Thinking of Going back on SSRI need advice is this withdrawl

[aknight]

A little backstory!

My first panic attack was October 2009. Before that I had SOME anxiety but I didnt dwell on the physical symtpoms and it went away. AFTER the attack I was awful! Every physical symptom I dwelled on. I started Zoloft 50 mg. I tapered of in May of 2010 completely and by July 2010 after alot of stress it was BACK! With a vengence. I was afreiad to travel, drive far from the house, and ALWAYS in a heightened state of anxiety (I only had a couplepanic attacks but the FEAR of them was with me all the time). I went back on 20 mg of Celexa with my new therapist and we started some CBT (basically talking through things, me making trips in the car alone< what would I do if I panicked etc). I also have tons of relaxation tapes etc. SO fast forward I was feeling great. I finally made a 2 hour driving trip alone TWICE. I wasnt worried, etc. Started tapering off celexa this June 2012 and fully off a month later. BAM three weeks later after a bunch of stress Im awful again. I have been trying to do relaxation and it works somewhat. Some days are ok and others NOT. I incorporated progressive relaxation, journaling, wokring on session 2 of program, deep breathing, not fighting the panic. I cant even drive to the store without deep breathing and feeling off for awhile. My friends shower was today 2 hours away and I couldnt even drive myself. HECK I barely made it there with someone driving me. The .25 mg xanax I took didnt work for like 1 hour of the drive lol. I find that I CAN talk myself out of panic nearby and at home without xanax but on trips NO WAY and we travel alot often 4 hours.

Anyway I went of the celexa to try and get pregnant. Now Im wondering... did I taper to quickly (.5 for a week, .25 for a week, .25 every other day for 2 weeks)? Should I go back on 10 mg and stay on for awhile while I work the program. I feel like Im constantly battling myself and Im getting depressed now......My depression is always secondary to my anxiety. Some have told me give it another month this could be withrawl....

Ana

[3jared]

I hope I can help some with my story I had chest pain a year ago went to the dr they did a EKG told me I had ab normal heart beat and needed to see cardiologist my appointment wasn't for two weeks in the mean time I thought I would die of a heart attack so I got horable panic attacks when the cardiologist told me I was fine two weeks later it was to late I was a wreck I had all kinds of weird simtoms so I went to the Er where I found out it was anxiety so I was put on Zoloft witch made me so dizzy I could barley cope so I quit after only 4 pills and was put on lexipro witch did make me dizzy at first then it helped after four months I felt better so I quit. Old turkey and for 4 days after I got dizzy and shock like dealings to my brain I later found out if you quit cold turkey that would happen they are called brain zaps but after the 4 th day I felt better for 2 months then I got kicked of my lease for my cattle operation and and watched a close friend pass away about 2 weeks after I started getting panic attacks again and my body simtoms came back I started getting pvcs in my heart witch the last trip to the Er the doc told me not to worry about them that many people get them and put me on a beta blocker witch stops the adrenaline In my heart it has helped a lot with my body simtoms still I am having trouble with the mental aspect so I have no good answer for u but I hope it helps to know you are not alone that helps me some

[BlueD]

Hello Aknight, Im sorry your going thru this. Your story sounds a lot like mine. I only had one panic attack and I have the same feelings. I cant drive alone, cant go to stores alone, and I feel a ball of anxiety in my stomach and throat at all times. I have been considering talking to someone but am nervous about it. I have tried Zoloft but I could not handle the side effects, it made me soooo sick! I am now scared to take anything else.
Well let me know how you are!!

[debbie suarez]

Hello,
My story is i was under stress at work and one day drove home on the freeway, an unusual feeling came over me i felt it crawl up my back then was tense, shaky, confused, panicky, scared.....I got off the freeway thinking I needed something to eat, drove thru a burger stand tried to eat but could not, I was just so out of it I felt like the people in the cars were looking at me and I just wanted to put my car on park and run........I got home ok that evening, quit working and to make along story short ever since then 2007-2008 I have suffered with this anxiety, panic disorder I have seeked psychiatry but the Dr. literally said because I would not do any of the things he asked me to do (walking alone,driving, etc..) he would not continue therapy and discharged me cold turkey! I was on Paxil 30 mg he cut me cold turkey!!! I had to find a doctor to stay on meds which I am still on. Five years later I wish I could say I'm doing better, nope!!! I take 20 mg Paxil, I dont have health insurance so I see a doc as needed but not a psych. to make changes to my meds. I'm a stay home mom, rarely go anywhere, drive only with somebody in the car and is not working still to this day.

[nick11]

this is what really pisses me off about lucinda and this program. i have the same things you guys are going through too and last night i had to take a half of a .5ml klonopin because i can't control my heart rate or my breathing and the physical symptoms are literally killing me.

did you guys buy this program? i bought the attacking anxiety thing for 100 and from panic to power and in both programs lucinda promises us to get better. i've done the program and i've listened many times yet here i am worse than ever having to consider taking these drugs.......... THE PROGRAM DIDN'T WORK FOR ME OR ANYONE ELSE IN THIS THREAD LUCINDA! THANKS FOR TRYING THOUGH!

[hope11]

Hi Debbie: After reading your post, it sounds like what happened to me with my 1st psychiatrist. After seeing him for about six months and after trying many medications that I couldn't tolerate with all kinds of side effects, they said I should just get off the meds I was on, "wouldn't that be great". I thought, well yeah, I wish I had never started them in the first place and thinking I wouldn't have to be on them even that long. Well, the thing to get off those meds was to start on another med and my family totally disagreed with me having to take it so after I refused, he released me to "my therapist" who can't even prescribe medications and for me to taper off these three meds all by myself in two weeks. After the third day of trying, I was about to climb the walls so I had to start seeing another dr. Can you believe they just dump you off like that when taking these kinds of meds with such possible dangerous side effects, even death. This is not like taking a Tylenol and saying oh well, just stop taking it. It has been another 18 months since then, and I am still on anxiety and depression meds and still feel nervous most all the time. This whole thing has just about driven me crazy. I think I am more anxious about having to take the meds than I am about anything else. Like you, I had to quit my job, can't drive much yet by myself, and can't drive and get out and go in a store alone in almost two years (except for one time). Wish you luck! Hopefully, things will get better.