Re: Anxiety question

[Guest guest]

Lex may be but the Wellbutrin is another thing. It's known to *cause*

anxiety and can increase feelings of anxiety. I would think that might not

be a good choice for you if anxiety is a primary diagnosis for you.

Barbara

Anxiety question

> My psychiatrist is slowly increasing my Lexapro to combat anxiety and

> depression and I'm wondering if anyone has actually experienced it

> helping with anxiety?

>

> I also take 100mg of Welbutrin which we are happy with but battling

> the anxiety and stessed out feelings of dread with Ativan. For the

> last year, I've been takin 1/2 mg of Ativan each day but lately I've

> been taking 2 - 3 mg per day and even 4 on really horrible days.

>

> If anyone has dealt with powerful anxiety, would you say Lexapro is

> the right drug or are there others to consider?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Tom

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tom,

I think that the Lexapro does help with the anxiety, though I do have

some very anxious days now and then, and I need a bit of my Xanax.

I find that they aren't nearly as often as before L, but they can be quite

bad at times. The Xanax really, really helps combat that though. I wonder

if the Wellbutrin is contributing to your anxiety, that is precisely the

reason I didn't want to go on it with my Lex, and the doc agreed with me.

Hugs,

Crystal

My psychiatrist is slowly increasing my Lexapro to combat anxiety and

depression and I'm wondering if anyone has actually experienced it

helping with anxiety?

I also take 100mg of Welbutrin which we are happy with but battling

the anxiety and stessed out feelings of dread with Ativan. For the

last year, I've been takin 1/2 mg of Ativan each day but lately I've

been taking 2 - 3 mg per day and even 4 on really horrible days.

If anyone has dealt with powerful anxiety, would you say Lexapro is

the right drug or are there others to consider?

Thanks,

Tom

[Guest guest]

Thanks.

After your e-mail, I think tapering off the wellbutrin

would be good. I'm worried my libido will completely

disappear without it.

-Tom

>

> Hi Tom,

>

> I think that the Lexapro does help with the anxiety,

> though I do have

> some very anxious days now and then, and I need a

> bit of my Xanax.

> I find that they aren't nearly as often as before L,

> but they can be quite

> bad at times. The Xanax really, really helps combat

> that though. I wonder

> if the Wellbutrin is contributing to your anxiety,

> that is precisely the

> reason I didn't want to go on it with my Lex, and

> the doc agreed with me.

>

> Hugs,

> Crystal

>

>

> My psychiatrist is slowly increasing my Lexapro to

> combat anxiety and

> depression and I'm wondering if anyone has actually

> experienced it

> helping with anxiety?

>

> I also take 100mg of Welbutrin which we are happy

> with but battling

> the anxiety and stessed out feelings of dread with

> Ativan. For the

> last year, I've been takin 1/2 mg of Ativan each day

> but lately I've

> been taking 2 - 3 mg per day and even 4 on really

> horrible days.

>

> If anyone has dealt with powerful anxiety, would you

> say Lexapro is

> the right drug or are there others to consider?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Tom

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

All kids go through this. It's up to the parent to be calm and rational and

try not to pass on our own fears to our children. For example, as a child

and adult, I was deathly afraid of snakes and spiders. When my eldest son

was born, I knew I had to get over such irrational fears if I were going to

rear a courageous son. It was hard work, but I did it. I also explained to

my children what to do during blackouts and thunderstorms. They always had a

flashlight by their beds, which helped.

granny

On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 9:42 AM, blaise_25053 <blaise_25053@...> wrote:

>

>

> Mostly a lurker here. My son, , is 18. Last night the electric was

> off due to a tree falling on the line and didn't come on until 10 this

> morning. lost it. Non-stop talking, couldn't come down from his

> anxiety. Was up at 2am til exhaustion set it at 5am. Then up at 7am and been

> up since, still talking. I've noticed anxiety levels are elevated in other

> situations also, eg: thunderstorms, unknown transitions, crying babies, etc.

> It's taking it's toll on the family. We have a doctor appointment today.

> Gonna mention it. Just wondering if anybody else has this problems.

> Barb (

>

>

>

--

*Not for ourselves, but for the world were we born.*

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb,

I suffer from anxiety.  I take medication to help and see a psychiatrist, not

just my regular doctor.  Anxiety attacks are horrible and once they get

started, I've never been able to stop one on my own.  First my stomach starts

lurching, then my hands and face go numb...similiar to what I think a stroke

might feel like.  Well, once that sets in, you get scared and that just makes

it

worse...it's a vicious cycle and probably very scary for your son.  I am not

advocating medication simply because what works for one person may not work for

someone else, just sharing with you what I go through and what helps me.  Once

an attack starts, I have a medicine I can take that will help me get those

spiraling feelings back under control.  I also take a medication (the same

one)

once a day.

 

________________________________

From: blaise_25053 <blaise_25053@...>

Sent: Thu, April 7, 2011 9:42:17 AM

Subject: Anxiety Question

 

Mostly a lurker here. My son, , is 18. Last night the electric was off

due to a tree falling on the line and didn't come on until 10 this morning.

lost it. Non-stop talking, couldn't come down from his anxiety. Was up

at 2am til exhaustion set it at 5am. Then up at 7am and been up since, still

talking. I've noticed anxiety levels are elevated in other situations also, eg:

thunderstorms, unknown transitions, crying babies, etc. It's taking it's toll on

the family. We have a doctor appointment today. Gonna mention it. Just wondering

if anybody else has this problems.

