Hi I am 39 and have been living with anxiety for years...only recently diagnosed with it. I take lexepro 10mg 1x daily and xanax when needed.....which is and interesting because it feels like I could need it all the time... but I dont.
I would give my right arm to feel normal...I have 2 daughters and a husband but unfortunatly he does not understand me....thinks I should just relax...ahhh if it were just that easy...and to make matters worse I get panic attacks sometimes that last almost a week before symptoms go away...I suffer from IBS ( irritable bowel syndrom) when in high anxiety mode.
I tend to be more worried about health and death...I fear dieng and more then that, what would I do if diagnosed with something fatal...the living with knowing I was dieng..that freaks me out so bad I go round and round with myself.....
I also take ambien to sleep at night....
Id love to chat with someone who feels like me....anyone???
Jen
Dear Jen,
First of all, I'm glad you found your way to AnxietyConnection.com. You are one step closer to feeling better! It's important for you to know that you're not alone, nor are you the only person suffering in silence from your anxiety. Doctors and scientists estimate that approximately 20 million Americans have some form of chronic anxiety.
It's so tough when your spouse can't understand what you're going through. An anxiety disorder is a legitimate & REAL medical condition, but our friends and family expect us to just "snap out of it" or something! It's so frustrating when a loved ones tells us to just "relax", as if that's going to cure our anxiety! To me, it's like telling someone confined to a wheel chair to "just get up already!" -- it really illustrates a lack of understanding and compassion.
As for your constant anxiety about health and death, you're not alone on those concerns either. In fact, you wouldn't be human if you didn't think about those very real and unpleasant facts of life. It is especially normal to feel consumed by these negative thoughts after the death of a loved one or a major health scare. However, it becomes problematic for us when we are so preoccupied by these thoughts on a daily basis that we can't get past them and live in the present.
I just posted part 1 of a blog entitle "I tamed my anxiety and YOU can too!" about how I've tamed my own severe anxiety problems. I started with medication, followed by therapy 1x a week and some pretty major lifestyle changes.
Warm regards,
Your friend, Madison March
madison,
thank you so much for your reply...and I LOVED your example of a wheels chair bound person being told to just get up...how true is that>???
Lucky for me I have a best friend who is a huge help to me when I fall in these spells...she does not have it but WOW what a friend....
I will read your post on how you have helped yourself when I get home from work tonight...Im out of xanax right now but do have a few refils left....so I will fill that soon...right now Im doing ok, but tomorrow who knows?? I also did have a few real health scares and lost one of my twin daughters when she was born....so I know I have issues.
In the mean time, I am happy to have found this site, and hope to learn how to deal with this and control it.
have a great day...
Jen
I just found this wonderful website....I am surely not alone in living with this frustrating condition! I am currently on Day 12 without anit-depressants for Anxiety! Had terrible side-effects to Paxil Cr...weaned off Lexapro (10 mg)........Still feel horrible.....an effort everyday getting to work....living on Xanax (.025) as needed............I am at wits end.....seeing my internist on Wednesday....not sure if I should be back on another drug or if after 10 years, these drugs don't work for me anymore...........Also seeing a stress doctor........very slow progress..........I just feel awful........constant ringing in my ears...even off these drugs.........taking blood pressure which seems to be okay, but my pulse is always 100+! I just wanted to sare my little story.......I am trying SO hard to fight this without meds, but not sure if I can.
Debbie
i tried going off my meds!! i latest a week and i was crying all the time, it didn't work for me....i was way too emotional......i am on 40 mg of Paraxoetine. my doctor yelled at me and said why did i do that without coming to him. With Paxil, he said if you have been on it for a long time it is built up in your system and you need to wean off your meds.........with a doctor's supervision...he was right, it is way different for everyone.
i wish you all the luck in the world. i just don't think i am strong enough in this point in my life, there is too much stress, i am starting a new job, i just filed bankruptcy, in a new relationship...............WOW....i am recently divorced about a year ago.
my anxiety has gotten a little better since my divorce.......i hope you have a good day.you are not alone!!! take care, i suffer from Panic attacks sometimes and GAD.
and a little OCD....have a good day