Anxiety :: Xanax Dependency After Long Term Use?
how many of you are prescribed xanax? it is the only thing that helps with panic/anxiety attacks and constant health anxiety concerns. i am prescribed, but i don't want to become dependent on it but i feel like i already am. i take around .75 a day and it really helps me- im not barred out or anything like that. i'm terrified of seizures though bc of other health concerns and i feel like i would not take it because of this fear. thoughts anyone? anyone taken it long term? there was a period of about 4 days when i didn't take it last month- but since thanksgiving have taken at least .25 every day for legitimate anxiety.
View 6 RepliesAcid Reflux :: Possibly GERD Or Just Bad Anxiety?
I will post my anxiety issue in the anxiety forum in a moment.. but wanted to see the thoughts on this here.
I am a 29 male.. and have had issues with acid reflux alot in the last year.
A few months ago I stopped drinking large quantities of beer.
I became an alcoholic after my father passed away from esophageal(spelling) cancer stage 4.. we caught it at stage 3.. because at 65.. he didn't want to get the tests done not being on medicare. (He never smoked, had reflux or drank heavy)
anyways.. the reflux I noticed became bad after I stopped drinking.. it's probably why I can't drink anymore because my stomach and throat burns after one sit.
So.. I will not say my life story as I am on my phone.. and because you probably don't want to hear it.
Last year I had an endoscopy done... and a colonoscopy. By the same gastroenterologist. I am thinking of getting a second opinion.. he noticed that my esophagus was in the shape of a diamond and red. but that wasn't a concern.. i told him that I have reflux, regurgitation, excessive mucous, itchy throat, burning throat and mouth, a constant foul taste, a sharp pain after eating right behind my sternum, nausea, lump in the throat, and a feeling like I have allergies.. but in my throat and mouth... Every day....
he told me this was normal and drink more water.. and the only concern he had was making me get weekly hemorrhoid treatments.. he was the only gastroenterologist that accepted medical.. he never wanted to see me again for anything else.. so one day I asked him to discuss my issues with my throat.. and he turned me away and said a different doctor..
So.. before I find a different doctor I was wondering if those were signs of gerd or lpr?
I am taking prevacid 24hr. ranitidine 150 mg 2x Day. A ton of maalox and tums.. and still constantly feeling reflux like.
So I'm wondering if it is just anxiety and stress related via my dad passing and quitting alcohol at the same time.
Nortriptyline - Can Cause Dependency?
Following my appointment to the neurologist, I have been prescribed Nortriptyline 10mg for 4 weeks. I was previously on Amitriptyline, and felt really bad while taking them. I did tell this to the neurologist hence why the 10 mg. My only concern is becoming dependant on these tablets for a long period of time which as a 21 year old I do not wish too. Can anyone offer me any advice? I am finally getting sleep on my own as my body got used to the Amitriptyline.
View 18 RepliesDepression With Severe Anxiety - Can't Sleep At All
Hi. For 6 weeks I've been going downhill with severe anxiety and depression. My questions is, how many of you have really, really severe anxiety with your depression? For me it is almost the worst because I can't sleep, at all, not even during the day. So I'm on tranquilisers at night. I literally feel terrified for my life, like I'm on death row. I just can't see it getting better, because I had a major breakdown 3 years ago which took over a year to recover from and at least then I wasn't already taking medication so the docs had a range of options. Now I'm already on Lexapro (since 3 years ago) and now the tranquilizers which i hate taking but otherwise I can't sleep at all. So where to go now? I know I analyse it all too much and should just have faith but I can't. i feel like my life is over. I have a lovely son and family and feel like everything is lost. For me, this is the biggest disaster that ever could've happened to me, having another breakdown. the last one was so awful I feel like I barely got out alive. And worst of all I'm haunted my memories not only of that breakdown but of my sister who took her own life 10 years ago due to mental health problems. I'm so, so terrified that I'll end up the same. It is hell.
