Posted by jflange on August 3, 2008, at 20:20:49
In reply to Success stories for meds for anxiety/depression???, posted by UGottaHaveHope on August 3, 2008, at 15:44:01
Hi!
My story:
Feeling good with Zoloft/Buspar combination for anxiety disorder with panic since 2004. Took me 4 years to find the right combo and dose, and which vitamins to supplement with: Calcium/Magnesium/Potassium (for anxiety, breathing, heartrate) and Bromelain (for IBS from meds) and Zinc (for hair loss from meds).I suffered from anxiety and panic and PTSD syndrome for two years after being the victim of a school shooting (not shot, but watched the horror very close by as friends were murdered and I ran for my life). Smoking, talk therapy and avoidance of social situations helped me get by for 8 years until the stress of my work, quitting smoking, and an unhappy personal life devolved into a recurrence of my symptoms.
I was really philosophically opposed to meds for some years even while suffering the second time because I had beaten my symptoms once without a pill. When it became clear I had no other choice, I tried Buspar, which gave me nightmares and made me sleepy and fuzzy. Off of that to Zoloft, which made me want to puke all the time from anxiety and panic attack anticipation. Then my pdoc talked me into using both of them together which I was VERY skeptical about and it turned out he was spot on. I remember vividly the day when I was able to go into a crowded movie theater without plotting escape plans if a panic attack hit.
Yes, I do get some anxiety sometimes in stressful situations, but it is manageable. My success on this medication is something I continue to have to manage: I have learned to trust myself that there are certain foods, drinks, vitamins, activities (like heavy exercise) I simply cannot do any more because they create problems with my meds. My pdoc, as great as he was, was pretty clueless about those things and the pharma companies have no obligation to report anything post-approval unless people start dying.
But despite all this I can say that my medication is responsible for helping me accomplish some positive things in the last 4 years which I never would have been able to do with my anxiety disorder.
I hope everyone here finds success in their treatment.
Be well, jflange
poster:jflange
thread:843928
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080727/msgs/843998.html