chemical imbalance?

[1254smit]

How can you get rid of panic disorder if it could possibly be a chemical imbalance? Im so scared of medications but im confused on how people are able to do this program if its a chemical imbalance

[Arat]

I once had a dr. Tell me that...I wasn't sleeping or eating which she said caused an imbalance. She offered me Xanax which I was afraid of! She told me to give my self a break and that the medication did not have to be for life.
I'm back on week one it's been awhile.... I'm trying to take care of me, relearn what I can and restart the meds if needed to get me over the hump! I swear my issues are hormones. I've become obsessed with hormone free foods...so I'm skipping eating! And with anxiety it's hard to have an appetite. Baby steps!!!

[1254smit]

Yeah i am having panic attacks evrry hour of everyday but they seem to just come and i am trying so hard just want to know if this program will work /: i have lost 14lbs and i dont need that i weigh 91lbs now and im 21. My anxiety is so crazy but i hate meds idk what to do

[Arat]

It has helped me and that's why I'm re listening now that panic is lifting its ugly head! Each time I listen I seem to hear something that sounds just like me.....there some that doesn't at all....but I try to take and practice on what does apply to me. I have what I call white coat syndrome....I'm kinda afraid of docters or what they might find really....I went ahead and made appointments with all the difference docter I was suppose to see three yrs ago.....facing that fear which is gonna last for months is tearing me up with fear. I'm trying to stay positive and reminding myself this is me taking care of me!
You please take it a step at a time....I feel some of your fear & I hope it gets better each day for you!

[hope11]

Hi smit and Arat. I have never figured out how they know it is a chemical imbalance in your brain when there is no test done to prove that. I think I have seen where you can actually have some kind of MRI to prove it but the drs don't just commonly order that. You tell the dr your symptoms and they ASSUME it is probably an imbalance and start offering you these antianxiety and antidepressant meds to correct it. How can they know what you need if there is nothing to prove that is your problem to start with? But I fell in that position 4, now going on 5 years ago, and I have been through the nightmare of my life. I was finally put on Klonopin (which I am trying to slowly get off of now, having some withdrawal effects, but doing OK) and I am also on Paxil. I can't tell you how many pdocs, nurse practitioners, therapists, and other kinds of drs I have seen from all of this. Some of them think it could have been a hormone imbalance with my estrogen and progesterone which tests have proven were about down to none. A naturopathic dr figured that out. I have had all kinds of tests and nothing has proven what started my sudden and severe panic/anxiety attacks. By the time I bought the program, I was about at my wits end. One Sunday morning, I turned the TV channel and the ad was on for the StressCenter. I sat there and cried through the whole thing and told my husband "that sounds just like me" and maybe they can help. So I called and "through my tears" ordered the program. I couldn't put the book down the first night. I realized there were many, many people out there who actually were saying the same things I was feeling. I was not totally crazy although I felt like I was and sometimes still do but I started gradually getting better and better. I am not totally healed from this yet and am still working hard on it every day but I can say this program was a part of my getting out of a deep dark hole that I was trying to climb out of but getting nowhere. I have posted several things through the last couple of years on here if you care to read any of how bad my anxiety was and now I can thank God that I am trying to live my life the best I can again. There are still things I have fears of but whatever has happened, I am doing better. First of all, I give the honor and glory to God for He is my healer, next I have had encouragement from many family members and friends who have helped to keep me from giving up, or IF IT WAS A CHEMCIAL IMBALANCE, it must have improved with the medication. I wish I had answers to why mine happened but I guess I may never know. I am just thankful for it getting better. I wish you all luck and success in your journey through this and hopefully you can do it without medication. I wish I had had that choice but was unable to make any other decision except to believe the drs knew what I needed more than I did. I sounded like you. I was losing weight, couldn't eat or sleep, nervousness like you wouldn't believe, and as Arat mentioned, I have always had white coat syndrome so going to a dr during this was with my heart racing, a pan between my legs on the way there in case I got sick, and my BP through the roof. But each time, it started getting easier than the last. I could go on and write a book so I won't but God Bless You All! Will look forward to hearing from you. Keep us posted.

