Dr won't change medication even thought I'm getting panic attacks and GAD score 21

[katie23]

My Dr refused to change my meds because she thinks my anxiety will get worse... but I feel awful on prozac what I am on at the min...

I keep waking up in panic attacks and shaking every morning this happened when I started them.... It took me half a day to get 'normal' I told my GP she upped them then it got worse so she lowered it again and the same was happening.....

How do I get her to change them it's seriously affecting mine and my daughters relationship I gave birth a week ago and I'm having this panic attacks on waking and it's like I can't deal with her I do but it's like I need help kind of thing because I'm shaking and my throat feels like it swells! x

[Recsense]

try asking your doctor why he/she wont change your mediacation for something more inkeeping with treating panic attacks, prozac is not the best anti-anxiety drug from what I have read, there are others prescribed more often. If your doctor still refuses, you have two choices, put up with it and keep badgering her and informing her she has a duty of care to look after your health needs or change doctors.

Good luck, and if you feel your doctor wont budge, call the surgery and insist on seing someone else, its your right.

[Pipkin]

Katie,

Rec's right - you have those choices but the best thing to do is always try to work with your existing doctor as you have built up a relationship with her.

It's important to be sure in yourself that you're giving the meds the best chance to work. It's so easy to lose confidence in a certain type and then your mind will never let you improve as it's convinced it won't until you swap. Everyone has to find the med for them but you stand the best chance on the first one you try and Prozac has worked for millions of people, including for anxiety.

Give it a while longer and allow yourself to believe that it will work for you. If that still doesn't work, go back to your GP with a clear and logical list of reasons you believe you should swap.

Take care

Pip xx

[katie23]

Ahh the thing is i've been on it since December so I've gave it plenty of time to work.... it's never agreed with me it's really frustrating because I feel like I'm not getting listened too and they are leaving me to struggle when they could simply change my meds and I'd probably improve dramatically if I was on something that worked... it stresses me out more knowing this, that I could be better if I was being listened too...

I think I will go to see another Dr on Monday with a list of why I need a change of the medication it seems like this Dr is dragging it out seeing if it works or not, then messing with my levels constantly proves it's not working for me.... I don't feel I have time to see if it works or not I have a newborn baby who needs me to be better instead of being a highly anxious and agitated mess! I'd rather try something new or go back on to paroxtine what worked a treat when I was not pregnant! x

[Pipkin]

Katie,

As I said, you stand the best chance with the meds you try first. I didn't realise you had previously been on Paroxetine so I would now say to explain this to your GP as clearly as you can as you're suggesting (write down your list of reasons to take in with you).

I was prescribed venlafaxine 8 years ago and it worked a treat. After years of no medication, a different GP prescribed me Sertraline and it really didn't work for me. I'm now back on venlafaxine and it's working really well again.

Paroxetine is probably the one for you.

Pip xxx

[katie23]

ahh thankyou thats what I will do!! I just want to be better again! x

[Pipkin]

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Pip :hugs:

[nomorepanic]

You don't have to go down the medication route at all - ask for some CBT and/or counselling at the moment

[dan1234]

You don't have to go down the medication route at all - ask for some CBT and/or counselling at the moment

And go into hibernation for the 6 months whilst you are waiting to get seen?

[nomorepanic]

There are loads of self-help things you can do as well. There is also the CBT programme that we promote on here that you can do yourself at home.

[katie23]

Good news Dr changed me back to my paroxtine today finally after months of anxitey, agrophobia etc I feel like I will finally be getting somwhere in the next 6 weeks rather then just my kitchen!!!

I have tried CBT before but nothing helps me like meds to be honest...I've had this problem since I was 9 years old I'm 21 this year so I've had my fair share of shrinks/counceller's health vistors...

I know that sounds bad but I would much rather have medication then struggle like this for the rest of my life... x

[dan1234]

I agree with you katie. Although I think good meds + good CBT is the way forward. Too often CBT is delivered by people not properly trained hence its not as good as it could be.

[bignik]

Meds and CBT I think a good route to follow, I wouldnt dismiss another run of CBT again Katie , perhaps when you had it before you just werent ready and perhaps trying it again might just help especially with the help of medication , anxiety is a terrible thing and im sure having suffered it for 13 years your desperation to escape it once and for all is quite understandable

[katie23]

Hey, yeah Cbt is great but I think with OCD we tend to forget it as our obbsessions become far to real to us.... I'm not sure I've had this problem now for ten years but it's goes in drips and drabs sometimes are worse then overs.. paticually when stuff changes my mind goes in to some kind of panic mode... x