m healthy. But at work the other day I was outside working and started getting a headache on top right of my head and ten minutes later my left hand tingled and went numb then my face started too and paramedics showed up. My co2 was low......

[thekirbous in reply to thekirbous]

Is what they said. They said they felt I didn’t need to goto hospital. But I always think what if they are wrong

[Hidden in reply to thekirbous]

It’s probably a good idea to follow up with a cardiologist and they can run an EKG and stress test if needed. I would get it checked out if it was me.

[thekirbous in reply to Hidden]

I’ve been checked before and nothing

[User1964 in reply to thekirbous]

Hi thekirbous, My daughter had that happen to her after soccer practice once. Her head hurt and she was seeing in tunnel vision, face and left side started to go numb. Took her to ER did an MRI. Brain scan was fine, they contributed it to dehydration.

[thekirbous in reply to User1964]

I guess it’s possible that’s what happened to me

[Dallas197245]

Yes. I was also scared to take medication when I was diagnosed. Then I got sick of the constant battle and finally took the medication. Best thing I ever did. I still feel anxious on some days but the intensity is much less.

[thekirbous in reply to Dallas197245]

Does it help with panic attacks

[thekirbous in reply to Dallas197245]

I guess I’m just nervous the pills will trigger another attack

[Tedddy]

Your hesitation to try medications is very understandable, and probably everyone here struggled with whether or not to try meds. The journey to find the medication(s) that are the right fit for you sucks, not going to lie. But I can tell you that once you find the right ones, it can be absolutely life-changing. I think I've tried 6 medications now, and started each one on a very low dose so that if I had any side effects, they would be minimal. I also have my doc prescribe Xanax alongside whatever medication I am trying (also a very low dose) so that if the meds do make my anxiety worse (for up to a few weeks), I have small doses of Xanax that help me make it through the day and push through the few weeks of adjusting.

[thekirbous in reply to Tedddy]

I was prescribe 20mg Prozac

[thekirbous in reply to Tedddy]

I tried Wellbutrin though and in like 2 weeks of taking it it felt like someone was zapping my brain

[Tedddy in reply to thekirbous]

Clearly those weren't the right medications for you. The side effects can be scary, and I'm sorry you've had to deal with some of those. But having anxiety and depression are also scary. Unfortunately there's not a "one size fits all" when it comes to these types of medications. I hope you and your doctor are able to find one that's a better fit. You deserve to feel better.

[thekirbous in reply to Tedddy]

What’s Prozac like? And is 20mg a lot?

[Dallas197245 in reply to thekirbous]

Prozac is an SSRI. I started on it myself 2 weeks ago. I am on 20mg which is a small dose. Average dose is 40mg but can go up to 80mg.

[thekirbous]

They prescribed me 20mg Prozac.

[thekirbous in reply to thekirbous]

I can’t take Xanax due to having a cdl

[User1964 in reply to thekirbous]

They won't prescribe me benzos anymore, like xanax. They really helped for panic attacks but they can be misused and abused.

[Ironj]

I’m sorry to hear you are feeling so scared of the panic attacks. I agree they are scary but they can’t hurt you, I know that not what you wanna hear but true. I’ve been on anti anxiety medication for about 30 years, I’ve never had a bad reaction to the medication. I take Xanax as needed and they work great. Don’t be afraid of trying medicine that’s made for your condition. If you were a diabetic and needed insulin you would take it because you need it. Stay strong you’ll be fine.

[Samson1953]

Hi pls go for a 15 min walk n take deep breaths n think of your favorite places n pray for peace in yr heart.

[Want2BHappy3]

You shouldn't be afraid of medication, I've been using Mirtazapine, it's non addictive and so far no side effects. It does take 4-6 weeks to work. I'd rather take a chance with meds than dealing with Anxiety which can make you feel like you're losing your mind 🙃

[Bug13]

I used and abused Xanax. I take Prozac and Wellbutrin now. I am not sure the Wellbutrin helps and I have started gaining weight. I was taking Mirtazapine for sleep but it wasn't helping at all. I hope I can see a new doctor in August when my insurance kicks in and reevaluate my medications. Anxiety is debilitating and the fear of an anxiety attack is worse than the actual attack sometimes. Talk to a Cardiologist about your episode and talk to your psychiatrist also. I really think meds can help.