View 4 RepliesSevere Depression And Anxiety? Due To ADHD
I feel like depression has a hold on my life, a really tight hold, and at this point I don't know what to do anymore. Its so severe that it has affected my way of living so much. I'm not the same girl I once was. I am hurting so much on the inside, even though I have to keep a strong face on for the world to see. I think that is where my anxiety comes into play. That and my ADHD. School has always been so so hard for me. That made me severely depressed starting in middle school. I could not understand why I was so bad at math. And I got mediocre grades/gpa because of my math problems. I was in Catholic school my whole life, and having to go to public high school was very hard for me. I was not used to that environment and was bullied and picked on. I know its really not a big deal, but I was only 14-15 and it really did affect me I feel. I was bullied about how ugly I was, how short i was, I was physically bullied and had stuff thrown at me in class all the time, teachers would do nothing (in fact one teacher even made it worse and chose the side of the bullies, aka the favorites of the class, and my school therapist at the time had to defend me). I would skip class to avoid my tormentors. My anxiety worsened because of this, my parents did nothing, made me stay at the same school, and I would have to hide, in the bathroom and the library, could not even have lunch. It was so hard for me. Now that I'm in college its amazing that I don't have to worry about any of that. People are so different, but I'm so depressed about the fact how hard math still is for me, and classes in general, and the fact I have no friends at all, none whatsoever. No matter how hard I try I feel like I lost my ability to socialize with people like I used to. For fear of being made fun of. I also don't want to be left (I have abandonment issues because of my dad leaving). So i figure there is no point in getting close to someone if they are just going to hurt and leave me. I feel like such a loser, I'm in my second year of community college and I don't even know what to do. I don't know how to drive (I had a very strict mom and stepdad, they never taught me how to drive, didn't want me driving) so by the time i was 18 i just kept putting it off I guess. I don't even have a job yet. I've been looking and its so hard to find. I feel like everyone is passing me by, and it really makes me feel like the biggest loser in the world. What hurts most is no one understands how severe my depression is, my mom thinks I just don't care and am "lazy" when in fact its the complete opposite. I want nothing more than to be better and healthy so I can move out of this house. I don't know what else to say besides I want help on how to get my life back on track. I'm on meds but I still feel terrible. My psychiatrist didn't prescribe me adderall even though she saw how severe my ADHD was, and felt it was more important to treat the "depression" which is stupid, because I'm just not depressed for no reason. Things cause depression and I feel my ADHD is a big cause of my depression. Anyway I'm rambling and don't know what else to say besides I really want advice, and hope I'm not the only one in this situation. I have no one to turn to.
View 10 RepliesHow Do I Cope Severe Depression/anxiety?
Well it's 3.51pm here in glasgow we are in the middle of a heat wave and i'm lying in bed typing this in the same shorts n shirt i've had on for over a week. I cnt b bothered going out don't want to see anyone not eating anymore either breakfasts lunch hardly shower. Have no enthusiasm for anything not interested in anything. My wife got so sick of me not knowing how to have fun or want anyone up to the house she left me now has a new partner only time i'm happy is seeing my kids but i'm even struggling to be fun for them now as well. I am sick of anti depressants they do not work i have tried them all and given them time to work if it wasn't for my 3 kids i wouldn't be writing this just now. I a have no qualifications haven't worked in over 7 years right now almost every night i just cry and cry. Ppl tell you you need to just get out their i look fat and ugly and cant hold a conversation i have no friends except my 3 kids who i try as hard as possible to hide this horrible depression from. They are the only 1 thing that i got right in my life. And i feel so so selfish knowing theirs homeless ppl and babies dying in foreign countries and i am whinging about this i just feel like if i died i would have about 3 or r 4 ppl at my funeral because i push everyone away. I have a poisoned brain its all negative thinking all the time i try to turn it into positives but cant. My emotions are everywhere just now 1 min i'm just numb ext min im at tears like i nearly am writing this i just want to enjoy life i am 32 years old I dnt even have any skills like how to play an instrument or anything are my kids going to think their dad's a loser? Its the only thing i'm good at is bringing up my kids and the love they give to me is the only thing that keeps me hangin in their. Im gonna stop now i'm just upsetting myself more.
