Hi, I would like to ask anyone on here who also deals with panic/anxiety attacks what cures other than antidepressants work best for you? Mine attacks were triggered by a long-term facial pain and stress that comes with it. The fact that I had no clue what was going on with me also played a big role. Now I do have an idea, and I'm in a way happy to have found out, at the same time, there's a lot of fear that things may become worse than they're now, that I may not be able to have children because sometimes I'm in a lot of pain and am very tired, and what if I go insane as a result of all that...Maybe I think about it too much but my health condition has turned my life upside down; I so wish this was just a nightmare I could wake up from! I don't want to stay on antidepressants for the rest of my life, they make me numb and sleepy, so any tips for natural remedies or alternative ways/therapies are greatly appreciated! Thank you.
I have been to a therapist and I take Effexor. I also had issues from childhood tho. I do well now. When I came down with this I had to face issues from the past. Now my anxiety is controlled with Effexor. Meditation helps/ stretching exercises /physical therapy I do for my neck.. :) Min
Perhaps you should try some psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ... teaching yourself the causes of the anxiety, what warning signs your body has and ways to stop the anxiety getting to a big level. I know a lot of people with anxiety use the "tapping" technique where you tap a part of your body and concentrate on the tapping sensation to get you through an anxiety attack. I have used a homeopathic oral spray for anxiety before (before all the TN started) which helped (either through the remedy or recognising the attack and doing something else, not sure how it worked really).
Klonopin.
I am the same way and I dont want to be on Meds for the rest of my life. But sometimes we need them to produce something our brain is not. This is something that we can not control. I just went to see my Dr today. I am going to be getting the MVD surgery. Until then he has me on the following medication:
Effexor ( This is an antidepressant that is also good for chronic pain) I take it daily
Oxycodone ( Pain meds for the break thru pain)
Lorazapam - generic for Atavan ( this is for anxiety, i have the lowest dose .5 I can take one or two at bed time to help with sleep and pain. I can also take one anytime thru out the day for anxiety, It melts in your mouth so it works fast. To tell you the truth, JUST HAVING the meds in my purse make me anxiety much better!)
If you have any questions I would be happy to help. Don't feel like you are insane. You arent! This is a horrible disease to deal with and youre not alone! Good luck!
I know this is a generic, cliche answer, but exercise is one of the best remedies for depression and anxiety. Even light exercise, like a long walk. Easier said than done, I know.
Thank you for your supportive words! I'm not opposed to meds as such, it's just that I find they have bad side effects on me. My GP prescribed me antidepressants, which actually made my symptoms worse (although the pills did make me sleep a lot and sometimes I managed to sleep off the pain) so now I'm a bit cautious. I guess it's a matter of trying different meds until finding one that suits a particular person. I very much hope that your MVD surgery works well for you! Please, keep us posted!
irenern said:
I am the same way and I dont want to be on Meds for the rest of my life. But sometimes we need them to produce something our brain is not. This is something that we can not control. I just went to see my Dr today. I am going to be getting the MVD surgery. Until then he has me on the following medication:
Effexor ( This is an antidepressant that is also good for chronic pain) I take it daily
Oxycodone ( Pain meds for the break thru pain)
Lorazapam - generic for Atavan ( this is for anxiety, i have the lowest dose .5 I can take one or two at bed time to help with sleep and pain. I can also take one anytime thru out the day for anxiety, It melts in your mouth so it works fast. To tell you the truth, JUST HAVING the meds in my purse make me anxiety much better!)
If you have any questions I would be happy to help. Don't feel like you are insane. You arent! This is a horrible disease to deal with and youre not alone! Good luck!
Hi Crystal,
I think you're very right about exercise. I used to be a yoga teacher, doing between 2-4 hours a day and I didn't know what anxiety or even bad mood was! Now things a bit more difficult as I have nowhere near as much energy I used to have but I know that endorphines work miracles on all of us, so your ansewer may be cliche but it's very valid. Thank you!
crystalv said:
I know this is a generic, cliche answer, but exercise is one of the best remedies for depression and anxiety. Even light exercise, like a long walk. Easier said than done, I know.
Thank you, Min, for your suggestions. I would really like to go without pills, but if things get unmanagable, then I suppose they're a good option. I'm also hoping to get back to doing some gentle yoga and maybe getting a Dorn Therapy for my spine. Also, I've read about the benefits of magnesium therapy and magnesium oil - both for pain management and as a treat for anxiety, so I'll ask my sister to bring me some from Canada:)
Min said:
I have been to a therapist and I take Effexor. I also had issues from childhood tho. I do well now. When I came down with this I had to face issues from the past. Now my anxiety is controlled with Effexor. Meditation helps/ stretching exercises /physical therapy I do for my neck.. :) Min
I've heard that Cognitive Behavourial Therapy may be helpful, so I'll definitely consider that. The 'tapping' technique sounds like someting that could work too - I believe that anything that takes your mind off your 'problem' could potentially be helpful. Also, massaging or, in this case, tapping certain points of your body could be beneficial. In yoga, we used to 'tap' around our colar bones because it's believed to bring more oxygen into one's body...I realize that I sometimes do it randomly - it makes me feel more energized:)
Porcelina said:
Perhaps you should try some psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ... teaching yourself the causes of the anxiety, what warning signs your body has and ways to stop the anxiety getting to a big level. I know a lot of people with anxiety use the "tapping" technique where you tap a part of your body and concentrate on the tapping sensation to get you through an anxiety attack. I have used a homeopathic oral spray for anxiety before (before all the TN started) which helped (either through the remedy or recognising the attack and doing something else, not sure how it worked really).