my anxiety

Hello @happyat76

I'm sorry to hear of the increase in your anxiety and feelings of panic. You are making a good decision regarding seeing a psychiatrist. He may be able to offer some other medications and/or suggestions.

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Take care.
Amit

@happyat76 Are you seeing a therapist for talk therapy? Are you involved in any support groups?

Teresa

Hello @happyat76

I was thinking more about your excessive anxiety and was wondering how long ago this started? Also wondering for how long you have been taking the 60 mg of Prozac? Has the dose recently been increased? What time of the day do you take the Prozac? Sometimes Prozac can include symptoms similar to yours - however it is very important to NOT go off it (or any anti-depressant medication) or reduce the dosage without instructions from your doctor.

Teresa

Hi Teresa,
I used to have a Dr. to talk to, but she retired, so at the moment I don't have anyone to talk to and this Psychiatrist doesn't seem to want to listen to me. My visits with him are very short, maybe 8-9 minutes and then I am out of there. I did go on Wednesday to see him and I told him that I have been getting myself off of Clonazepam, Remeron and the Prozac. I have lately been taking only 20 mg of the Prozac down from 60 mg. Perhaps this is why I have been getting so anxious. The Dr. of course is very pleased that I am off the Clonazepam and the Remeron, but not happy one bit about me being on only 20 mg. of Prozac. He wants me to go back up to 40 mg. for a week and then up to the 60 mg. from then on. I have weaned myself off of the drugs because he told me that Clonazepam can hinder the memory. He didn't say anything about the Remeron. He did tell me how to taper off of these two drugs, but not the Prozac, I have done this on my own. I think I wanted to know for sure that I need the Prozac by getting off of it. I was on it many years ago for 15 years and then the Dr. took me off of them. I was fine for a number of years and then it all came back. I did mislead you in saying that I take 60 mg. of Prozac daily now, sorry about that. What do you think about what I have written to you now? Thanks for your help. Loretta

Hi again Teresa,
Thanks so much for your interest in me. I have been taking 60 mg. of Prozac for one year this time around. I take it around 10 a.m. every morning. Like I said in my previous message, I started to get myself off the Prozac without the Dr's. okay. Am I experiencing these more frequent anxiety attacks because I am taking less Prozac? I want so much to not have to take any meds for my anxiety, but perhaps he is correct in telling me to get back on the 60 mg. daily. He was very upset with me when I saw him on Wednesday. He said "why would you ever do such a thing without my knowledge?" "Would you stop taking your high blood pressure meds without the Dr. telling you too?" Of course I said "no." Well then "what are you going to do now?" I said I would go back up to 60 mg. eventually. I am very anxious waiting for your reply. Thanks again. Loretta
p.s. what do Clonazepam and Remeron really do for me, except get me to sleep well?

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Hello @happyat76

Thank you for posting an update to your anxiety and medication withdrawal. I am not a medical or mental health professional so you should probably stay with your psychiatrist's advice. I did not realize that you were trying to go off of 3 different meds all at the same time.

Here is a website that explains the reason for Remeron, https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-13707/remeron-oral/details, since it says that it is usually taken at bedtime it must be good for sleeping problems.

Have you talked with your pharmacist about these questions regarding medications? Pharmacists can be very helpful in understanding the medications you are taking and the reasons for them. If you don't have a lot of quality time to talk with a psychiatrist, I would suggest calling or going in to see your pharmacist.

Please keep in touch. I look forward to hearing from you again and hear how you are doing.

Teresa

Hi , Why didn't the psychiatrist say something to you when you first told him you were going off the meds???? Evidently, he doesn't listen or focus on what you tell him. This could turn into a serious situation. Never, ever wean yourself off meds without first talking to your doctor and if he doesn't "get it" then go to another or the ER. I tried once and thought I was doing it gradually and it backfired on me. Good luck.
Jane

@happyat76

My own opinion is that tapering off more than one medication at the same time would make it hard to know what effect each one is having. The same thing goes for starting multiple meds at the same time.

I'm taking Remeron (Mirtazapine) as an adjunct to Wellbutrin. It is likely to cause drowsiness, as does Clonazepam.

Anxiety disorder is a treatable condition. Is there a reason you don't want to take a medication that's specific to anxiety? Maybe Prozac is sometimes indicated for anxiety, though it's my understanding that it's usually an antidepressant.

Jim

Hi Jim,
What you are saying makes so much sense to me. He wanted me off the Clonazepam because it does interfere with my memory he said. My own family Doctor wanted me to get off of it also. I kind of wish I hadn't gone off the Remeron though as I am not sleeping very well at all. You are correct in saying that it causes drowsiness, which would good for me right now. I go to bed to sleep all wound up with anxiety and so can't sleep. He told me the other day that Prozac is really good for general anxiety disorder. I really honestly don't feel that it is helping me a lot. I wanted to be on something else, but he said no. My depression is pretty good, but my anxiety level is worse. I have to go back to see him in six weeks and perhaps at that time, I will tell him that the Prozac is just not the right med for me. What do you think? Thanks so much for your input.

@happyat76

It takes up to six weeks to know if an antidepressant works, and you should be able to know if it's helping. Side effects show up sooner than that and may indicate that you need to stop taking it and move on to the next. I would tell him that the Remeron was helping, and how it helped. Does the paperwork for Prozac mention its efficacy for anxiety? Remeron is an old medication that's been proven to be safe.

My own recommendation is not to let the doctor say no unless he has a good reason. If we don't agree with our doctors we have to be our own advocates. It's not his body.

My own observations, of course.

Jim