Is it time to give up on this mad?

[Dazza123]

I did get a calmness with them, similar to Diazepam, but I didn't find it offensive, it was actually quite nice at times.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yes terry I have had gad since I was 13/14 im now almost 22. Ha started a year ago and the ocd, intrusive thoughts stafted in September. But my doc says the ha should of been a early warning sign on there behalf as I was jumping from one illness to another obsessing. Very much like I'm doing now with skitzafrenia. But I almost feel this is worse with it being physcological? None of my others stopped me doing things this stops me leaving my house alone ect.

It's been a very vicious cycle for nearly two years and it seems the more I fight it the worse it gets. Like when I had ha if anything comes on tv about skitzafrenia I totally freak out and think it's following me and it's a 'sign' just like I did when I saw cancer adverts so it is very similar.

Thanks for that terry I will definitely check him out. Always comforting knowing someone's gone through and even more so if they've got over it.

Gad must be definitely fuling the fire.

Dazza sorry the meds haven't worked for you, If you find your better off meds then that's great as only you know your body best. Maybe try mindfullness course or cbt and it may make anxiety more bareable to live with for you! Ive always got on better without meds until September when I started with ocd it just spiralled my gad to a whole new level x

For what its worth AV, I think your anxiety has increased in intensity due to the Pure O Harm thoughts so its highly likely that your HA will become more intense as well. So, the current HA concern may feel worse because your underlying levels of anxiety are higher.

When my OCD hit on top of my GAD it was just unrelenting. I felt I was losing my mind.

If you can bring your overall anxiety levels down, you will hopefully find the HA is like it was before.

Can I ask, why do you feel you can't go out anymore? I become agoraphobic when my anxiety gets to the worst stage so this may just be part of the overall problem add opposed to a new distinct issue or a feature of the new HA feature. If so, I found it easier to conquer this issue, it just took some exposure & perseverance.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I remember your thread about your CBT Dazza. It was shocking how they treated you so hopefully next time you will get a different place where they want to help their patients!

---------- Post added at 07:10 ---------- Previous post was at 07:03 ----------

I agree Hanshan. Services are so limited and GP's can have so little knowledge that you end up having to assess the medication on your own. I'm also convinced that side effects can be seen long after you stop experiencing the start up ones.

[netball]

i don't go out alone AV. I'm calm in the house but not when i know i have to go out. I think mine is the fear of having a panic attack. And that fear has been with me since they started 15 years ago. I've tried cbt but it didn't help and relaxation. I don't know where i go from here.... Any suggestions welcome xx

[Avasmummy_x]

The intrusive thoughts have definitely raised my anxiety.
I could leave the house, work get on with my anxiety before September terry.

Like netball I think it's a fear of a panic attack as when I'm gearing up to go out or do go out it swallows me whole and I can't cope. I walked to the shop the other day last week and ran back in tears with horrendous racing thoughts that didn't settle for hours after I had to take a diaz! Another thing is harm thoughts. When I went to pick my daughter up from nursery I cross a busy main road and all the cars going past/noise ect is not good for panic! As I get very sensitive to sound and seeing things and I then got urges to jump in front of the cars! I rang a local taxi firm and got a taxi because I couldng cope.

I will go out when I'm with someone I still get anxious but not as bad! I feel safe.

I'm struggling to cope because unlike you netball I'm getting no break. I'm anxious as hell at home and outside of home. But I think that's the skitz/bipolar fear. Because it will get me no matter where I am. I also am horrendous when home alone as I don' feel as safe either x

---------- Post added at 11:20 ---------- Previous post was at 11:19 ----------

Pregabablin should be bringing my overall anxiety down but doesn't seem to be doing. I was considering upping my dose but the higher dose I go on the more drugged I feel.

[Dazza123]

I would have thought that there should have been a lot more relief for you at the dose you are on, than you are getting at the moment. Id hate to say you should stop them, because you clearly need something that will help you, but Im just not sure this is it.

I also will not go out on my own due to the anxiety, but I have always been the same.

Im not sure what the answer is for you, but you clearly need a break from this anxiety. I bet quetiapine would work for you, at a very low dose, but that in itself has its bad points due to the sedating effect it has, which clearly wouldnt work with a young child to look after.

[Avasmummy_x]

Dazza I feel sad to say it but I am in agreement with you. It did help a little in the beginning but since christmas it is at a all new high and I can safely say anxiety has never ever been like it is now.

Which only adds fuel to the fire of thinking it's something more than anxiety.

I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow and will be bringing up all my concerns.

I don't want to give up on the med but with such little relief on a decent dose and for 2months surely I should be feeling better not worse!

[hanshan]

Hi Avasmummy,

I can understand how you must be upset and disappointed that pregabalin is not working after two months. I tend to agree that if it was going to have a longstanding effect, you would have noticed it by now.

My own personal feeling is that pregabalin works best for constant, low-level anxiety (think a leaky or dripping tap). It doesn't work very well for high anxiety (think a burst water main). Taking more may just increase side effects with no benefits.

While I'm not especially a follower of Claire Weekes, you may want to look at one of her books, since she describes the "anxious because I'm scared I'll get anxious" phenomenon that you describe.

Back to medication, a psychiatrist may be able to tailor the right mix of medications that can help you best (probably not a GP).

[Avasmummy_x]

Exactly hanshan I think if this was the med for me I'd know it by now.

I'm definitely going to have to get one of her books as quite a few have said how good she is so im gonna look on Amazon now.

I totally agree I was reffered back in September and I'm still waiting, I ring my gp every week and she emails them to try and hurry things along as I am really struggling and there's not much more my doctors can do for me. I think they'll definitley know the right approach with tackling my anxirty and of course meds. It's just a waiging game :(

I'm absolutlley gutted this med isnt working for me. It's the only one that's not given me absolutlley unbearable side effects :( xx

[pulisa]

It could be that, like Dazza, you are just better off without meds for severe unremitting anxiety. My daughter and I have both found that the meds ( and we have tried the whole spectrum over many years) make this type of anxiety worse not better.

There's no denying that severe anxiety is crippling and impinges on every minute of the day. My daughter is an "able" autistic adult whose anxiety/OCD became off-the-scale when her meds were increased to the maximum dose. I'm not a medic but am just suggesting that maybe less is best when you're dealing with severe anxiety which fails to improve after trying a variety of meds?

Wishing you well and hoping that you find some respite very soon