follow up...any opinions please?

[teemarie]

ok so i went to the "holistic" psychiatrist yesterday. she just asked me basic questions and told me i need to be on buspar. i am not trying to be on any medicines. i asked well what else they offer and they said nothing. i have changed my diet the past month cutting out fast food and caffeine. i started cutting back on cigarettes today (im not ready to quit ive been smoking 12 years). has anyone else tried anything that has helped them? i dont excersise honestly unless you include ocd cleaning the house. i also have been trying to work on identifying my stressors. tomorrow i will be looking for a different obgyn (again) to check my hormones. fingers crossed. and asking for a full fasting panel from my primary to rule out other issues. i am really trying to get this under control without having to go the medicine route. oh and smoking weed is a no-no for me before anyone suggests it (they do that here in the us alot now). it triggers my anxiety very bad.

[Agora1]

Hi teemarie, it's interesting that a holistic psychiatrist still goes back to buspar. I know you don't want to be on meds. I was hoping like you that there were other alternatives that a holistic doctor could come up with. Could it be that he wants you started on buspar so that he can then approach the holistic way of treating the anxiety? It sounds like your plans at this time are to have further medical testing. Depending on the results then you can make a rational decision. Sometimes it takes the long way around to get to our goal. The thing is to have some plan so you don't stay stuck. I wish you well. xx

[REDHEADLPN35]

I know you don't like to be on meds,believe me I was the same way but when the anxiety gets so bad that you are continuously having panic attacks it's time to try something. I am so against meds I would hardly take tylenol for a headache but my anxiety had me to where I could hardly work. I was feeling like I was dying, like I was going to pass out daily, and the dizziness was unbearable; I could hardly walk around.My doctor wrote me a prescription for Buspar and I put it off long as I could and I finally started taking it ,within two days I could tell the difference. I've been taking it for about 3 months now and the only side effects I've had is a little nausea when I first started. It has made a world of difference for me.

[Beth1982 in reply to REDHEADLPN35]

Prayer, Buspar, my husband, counseling and my faith are getting me through.

[Beth1982 in reply to REDHEADLPN35]

I recently started Buspar. I'm curious about dosing. How much do you take?

[REDHEADLPN35 in reply to Beth1982]

I take 10 mg in morning and at night

[teemarie]

Shes starting me on 10mg three times a day which Im petrified about! I had an issue with Prozac a couple weeks ago and it has really put me in a mindstate that nothing will work. My anxiety is managable most days but then for two weeks (week before and during my cycle) my anxiety rears its ugly ass head and i get depression too now with it. Which is why I want labs and my hormones checked out. And she said that they do not do anything except prescribe meds

[Agora1 in reply to teemarie]

teemarie, the difference here is that it is a psychiatrist prescribing for you and not your OBG. Anxiety really needs to be controlled by a doctor who specializes in anxiety. Prozac and Buspar are in two different catagories. I think this may be the way for you to go. I know you are frightened but when you get to this point, you need something to settle you down. I hope you start on it soon or the anticipation will build. Good luck. xx

[sunnyg]

Test your thyroid, candida levels, B vitamin levels, blood sugar levels, adrenal function, hormone levels and D vitamin levels. One of those is the culprit. Food allergies too.

Have you had any of those tested?

I am currently seeing a homeopathic MD and she recommended the above tests. I am currently undergoing the testing. Keeping my fingers crossed. Anxiety is the worst!

Hopefully, we can find answers by fixing our bodies. Praying for you and all of us who suffer.

[Beth1982]

I started at 2.5 in the am and 2.5 in the evening and took that for approximately two and half weeks, it worked enough to allow me some peace but not to really function. Three days ago I started at 5 in the am and 5 in the pm. It's only been a few days but it seems to be working!

[Agora1 in reply to Beth1982]

That's great Beth. I wish you continued success. You need the break. xx

[Beth1982 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you for being so supportive and nice. I do need a break, I've had several brutal months. I'm still trying to understand how I went to bed fine and woke up like I am but I have faith that God will see me through.

[teemarie]

yes i need something! what threw me though was that she offered the vibryt (sp?) when she knew of my previous reaction to an ssri. i have had my vitamin d checked which was low and my b which was on the low end of "normal". i dont think we have hompatheic doctors here of least not that my insurance will cover. we have "obamacare" here which is basically very lowgrade shit insurance. i have to pay for my dental and copays on medications and surgeries! i am praying that they figure something out. it is just rather surprising that a doctor will not send you with a simple lab slip yet will put you on medicines. i want to give the buspar a shot but i want to wait and see what my labs say. i also heard that accupuncture is beneficial but im not too sure of it.

[Agora1]

teemarie, You are right in that most insurance won't cover a homeopathic doctor even if you could find one. I've had acupuncture for migraines which worked very well. But again, the insurance won't cover it. Since Vibryt is an SSRI, you probably would be okay with buspar. It's in a category all by itself and tends to be less addicting. Let us know when you start the Buspar. xx