I shouldn’t say the gov’t doesn’t fund psychiatric healthcare - it’s just not considered very important, so it’s one of the first areas cut back, and chronically underfunded.
My anxiety is like yours, Zoe. I wake up in the morning, and before I’ve even had a thought I start having anxiety. Negative thought-loops make it worse, but they don’t cause my anxiety.
When I was thinking about it this morning (at 5:00 am, of course :rolleyes: ), I realized that I wasn’t prescribed Wellbutrin. I was prescribed Serzone, which worked fantastically for my anxiety, then when Serzone was pulled from the market, the pharmacy switched me to Wellbutrin. When I talked to the doctor yesterday, I made it very clear that the Wellbutrin was for anxiety, not depression, and he still seemed to think it was okay, so I guess I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Even though all my research indicates that Wellbutrin is not an acceptable substitute for Serzone for anxiety.
Second day on Celexa - keeping my fingers crossed. I have a vague recollection of what feeling normal was like; I’ll try not to take it for granted when it comes back again.
I took Wellbutrin/Zyban to quit smoking. Everything was fine at first, and after 4 weeks I did quit smoking, but continued taking the drug for a few more weeks per the doctor’s recommendation.
4-5 weeks later, I was sleeping about 5 hours a night and was nearly manic – babbling & obsessing about nearly everything. At that time, I didn’t yet make the connection that this was being caused by the Wellbutrin.
Days later, the mania lapsed to panic – things that would normally cause minor and healthy anxiety – e.g. carefully merging in traffic – would cause dreadful fear. I was a total mess, barely able to function at all.
I finally connected that this was being caused by the Wellbutrin, and called my doctor. I was prescribed some Lorazapam to get me past the worst of the panic attacks – it worked wonderfully – and I dropped my dose of Wellbutrin to half-strength immediately then tapered off over 2 weeks.
I’m grateful to Wellbutrin for helping me quit smoking, but I’m really pissed that I was put through these panic attacks. Doctors should be much better educated regarding possible side-effects of these types of meds.
I went off Wellbutrin last month after taking it for about two years to counter the side effects of Luvox. I get sleepy again during the day, like before the Wellbutrin, but the jitters are gone. The doctor says I can drink coffee again without shaking like a nervous ferret.
Celexa combined with a thearpist working with cognitive/behavior therapy worked quite well for me. The CBT was essential for me–the meds only made it possible for me to be level headed enough to even attempt therapy. However, the initial dosage of Celexa, while enough that I could notice my panic attackes weren’t as sever, wasn’t strong enough. It took a while to get the right dosage figured out. I actually started with Paxil, but the side effects were unbearable. Celexa really only gave me a bit of dry mouth (fixed by chewing gum when that happened) and made me a bit sleepy a short time after taking it (so I took it before bed).
One thing that another poster mentioned, don’t try to reason your way out of a panic attack. My mind during a panic attack was an algorhythm run amuck–no reasoning out of it. Some things that did help: intense physical activity (like jumping jacks or sprinting) when possible (not during, say, the Metro ride to work), taking a shower (a bath wasn’t enough to jolt me out of a panic attack, but a shower was for some reason), and splashing cold water on my face. The best was intense physical activity.
My panic attacks are gone now and I’m off the Celexa (I tapered off–it took a long time). However, my anxiety was probably casued by a particular event, which is probably why I’m able to be panic attack free now without the meds (I’ve dealt with that event).
Serzone is still on the market, but doctors are hesitant to prescribe it because of possible liver damage. It was the only anti-depressant that ever really worked for me without side effects, so my doctor still has me on it. I have a liver panel done every few months just to be safe, but so far so good.
I also take Xanax or Valium when I’m having feelings of extreme anxiety. I know the possibility of addiction is there, but to me it’s worth it not to be constantly on edge.
I’ve never heard of Wellbutrin being prescribed for anxiety. I had it prescribed for depression, but it felt like I was taking speed, so I went off it.
I have a low-grade generalized anxiety disorder, myself. I just feel tense and anxious all the time. To the point where some of my muscles were permanently clenched, it seemed. (jaw, back, even my toes were tensed up)
I’ve taken:
buspar–made me sick and dizzy
celexa–great for the anxiety, but I didn’t have an orgasm the entire year I was taking it!
paxil–did nothing good, affected me sexually also
serzone–worked great. Of course, what it might have been doing to my liver…
welbutrin–currently on that. no sexual side affects, but not really helping with the anxiety anymore…
I don’t know if the Celexa is doing any good - the side effects I’m experiencing are horrible. I have a low-grade fever, I’m shaking constantly, I have no appetite, I have nausea and diarrhea, I can’t sleep, and my nerves feel like they’re burning. I’ve only been on it for three days, but this can’t be good. I think I’ll have to go back to the doctor - I had sexual side effects with Paxil, but at least I wasn’t jittering like a speed addict.
(Indygrrl, Serzone is not available in Canada any longer. I would still take it if I could, but pharmacies won’t dispense it.)
I went to the doctor this morning, and she feels all the side effects are normal and I should take a half-dose for the next couple days. I should have been given a half dose to start with, and worked up to a full dose. Well, that’s nice to know now, after three of the most miserable days and nights of my life. I’ve given up on the Celexa; I got a prescription for Paxil, and after two more days of low-dose Celexa, I can start on it. I reached the breaking point when I realized that I would rather have my anxiety than the side effects from this medicine. I went and talked to my pharmacist, and she agreed with me; side effects this severe aren’t doing me any good. They may clear up in a couple of days; they might not.
My ultimate goal now is getting through the next two days with (hopefully) reduced side effects, starting the Paxil, feeling better again, and tapering off the Wellbutrin. With an ultimate goal of reducing my meds to the minimum I can take and still feel normal. If the Paxil makes me feel this terrible too, I think I’m just going to forget about the SSRI’s. From this thread and others, it looks like Paxil and Celexa are either/or for people. I tolerated Paxil very well last time I had it; I can’t tolerate Celexa at all. From other people here, it looks like just the opposite for them.
Just to put in another plug for Lexapro: it’s the same active ingredient as Celexa minus some of the inactive ingredients. The cynics say it was developed because the Celexa patent was about to run out, but it’s said to give all the benefits of Celexa without the nasty side effects. I have certainly found it remarkably low on side effects. So if the Paxil doesn’t work out for you, you might speak to your doctor about Lexapro before giving up on SSRIs completely.
I hope you feel better :(. As a fellow med-taker (for different reasons, however) I can relate to the absolute suckiness that occurs when you’re trying to find the right level of medication. Sometimes you feel like you’d have better luck being able to balance entirely upside down on your big left toe, if you know I mean. Today, alone, I had to go in and get a refill from of the 'scripts and they called and said I was on ER (slow release) but my 'script didn’t say so. (Ahh, switching doctors, lovely rant there in and of itself.) I.don’t.care. All my mind/body knows is I am out of medication and I
It occurred to me that I’m not sure I want my body to get used to something that is as obviously toxic to me as Celexa. It doesn’t seem like a good idea in the long run. Maybe it’s just because my doctor started me on too high a dosage, but this drug just feels wrong to me. It affected every system in my body in a negative way.