Stress Center Peer Support

Hey Everyone:

I've really been struggling lately with negative thoughts and I've been on meds for nearly a decade. For the most part, they've worked and been really great for me. Recently, I feel like I've been backsliding, particularly with the obsessive, negative thoughts. I'm also in therapy and have made great strides in managing much of my symptoms through CBT. But given that I feel like I'm backsliding, I'm curious as to how much of your symptoms are eliminated by medication. I'm seeing my psychiatrist next week and I'm debating bringing up the need to switch meds. (I'm currently on 300mg of Effexor, 30 mg of Buspar per day.) Could they just be pooping out?

I'm also curious to hear from those who have switched meds in the past, good, bad or ugly.

Thanks!

I responded with 75% but honestly it is closer to like 90%. I have very little if any of the symptypms I use to have. I have only been on meds for 9 months and it is my first time on meds. I take 10mg of Lexapro and it totally control the irrational thoughts and excessive worrying and has totally treated my PMDD. Every now and then I will have anxious feeling (usually this occurs right before my period)but they never last and go away quickly. So overall it is a huge success for me.

I'm really surprised at so few votes. I would really appreciate more feedback. In fact, it would be nice for us all to get a sense of what's working what isn't.

I would say that you have to do your part as well,you have to change your negative thinking into positive thinking.I srtongly recomend you get lucinda Bassets program and follow it step by step.I am on zoloft 100 mg for the last 20 years,and just after getting on this program I finaly undersood what is really wrong with me.Good luck to you and don't give up!

I feel that my meds. help me about 80% of the time. I've taken Zoloft 50mg-100mg for over 4 yrs.. I take 0.5mg Xanax when I'm extremely anxious or when I know I'll be in a situation that makes me anxious. I might take 1 Xanax a day or 1 every 2 weeks or so. It just depends. The most important med. for me is my Zoloft. I've tried to go without it and I make it about 2-3 days before having a panic attack (heart palpitations, shortness of breath, VERY nervous feeling, etc.) I have depression and anxiety disorder x 20 yrs.. My psych. had me stop the Zoloft 2 months ago and try Cymbalta for a month. It didn't help so I am back on Zoloft.
I have been on & off antidepressants for 20 yrs. (Prozac, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro). I feel that my Zoloft is the most important med. I take.
Hope this is helpful.

I've been on different meds over the last 3 years. My current ****tail is 1200 mg of neurontin,30 mg of celexa, and 3 mg of clonazepam. In my opinion, it's mainly the clonazepam that has helped me with the panic attacks, and anxiety.I am trying this program to just see if it can help me to at least lower some of my meds. I'm also bipolar 2 , so I can't go off of them completely. I do have good hopes, and feelings about this program. I'm only on week 4 so far.

I tried xanex, then realized it was a drug not intended to treat stress, and simply made me a zombe.
I tried Zoloft, but became manic when I felt it was taking me over.
I tried Ambien at night, but it made me fall asleep in the day and dumped me into uncomfortable reality when it wore off. By the way, go to the net and read the blogs on this one. SCARY! don't start with it.
These all took at least four days to get off, and the trip was horrendous.
I recommend Camomile tea, or Sweet Dreams Tea that has Camomile and Peppermint in it. Add a Tylenol or two.
For added benefit, go to Whole Foods and get Theanine, an amino acid that is the active ingredient in Green Tea. The brand I like is Jarrow. This is calming, and promotes clear thinking. You will be amazed at the insights you get. Yep, the Chinese have something there in the green tea, but this is pure and has no caffiene to make you jumpy. Theanine was recommended to me by an MD and Wholistic Medicine man who treated his ADD son with it for two years aged 12 to 14, and he is not a straight A student, well-adjusted and popular.
If you want to stay off those addictive prescription money-makers for the drug companies, and in my opinion, retain control of your own life, try the tea, tylenol and theanine. Adjust the dosages yourself to see what is most comfortable. Be productive.

Hey Christian73, I've never taken meds for my anxiety even though at times I've felt that I've needed them. I'm 7 months pregant and my anxiety level has sky rocketed for the last few months I would say. I had to go to the hospital per doc's orders to rule out preclampsia since my by was high, I had 1 protein in my urine and my vision had been a little blurry/foggy on and off and getting mild headaches on and off also; Thank God it wasn't preclampsia but while at the hospital I was nervous and anxious almost the whole time so of course when they would take my by it came out high except for the times I was laying down; it was normal. I set up an appt. with a Psychiatrist today and the appt. is in 1.5 weeks, I just hope that with this program, my therapist, God's help and the meds that the doc will prescribe I'll be able to taper off my nerves and anxiety enough that my by will be normal during the rest of my pregnancy, during delivery and post partum for my health and my baby's.

God Bless Everyone, Cristy

I really think that ultimately getting off medications is what we are after. I have been in this program for 12 weeks and took Klonopin (0.25 MG) 3 times per day and was able to have the doc decrease it to 1 time per day; a very low dosage. So, this program works.

have been onso man y meds. side effects are too much. can't even take clonazepam 0.5 iy was giving me strange thoughts something i really can't put my finger on. besidesi felt like i was in a fog al the time. so much for slowing downthe hearbeat it just made it worse. I have days lke today i could just curl up in a bal and hop everything goesaway. I felt like crap. hurt all over n ot hungry, try to stay busy so i don't feel anything