View 10 RepliesSevere Anxiety, Depression And Hypochondria
I'm 23 years old and I'm healthy. So they tell me but I suffer from extreme anxiety, hypochondria and depression for going on 6 years. Im at my breaking point. It completely controls and ruins my everyday life.
Lately, my whole life has been a whole anxiety attack. From the moment I wake up until I go to sleep. My life doesn't feel like it is a reality. I live in a fog. My heart races all day leaving me exhausted, I suffer from aches and pains and I always think of the impending doom that is coming to me in the coming seconds. Since I also suffer from hypochondria these things do not go well together. Anytime I feel brain fog or these feelings of Unreality I tell myself I have a brain tumor and I'm surely dying. Any pains it's a tumor or a blood clot. I convince myself that I'm dying and it causes anxiety. It's a never ending cycle and as of late has caused me to become very depressed. I can't even go to work in fear of an attack. The only time I feel safe is at home in my bed or when I'm asleep. I left work today on the verge of a mental breakdown. On the verge of admitting myself into the hospital. I am on an antidepressant every day and it doesn't seem to be doing its job. My depression is killing me. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't know much longer I can continue living this way.
Severe Constipation And Genarlized Anxiety Disorder
Okay, so I'm 13 years old and I have severe constipation problems. I have had them most of my life, actually. At times it is worse than others, like right now. In the past, I have seen gastroenterologists who just told me they didn't know what was causing my constipation and that I should just drink two glasses of juice a day with MiraLAX. It didn't really help.I have showed up at emergency rooms several times because of this and they always run a few tests, a scan and an x-ray, which always comes back normal, so they tell me to drink some of that gross lemon-fizzy stuff (you know what I'm talking about) and send me home. I have been taking laxatives because my mom tells me to, as well as fiber supplements, and mineral oil. Still very bad pain. The constipation started to get worse when I started taking an anti-anxiety medication, but I HAVE to take it because I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and the doctors tell me I have to take it. I have chest pain, and very other terrible anxiety symptoms, but it's the constipation that is currently the worst. I'm so worried I have Crohn's Disease, but my mom won't take me back to a doctor because I have already seen so many and they always tell me I'm fine. But being a hypochondriac with anxiety issues REALLY bad, I am afraid. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm scared that this problem will only get worse in the future and that it might lead to an early death. I'm afraid I have an underdiagnosed serious problem, even though everyone says it's because I have had an anxiety disorder most of my life.
View 1 RepliesSevere Anxiety/depression Taking Clarithromycin?
I take Citalopram for anxiety/depression. This year I have had 2 chest infections that needed treating and was given Clarithromycin, 500mg twice a day. The latest chest infection was recently and I stopped taking the antibiotics 5 days ago. I have had some awful symptoms that I don't know what has caused. Shaking, increased anxiety and depression, loss of appetite, twitching muscles and weakness in legs. Balance problems. Heart Palpitations. Now I am having difficulty walking and it is really scaring me. I seem to remember having these side effects when I took these before but not so severe.
I would love to hear from anyone who has had a reaction like this and how long was it before you felt better.
Severe Anxiety And Depression - Paroxetine Increased To 30 Mg
I've recently upped my dosage of paroxetine to 30 mg following the doctor's advice. I'm on day 6 of 30 mg and wondered how long it would take for me to get back to "normal". I was in 20mg but it suddenly stopped working 3 1/2 months ago and I had a suicidal episode. Since then I have been living in fear and am constantly in edge. I am a single mum to a 16m girl and I just want to get back to normal and be a good mum. Please help if anyone has any experience of upping their dosage!
