What is Your Experience with Anxiety?

My anxiety has turned into panic attacks. I cannot find a doctor that will prescribe a Benzo. They are all worried about lawsuits, and told me this . I think it’s sad I can’t get a medication that will help me, because of politics in the medical field. It really angers me.

@lizziel1 What other things has your doctor suggested to try, addressing your panic attacks? Perhaps looking into something not as strong as a benzodiazepine will be of benefit. What do you do now when you feel a panic attacks coming on? Have you been taught any coping skills to lessen the negatives of a panic attack? I am sure the doctor has your best interest at heart.
Ginger

I’ve tried several medications. Including beta blockers, the last thing they prescribed was a drug similar to Benadryl. Now that’s a laugh! 🙄
Please don’t patronize me by saying they have my best interests at heart. They already admitted it’s because of lawsuits and the DEA cracking down on Benzo scripts.
My health is declining from this severe anxiety. I’ve lost 20 pounds, because it wreaks havoc with my GI tract. I can’t drive, I wake in the middle of the night with panic. And on the verge of ending it because I can’t deal with it.

I’ve tried several medications. Including beta blockers, the last thing they prescribed was a drug similar to Benadryl. Now that’s a laugh! 🙄
Please don’t patronize me by saying they have my best interests at heart. They already admitted it’s because of lawsuits and the DEA cracking down on Benzo scripts.
My health is declining from this severe anxiety. I’ve lost 20 pounds, because it wreaks havoc with my GI tract. I can’t drive, I wake in the middle of the night with panic. And on the verge of ending it because I can’t deal with it.

My anxiety came to this last year. My husband is diagnosed with lewy body dementia. He is not the problem. Ow. He is like a 4 yr old child. My children are an issue. A year ago they were talking on a phone call. One of the two daughter in laws made statements. One for example was I can come to dr appt if Jeff is unavailable. Daughter chimed in I am not comfortable in you doing that. And other comments were made to the other dil. So result is daughter is not talking to her siblings and their spouses. I was able to grt away for vaca. She did come stay with her dad. But didnt speak to anyone here. She lives 4 hr drive away.
Since then her kids have a concert coming up. There were two One on a thurs and next on following tues. I didnt want to tell her a week was too long for her dad to be gone so I hemmed and hawed. Finally she said whats up. I replied I was nervous to tell you a week is too ling for your dad to be gone. You get upset. Why, is he gone downhill. Why cant he come. Do u need me to come get him? Is it the drive down! On and on. She refuses to accept my answer. I am nervous. What if something happens there. He would have to go to er. He freaks about doing that here. Here he knows our small clinic and hosp.
So long story short. Daughter and husband called me after I sent each family a text. Saying I cant do drama and conflict anymore. Told me I word vomited on them??
I am now on blood pressure meds. I have never had any issues before. My body cant handle the stress.
Again questioning then resorting to what do i need. How can we help. We hear in Your voice u r struggling.
Call with u r not coming we dont sweep issues under the rug at our house. So I dont know if leaving to see other kids concert or not.
I do feel b p meds working. I dont feel my heart racing.
I still have some trouble sleeping. But working on that.
Thanks for listening

I have a hard time defining anxiety...but I guess it is the best way to describe my current internal brain status. I had been doing great for the last couple months after weaning off of Pristiq - 10 yrs and 10 yrs of prozac before that. In the last week, it seems I am relapsing with the unsettled thoughts, fears for the future and family. I exercise every day, read, journal, breath, talk to others and though these techniques help, I fear that I may have to return to meds. Yesterday I took a half dose of some old Xanax that I keep for desperate times. It helps quickly, but I know this is not a sustainable path. I have stated on this site and to others that I will go back to meds if the symptoms become overwhelming. I have set a deadline of September to start back on meds if I can't find a sustainable "normal" by then. Until then, I want to explore whatever natural remedies available. My mother used to say, "think your way through it". She had no idea of the physical conditions that folks like me suffer through. For me, it isn't about sadness. This is physical for me..hard to describe. The brain just doesn't function and it overshadows everything. So, I am grateful for all of the suggestions and sharing of experiences dealing with natural remedies and would also like to learn about pharmaceuticals that work . I try to be as healthy as possible so knowledge of side effects and long term effects is critical to finding an optimal solution to anxiety.

I’m in the same boat! I’ve tried antidepressants, ketamine, TMS and ECT. Now I’m on a cocktail of 3 antidepressants and it’s finally starting to work. I haven’t a clue what brought this depression/anxiety on approximately 5 months ago. Best wishes to you! This is no way to live.

My anxiety has turned into panic attacks. I cannot find a doctor that will prescribe a Benzo. They are all worried about lawsuits, and told me this . I think it’s sad I can’t get a medication that will help me, because of politics in the medical field. It really angers me.

Go psychiatrist shopping or ask your pcp for a referral. I had anxiety attacks that actually ended up in the er where they gave me a Clonazapan (Klonopin). My attack slowly disappeared and was discharged .

I went to a clinic called “community care Alliance “
They have psych nurses, social workers who take you out for burgers or Walmart or the bank. Most of all they have a caring psychiatrist who surely wasn’t there for money. I told him that I had permanent anxiety. No more panic attacks because of the psychiatric help I was getting and when the conversation turned to medication option, he immediately asked if I ever tried klonopin, (a benzo). When I mentioned my hospital experience he prescribed a half of one milligram in the morning and 1 mg at 4:00 pm.
It does have side effects but I found I could live with them. 6 months later I have had no anxiety attacks. I have GAD (general anxiety disorder) with out those horrible panic attacks anymore and my psychiatrist is not a pill pusher. He told me that getting off them was very difficult and that he would have to do it a little at a time. So I said ok and I don’t have anxiety other than the normal of anxiety before a test. That was considered normal. That’s me today. No abnormal anxiety.