[Arat]

Thanks hope11, this is a work on myself always thing I find. I can go for months doing very well...then boom I'm freaking out! I'm soon to be 54 so the intensity of my panic ( started last July) for me points to hormones & at least one dr. Has confirmed! The solution was an anti depressant which I refused....Xanax is what I keep near by right now. I get the smallest does and quarter it! One quarter takes the edge of for me. I hope it stays that way and I can work my way through this again....I'm hopefull that when the next two months of docters visits are done & they tell me all is okay....this will subside. God Bless You & Everyone

[Arat]

Smit, how are you doin....thinking of you!

[hope11]

Hi again Arat: My problem started when I was almost 52. The drs said that is about the normal age that you can have hormonal anxiety even if you have been on hormones (which I had been on estrogen for the 10 previous years). So this has always made me think maybe that is what happened but I can't get a definite answer regarding that. I had asked my gyns to do hormone tests on me for a while before the "crash" or whatever occurred. They finally listened to me and realized they were at rock bottom. By that time it was too late to just do something about my hormones, I had full blown anxiety and they had to start me on Klonopin and Paxil. Now I have to try to get back off of it. I had never used progesterone before but the naturopathic started me on the cream at a very low dose and in three nights, I was able to stop taking Remeron which they also had me on to help me eat and sleep. I have still got anxiety but is much better than back then. I will just be thankful if it ever goes completely away and without medication. Glad to hear from you. Hang in there!

[Arat]

Hi Hope, my first registered panic attack happenened nearly a year to the day of my brother passing away during surgery he was 49 I was in my 30s. Prior to that I had a brother commit suicide I was in my 20s. Completely sure I most have had panic issues but I quickly got married had kids & worked...not really dealing with what happened...just filling up time. In my 40s I took care of my brother that gave cancer a run for its sorry a--....he passed away after a several year struggle....with that said I'm sure there is depression & anxiety well justified! When I turned 50....I had a lumpectomy for breast cancer...found very early & checked yearly....I go tomorrow for re check :-/ will always scare me....because of the medication I'm on to prevent a reaccurance i can only have one antidepressant. Think it's effexor....after reading up on it it scared me....so I reluctently take Xanax. No doubt menapause is an issue I read once you have panic....menapause will make it 10 times worse...the docters will not allow me to have any hormone replacement because the cancer is estrogen feed....& they don't seem too compassionate with bio identical. I bought progesterone cream from a vitamin store.....its a homeopathic remedy seems my only option at this time. Worrying stinks! Stay strong!

[hope11]

Good morning Arat: You certainly have had your share of things that could cause anxiety. I am so sorry to hear all that for you. You have proven you are a strong person to have dealt with all that so you keep on hanging in there. I went through surgical menopause at age 42 and didn't have anxiety, and 10 years later is when all this came down on me. I had been on Premarin all those years and the drs just kept saying I didn't need my hormones checked, that the Premarin should be OK. They just wouldn't listen to me. But also at that same time, I was having some stressors in my life as well and I guess that may have added to the problem. Who knows except God? I could question the reason the rest of my life and never know why so I have tried to stop figuring it out and just let God handle getting me through this. I tried taking Effexor and my right pupil was staying dilated from it. I had to go to the optometrist who referred me to an ophthalmologist to see if I had Horner's syndrome. Talk about white coat syndrome. It took me over 2 hours to allow the ophthalmologist to put some drop in my eye to test for it. My anxiety was extremely over the top. I am surprise they didn't kick me out but he knew how scared I was and the whole staff was so supportive to get me through that exam. I was OK and he said the medicine must be the problem because the test was negative. Also during that time, I had my first abnormal mammogram and they called me back. Again, I was freaking out. But thank God, I was OK. I get very nervous every year when that time comes around. I know you have to. I pray your test will all be fine tomorrow. So you are using progesterone cream now? How much do you use per day? Mine is 20 mgs, and I use two pumps. 1/2 in the am and 1 1/2 at bedtime to help me sleep. Do you get the jittery feelings like you are really nervous? Mine was terrible for a long time and better now but still have it. Glad I have run across you on here. Enjoying talking to you. I have met one of the best friends ever on this website. We are about 500 miles apart and email each other about 3 times a day. I feel like I have known her all my life. We encourage and support each other in all kinds of things. God places certain people in our paths for a reason. Have a good day.