Medication for depression combined with anxiety?!

Medication for depression combined with anxiety?

What is good for depression AND anxiety? I was laid off 4 yrs ago (comp programmer). I was able to work part time, go to the gym, take up cooking. Now money is tight and it's not fair for my husband to carry the load. I have become a hermit. I'm so depressed most days that thinking of looking for work puts me in tears. Many nights I lie awake obsessing over things beyond my control, some important and some trivial. I can't stop the panic feelings. My heart races. My body tenses. I tried SSRI's. They made the anxiety worse. I tried Lamictal. It helped but I stopped bc it messed with my periods. Depakote made my hair fall out and is hard on the liver. I also drink too much, so I avoid meds that are hard on the liver. I am taking Xanax but only for short term. Lately I've been plowing through them just to get through the day. Each time I am ready to try a new med I read something about awful side effects and it scares me off. I don't know whom to trust about meds anymore.

1 month ago
I am not currently in therapy. I saw a psychiatrist a year ago but got discouraged after being prescribed Depakote, a liver killer, even though he knew I was drinking heavily. It could have killed me! I was sexually molested by my step-father as a teenager. I started drinking at 15, smoking pot at 17, and was a meth addict from age 19 to 21 (have not touched it in over 20 years). Wow, I am a mess. I guess I've been self-medicating with anything I can get my hands on for 30 years now. It is so hard to find the right therapist. I don't want to just pick one out of the yellow pages and then chance having to start all over with my life story if the first one doesn't click. <sigh>

1 month ago
I have decided to stop drinking, at least for 6 weeks, and see how that affects my mood. There is a wonderful website called smartrecovery.org that is an alternative to the traditional AA 12 step program.

Hi:

Yea there are medication(s) out there or even a combination of meds that will hrlp with your anxiety and depression.

Make an appointment with your doctor and discuss all these things with him. There is help available other than taking that many xanax too get thru the day. I say this because I have BiPolar, anxiety depression and many other issues.

Keep working to find the right combination that keeps you in balance.

Call your doctor

Be safe and be well


It takes a whole lot of courage to live through and admit the additional details that you did. Give yourself a pat on the back you have lived and survived all of those hard times in your life. I can promise you that better days are coming once you begin treatment.

Also remember in any profession, there are those that do their job well and there are those that make mistakes. You will find the right MD, just keep looking.