# Questions/Advice....anxiety and panic attacks! PLEASE READ



## h8ibs (Oct 24, 2004)

Hi everyone,A little about my background. I'm 33, male, and am a little high strung. I started suffering from panic attacks about 6 years ago and have had anxiety related issues for at least 10 years. When I first had panic attacks, I went to a walk-in medical clinic and the doc prescribed Xanax. It took some time, but it totally helped. I managed to get control of my panic attacks and went without meds for a long while. Then, about a year and a half ago, I was having bad anxiety probs again. No panic attacks, just anxiety. This time I saw my regular doc who prescribed Effexor XR, which totally worked. He also prescribed 10 Xanax pills to help me until the Effexor kicked in. He said he wouldn't prescribe more than that due to thier addictive qualities. After taking Effexor daily for almost a year, I weaned myself off it (a difficult process)because I was feeling fine. Then 2 months ago I had to go on a business trip where I had to share a room with a colleague. I was dozing off the 1st night and for some reason went into a full blown panic attack. Heart pounding enough to shake the bed, sweats, that scary "mind separated from the body" feeling, etc... This lasted the whole night. It was embarassing to have this happen in front of a co-worker. I had to explain to him what was going on so he'd understand. I travel a lot for my job and get anxiety/panic when I'm on the road in my hotel room at night. Why? Not sure, it just happens. Soon, I'll be traveling once a month and have another business trip/company meeting for about a week and am already panicking about being there and the possibility of having another severe panic attack. I don't feel as though I need to be on something like Effexor all the time, but I do feel like I need something like Xanax to have with me in case I have panic attacks when on the road. (Something to help me sleep at night....I'm okay during the day.)I really want to go to my doctor and ask for a Xanax prescription, even if it's only for 10 pills and no refills. I feel like I just need to have this with me "just in case." So here's my question: If I go to my doc and ask him about this....is this a normal thing to ask for? Will he think that I've been getting Xanax from somewhere and now I'm going to him for more? Stupid stuff to worry about, I know. I really want to talk with him about this, but I'm afraid he won't want to prescribe Xanax and instead suggest putting me back on Effexor. Plus, being a guy, I feel embarassed that I have anxiety/panic in the first place, which makes me not want to talk about it to him in the first place. Any advice/suggestions please? Thank you.


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## Guest (Mar 28, 2007)

h8 - I think honesty is always the best policy - in my experience (and I've had plenty too!!!) - doctors prefer "straight shooters" - I'm in the UK - but I'd say being frank with your GP/Doctor is always the best policy - explain that you have used that particular medication in the past and it has worked and you feel that you need the reassurance of a backup in case you have an attack when away from home (a not that uncommon experience I'd have thought - and I'm sure your doctor will have seen this time and time again).I wish you well - keep in touch and let us know how you get on.Sue


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## Jannybitt (Oct 13, 2006)

Hi h8;Being able to talk to your doc openly and honestly is a very important key to maintaining overall good health and wellbeing. Do not be embarrassed because you are a guy. Is that supposed to make you unsuceptible to anxiety/panic attacks, etc. It's not just a woman thing, and if you have a decent doc they will know this also. There is nothing wrong with having the Xanax for your away trips. There is nothing wrong also being on Effexor if things got out of hand again and you needed that something extra to help you stay on an even playing field. Good luck to you!!


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## Cartoon Creature (Jul 12, 2002)

hi h8,I agree with Janny and SueV. Honesty is always the best policy!! I was wondering why do u keep taking yourself off the anxiety medication? If its working and you get good quality of life out of them....I know how embarrassing it can be, I dont have anxiety but i do have depression and I am to embarrassed to tell anyone but my dr and psych.All the best h8Poo Pea


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## 21185 (Dec 31, 2006)

As long as it is a low dose of Xanax, no problem. In higher doses, you can become dependant.I use Clonazepam as the Xanax was not effective for me and usually only lasted a couple of hours.


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## h8ibs (Oct 24, 2004)

Thanks everybody for your responses. I finally went to talk to my doctor. I explained to him what was going on and said that I don't feel like I need to be on Effexor all the time. Just need something to get me by if I have a panic attack at night. Unfortunately, he gave me another Rx for Effexor and said that I should be on that all the time instead of having something like Xanax for when I need it. The result? It's been about a week since I went to the doctor. Didn't fill the Effexor Rx because I know I don't need to be on something everyday and don't like the idea of being on a medication long-term when the side effects are unknown. Now I'm without something to help me if I have another panic attack. Maybe I'll look for a new doctor.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2007)

Sorry H8 - but being a Brit I'm not familiar with these medicines - but am I right in thinking that Effexor is an anti-depressant and Xanax a valium equivalent? If that is the case, certainly docs in the UK are very, very reluctant to prescribe valium for anything other than very short-term use. I'm on a long-term anti-depressant and I must say have never felt better. I was also on low-dose valium (2mg initially) but only for about the first 3 months after my discharge from hospital and manage fine without it now.See how you go on - I appreciate what you say about reluctance to be on anything long-term - I'm afraid I just take the pragmatic approach - "if it works, carry on" though I've got to tail off from these anti-d's over the summer which I must confess to facing with some trepidation.Good luck - but yeah, if you are unhappy with the way you feel your treatment is being handled - go and shout about it and be proactive.Sue


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## h8ibs (Oct 24, 2004)

SueV,Thanks so much for your replies. Yes, Effexor is an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant and Xanax is a very powerful drug for panic disorder. Most days I feel OK, but I do get panic attacks at night every so often. I agree with you that anti-depressants do work....I was on Effexor for almost a year, but have been off of it now for about 6 months. I did feel great on the Effexor, but again, it's a relatively new drug and long-term side effects are not known, so I'm reluctant to go back on it. I think for now, I'll deal with the occasional panic attacks and anxiety and see how I do. Thanks again!


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2007)

Well I'm right with you H8 - I know what you mean about long-term usage of anti-d's - I've been on Mitrazapene (not a widely prescribed drug in the UK) for about 14 months now - and I know at some stage my quack is going to want to wean me off it - which, yeah, I know needs to be done - but I'm frankly quite scared - apart from weight-gain - I've never been better (mentally) so don't see any real adverse side-effects but yeah, long-term who knows. I think, since being so ill last year I'm much more of a take each day at a time, live for the moment type of girlie (well old bag!!!) - I think coming through a major depressive episode does teach you to treasure life "in the moment" much more.I wish you well, I really do - mental illness is no picnic is it.Sue xxx


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## 15976 (Nov 22, 2006)

My husband has taken it probably for 7 years and I don't see anything major in him. He does get unexplained pain in his wrists and other joints but we have no way of knowing it is connected to the Remeron (that is what they call mirtazipine here in US).The only two things are weight gain and sleepiness. He has gained 50 pounds while on the drug and if he takes a break from it, the weight drops off. He also can sleep until 10 or 11 in the a.m. Sometimes he seems grumpy but I don't know if that is from the underlying problem of depression or the meds.


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## Guest (Apr 23, 2007)

For all of you suffering from anxiety as I do try this fairly new web.http://www.agoraphobia.ws


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