I suffer from depression and panic attacks, should I take meds?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I agree with Frank.

Citalopram is an SSRI and is commonly used to manage depression and anxiety. Xanax is an benzodiazepine. It's no longer commonly used for anxiety because it is quite addictive and the body builds tolerance to the drug in a short space of time. CBT (cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and an SSRI, such as the one you have been prescribed, is statistically the best treatment for depression and panic attacks. It has a fairly high success rate.

No drug is risk free, however Citalopram is generally very well tolerated and the idea of the drug is to take it while you are seeking therapy, which should help ease some of your symptoms. You may find that you don't need this drug long term- this is something you'd need to discuss with your Doctor though.

Have a chat with your GP about the chest pains and the justification for Xanax as it almost certainly isn't warranted. It's considered poor management for anxiety, for the reasons I stated.

Only you can change this situation. And that involves therapy and the meds. Nothing is going to magically make your problems disappear, but if you follow the recommended path, there is a way out of this.

You should tell your practitioner about the chest pains, and if you are advised to continue the meds, then you should take the meds.

I know you want to help yourself, but you are sabotaging yourself by not taking the meds that were prescribed for you. Don't let your anxiety about your treatment stop you from being treated for axiety.

Citalopram and Xanax are commonly prescribe for depression and panic attacks.

I don't take medicine for my depression of panic attacks..when I get that horrible panic feeling..I just find a dark quite spot and put my legs up between my head and focus on my breathing and tell myself" im gonna be ok" ...as my depression I just let it run its corse and lay in bed and cry for a day or to

Me

I'm not a fan of drugs. I recommend supporting the body with nutrition. Your body isn't suffering from a Xanax deficiency.

I would suggest you try Enzymatic Therapy - ADRENergize. It may help support the adrenals & calm the panic attacks. I was having inappropriate stress responses several times a day & this supported my adrenals to lessen the attacks. I took them "as needed" for 2 years, as much as 5 a day at first but I took less & less til I finally didn't take any & no longer have this problem.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/ET015/Ite…

I would recommend that you take -

vitamin B100 complex daily
Niacin (B3) therapy 3000mg a day or more if needed
vit. D3 - 10,000iu per day of oil based cholecalciferol
5g of Fish oil (& eat sardines, mackerel, salmon or oysters several times a week)


Niacin has the ability to help you relax & get to sleep more rapidly at night. Another niacin feature is its ability to greatly reduce anxiety & depression. Do not take time released or non flushing niacin - start low & slowly increase to 3000mg a day - if not better keep increasing up to a maximum of 11,000mg a day.

Most doctors will prescribe Niacin in small frequent doses, and slowly increase these doses daily. Large amounts of Niacin will cause your skin to flush, but a slight niacin flush should end in about ten minutes or so and is considered normal. A doctor will most likely suggest that Niacin be taken after each meal in a small dose (such as 25 mg), and may increase that dose each day (such as 50mg at breakfast, then 25mg for lunch and dinner). These doses will not usually exceed 3,000 to 9,000 mg a day, and will be reduced if the patient’s skin continues to flush.

http://www.doctoryourself.com/niacin.htm…


Vitamin D3 is not a vitamin at all but a necessary hormone that effects the immune system & nearly every aspect of health. Having low Vitamin D levels greatly increases risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, MS & being deficient can create or greatly exacerbate health problems. Many researchers claim that optimized vitamin D levels are more effective than a flu shot in preventing viral infections.

The prescription vitamin D supplements are the wrong type (ergocalciferol ). As warned by the National Institute of Health -

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17023…

Luckily you can buy vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) over the counter and the upper limits are extremely high. Current recommendations are for 35iu per pound - a 150# person needs minimum of 5250iu per day & the rda is 400iu. This amount is for minimal needs and does not account for depleted stores. March is when stores are at their lowest.

Vitamin D3 deficiency is becoming an epidemic. U.S. RDA are much too low. It is possible that upper atmosphere pollution is blocking the needed UVB light from the sun.

I also highly recommend a low carb way of eating to allow the body to regenerate rather than degenerate.




Dr. Joe Prendergast, an endocrinologist /diabetologist has managed over 1500 diabetic patients and, in the last decade, not one of his patients has had a stroke or heart attack. Only one has even been hospitalized! His secret—50,000 units of Vitamin D3 daily. Dr. Joe further reports:

* Reversal of advanced coronary disease
* Reversal of advanced lung disease, avoiding a lung transplant!
* Cure of multiple sclerosis
* Cure of amotrophic lateral sclerosis
* Regression of rheumatoid arthritis
* Improvement in allergies
* Control of many cancers including prostate, breast, colon, brain tumors, leukemia, myeloma, etc
* Reversal of osteoporosis
* Prevention of influenza
* Cure of depression and many other mental disorders
* Hashimoto’s hyperthyroidism

In summary, the evidence for safety and remarkable efficacy of Vitamin D3 suggests that virtually ALL adults should probably take 50,000 units of D3 daily. This is certainly true for those with virtually any illness.

http://enews.endocrinemetabolic.com/2008…

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1560…
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articl…

25(OH)D test level is between 50–80 ng/ml (125–200 nmol/L), summer and winter

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health/de…

In northern latitudes (above that of Atlanta, Georgia) the sun is at too low an angle for half the year to provide sufficient UV radiation. Most people need to take vitamin D, especially seniors, as the ability to synthesize vitamin D in the skin declines with age.

With exposure to sunlight in the summer, the body can generate between 10,000 IU and 20,000 IU of vitamin D per hour with no ill effects. In addition, no adverse effects have been seen with supplemental vitamin D intakes up to 10,000 IU daily.

Always take your vitamin D with a fat-containing meal to ensure absorption.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400676/Mo…

i also suffer with the same thing i started off with 10mg of citalopram im now on 60mg a day i quite like the citalopram they really help me never took the other ones u wrote about but im also on a nite time tablet of chlorpromazine 50mg at nite the mental health team put me on them u should also see about gettin countselling for panic and depression i'v done it it helps for a while but u also got to help urself get urself settled on ur meds then go see about countselling ur not alone theres always help for u there i always thought i was i alone ontill i started talkin about my problems i think the more u dont talk the worst it gets i hope this will help

depression anxiety and panic attack sufferer