anxiety panic attacks and now sadness

[Maggiemay123]

Hi all

I have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks for the past 20 years. I have read every book u can think of practiced meditation and now bouts of sadness is hitting me. My last panic attack happened while driving which has made me apprehensive now to drive. I’m sick to death of constantly battling these attacks / however they do only last a few minutes. Do you think it’s time I tried antidepressants? I mentioned it to my Doctor last week and she is suggesting lexapro. Advice would be greatly appreciated- Thank You

[Celtic27]

Hi maggiemay I'm sorry of how things are going for you the as you said Antidepressants may be your next call have you asked so see a phycologist you doctor will go down you medical and should be the best person to advise you on what to do next God bless you,

[Maggiemay123 in reply to Celtic27]

Thank you for your caring reply

[robin0507]

ugh! I resonate with this.

Even though episodes can be short on time my mind and body can feel it for days/weeks.My Dr started me with medication 2 months ago even though I specifically mentioned I wouldn’t want that. Dr suggested the best combination of treatment is therapy + medication. Besides therapy and medication, I’ve also tried doing mindfulness in the morning or in the afternoon before bed it helps relieve tension and negative thoughts out of my head.

I can’t speak about Lexapro specifically but I can tell you a bit about my experience. It has helped reduce the number and frequency of episodes though it doesn’t go away. I only drive locally now (15-20mins). I would advise you to try your best and not let your false thoughts discourage you. Breathe and connect with yourself. Sometimes we just need to go back to basics.. Can you think of any things/activities/places that have helped you in the past?

[Maggiemay123 in reply to robin0507]

Thank you it is great to hear that other people experience the same symptoms. Your reply is much appreciated.

[BlueAgave]

Hi Maggiemay123. I've been suffering with panic/anxiety my entire life. My opinion is that antidepressants do work and worth a try. However, if you can use them in conjunction with some type of therapy to get your panic under control, it would be good to wean back off of the medication when possible. Just something I wish I would have done many years ago instead of just depending on the medication. Now I'm kind of stuck with the medicine, and still trying to figure things out. I have had many good years though. Now I'm on my therapy quest. Best wishes, chat anytime.

[Maggiemay123 in reply to BlueAgave]

Hi - Many Thanks for your reply and for taking the time to write to me. I will try 5mg for a while and see how I get on. Have a lovely day 😃

[Maggiemay123 in reply to BlueAgave]

Hi again - I am thinking just like you I will definitely wean off them too if they work. If they do work it might bring back our confidence/ we might feel like our old selves again 🙏

[BlueAgave in reply to Maggiemay123]

Remember to give it some time to work. Can take 4 to 6 weeks before noticing a change. I hope it works out well for you!

[Maggiemay123 in reply to BlueAgave]

🙏🙏

[CL3V3R-G1RL]

I was on Lexapro when I was a teen, 20mg of I remember right. Along with klonopin .5mg . But over time I worked on my anxiety. With therapy and hard work I got off of Lexapro and Clonazepam/Klonopin .5mg.

I realized like you said the attacks don't last long. Yes, it feels terrible but you know it won't kill you. You can't feed the fear. You said you had one while driving. That's okay. Why? Because you still made it home. Sure, you may had to pull over and ride it out but you did it.

I'm sure Lexapro will help but it works even better with therapy. Most of the time I find that doctors who prescribe antidepressants forget to mention that it isn't entirely a cure all. And that it'll work best with therapy. Help you find the root cause of your anxiety and where to go from there.

I also find it helpful to keep a journal of my progress. Write down every little accomplishment. Like in spite of having a panic attack while driving, you went on another drive to the local store and you did just fine. Whenever you start to feel sad or discouraged you can read back on your successes

Wishing you healing and love 🫂 ❤️

[Maggiemay123 in reply to CL3V3R-G1RL]

Thank you Clever Girl. You sound so positive. Have a lovely day 😃

[PacoDennis]

I was about your age when I started taking Lexapro and .5 Klonipin. I didn't go to therapy and am now stuck on both meds. Not as much, but stuck. I am 71. Through the difficult years of mental illness I have learned that you need to be flexible about how you see the world. It changes from day to day, and our feelings change. We all adapt to these changes but a lot of times we have difficulty feeling confident about our choices. I try not get down on myself when having a bad day ( which can be very challenging ), and enjoy the good. Even throughout the day as your moods change be as flexible as you can to do things that match your feelings.

Maybe this approach will work for you sometimes, maybe not. We all have to figure out our own path, with the help and support of our friends and family.

[Maggiemay123 in reply to PacoDennis]

Thank You PacoDennis / that is sound advice. Have a great day!!

[HarlemOkie]

Hi Maggiemay123! I am sorry that you are going through this. I have battled anxiety for most of my life and I have bouts of depression. I was on lexapro for a while and stopped for personal reasons. Post COVID, life got pretty tough. I watched my father die from lung cancer and for the first time in my life, I started having panic attacks. And they happened over the most random things like train delays. One day I went to urgent care because I thought I was having a heart attack and they told me it was panic attack. I was placed back on lexapro and it has been incredibly helpful. A few things to note:

-It makes me slightly drowsy so I take it a night

-Doctor's typically start you on a small dose, like 5mg. At the height of my panic attacks, I needed 20mg. Please don't be ashamed if the initial dosage isn't helping.

