Medications?

[Hoping]

Hey all,
I'm new to this forum; only recently I have decided to stop keeping my panic a secret. After keeping these attacks a secret for over 4 months; I have finally told my family and some close friends- I am coming out of denial and into acceptance. I have been seeing a psychologist for a few weeks, and have read several books on panic to better educate myself. I know that medication really isn't the answer, and I accept that I may not live a panic-free life for some time. I am a wife, a mother, and a graduate student in a highly competitive program. It has been particularly frustrating for me because I can't say that I was ever a really a nervous person until my first panic attack; so this seems so surreal to me at times.

I was prescribed BuSpar (2 months into the attacks) by my physician, but I can say that from my experience, it only worked for about a month or so. I was just given a prescription for Lexapro (escitalopram), and was wondering if anyone has taking this medication and can give me some feedback?! I am doing very well in school, despite the fact that I suffer a panic attack in almost every class & every exam. I was hoping that the Lexapro (or something) would at least take the edge off, so that I can regain my concentration and graduate.

-Maria

[jo61]

Hi Maria, welcome to the forum. It's really helpful. It can take some time for meds to kick in and help make you feel more in control of the illness. Hope this works f0r you. If not, your doctor will try something else but is likely to give the one you're on up to 6 weeks to take effect. Good luck in your studies and I really admire you for doing a graduate programme whilst also being a wife and mother. Are you having any sort of therapy?:hugs:

[Hoping]

Well, right now I just began seeing a new psychologist. I had started seeing a therapist also about 2 months into the panic attacks, but I can't say that I had the best experience ever. I'm not sure why..I think that it much had to do with the fact that it was more like a "bandaid". I saw her for almost 2 months but we never did anything different; just relaxation. I found it to be helpful at the moment, but the next day it's as if I never went at all. I think that our personalities were also far too different for me to ever feel truly comfortable talking to her.
I have since found another psychologist who really speaks with me, and she is much more learned in anxiety/panic/phobias. She's given me homework assignments and a plethora of books to read, which oddly enough, I like better =) I'm just know really learning about panic for the first time in 4 months, and that makes me feel active in my own recovery with this... or at least in coping for now until I can learn of other things that I can do to help myself.

[Insomniac]

Hi Maria

Good for you for speaking out! Sometimes its hard to accept, but its an illness like any other and sometimes we need help.

I'm currently taking seroxat/paroxetine. At first I didnt want to but, I got really bad and decided that I would stop making life difficult for myself and ask help as I would if I was ill with anything else!! When I started it took a while to feel better. First I felt better, then worse. My dose was put up twice, until I felt able to cope.

Now a year on I have been able to reduce my dose a little with an aim to coming off eventually. If you can manage without meds - great, if not, don't give yourself a hard time. I found that with counselling and meds I have learnt ways to cope with the panic, instead of getting sucked into the cycle of feeling more and more panic.

Welcome to the forum. This place has been my greatest support second only to my hubby. Its good to be with people who understand. :yesyes:

[sarajane]

:welcome: Maria,
I'm glad you found this site. I only found it myself a week ago and already I feel like part of the Family. You will get heaps of great advice and support here.
Love
SJ

[Hoping]

I also couldn't be happier that I found this site! I've read so many books that talk about the statistics and how many people suffer from panic, but I always thought to myself...where are these people? I wish I knew someone who could really relate to how I feel and what I am going through. I find right now that it's hard for me to talk about my experience with loved ones because a part of me feels that they can't understand the full extent of panic unless they have actually experienced it themselves. Everyone has really been so welcoming and helpful, and I am glad to know that we can support each other in a different way because we are all there (or have been there before).

Maria