Barb (

[Guest guest]

My typical son had difficulties with anxiety when he was about 10. It helped to

teach him strategies for coping at a time when he was not anxious and creating a

plan for what he was going to do when the anxiety started to come. We would

start talking about the plan at the first sign of things that would set him off.

Some of his strategies were: Deep breathing, having a favorite toy, reading a

favorite book, trying to think about favorite things (your son will have his own

list of things) it did help in the long run.

M.

[Guest guest]

Trent at 26 is another who does not like it when the power goes out. At

least now days he can handle it better than he could when he was younger,

when it comes to bed time, I bring in one of the solar lights from outside

to give him the light he requires in his bedroom without worrying about

batteries flattening in torches or a candle setting the house on fire.

Actually since the first time I did this whenever the lights do go off, I

bring in several of the solar lights to lightened up inside - I hate

candles as they are dangerous.

Keep smiling

Jan , mother of Trent 26yo w/Ds from the LandDownUnder

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf

Of e Baranowski

Sent: Saturday, 9 April 2011 9:20 AM

Subject: FW: Anxiety Question

Try and turn it into a fun thing... ok - babies crying is a harder one, but

say like when the power goes out, make it a mini party. Say every time the

power goes out you guys do something very special that you don't normally

do. In our house- we pull out the sleeping bags and all the flashlights

camp out in the family room - smores over candle light- read stories till

they pass out :-) -Yes sometimes we get through 10-15 stories - but it turns

it into quality fun time where they kind of look forward to power outages.

Does he have a Nintendo or some other battery powered game he really likes.

He could play that while the power is out. You could go in the back yard

and stargaze as most of the lights around you should be out and can really

see them. Explain that years ago - there was no electricity and people had

to use candles and lanterns at night. There were no light switches- no

tv's, no computers, etc etc. Pretend you went back in time to before

electricity...

Thunderstorms - at night we sit with our flashlights on the back porch

(flashlights off- just there for " support " or sometimes they try to " catch "

the lightning with the flashlight beam.) and count the lightning flashes.

If we have power we pop popcorn or if they have been really good - have a

bowl of ice cream, etc. Car washes used to be a huge deal too. So for the

first few we did m & m's and picked all their favorite music on the mp3 and

crank it up - sang and danced around in the car... they are allowed to take

seatbelts off and just be silly while we go through.

Make a " special time box " that has things in it you can pull out during these

times. Let him pick a really cool flashlight at the store to stash in.

Then maybe add a favorite blanket, favorite book, bag of jelly beans,

(whatever he thinks is special) or maybe pick up a special surprise for him

and stash it until the next " event " If he really likes soccer, maybe a

little soccer ball or a magazine on soccer or if he likes to draw some new

art supplies etc....

Just do something totally different that you usually don't have time for or

put off, and make a point to do those things during these times. Make

chocolate chip cookies. Play a game. Turn it into a positive memory for him,

and then even far into the future - he will be able to take these positive

memories and associate them with times he may be afraid and you are not

there.

For transitions, try to explain what is going to happen " to the best of your

knowledge " ahead of time. Get into great detail if you can. Be very

positive about everything and try to show excitement rather than

nervousness. You may be rubbing off on him too if you are expecting it to be

difficult, he may be picking up on that. Even if it is a not so positive

thing... Like going to the doctor to have blood drawn or worse... with

Linsey I explain everything that is going to happen, (the doctors think I am

nuts until they see how well she does :-) and even tell her if it might be a

little " uncomfortable' Like if she is getting blood drawn I tell her it

will be a little pinch and you have to hold REALLLLLLLY still. And I will

give her a little pinch in the arm where they draw the blood and say - see -

that wasn't so bad - you are so tough. (I usually don't say brave as that

seems to put in their mind that there is something to be afraid of to begin

with for many kids, unless it was a situation that was really brave.) Then

tell her what her reward will be for doing a good job... Watch a movie, get

ice cream, computer time on a school night - wii game - etc...

For the baby crying - try to build on his empathy. Ask him in a very matter

of fact way - Boy- that baby is CRANKY.... why do you think he is crying?

Give him some ideas if he doesn't know - hungry - teething - stinky diaper -

make up crazy reasons.. ask him if he remembers being that little etc etc...

Hope this helps a little.

Re: Anxiety Question

All kids go through this. It's up to the parent to be calm and rational and

try not to pass on our own fears to our children. For example, as a child

and adult, I was deathly afraid of snakes and spiders. When my eldest son

was born, I knew I had to get over such irrational fears if I were going to

rear a courageous son. It was hard work, but I did it. I also explained to

my children what to do during blackouts and thunderstorms. They always had a

flashlight by their beds, which helped.

granny

On Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 9:42 AM, blaise_25053 <blaise_25053@...

<mailto:blaise_25053%40> > wrote:

>

>

> Mostly a lurker here. My son, , is 18. Last night the electric was

> off due to a tree falling on the line and didn't come on until 10 this

> morning. lost it. Non-stop talking, couldn't come down from his

> anxiety. Was up at 2am til exhaustion set it at 5am. Then up at 7am and

been

> up since, still talking. I've noticed anxiety levels are elevated in other

> situations also, eg: thunderstorms, unknown transitions, crying babies,

etc.

> It's taking it's toll on the family. We have a doctor appointment today.

> Gonna mention it. Just wondering if anybody else has this problems.

> Barb (

>

>

>

--

*Not for ourselves, but for the world were we born.*