I have been diagonised with Anxiety Disorder and depression.

[UndertheOcean]

The Anxiety Disorder surprised me a bit , since I always thought of Anxiety/Panic attacks as episodes where you can't breath and feel like you are having a heart attack , I didn't know they can present as severe bloating and abdominal pain with nausea ? hmmm

Anyway , I cam taking prozac , and to help me in the short term Vistaril (Hydroxyzine Pam), no valium for me since the Doc thinks I'm severely depressed and have a history of a suicide attempt (On an impulse I downed some pills after a huge fight with my mom , it was not premeditated).

Anyway , the Vistaril seems to be helping , yahooo! , it's been only 2 days though , so knock on wood.

[SPKrazy]

1. I have the same diagnosis

and issues are similar

I have no doubt about anxiety. It has been pervasive all my life.

Today I actually had some insight with the help of a friend that a lot of my anxiety stems from a core belief I have.

I take medications.. lexapro and wellbutrin, and klonipin because I got into a real body focused depression/anxiety thing 6 years ago. I also see a therapist.

I attend support groups for my alcoholism, although I've been sober for 22 years.

Hopefully you will respond well to prozac.

:hi:

feel free to pm me if you want to

I'm pretty open about my issues

thanks for posting

[Kutjara]

2. I'm glad you're getting treatment, and wish you all the best.

Anxiety Disorder is a strange beast that can manifest itself in a wide variety of ways. Some people do indeed get the "classic" heart-attack symptoms, while others just feel a general sense of physical stress and irritability. Some get your symptoms, while others become highly jittery and agitated over seemingly small problems. There are probably as many ways to manifest anxiety as there are people in the world. For me, it's a constant, usually low-grade anger at just about anybody and anything. I've learned to control it over the years, but I am still at "battle stations" whenever I step outside my front door.

[Droopy]

3. Hey UndertheOcean

I'm a long time mental health patient. One thing that I can advise you to do is to listen to your psychiatrist and take everything that she/he has to say seriously. Some people have in mind the notion that mental illness is all some symptom of a person being weak, it's actually a symptom of someone having a brain disease. Do everything you can to check out all of the possibilities that the psychiatyrist tells you and read up on your diagnosis as much as you can. Keep in mind that you are ultimately responsible for your treatment. You are the one who decides whether to take the medication and to see your doctor.

But I can assure you that mental illness is real and that there are medications out there that can change your life. Know your rights as a patient and be open minded when you talk to the shrink. And don't forget to make them earn their money. The more information you can give them the more likely you are to get your proper treatment. Peace.

[UndertheOcean]

5. Thank you Droopy,

I will try my best to head your advise.

[Connonym]

7. Excellent post

It's ironic that the people I know who are most vocal about depression being a weakness, people who refuse treatment for themselves and scoff me for using Prozac, all of them self-medicate with alcohol. There's no shame in being strong enough to get help when you need it. To the OP, I also have anxiety and depression and I understand what you've been through. I hope that you find a combination of therapies that helps you because life is SO much better when the disease is under control. :hug:

[SoxFan]

24. Well said

:applause:

(I was going to use the toast smiley before I realized the implications...)

[Writer]

4. I have been living with both for 20 years...

although I wasn't officially diagnosed until seven or so years ago.

Exercise, cups of hot mint tea, and 200 mg of Wellbutrin daily does the trick for me.

I think it's great that you were open with your diagnosis. I wish mental health issues weren't so stigmatized.

:hug:

~Writer~

[UndertheOcean]

6. Well , not open to everyone ...

This is an anonymous board, and other than my girlfriend , nobody knows.

My father is not someone I would tell for example, he has a pull yourself by your own bootstraps mentality.

