Anyone on any meds that work for agoraphobia?

[little wren]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone has found any meds effective in combatting agoraphobia. I started having panic attacks 5 years ago which led to agoraphobia and I became housebound. I have a support worker with whom I do exposure therapy which was going well for the last 6 months. However, I have had a setback the last 4 weeks and it has made me very down because I feel Ive lost all the ground I'd made. Although I am on 40mg prozac for ocd, the agoraphobia has really got to me. It is probably the most isolating thing ever. I have a re-assessment of my meds next week via psychiatrist home visit as I really can't lose my place on exposure therapy. It scares me to think they will just leave me housebound for the next thirty years of my life - 'you had your chance to get better, now tough luck' kinda thing. I keep thinking about that when I question how much am I willing to put up with the side effects of meds. I also want to have one baby in this lifetime (I put it off thinking I would wait until I got better and could come off meds now it is the eleventh hour!). I would be grateful to hear of others experiences with meds and exposure therapy. Has anyone tried lyrica or buspar or upped their fluoxetine to 60mg? Any feedback welcomely received. I know its a bit long... but thanks for reading x

[kittikat]

I'm very similar in that my PA's started around 6 years ago as did a gradual onset of agoraphobic symptoms. I have had bouts of being housebound, at the moment I have a small 'safe zone' radius of about 2 miles (in the car) can't do shops or big crowded places etc. I have kind of planned my own exposure therapy (with great difficulty and lots of anxiety). I am waiting for CBT, got a telephone assessment next Tuesday. I am on diazepam at the moment, have tried various SSRI's but had awful side effects on them so I am now scared to take anything other than my diaz. Lots of positive thinking, don't know if I am doing it right, but I can at least get out now and I am much better if I am with my partner/mum/daughter for moral support. I found the less I do, the harder it is if you get what I mean. It would be so easy just to stay here in my safe place and not face the world but I, like you know I have to move forward with this. Sorry I can't really give you much advice, just letting you know you are not alone in this. Wish you good luck Kitti x

[320504]

this would help me as well

[little wren]

Hi kitti, it helps so much to know someone else understands how debilitating agoraphobia is. I have never had cbt for agoraphobia (only exposure therapy) and would love to know how you get on with it. I am the other way with meds. I take ssri but will not take diazepam (prescribed on an as and when needed basis) as I worry about withdrawal, but if Dr cannot prescribe anything else I may go that route too. Take care and I wish you all the best... x

---------- Post added at 11:36 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

Hi 320504, I will post if my Dr recommends anything that is actually effective for agoraphobia (I don't know if there is anything out there but I am going to ask) x

[Rain]

I had CBT for agoraphobia and social anxiety back in 2005. First I had to fill out a questionnaire , rating what my anxiety was likely to be on a scale of 1-5 during certain activities. The next time, the therapist took me to a pub (!) where she and I and my partner sat for about an hour and had tea and sandwiches. I had to rate my anxiety on a scale of 1 to 100 when we arrived and throughout the stay there. She proved to me that the number decreased the longer I stayed. Subsequently we went to busier pubs and without my partner, to a busy hotel foyer and ultimately Tesco.

I actually enjoyed parts of the CBT and wished it could have gone on longer. However, the therapist said I really needed to practise without her, doing similar things. It was harder without the therapist being there as I saw her as a magic spell against me having a major panic attack. I made progress during the CBT but then went backwards again. I suspect the key to beating this illness is to persevere consistently with venturing out.

[mikewales]

Basically, there arent any meds specifically to 'cure' agoraphobia. SSRI's can help in reducing your general anxiety and panic, but the only way to beat it is to get out and start fighting it.

You need to gradually build up your safe area, from your home, to further away and unfamililar places, and also stay away for longer each time. It doesnt have to all be done in a week, but you do need to keep plodding on at it, and even if you get stuck for a while, keep at that level, and then increase again.

I used to have it quite badly, and went from only really feeling happy a few miles from home, and for a couple of hours at a time. Now I can go pretty much anywhere I want ( including city centres, crowded pubs, gigs with big crowds etc... ) and can stay out pretty much as long as I want.

[haz]

Yeah, I agree. "Exposure" is really the only way to get through it.

I've also been stuck in a "small comfort zone" for a couple of years now. Some day I can't go out the house at all.

I am gradually trying to widen my comfort zone.

One tip though, don't try to "run before you can walk" as a "failure" can send to back to square one. "Baby steps" is the key although you do need to "gently" push yourself a bit.

Good Luck.

Haz.

[belle854]

I suffered with agora for a few years now. Ive been on leave from work this week and have managed going to a few places out of my comfort zone, im feeling rather proud of myself. Exposure is the way forward, take baby steps though and have something to aim for, theres a couple of places im wanting to go to so im trying to go a bit further each time. Its so hard but I tell myself that im only a few hours down the road from my house im not in another country, this i find helps.

[little wren]

Hi Rain, thanks for sharing your experience. I see now cbt for agoraphobia is exposure therapy. What you describe is what I am working on at the present time with a support worker. I had worked really hard towards going out and then she was off for 5 weeks (operation) and I just didn't push myself to go out, so slipped back. I have to start again next week with her. I know they say you have to stay in the situation long enough for the panicky feeling to subside so you prove to yourself it does go down by itself. Well done for your achievements it helps knowing others have found it hard going but still persevere. I hope going out is getting easier for you as time goes by x

---------- Post added at 12:53 ---------- Previous post was at 12:39 ----------

Hi mikewales, I am so pleased to hear your success story with exposure therapy and that you seem to have beaten agoraphobia and just gotten on with doing what you want. I know it works but it is so slow and the terrain is tough going I feel so disheartened when I lose any ground. I will plod on with it as I refuse to give up. Well done for getting your life back x

---------- Post added at 12:58 ---------- Previous post was at 12:53 ----------

Hi Haz, thanks for the good advice. I tried 'flooding' (just doing it and hoping for the best) and it didn't work for me (I was petrified)... so I totally agree with you about the little steps. Good luck with increasing your comfort zone...it seems this is the way forward x

---------- Post added at 13:09 ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 ----------

Hi belle, that made me laugh out loud because I feel like I could be in another country or on the moon or something when I'm out rather than x minutes from my house. I am going to think of somewhere I actually want to go. Having an aim and breaking it down into manageable steps seems key and I wish you the Best of luck x

[haz]

I am going to think of somewhere I actually want to go. Having an aim and breaking it down into manageable steps seems key and I wish you the Best of luck x[/QUOTE]

That's a VERY good idea Little Wren!

I discussed this at some length with my psychologist and she helped me to realise that sometimes it's not a question of "not being ABLE to go" but actually "not WANTING to go"!

For example, I'm 43 yrs old now and have done all my partying, music festivals, clubbing etc. I actually prefer to go to a quiet place in the country for a meal etc. rather than the busy city centre. Also, I prefer to stay in of an evening watching TV/reading a book etc. than going out to busy pubs and clubs. It's just not my thing anymore.

It's surprising how you can "push" yourself to go somewhere that you really want to. i.e. go shopping for an item you particularly want that's in the sale!

Good Luck.

Haz.x