Suffering from really bad depression anxiety

[Rosalia1]

I’ve had depression since I was 12 anxiety since I was 16 I take Ativan and I also take Ambien to sleep I have pain in my low back and I need surgery and I’m overweight for 10 I weigh 180 pounds I’m so super depressed I can’t handle life anymore I don’t know who to turn to or what to do please help

[Abigail_Wenderson]

Hi Rosalia1,

I can understand that it is very typical to deal with anxiety and depression for so long. One of my friends also had anxiety and depression from childhood but last year he took SGB treatment and it works out really well for him, he is feeling better every day.

I hope it helps you.

[Hidden in reply to Abigail_Wenderson]

Hi Abigail,

I read your reply to Rosalia1 and I wanted to ask you, what is SGB treatment? I have never heard of it before. I have suffered with Anxiety and Depression for the majority of my life. Thank you!

[Abigail_Wenderson in reply to Hidden]

Hey Julester,

So Stellate Ganglion Block is one of the various treatments for PTSD that may have resulted from childhood abuse, combat and warfare, sexual assault, car accidents, and emotional or physical abuse.

It is an intravenous procedure in which doctors inject an anesthetic into a collection of nerves in the neck, also known as the stellate ganglion. It is the main nerve that controls the “fight or flight” response (the sympathetic nervous system).

It is a 5-minute procedure performed under x-ray guidance, and patients can leave the hospital the same day and are followed by counseling.

The process resets the brain to pre-trauma levels, and the results can last from a few months to years. Several studies have shown SGB to have effectively treated PTSD symptoms with minimal side effects though the effects may vary from person to person.

Best to consult a specialist, though, and understand if it is right for you because you often need to fulfill specific criteria to undergo the treatment.

I am also sharing links on how the procedure works - stellacenter.com/how-sgb-pr... and one NCBI piece on the effectiveness of this procedure for PTSD symptoms - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK4....

Let me know if this helps.

[1OshunDreamer]

Hi Rosalia1,

I'm 54 but my depression has been traced back to when I was 12, my Anxiety has always been there. I completely understand where you're coming from.

First keep this please. suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

I had the opposite problem you do. I was 5'10" and 110lbs. I looked extremely ill, but I wasn't, just a high metabolism. People called my skinny in the same manner some say fat. It made me painfully shy.

It took me a long time to find the right dr with the right meds. I researched on my own and joined support groups until I found the ones that fit. My depression hasn't gone completely away but I have my tools that work for me, to help and lesson the pain. Have you had any luck doing these things?

Lastly, research that Ambien, please. Ambian is addictive and you'll never be able to sleep with out it. I actually got in my car and drove while on it a month ago. I ended up running my car head on into a wall. I can only remember vaguely waking up for a minute on the highway and that was it until the wall.

[Hidden]

Hi Rosalia1,

I can totally relate to your lower back pain issues. A little over a year ago, I had fallen and I broke my back and was in a great deal of pain. I had trouble sleeping because of that. I am praying for you. I was just curious, does the Ambien help you with your sleep? I have difficulty in sleeping.

[Rosalia1 in reply to Hidden]

Gosh ! Never saw this sorry I’m new to this

Yes ! Ambian helps for sure it’s addictive tho 😢

[Rayb12]

It may be time to change your meds. Contact your psychiatrist about potential med changes.

I switched from Ativan to Clonazepam and my anxiety is almost completely gone.

I also take Trazadone at bedtime to help me sleep. I also take Prazosin at bedtime to help with bad dreams, PTSD kind of stuff.

Sometimes our bodies get used to certain drugs and we need to try different ones to find what works best.

Hang in there.

[kvolm2016]

I'm sorry to hear that you are in such a low place at this time of your life. Dealing with chronic pain in addition to the mental health challenges certainly is a lot to be dealing with all at one time. Since you mention that you are using these medications, does that mean you have a physician/psychiatrist who you are seeing regularly? Do you feel like you are able to speak clearly enough to the physician/psychiatrist to let them know that the current treatment plan is not working? If they don't know, they can't help you to find a better solution.