Question:

Jacob, I’m about to go on some anti depressants. I’ve been experiencing crippling anxiety and it’s so severe that it’s causing depression. Just recently (about a week ago) I had a bad panic attack upon waking, and since then, the anxiety has got increasingly worse to the point of losing sleep, sleeping three hours a night, waking to extreme anxiety.

The only thing that would make me feel normal and sleep was Ativan. I started working nights a couple months ago, and that triggered my first panic attack. I don’t want to become reliant on Ativan, and when it wears off, I get intense anxiety once again. Any suggestion on what I can do? It’s early, Been only a week, but I’m experiencing stage 2 and some stage 3 symptoms listed on your post.

Answer:

Hi there,

This is so classic and being a guy as well, your situation is EXACTLY what mine was like – no Ativan and I would go back to freak out mode.

I had to start long term meds (Paxil) and take the Ativan for two weeks until the Paxil was in my system.

If you can somehow get yourself to just say STOP, in an effort to stop your mind activity which terrified of the panic attack, that may help.

What people who have never had panic attacks don’t understand is that we REALLY fear is another panic attack and not much else. Sure, it was a combination of life situations that led to the first panic attack, but after that it’s basically the fear of another one that keeps the cycle going.

Once we break that cycle we can start to recover. In my case I had to start Paxil to control it.

From the blog I am realizing that most of us who have dealt with panic, started having episodes in our early 20s. Then maybe nothing for years, and in our 40s they come back. Something like that anyway.

Jacob

Question;

Hi there Jacob,

Well I was on Paxil Cr years ago and weaned myself off and well now my panic attacks and anxiety have been coming back. So I went to the doctors and got another prescription for Paxil CR 25mg and will be starting them tomorrow. 

I have been reading your site and everything on it is me in a nutshell.  I am really worried about starting them again and the side effects and I did read what you said about them not killing me, but as I am sure your well aware the mind is a powerful thing. 

I will start taking them tomorrow morning because I want my life back! and am I ever scared! The doctor gave me the 25 mg because I was on it before and I suggested it but for 5 days I have been in worry about starting them again and what it will be like.  My mind is in a tailspin I keep thinking maybe I don’t need to do this, or maybe I should have asked for a lower dosage, and so and so on. Like I said Tailspin.

What I do want to know is since reading your site, I noticed that everyone is talking about taking Paxil and well Im taking Paxil Cr is it the same thing?

I have bookmarked your site and I will continue to go to it for advice and for calming.  I really appreciate it that you have this site and found relief while reading it as I knew I wasn’t alone in this that other suffer the same and have the same questions and fears.  Which I always deep down knew this but like I said before the mind is a powerful thing. 

If you have further advice I would love to hear it.

Thank you again

Betty

Answer;

Hello Betty, (Continued)

Question:

Hello Jacob & Emma,

I came across your website last night and have been reading as much as possible on there over the evening and morning.

After five months of anxiety, I have found depression starting to creep in over the past month.  I decided therefore it was time to take some medication.  I have been taking Ativan off and on for a few months (0.5mg two or three times a week) but decided to start an SNRI (Pristiq).

My doctor suggested taking it at night because she’s found it’s generally sedating.  I started last night and ended up not sleeping properly at all – up most of the night.  I can’t exactly blame it on the antidepressant because I have had lots of other nights like this due to anxiety.  So I don’t know if it’s the meds or the anxiety.  All night I was obsessing over the medication and worried about side effects. (Continued)