They say everyone here has some kind of mental issueue

Don't feel bad. I have anxiety/panic disorder unmedicated and sometimes get unstable. I am medicated for depression with 50mg sertraline. I used to be on Clonazepam for 20 years for the anxiety then they suddenly stopped prescribed them. Withdrawal took 3 years to get over. Never will I take a benzo again. I'm never violent
But sometimes I'll go into mental tantrum of defense. Easily hurt. I hate that about myself.

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MarrowOfMalevolence · F Best Comment

Panic Disorder is one of my six mental illnesses. I can relate. I'm on 200mg Sertraline/Zoloft a day. 3 mg of the Clonazepam too for long term maintenance. Since it's not a fast acting benzo for immediate use like Xanax and Ativan. The crap thing about benzos is that they work like shit after long term use and the withdrawals are ridiculously potent. A lot of doctors say that Xanax is one of the hardest pharmaceuticals to detox from. I've had Xanax withdrawal before and it nearly killed me.

Have you tried anything else for your panic attacks and anxiety? Personally, I'm medication resistant, so a lot of things crap out easily or don't work--but I can suggest talking to your psychiatrist/doctor about Buspar or Vistaril. I had to go off both of those myself, but when they did work? They worked pretty well. Another one I'm still on for Anxiety is Gabapentin/Neurontin. 2400mg a day. (2 in the morning and 2 at night) but it helps with anxiety! I've been on it for ten solid years.

I truly hope you find medication to help you with panic attacks and anxiety. It's not fun to live with. I know the dive response is a great tactic to help combat it too. I use it when I feel the initial warning signs. You just put your face in a bowl of ice cold water for 15-30 seconds or you lay down and put a ziploc bag of cold water or some other cold compress over your face. This helps calm the mind, slow the heart rate and lower the amped up psychological response. It kicks the vagus nerve into gear and that combats your systematic "Flight or fight" response that comes on with a panic attack. My psychiatrist told me all about it when she handed me a packet of coping skills to try in addition to my medications. It's worth a shot🩵

cloroxontherocks · 51-55, M

@MarrowOfMalevolence I took gabapentin for a few years, it didn't really help. It seems the sertraline keeps it all at a bearable level. Just tolerable. Thanks for all the info

MarrowOfMalevolence · F

@cloroxontherocks That's good that Sertraline helps! Sertraline/Zoloft is actually used to treat more than just depression. It also treats OCD, Social Anxiety and it's a good treatment for various types of anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder!

I know Buspar, Vistaril and even Trazodone can help with anxiety. Might think about those?

Hopefully, you find some relief! 🩵

cloroxontherocks · 51-55, M

@MarrowOfMalevolence buspar is a no go because it made me nauseated. I may just need 100mg of sertraline instead of 50. I can't believe you deal with 6. I hope your ok. You sound pretty sharp though. I'm just starting to think this life is so messed up that the point should be to get through with as little discomfort as possible. Including a small glass of red wine with dinner. I will try the dive method too. And sometimes breathing deep and slow helped. Reading the Bible never failed to calm me down either. Do you handle very well, is everything good on your end and can we be friends?

xbandoleerx · 61-69, M

@MarrowOfMalevolence I was on sertraline 100 mg for almost two years but didn’t make a difference. I am off it for three years now and I am still the same..crazy I guess 😝

xbandoleerx · 61-69, M

https://similarworlds.com/mental-health/5515901-They-say-everyone-here-has-some-kind-of-mental-issueue

This should be a good remedy for many other issues

MarrowOfMalevolence · F

@cloroxontherocks Ahh! The Buspar curse! Buspar is one of those meds that you either take to it well or it messes you up. Its impossible to really know until they try it. I was taken off it because it was causing adverse cardiac effects and that was a more rare complication.

I appreciate you saying I sound sharp! I actually have FINALLY found a good medication cocktail. My antipsychotic (Cobenfy) is actually working and working fabulously!

Do be careful on the wine. Even if it's only a glass? Alcohol tends to not make friends with Sertraline. They say avoid alcohol with all meds, but some interact worse than others, especially on higher doses. I found out cold medicine doesn't play nice with Sertraline/Zoloft either. Spikes the blood pressure and greatly raises the chance of Serotonin Syndrome because of Dextromethorphan in OTC cold/flu meds for cough.

Of course we can be friends!

MarrowOfMalevolence · F

@xbandoleerx Have you ever had a genesight test done? Might be something worth talking to your doctor about. It goes into details on your genes and how you metabolize various drugs. So it tells you what meds will work better, what you're resistant to and so forth.

The reason I'm on 200mg Sertraline is because I have double shorts of alleles (from both parents) on certain genes that causes high medication resistance to things like SSRIs and benzos and whatnot.

Could be you either needed a higher dose or that a different class of antidepressants would have helped you better.

cloroxontherocks · 51-55, M

@MarrowOfMalevolence Yeah I think your right on the alcohol. I don't need it. I'm glad your med cocktail 🍸 works well for you. I will be ok. Long night at work! Going to Dreamland now 😁 talk later. Take care. Thanks for adding me.