Panic Disorder Medications?!
Question: I am currently taking Celexa 20mg. I started feeling better about two weeks later. Then I started having dizzy spells and a couple spells of vertigo. Then my anxiety and panic attacks came back daily. I was getting worse so I decided to up it to 30mg like I did before but it made me worse. Trembling, severe panic attack, I had this burning sensation across my chest and back and down my arms. So I went to outpatients and the doc on call wanted me to go off them cold turkey after taking them 7 weeks. Then he said I should have blood work done to see if I have a thyroid problem or if I am hypoglycemic. If I am not then he wants to try me on Paxil. I am scared to try another drug. What are the side effects does anyone know? Or have any suggestions on what I should discuss with my doc?
Answers: I am currently taking Celexa 20mg. I started feeling better about two weeks later. Then I started having dizzy spells and a couple spells of vertigo. Then my anxiety and panic attacks came back daily. I was getting worse so I decided to up it to 30mg like I did before but it made me worse. Trembling, severe panic attack, I had this burning sensation across my chest and back and down my arms. So I went to outpatients and the doc on call wanted me to go off them cold turkey after taking them 7 weeks. Then he said I should have blood work done to see if I have a thyroid problem or if I am hypoglycemic. If I am not then he wants to try me on Paxil. I am scared to try another drug. What are the side effects does anyone know? Or have any suggestions on what I should discuss with my doc?
Celexa is an Anti-depressant just as Paxil and Prozac. They are referred to as "SSRI" They help to regulate an imbalance of brain chemicals (Serotonin). Many docs will prescribed these also for GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
Not a great idea to double up on the medications because you don't feel like it is working.
These meds can cause insomnia, dizziness, nausea. Check out this site to see what others have to say about Celexa.
http://depression.about.com/cs/citalopra...
Some times when one medication does not work well or causes side effects, a different med will be tried. Everyone is different. What works really great for one person, may make you feel ill.
Unfortunately, there can be a lot of trials before you find the medication that works best.
You also need to discuss your situation with the prescribing doctor.
Stay off the drugs if you can. Exercise and do cognitive-behavioural therapy. I had panic syndrome and am now "cured" and drug free. My dad wasn't so lucky and is battling the effects of being on Paxil and other medications for 20 years. Your doctor is a good man/woman and is thinking of what is best for you, you are lucky. If you have any doubts, here's a video that you might find interesting.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AazObF_pHSU
Sounds like you need benzos. Klonopin helped me. Now I am on Valium. They really work
I don't believe that anxiety attacks can be treated by drugs. It only treat symptoms but not the underlying biochemical causes.
Drugs made my anxiety worse to. The best thing that worked for me was learning what caused my panic attacks, learning my signs and symptoms of a panic attack before it was full blown, and then teaching myself ways to cope, weather it was walking away and locking myself in my room, taking long slow breaths and telling myself, I am strong and I can get through this.
When you learn about anxiety and what causes yours, you can figure out how to deal with it. If you can figure out what your first sign of an anxiety attack coming on, you can find it in yourself to change it.
Keep a mood diary, write down what happens right before an anxiety attack, what happens during, and what happens aftwards, write down how you are feeling during each of the stages, this will help you take charge of them, you can control them, dont let them control you.
Best Of Luck
You need to learn to overcome your anxiety without the use of drugs. I used to have panic disorder really bad and was even on zoloft but the panic was still there. then i got the linden method http://www.lindenmethod.net and i made a full recovery. it works great and I highly recommend it.
I took meds for panic attacks too...my body just got use to the meds and the attacks got worse. I had to deal with the issues that were causing the attacks. You can take all the meds in the world, it won't stop them. I got so aggravated, I did some reading. I bought a book called,"Don't Panic"
I worked on the techniques and started to take control of my life. I was able to get rid of them. Once in a I feel one coming on and I work through it and am fine. I suggest you do the same. You can get control.