Question:
I just recently started experiencing panic attacks. My first one
occured randomly a few months ago while I was driving, and got so bad I
wound up in the emergency room...only to be completely fine by the time
I actually got to see a doc. I ignored it thinking it was a freak
incident, but recently I have been experiencing them more frequently.
It started to happen every other week, then every week, and then almost
everyday. I am very healthy and have never experienced any depression
or anything like this so I have been thrown for a loop. This is all new
to me and I'm pretty scared...which I'm sure doesn't help decrease the
amount of panic attacks I'm experiencing!!!
I was recently prescribed Zoloft...25mg for the first 7 days, 50mg
everyday thereafter. I am only on my 3rd day but am worried about
taking it. I haven't taken it yet today because I am still unsure and
feel liek I do not have enough information on the condition or the med.
I have been surfing around the internet searching for information about
the disorder and the drug (which is how I found this group :) )and I
am hearing that Zoloft can increase the attacks initially. I am also
worried about becoming dependent on the drug and am hoping that maybe I
can just fight off the attacks with strong will power. Am I being
silly??
Answer:
I think you'll find this a great place to get
support and information about Panic Disorder, and probably just about
anything else that pops up in your life that you need to talk/vent
about.
I'll let some of the others, and there are several, who can talk to you
about the Zoloft. It's been my personal experience that
antidepressants don't alleviate my anxiety. Many people here do use
them, and are greatly helped, but I'm not the one to discuss THAT
topic, because I don't know what I'm talking about.
I can tell you that the medication that works best for my panic attacks
is a benzo, it is a calming agent. The name of the one I use is Xanax.
Some people here use Klonopin, which is similar, but longer lasting
and less intense than Xanax. Some are on Ativan.. it just depends on
what your doctor is willing to prescribe. For most, but not ALL
patients with panic disorder, often a benzo is a very good way to treat
panic, but not all doctors will prescribe them, fearing the patient
will get "addicted" to them, but hardly any patients with true panic
disorder abuse their medications. They use them as they need them.
Could be that you might discuss a low dose of a benzo with your doctor
and that doctor may or may not agree to perscribe one, but you can
always find another doctor that will, if you live in an area where you
have a choice about health care providers.
It's my experience the more you fight, the more intense the panic.
There is good therapy for anxiety, though. It's called Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy, and it's helped me a great deal. A good book, that
is probably in your library, can be found in used book stores..Amazon
had a copy the other day for one cent is a book titled, "Feeling Good
The New Mood Therapy" by David Burns, M.D. I also think that looking
for a therapist in your area that specializes in CBT is a good idea,
but it may or may not be easy to find one. You have to do some calling
and asking, but definitely, I recommend getting the book even if you do
get a therapist that specializes in that because it's a great resource
to have to refer back to. I find with therapy, it's worked best for me
to take a proactive approach. I DO go to therapy, in fact I have not
one, but three free therapists, which is kind of hysterical to me, I
have no idea how I accomplished that.. but the therapist can only help
you so much. A lot of your therapy, you have to do on your own, when
you are not sitting in the therapist's office. I see it like going to
school but not doing the homework, if you just rely on the therapist to
"fix" you in one hour a week, month, whatever. I believe in all health
care, including mental health care, we have to educate ourselves and
take care of ourselves, and the therapist is good to help give you
insight and point you in the right direction, but I think we basically
have to take care of ourselves, with the aid of a professional -- I
sure wouldn't do WITHOUT my therapists, but I do my homework, too.
and it's just been my experience that panic
IS pretty bad, but if it hadn't been for panic, I wouldn't have found
this great group, so even panic has it's benefits. I hope you like it
here. Stick around, there's tons of knowlegeable suppotive friendly
people here.