I am scared of being on my own in case I have another episode like the one 3 months ago where I had to be taken to hospital. It was very traumatic and has ruined my life. I know I don't want to kill myself, I wouldn't do that to my daughter or family, I just get strong waves sometimes and feel exceptionally low. I know this has occurred because of a mess up of my medication, when weaning me off the tablets, the doctor I'll advised me to cut them in half. I now know this was a stupid thing to do. I just wondered how long it will take me to even out or if I'm ever going to get back to " normal"
Severe Depression/anxiety - Suicidal Thoughts
I am new to this site and have been having alot of issues as of late. About a year ago I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Even with medication I was having a hard time with life and due to this was let go from my job. I lost my medication when I lost my insurance. I began to spiral and crashed hard about a month ago. When I get depressed I become self destructive. I started drinking heavily, self harm mutilation, and had an affair with a stripper in which I received oral sex. When I sobered up a bit the guilt got to me so much I had to be hospitalized for suicidal thoughts. I am on new medication (buspar, wellbutrin xl, and remeron) but still have an issue with guilt and anxiety about the affair and possible std I may have gotten. I can't stay out of my head and still have many suicidal thoughts. I broke down and let my wife know what happened, for her part she is mad but willing to work it out. Any advice would help. Also do any of my meds cause horrible stomach cramps?
View 1 RepliesAnxiety :: Severe Cramping Has Caused Agoraphobia
Has anybody else had their life put on hold due to cramping. I used to get foot cramps and calf cramps and could cope... but two years ago i went to stand up and my left thigh went into a massive cramp and my right thigh at the same time... its impossible to try to walk when both are gone. the pain was extreme and after 20 of scalding hot shower water it then went to my calf and then my foot and then my other calf and then my other foot... almost two hours of agony and i was exhausted and just wanted to end it. yes it got that way i was yelling out to god to take me... i was waiting for my heart to go due to the massive anxiety and pain i was in... I managed to get driven to the doctor and he has put me on tablets they use for parkinson disease as it is supposed to stop the brain's signal to cramp. COLD WEATHER IS THE WORST. At night when it begins to get cold i feel one coming on and its the worst feeling because if this ever happened again to this extent i just don't know if i would survive it. I now have anxiety and this has now caused me to develop agoraphobia as i do not want to leave the house. I wont even go to the doctors as it would require me to leave the house and to have one of these episodes in public would shut me down. I have in the past had foot or calf cramps in public and i went crazy . however the full body two hour episode i can not imagine. In two years i have left the house about 8 times. I couldn't even go to my nephews wedding or christening.. concerts booked in advance i had to forfeit. I am the only person who has to wear thick socks and boots in the middle of summer ... even heatwaves ... i have to wear pants boots socks? How stupid do i look... yes... another reason why i don't go outside. I have the electric blanket on in summer???? My husband must be pushed to the end with me.... I don't shop... we can not go on holidays..... I agreed to go away for 4 days recently where i drugged myself up just for the car trip and did not leave the hotel room for the whole time... not even for dinner.
View 3 RepliesSevere Anxiety And Depression - Tight Feelings In My Throat
I am currently severely anxious about everything even things that haven't happened or may never happen i am suffering from really tight feelings in my throat like around my voice box is this caused by the anxiety? I can't help thinking i may have cancer i worry constantly it's driving me crazy.
View 2 RepliesSevere Depression And Anxiety - Irrational Thoughts Are Destroying Me
I'll just tell you a little about myself i'm female, 23 and unemployed. Took me a while to first go to the doctors, First diagnosed with depression n anxiety at around 18. Was very low in mood, constant worrying, staying indoors not wanting to go out or do anything. Through childhood and school, college n work always had difficulty in talking about my problems, issue's bottled things up never hardly spoke about how I was feeling and fitting in, socialising, relationships, exams etc was extremely hard found myself mixing with the wrong crowd a lot. Employed Since leaving school2008 till 2014. 2014 everything went downhill my behaviour was manic, erratic, obsessive and violent highs n lows lost my job, wrote off my brand new car under the influence, lots of debt, family troubles, getting into trouble with police, stealing much more things really could go on n on. Currently and the last two years have been horrendous withdrawn myself from the world stayed in bed days, weeks, months got sectioned diagnosed with severe depression, anxiety n psychosis disgusting place if anyone can relate...In there i was on lorazepam felt amazing was discharged but they couldn't prescribe me that at home so i went back down. irrational thoughts are destroying me. I've tried most types of AD meds most of them have had no effect or made me like a zombie. Been back to see my gp last week and started again on Sertraline 50mg increased to 100mg following week and she has give me beta blockers propranolol 40mg twice daily.
