Having problems with anxiety. . .

Thank you!  She hasn't called me back yet so looks like I'm going to have to re-call her!  GREAT, just what I wanted to do! 
 
I just wanted to say thank you all so much the posts here have helped me and the wonderful private messages have too.  I've read them all and can relate to a little part of each one. 
 
I'll post a little update later.   

Lori, just take a deep breath and do it.  There are a bunch of us here just silently WILLING you the strength to be able to.  You took a GIANT first step turning to us for help, you took a GIANT step by calling her yesterday.....just one more baby step and you'll be well on your way to feeling soooo much BETTER!!  You can do it!!!  I know you can!!
 
Hugs and healing vibes heading your way!

Hey Lori,
 Just checking in on you and wanted to let you know you're in my thoughts and prayers. Markie sends on a BIG Am Staff kiss to warm your heart...longer brighter days are coming to help you feel better.
 
Keep us posted
{{HUGS}}
Jaime

hugs to you Lori {{{{ [sm=wink.gif]}}}}

Lori, as Glenda said, just one more baby step and you're there.
Once things start to fall into place, you will feel like a new person.
Prayers for strength coming your way.
(((HUGS)))

Oh Lori,
I am so happy that you made the call! [sm=dance.gif] It is only going to get easier from here on out.  I imagine that the doctor will call you later in the day, when she has some downtime.  I imagine that she will want to see you before she prescribes medicine.  I am glad that you told someone at work, it is hard in a work enviornment not to have someone know what is going on. Also, never feel ashamed that you have anxiety, 1 in 8 people suffer from anxiety-that equals up to over 19 million people.  One more statistic is that women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety than men.

Hi Lori,
I've already sent you a PM; but for everybody else, what really helped me (after a large aray of anti-depressants didn't work or had too many side effects) was self-help/relaxation tapes. It sounds silly at first, but I noticed that I got a great night's sleep when I listened to them before I went to bed. It's a tape that deeply relaxes you, from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. PM me if you want to borrow a CD.
 
A week after listening to them every night, I didn't have one panic attack. See I have a problem with stress, (stress and anxiety go hand in hand) and when too many stressful things happen (like the week before last I had 7 tests in 1 week) I freak out and panic. Totally a fight or flight situation.
 
The greatest feeling is knowing that you are not alone in this, and you have your DH and you have Willow, and both of them (along with us) will help you get through this. You know that we love you and support you all the way!! [sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]

I've got the medication and I need to go see her in one month to follow up.  DH is a little worried that these meds are going to lead to me needing more meds.  So, we are going to research the drug a bit and make sure it's not addicting and that it doesn't have the side effects I want to stay away from.  She said it's very mild.  I told her about Celexa and she suggested this instead, it's newer.  She also said it might help my blood pressue too. 
 
DH bought me a whole bunch of anxiety/self help tapes so I've got some listening to do. 
 
I'm hoping to use the meds only for a time to get me going doing things again and then come off of them. 
 
Thank you!!!

That's great news Lori.  I don't know what they prescribed, but I think that some medications can take awhile to have a noticeable affect, so you may have to be a little patient (no pun intended).  Reading up is always a good idea but try not to read too much into some of the warnings.  I don't think there's much that isn't addictive in some way.  Heck, I can't get thru the day without coffee.  If you've got a good Dr., trust that she'll monitor you and you can share your concerns with her.  You'll have to let us know how the tapes your husband bought work out.  I could really use something like those for the over-the-top stress days []. 

With any SSRI it does take time for the seratonin to build up to a theraputic level.  I'm not sure on the anti-anxiety meds.
 
I was part of a clinical trial for the "new" lipitor.  If I ate fried foods and had the expected well lubricated exit, I was supposed to report it so that diaherra could be listed as a potential side effect.  So, if even 3 people (or a certain percentage) in a study of THOUSANDS have a particular side effect, it has to be listed in the warnings.  A lot of meds say "MAY cause sensitivity to the sun".....but that doesn't mean (as my Mom thinks) that you have to avoid the sun like the plague....it just means to use some common sense and sunscreen!  So, Cathy is right, don't let the warnings scare you.

Good, just make sure to do some research on the side effects, to see what you might encounter.  Like Glenda said, it will take a couple of weeks for the effects to start.

So glad  the Dr. has given you something. It does take time to get in your system but you will notice that you will gradually start to feel better.
Lots of prayers of strength coming your way

Lori, glad you made the call and glad that things are looking up. One more thing I want to add about the medication. It will take a while for it to even make a difference, sometimes a few weeks.. but the other thing is you may be tempted to go off of it thinking you're all better.. I would advise against doing that on your own and make sure you include the doctor in any decision to reduce or stop the meds.

I took myself off meds I can't tell you how many times in the past and it spelled disaster for me each time, and each time I slipped into deeper depressions. I don't want to sound like the voice of doom, just wanted to warn you of the temptation you may have once you start feeling better to think you are cured.

Everyone is different, but for me the best thing I could finally do was listen to my doctor and admit that I will probably take meds for the rest of my life.. a chemical inbalance doesn't usually just correct itself and just go away.
 
And I can relate to what Joel said as well. It's like someone is finally telling you that it's okay to feel the way you have been feeling and hiding for a long time so you do go through a period of things feeling worse for a bit.. because you have learned it's okay to feel those things and you finally let them out. Even if it feels worse for a bit, it also feels better if that makes sense. Finally if someone asks you what's wrong.. you have a reason, someone told you what it is and that it's okay, you're not crazy!!
 
And another bonus.. if you have an off day, say something you shouldn't have or just feel like a total b**tch.. you get to blame it on your depression or the meds!!! []

Thank you.  I will be very careful with the meds, DH is not thrilled with them.  But, I'm getting worse and I've talked to him about that so I've got to try something. 
 
I already feel different just getting started, not better but different. 
 
Again, I can't thank you all enough, every story I read I could relate to at least a little.  And, I recognized symptoms I didn't even know I had! 
 
I guess we'll see in a month! 
 
 

Great Lori, I'm glad you did it, glad you called and went to the doctor and got medication.   Even more than that is I'm happy that you told your friend. Its so important to have someone to talk to sometimes. So between your wonderful husband for caring, your doctor and your friend and Willow (of course) things will be so much better for you.   And don't worry about the medication, the doctor knows what is good for you,,,you will be fine!