-I can't credit it all to Lexapro. I was diligent about going to therapy too. There I got more mindful exercises that aided me. Sounds like you are well versed in meditation and other amazing practices. Sometimes talking it out is a really nice release.

-I was seeing a psychiatry nurse practitioner and she emphasized the gut to brain health. It was strange how my mood would shift once I hydrated, ate a healthy meal, and got sleep.

So for me Lexapro has been great, mixed with other powerful resources. Happy to answer any more questions. I hope you find the perfect mixture of resources that will help you feel better. Sending you hugs!

[Maggiemay123 in reply to HarlemOkie]

Well Thank You so much for your in debt reply. It is great to get peoples opinions as I have never really spoken to my family about this. The strange this is I come across to people as being as “cool as a cucumber’ so they tell me anyway. 😃 I suppose I just managed the anxiety for years but now with the bouts of sadness which I’m assuming is depression- I just feel I need to try some meds as sick and tired of managing it Thsnk you again

[ArloGuthrie]

Hi! I've had anxiety attacks all my life. Also suffer from depression too. Antidepressants have helped me tremendously! Sometimes it takes a few different tries to find the right meds for you. They can definitely help! Good luck!!

[Maggiemay123 in reply to ArloGuthrie]

Thank you 🙈

[Agora1]

Hi Maggiemay123 and Welcome to an insightful community of friends.

As you can see, you are not alone with your feelings and sensations. Since we

are not doctors, we can only advise you according to our own experiences ...

In the end, it is your doctor's choice as to what they may feel is right for you.

I will add that the answer to your struggles is not found in medication alone.

That is a band-aid effect that will allow you to move forward by incorporating

talk therapy as well and addressing the main issues of your fears.

The "key" to regaining yourself again can come in time when you are ready to explore

other tools/methods to help you as well.

You took the first step today by joining in on this caring community.

With Hope & Belief that things can and will change. xx

[Maggiemay123 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you Agora1. Your words give me great hope and it’s great to have this community take the time to respond to me - for which I am very grateful. I’m just sorry I didn’t seek advice years ago xx

[goatin in reply to Agora1]

This is the same as the old theological advice? These things dont work because its a chemical being produced called Serotonins; the reuptake of this chemical is the problem as it lingers and causes all these anxiety feelings. One can have all the visits and all the talk sessions, it just does not make the physiological body change its reaction. Sorry in my view this needs medicine? There are a whole lot of them but the cure is worse than the disease;

[Lost-and-Stuck in reply to goatin]

Agora1 makes a good point. For some individuals, medication alone will not help; a combination of talk therapy/CBT, etc. coupled with medication will produce greater, long lasting results. I have taken many medications over the past 26 years and none of them have helped me. It’s also possible that I still haven’t found the right medication.

Have you ever looked into cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy?

[Maggiemay123 in reply to Lost-and-Stuck]

Hi lost and stuck I did research CBT and bought a book😃 I have never heard of dialectical behavioural therapy- I will check it out. Thank you

[Lost-and-Stuck in reply to Maggiemay123]

Maggiemay123,

Can I ask you a question? Have you ever learned about what panic attacks are? If not, I highly recommend you do so. I have experienced several panic attacks in my 20s and I learned that one must simply accept the attack; do not try to resist and fight it and let it just happen. In theory, it is simple but extremely difficult to put into practice.

I strongly believe that once you have a solid understanding of panic attacks, they will seem less and less frightening.

Let me know what you think.

[Maggiemay123 in reply to Lost-and-Stuck]

I have learned about them. Mine last about 2 minutes. It starts off with a dizzy feeling then I have to sit or lie down and my heart starts racing for about a minute. They do always scare me a bit but I do know they are not dangerous. I think what really got me was having one while driving . I know now that I am too hyper vigilant waiting for something to happen while driving. I have s new mantra now when I drive anywhere short distance . “I love driving I love driving”hoping it will change my thinking 😃

[goatin]

I can understand what you are going through but these medications cause more harm than good and make it worse? that has been my experience; the only medication that did work is Zanax but because it could be addicting for some the rest of us cannot use it?

[Maggiemay123 in reply to goatin]

Thank you Goatin The Doc gave me Xanax a few years ago to have in case of emergency but I really didn’t use many. It’s the panic attacks that come out of the blue is my biggest challenge and the physical feelings on a nearly a daily basis that I have difficulty with.

[Agora1]

Hi Maggiemay, this is a P.S. to the response I sent you earlier.

I really don't like suggesting or advocating a medication since we all

respond differently. However, I will tell you that after being on years

of Xanax and it no longer worked, I was switched to Lexapro and it has

done wonders for me. I am not tired, I'm clear minded and feel good

mentally as well as physically. Antidepressants are now being used for

anxiety as well. I hope that you at least give it a try since your doctor

has suggested it. Good Luck dear...I truly hope it helps turn the corner on

your Panic Attacks as well as Sadness. May I let you know that it takes time.

Usually 4-6 weeks to reach full efficacy. But by then, you should start feeling better xx