[Connonym]

8. then maybe you're wise to not tell them

and please, please I hope you'll not feel bad because of their attitude. You are doing the right thing and they are misguided. Take care of yourself and know that you are not alone in this. Stigmatization is bullshit. and what the hell, here's another :hug:

[fizzgig]

9. i'm not familiar with vistaril

is it short term as in you take it when you are having an anxiety or panic attack or feel one coming on? if that's the case, always carry it with you. i also have anxiety disorder and always have my ativan with me. sometimes just knowing i've got the bottle with me helps.

i also try to limit my alcohol intake because i've found it severely exacerbates my anxiety

if you haven't visited it yet, we've got a mental health support forum here. i've found it to be very helpful
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=276

good luck and i'm glad you're getting help

eta: you do need a star to post in the mh support forum but keep it in mind if/when you're able to donate

[UndertheOcean]

10. It is short term.. but I'm supposed to take 4 a day for too months..

Hopefully after 2 months the prozac would have kicked in , and I can take the Vitrasil only on a as needed basis.

Atleast I hope things work out simply like that.

[Inchworm]

11. I was diagnosed a long time ago with Clinical Depression

At the time (I wish I would have listened) I thought they were all high.

They actually had me goin through substance abuse, depression, and "ruleout" bi-polar disorder stuff. I beat the booze which was all I really did. I sold the other stuff and used recreationally, but I stayed drunk.

Well, that sucked. I had feelings. I had awareness. I set the depression and whacko behavior into a frenzy by not hiding from it... by not drinking untill too numb to worry. I did all this while using college as a replacement.

A little backstory is in order here.
I married a woman who had my child. That was all. I had no feelings for her, in fact, I learned to loath her rather than love. When I quit drinking I saw stuff for what is was and it blew my mind. One evening after my last final for the semester I went to a psyche ward at the local hospitol and asked them to lock me up. They obliged.

Why? Cause I thought if I went home I may kill my wife. I knew she was with someone else. Hec, she didnt bother to hide it. She had been doing this our whole marriage. I just blocked it out.

Her threats to run off with my daughter concreted "blocking out" in my head. I had not lived a good enough life to win my daughter in a custody battle. I also didnt have the finaces to do so.

I learned during that time I Baker Acted myself that I was one fucked up dude. I then went through 1-2 years of meetings, group counciling sessions, 1v1s.. bla bla bla...

The thought I was bi-polar, but I hung hard to depression. Hell, I came to the conclusion they never really knew what was wrong. I moved.. still sober after 2-3 years. I set in motion my divorce. My daughter was 17. We need a year here, etc.

Life was good.. right?

Well the fact of the matter isn that I was still majorly depressed and did nothing about it. I started drinking again. I felt like I was merely waiting to die. I never considered any crazy stuff, but I preferred numb.

It wasnt until a little over a year ago I realized I was even depressed. If you see that "Morning Dove" or "Sweety" in my sig, she is the one that made me think.. der.. life can be good.

I got some regular drugs from a doc. Life is good. I occasionally drink too much. I ocassionally get blue. I sometimes do off the wall crazy shit. The fact is, had I followed thru with this 10 years ago I'd be a different human.

Gawd.. I am not going back to edit this cause I wanna read it :D

Im glad you are being pro-active in your health.

:hug:

[Connonym]

12. I did not know these things

:hug: It's a huge thing that people are willing to share their stories as you have. When in the middle of these situations yourself it's so easy to feel that you are all alone. That everyone else is "normal" except you. Just knowing that there are other people, other really good people, out there who have been in the same place makes it easier to accept I think. It's hard to admit there's a problem, it's hard to seek help and it means so much to hear a story of hope.

You're a good guy Inchworm.

[Inchworm]

13. Hope is good

I cling to hope :D

:hug:

[Heidi]

15. I'm glad

things are better for you now, my friend. Truly. :hug: :hug:

[Inchworm]

16. obliged ma'am

*tips his hat and heads to town for supplies*

Ok.. ok.. aww, shucks, thanks :blush:

:hug::loveya::hug:

[Sugar Smack]

22. YOU

:hug:

[Connonym]

14. In one of life's odd little coincidences, I encountered this online today

http://dooce.com/ I don't know if you're familiar with this blog. It's maybe more of a female-oriented thing but I read this particular post right after reading your post here. I thought I would share it with you because she very eloquently addresses the same subject.

