Panic Attacks Support Group

Ugh, so..I've been on lexapro for a week tomorrow(5mg). My panic attacks and anxiety are def less but I still don't feel like I can function normally in society (aka job). I'm depressed because of it and lonley b/c I'm alone all day. Everyone tells me do be active and keep myself busy but I just don't have any desire or interest in anything. I just want to feel "normal" again. I've been anxious all of my life, but one bad panic attack last week flipped my life upside down!

hang in there. Meds take a while and sometimes it takes even longer simply finding the "right" med. I was on lexapro for a while. I think that it took me a couple of weeks before i could tell a definite difference from when I'd started. It is a gradual process.

As for all the well wishers, telling you to just get back out there...well...I'll be nice!...You are not them, you are you! They are not you, they do not understand. Having said that, don't give up! It's ok to take baby steps and feel proud of yourself for working at something. It's not about how well or fast you do it, it's just about doing something! I'd love to give you a timeline but we all experience this differently and we all recover at different paces.

take care

jen

Hey Jen,

Were you depressed when you first started the Lexapro or any other meds? Also, are you still on it or are you on something else?

yep, I was depressed. My success with meds was not very good. I was on so many different medications, and other medications to counter act the side effects of the first med. Something would seem to be working, and then I'd reach a plateau and we'd have to switch to something else. After over a year of "playing" with different med combinations, I'm pretty much med free now...not panic attack free...but med free!

I began seeing a new therapist and he said that everyone reacts differently with meds. For some, they work great to get people over some humps or to help level everything out ongoing. But, he said that there are others that meds just don't help. With me, and not having success for so much time, we have switched to all cognitive behavior therapy and relaxation techniques with an occasional xanax for the times that the relaxation techniques don't cut it.

One of the most helpful techniques that I've found is belly breathing where you focus on taking your breathes into your belly instead of into your chest where you hold all of your panic. Breath the air passed your chest, into your tummy so that your tummy looks all nice and fat! You can rest your hand on your tummy to help focus your breath towards it. When you breath out, your tummy should flatten back to normal size.

Work with your doctor. It's so hard, but it's so important to keep them informed of what's going on so that they can make sure your meds are right for you. I also started a daily list with all my symptoms, and then used it as a chart to keep track of when i was taking my meds, what days and hours i was feeling best and worst, and what all I was feeling. It made it a lot easier when I went to see the doctor.

Hi Steph

Sorry I have been so long getting here - my computer died again.

You med level will take quite a while to really kick in. That is the norm for the meds like Lexapro. It can take a few months sometimes.

In the meantime, you need to find things to do to occupy your attention. Otherwise you will be at the mercy of your own mind to go back over your problems over and over again.

Try to get out for a walk.

Try to contact friends and get together with them if possible.

Find other actions to help.

Raoul

Jen

Nice to meet you.

Hope to see you on this forum more.

Raoul

When I was firt diagnosed and put on Paxil, honestly it took me about 6 months to start feeling normal again. Even the side effects from the meds went away. Takes alot of time and support to get there. Even now I have good days and bad (at least no more side effects from the meds). The biggest change I made was who I surrounded myself with. I had to let go of any unsupportive friends that made fun of me and called me "Paxila" etc... I have learned to live close to work so I am not in a car too much. The best thing for me is actually water. If I am in water, the shower, swimming for some reason I have NO anxiety what-so-ever. Please be safe though- I am an avid swimmer Hope this helps!

Thanks for all of the advice. I'm in my third week on the Lexapro and only am taking about.25 mg of xanax once a day. I am still anxious about a job but I forced myself to go to an interview today and I was more comfortable than I expected. I have a working interview on thurs. so we will see how that goes. I think it's more of a the fear of being stuck somewhere(job) for eight hours and not being able to leave if I need to. I'm ok now going to stores and places I don't have to stay long. I just keep it in my mind that nobody can make me do something I don't want to do.

....As far as the water, taking a nice hot shower at night really relaxes me!

Hi...i was put on lexapro and it did miracales for me!!! i was on it for about 3 years then i winged myself off and just carried around my lorazapham (volume) for when i needed it. It will get better i promise! I use to not be able to go out to eat or go to the mall, i just wanted to be in bed at home. I felt safe there. Now i am always out and have worked. It is scary being confined in one place for 8 hours, i did call center work, but it's a mind over matter thing. You can do it!! Just be patient!!!

I have been on Lexepro just for a month now. When I last talked to my Psychiatrist, he said I am getting into the time frame where I should start feeling better. But I find that maybe other things around me are triggering my Anxiety/Panic attacks. Some come out of no where, others are form the fact that mind keeps going over things such as work, finances, just feeling like completed crud. Each month since this started it has gotten worse and now my work is trying to find ways to either get me to quit or to fire me due to my absences.

It does take time,

Steph I know what you are going through, what you are talking about sound similar to my problems. The only time I can go out in public and not have an attack is when I am with my husband. Even yesterday I was supposed to be going to work and he was home sick, and I fell into an emotional hole and was crying for an hour before he made me take a Klonopin and made me lay down an had to call my work for me.

So hang in there and we can work through this together!

This support is awesome from everybody. I am starting to feel better which is funny because it has been just about a month that I have been on Lexapro. Not quite there yet to feeling "normal" but I have come a very long way.

Auriala, do you ever feel abandoned I guess you can say when your spouse is sick? because then there is no one to take care of you emotionally or physically when you need it