View 13 RepliesSevere Depression And Anxiety - Sertraline , Mirtazapine And Now Venlafaxine
i had an assessment after struggling with depression and anxiety for yrs , finally went back on ADs just before xmas, after trying sertraline , mirtazapine i'm now on venlafaxine , over the last 6 weeks it's increased to 225mg. My assessment came out with a high score in the range of severe depression and anxiety . I have previously had time off work due to this , however i'm doing my best to stay at work as i'm only p/t and work with some fab ppl . However i feel like everything is getting too much again , i had gp last wk and i just said all was ok , it wasn't but my child was in the room so couldn't speak , Also had my first cbt session today a ' panic workshop ' one , even with them discussing panic attacks makes me feel edgy and haven't been able to shake the feeling off since , i feel like i'm fighting a losing battle and just cant cope. So much has gone on recently , 7yr relationship breakdown / ended . Problems with child behavior , time off work last yr for an op that didn't go to plan ( should of been day surgery - 3 days in hospital , 7.5 wks off work ) moving house , family disagreements ( not to do with me but get dragged in ) Just so much - i don't know what to do , i feel like a whinge if i go back to gp again.
View 2 RepliesAsthma :: Ventolin And Flovent - Severe Depression/anxiety
i am a 31 year old male who was recently diagnosed with asthma.
i was prescribed ventolin (8 puffs daily as required) & flovent (250 mcg, twice daily).
i've been using flovent twice daily for almost two weeks now (not even using ventolin now) - and i've developed waves of severe anxiety and worse, severe depression. this behavior is totally unlike me and is very, very scary. stupidly it never occurred to me until today to read up on flovent, or that it might be the cause. well, it seems i'm not the only one. i had no idea that inhaled steroids could do this? i was told by my pharmacist that inhaled corticosteroids are completely harmless outside of maybe some minor anxiety, small weight gain or even thrush (if i weren't to rinse/spit). small potatoes, i thought. now i'm a complete freaking mess. i can deal with the anxiety episodes - but the severe depression is too scary.
thing is, this drug has worked magic on my breathing. & i know that all preventive inhalers are corticosteroid based - so i really only have 2 options : stay on and suffer the psychological effects (or worse)...or go off and suffer major asthma attacks which put me in the hospital (or worse) what a reality.
anyone else have to deal with this?
could i just take a single puff in the morning and still protect myself?
could i go back to the clinic and get a smaller dose and still be able to keep attacks at bay?
Cannabis :: Severe Anxiety And Depression - Quitting After 15 Years
I having been a cannabis smoker since the age of 15, I feel compelled to write my comments here and hope someone learns a little if not a lot! I am now 31 and stopped smoking cannabis 7 weeks ago - I have been an habitual smoker for 16 years. I always thought (in my ignorance) that the drug helped to 'calm' me that it gave me a more 'peaceful' life when in actual fact it stopped me from relating to others, helped me to disconnect and run away from myself. As a teenager (late teens) even my parents used to say that it stopped me from being so 'fiery'! But as the years have rolled on and the cannabis became a bigger part of my life it became the one thing for me to rely on, my friend and it would never fail to be there for me. From the age of 17 I was smoking it everyday and would struggle to have a day without it. In the mornings I would always still be 'stoned' from the night before and was rolling a 'joint' for breakfast which would turn into to up to 10 or so 'joints' per day. As I reached my early 20's (looking back now I understand - I didn't at the time) cannabis was the biggest part of my life and was ruining every part of me. Being a successful human being was not part of my agenda, getting 'stoned' was the most important thing. At the age of 18 i started going to 'raves' and started taking ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamines and various others, but never heroin....that frightened me! Drugs were a bigger part of my life than anything else, I have always managed to hold down a job and had good jobs, often managerial positions and I worked hard. Life went on like this until I hit 26 and felt that life had finally caught up with me - I felt suicidal and very depressed (obviously wasn't blaming the drugs!) life was all too much for me and I didn't know which way to turn. My relationship with my parents had deteriorated so badly and they didn't understand, so