How to Help Myself with Depression, Anxiety and Panic Attacks

I've taken antidepressants for most of my life. Was recently on mirtazipine, but it wasn't helping. My doctor tried Zoloft and prozac, but each caused severe panic attacks. Anxiety is nothing new, but this has been debilitating. Just started taking Seroquel to help me sleep. Also taking clonazipam 0.5 twice a day. I did sleep, but wake up feeling like my skin is going to crawl off of my body. I've never felt this bad before. For the record, the SSRI's have worked in the past, but for some reason my body isn't tolerating them this time. I'm 59, employed, and scared to leave my house. I go to work, but when I get home I just sit in a chair and stare and wait for the tingling in my arms, hands, and feet to stop. Can someone tell me how to get a handle on this? My doctor has started the Seroquel at 25-50mg per night.

Hello Teresa, have you ever had panic attacks in dream form?

I've taken antidepressants for most of my life. Was recently on mirtazipine, but it wasn't helping. My doctor tried Zoloft and prozac, but each caused severe panic attacks. Anxiety is nothing new, but this has been debilitating. Just started taking Seroquel to help me sleep. Also taking clonazipam 0.5 twice a day. I did sleep, but wake up feeling like my skin is going to crawl off of my body. I've never felt this bad before. For the record, the SSRI's have worked in the past, but for some reason my body isn't tolerating them this time. I'm 59, employed, and scared to leave my house. I go to work, but when I get home I just sit in a chair and stare and wait for the tingling in my arms, hands, and feet to stop. Can someone tell me how to get a handle on this? My doctor has started the Seroquel at 25-50mg per night.

Dear Gary,
This is my very first experience on this site. Just joined. I can't believe all I read! I didn't even know other people woke up with Panic, like I do. I am at wits end. I wake up every single morning in terror. Sometimes, I am stuck to my bed, so scared, but can't get up to even retrieve my Klonipin and take. I NEVER remember the nightmares or dreams at all for about 15 years. All I know is I am scared, really scared when I am trying to get up. I get my Klonipin and just wait for it to work and for the terror and Panic to subside. I wake up dreading the day, with this Anxiety. After I snap out of it, I am happy. Yes, ups and downs. Happy because I am no longer scared and the Anxiety has subsided. I don't want another morning like it, then it happens again and again and again. I have brought this up to my regular Primary Physician, my Therapists, my Psychiatrists and even a sleep doctor. NO ONE addresses it. Like it's no big deal!!! I really struggle HARD waking up. Klonipin is a fast acting medication, however not nearly fast enough when you are Panicking that hard. Also, I am being taking off Klonipin, very slowly. The State, Washington for me, is taking EVERYBODY off of Klonipin. That's a whole other issue. Just sayin' soon, I won't even have that. What can I do? Anything, big and small??? Thank you so much, I need some relief.

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊

First of all, I’m sorry that you are in so much pain. I’m sure that you are scared and that you could use a little reassurance.
I am on meds for life. But I don’t look at it in any kind of negative way. I accept that because of genetics and circumstances, my brain chemistry is messed up and that I will always need meds to straighten it out.
I don’t have experience with Lexapro, so I hope that someone who does responds to you and helps you with that specific issue.
Take care and know that I am sending you positive energy.

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