[UndertheOcean]

18. Thanks!

[badgerpup]

17. Communicate with your doc if things aren't going well...

:hi:
This is important. It may take some tweaking to get your meds to the point where you feel stable...but unless you're running down the street with a chainsaw in one hand and a flamethrower in the other, they're going to figure you're doing OK if you don't let them know otherwise.

I deal with bi-polar disorder, and anxiety disorder as well. It's not 'weak', it's just good management to learn your limits (what causes you anxiety, what pushes you 'over the edge') and respect them.
Look at it like diabetes...it's not 'weak' for someone with this condition to monitor their blood sugar and take action when it's too high or too low...it's taking proper care of oneself, right?

You're allowed to do the same thing...take proper care of yourself.
Best of luck to you!

[Deja Q]

19. Same here, and it took forever to find a shrink capable of finding the root cause of those ailments.

Happy when I finally had...

[Perry Logan]

20. Valerian root is an excellent herb for those afflictions.

Valerian is a healthful herb for many nervous afflictions. It's harmless, and won't interfere with any medical treatments.

[UndertheOcean]

21. After St. Johns Wort did nothing for me

and may have even harmed me , I am leery of any herbal remedy.

Also , there's no way to tell wether the ingredients are contaminated or not since there is no quality control for Herbals.

[Bennyboy]

23. I was diagnosed with both 4 yrs ago.....

I don't like it at all. I have completely lost trust in the medical profession. I was prescribed Zoloft and I hated it. A twenty minute diagnosis, "here start taking this". SO I did. Only made things worse. So I went back, and after a five minute consulation the Doc told me to double the dosage. Within thirty days my life was OVER. My marraige, everything.

I kept taking it, still thinking the doc was right, for about 6 months and things just kept getting worse and worse. Finally I quit it. For the first time in a year I felt decent. Not better, but not as bad as I felt on the Zoloft. Of course, due to my divorce, lawsuits etc, i cannot afford medical care so I have not been able to get any other help since then.

So I deal with it. And it is ugly. Sometimes I feel okay, but others are pure mania. I cannot seem to have fun anymore. I don't care much for people. I am angry. And sometimes if i drink (something I try not to do but being a brewer that is hard to do)I go completely over the edge.

And all I get from anyone is "get over it". even my Mom who had a severely depresssed sister, so he knows all about it (even though she has only seen her five times in 50 years).

BTW< smoking pot helps me. But eating pot can send me into a hgue panic attack....

[meegbear]

25. I've had GAD for years ...

Generalized Anxiety Disorder took a toll on me. No meds or anything, but knowing I have it makes it easier to handle.

[Roon]

26. I have the same diagnosis

I am on risperdal, buspirone,zoloft, and seraquel. I do well with it.

[UndertheOcean]

27. I am having more depression after the meds.

To be expected I guess

[Hell Hath No Fury]

29. If you are having MORE...

depression after starting your meds, there is a problem and you need to talk to your doctor right away.

As stated upthread, getting the right med and the right dosage can take a bit of time and tweeking.

One of of the first meds I took was Zoloft -- it sent me into a zombie-like state that scared the shit out of my Mom (I wasn't even aware of it until she pointed it out.)

Talk to your Doc, ASAP!

[Fox Mulder]

28. I have GAD and major depression.

I've been taking Prozac for the last week. So far, so good.

Hopefully everything works out for you.

[CreekDog]

30. Talking about it should help you deal with it

Be sure that whom you share it with is worthy of the information and trustworthy to not use it to harm you.

[femmocrat]

31. You are among friends here!

No one knows about my problems except me and my dr. though. Looking back, I had them my entire life, just didn't know what the hell was the matter with me. I'm doing fine as long as I follow doctor's orders.

[qwertyMike]

32. Keep on the Meds

But I've found that being around PEOPLE helps a LOT.

Whether in Malls, coffee shops, book groups, a walk around the block, support groups - talk to them!

I structure and plan my day around one event - Dr's Appt. Library, visiting people, my kids (I'm divorced), phone calls.

Living between my ears is my worst enemy