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| Sun, 08-27-2006 - 4:17pm |
Hi, I am new to the board, but I pretty much just posted my "anxiety" story in response to the last post about meds. Here is a cut and paste:
..."Hi, I am brand new to this board, but yours was the first message I read, and I can give you some info. I have been on Lexapro for about 3 weeks, and I am seeing a difference. I have GAD, as well as Panic disorder-- both recently (within the last 3-4mos) diagnosed, but I feel I have had my whole life. I also have some symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder-- Obsessive Only. (Had never heard of that until my therapist gave me a checklist-- apparently it is Obessive thoughts without the Compulsive Behavior)
Anyway, after about a week, I noticed a decrease in the obsessive thoughts (for me, they were mostly thoughts about falling down the stairs, and having someone behind me when I closed my eyes or drove the car alone in the dark) When I had been taking it about 2 weeks, I had to drive on the interstate, which is when I tend to get Panic attacks and I could truly feel the medication working. It seemed to be like a "barrier" that the panicy feelings couldn't get through. So the panic was still there, but just at a lower level. My therapist helped me verbalize that it was like the "dial" for the logical thinking had been turned up and the "dial" for the panic had been turned down. My doctor (actually it is my midwife I have been seeing as my primary care physician-- I can talk to her better and she deals with me wholisticly, even though my youngest is 2 and a half) has increased my dose from 10mg to 15mg in the hopes that this will eliminate the anxiety more fully."....
Anyway, so I started by seeing a therapist to see if that would help, and then after about 2 months of therapy, I decided to try the Lexapro. I plan on continuing the therapy about once a month for a while.
I am a SAHM with 3 girls aged 7, 5, and 2.5. I also work parttime as a Production Assistant for a local TV station (4am-8am, great hours for a SAHM!)
The whole anxiety thing has been eye-opening for me. I had a panic attack driving over the Rte 301 Bay Bridge in Maryland on Sept 11, 2001 after the attacks. At the time, I thought that was the first I ever had, and it was defintely the worst (I felt like I was blacking out while driving with my 2 little kids over the bridge) but the more I explored the concept in therapy, the more I could identify several, less severe panic attacks earlier, way back to childhood. In addition, some things that I thought were "normal" fears I had always had (like worrying that a killer was behind me, or worrying that my husband had wrecked his car on the way home and that was why he was late) I realized were also symptoms.
I think that the therapy was a great step for me, helping me to discover the aspects of my disorder, but I am loving how the meds are working too-- though unlike my best friend who said she felt "like a whole new person" I just feel like me, with something taking an eraser to all that anxiety. Right now, I still feel the "shadow" of that anxiety, but I am hoping over time that this will fade too.
Okay, enough about me, but I figured i would just jump in here two feet first! :-)
Karen

hi karen, welcome to the board:) there are a TON of really wonderful supportive people here:)
i have virtually the same diagnosis as you...GAD, panic disorder with obsessive thinking (and i also have depression due to the anxiety:(...
i'm really glad to hear that things are starting to "lift" for you...it takes a while to get better (i've learned this too many times) so try and be pacient with yourself.
Karen, your symptoms sound alot like mine.
Sheri Ann
Thanks for the welcome. Unfortunately, I will probably never make chat, as I get up for work at 3am on weekdays. (I have to be at work at 4am) so I tend to go to bed by 9pm latest.
But thanks anyway! :-)
Karen
I have to laugh, because when I found this board, I was going to bed at 8 pm every single night!
Sheri Ann