I went to the doctors to ask for help. I was prescribed the antidepressants that she had been trying to prescribe to me for the past 2 years and I didn't want to take them, but felt that I had no option. I guess they did help to numb me and to stop the deep depressive states, but now I was on prescribed drugs and still smoking enormous amounts of 'pot'. Six months later I was not in any better space and my father's comment of 'you need professional help' got me thinking maybe he was right. I found a private psychotherapist that advertised in my doctor's surgery and have now been in therapy for nearly five years and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. She has helped me to understand the 'why's' that I never could have found for myself - I have just finished a two year college course and will be starting another one in September - I am a 'drug addict' and always will be.....after 7 weeks of not smoking 'pot' I have clarity in my life again. I don't feel paranoid, edgy, vacant, detached or different.....it has been hard and yes, I have smoked through my college course and I feel sure that it would have come easier to me had I not smoked. I also now understand that I smoked it to escape unhappy memories of my childhood - therapy has helped me to discuss, deal with and understand that unhappy little girl that turned to drugs because she was lost and sad - I have spent nearly £10,000 pounds (which has been hard money to find, but I have done it on my own) on my therapy and finally I can see a light at the end of the tunnel - I feel good about myself, I have great relationships with my friends and in the last 7 weeks life is not so scary and I don't feel the need to get 'stoned' to be able to cope. I am sure I still have a journey to travel and some days I have felt a little low and had the urge to get 'stoned' but know that there is so much to embrace about life that I don't want to keep squashing myself - I no longer want to be insignificant, I have so much to give to the world! I guess that sounds a little 'cheesy' but I am embracing life with both hands and trying hard to hold on - it's hard but very empowering. In my opinion cannabis use is so very harmful....its so misunderstood and I believe it is as harmful as alcohol....I do mean taken on a daily basis to excess. I am currently watching one of my closest friends go through a 'hell' of a time - she too has been smoking since we were in school and she smokes 'weed/grass' only. She suffers with serious paranoia, recently lost her job and is generally detached from the world - she sadly will not go into therapy and also takes a high dosage of anti depressants, I cannot help her, she can only help herself and she is well aware that the cannabis holds her back, clouds her life, stops her relating and generally makes her life a misery - I love her and can do nothing to help her she has to want to help herself. I am fortunate for being able to embrace my deepest and innermost fears, anxieties and what made me turn to drugs for escapism. When I look around me, anyone I know that smokes cannabis doesn't have a great life, they don't live life to their fullest potential, they don't relate to friends, family and society in general as others that do not smoke do. This is a powerful drug and believe me when I say it is addictive, because I struggle (a little less every day) daily...... I now want a drug free life, that is so important to me, for all the years I have held myself back I now want to soar - I'm scared of being successful which is why I smoked 'pot' but I will go back to college in september and I will pass my next course and I will become successful in my chosen career and cannabis will not be a part of that.
View 4 RepliesStrattera For Severe Anxiety, Social Phobia And Depression
Has anyone had good results with Strattera, my doctor prescribed this for me approx. 3 weeks ago. I suffer from severe anxiety, social phobia and dysthymia.
We have tried various anti-depressants. The only one that really worked was serzone. Then it was taken off the market.
Frozen Shoulder :: Syndrome Leading On To Frozen Hips?
About 9 months ago I suffered severe bilateral frozen shoulders. With Physio and various medicaments, 7 months on, it finally came back to 95% FRM and hardly any pain to speak of. Since then, the hips have gradually become very stiff and painful with similar symptoms as the shoulders...especially the muscles supporting the legs becoming painful as did the muscles of the mid-lower arms. Also the back muscles seem more affected than before. Has anyone any idea if the frozen shoulders affect the hips? I understand thyroid problems can be a predisposition...I have an underactive thyroid.
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