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Aw Rosita…..I hate it when you’re down in the dumps. Wish I could say something to make you smile:-) <funny jokes sniped
Thanks for cheering me up 
I guess it was my fault. I was trying to reduce the dosis of zoloft thinking that not taking medswill ‘prove’ to myslef that I am getting better. So I reduced for some days, then I forgot it 2 days…the result….A free trip to the dumps! I learned my lesson and slowly I am beggining to realize that I might have….whatchamacallit a.k.a Chronic depression (somewhere in the ASAP dictionary there is a name for that) But.. I should be grateful that at least I found a med ..and a NG full of great loving people..that can help me Rosita Eating her veggies, taking her meds and reading ASAP like a good girl
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Aw Rosita…..I hate it when you’re down in the dumps. Wish I could say something to make you smile:-). Good luck with your dr. appointment. Do you know why the turtle crossed the road? …….to get to the "Shell" station!! (boo hiss blah) (Did ya laugh?)j Ok, how about this one: 3 married men die and go to heaven. At the gate St. Peter asks the first one "Were you ever unfaithful to your wife?" and he said "just 3 or 4 times". So St. Peter pointed to an old Chevy Nova and said "That car’s for you to drive around in heaven". The second married guy as asked the same question by St. Peter and he replied "Only once". St. Peter pointed to a 2-year-old Cadillac and said "that car’s for you to drive around in heaven." The third walked up to St. Peter and answered the same question with "Never once did I cheat on my wife. I was totally faithful." St. Peter pointed to a brand new Limousine with a chauffeur and said "For being such a good husband, that car is for you to drive around in heaven." Later the first 2 guys saw the third and said "Man, you’re really lucky. Doesn’t it make you feel good to ride around heaven in that Limo?" to which the 3rd guy replied "Well, it was nice at first but then I ran into my wife and she was on a skateboard!" Ha ha ha!!! Hope you laughed!!!! Hang in there!!! Bear Hugs, Jo
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My PD occurred first and after 9 years depression starts creeping in due to lack of joy in life and being afraid to do the things that were fun and brought me fun, like traveling often, going out with many friends, going to city to shows and museums and just wander around for the day and enjoy the sights. Now everything has to have structure, must know where I am going, for how long, and when will I come back home. If a new place, anxiety will increase before going, but once I am there, I can handle the situation. Still have problems with social situations, like weddings, then feel trapped. Like to know I can leave a situation when I want to, except of course for work. Gailgallo
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After talking to my MD today, he referred me to a psychiatrist for a consultation. I have seen him for 10 years and he has done a good job of keeping my PD under control for me. Today he said that he thinks that my primary disorder is depression, and that the anxiety is triggerred by the dpression. He thinks that if the depression is managed that the PD will disappear. Would appreciate input or opinions on this. Thanks CW
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<snipped What I’d be interested in is what "you" call PD. Is it panic disorder that is best accounted for by the DSM-IV for panic disorder, or more like the DSM-IV for GAD? While the DSM criteria is an ongoing process, and not scientific, it’s at "least" a way to help see where we *may* fit in. There are so many variables with anxiety disorders that there is no "black and white," but perhaps these criteria are a place to start.
Hi Elliot: I don’t think that I have ever had "true" PD according to DSM-IV. I fit the profile in every way except in the frequency of attacks. I may have one or two true panic attacks per "spell", and then GAD seems to set in.(Which is caused by fear of more attacks). I think I would probably have more attacks, but I am self-employed (outside the home), so I have more control over my environment than most sufferers do. Take Care, CW
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So, I wonder if that’s why the Dr. prescribed anti-depressants (sp?) with my Klonopin?? I told him I wasn’t depressed, but he claimed anxiety and depression went hand in hand. Well, I’m sure he’s right….but I still don’t feel depressed, and the thought of taking any anti-depressants is depressing enough. It’s like admitting that I can’t handle the situation. Maybe I’d just rather take care of one problem (the anxiety) at the time. Besides, what if I get hooked on those things? Will I have to depend on them for the rest of my life? That scares me too. My mom was addicted to valium and librium, then xanax. Years ago the Dr. told her she had "bad nerves" – what we now call "anxiety". I remember being in a large grocery store (such as Food Lion) with her, and having to suddenly leave because she was feeling "agitated and dizzy". She blamed it on her blood pressure, but now I know she was suffering from anxiety. But, what you said made a lot of sense (in your posting). Aimee
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None of us should try to diagnose, let alone "convince." <trying to convince Rosita that she’s a bunny rabbit now
oh I wish… I would choose to be the Energizer Bunny if I could. That’s what I lack the most in my depression days. depression is so awful, that to cope, one may stay in an anxious
state.<snip The idea is that "in some cases" generalized anxiety "can" have depression as the underlying cause for the anxiety.
Sigh,..you are so right it hurts 
I made an appointment for Monday at 10Am to see another shrink, I hope I dislike this one less that the other one. Rosita Where would I be without this NG???
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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Elliott, Thank you for the article of Benzo’s. Also your 2cents worth about taking an anti-depressant along with a benzo as meeting two different but similar needs for anxiety. I too wish they would quit calling anti-depressants, anti-depressants. They are use for so many other medical purposes. As for the addiction of Benzo’s, particularly Xanax, I am a classic case. But, I am not an addict because I was physically addicted to it. During the period of time that I took them, medically I needed them. I knew I would be physically addicted and I knew I would have to go through a process when I could quit taking them and I did. What would I do if my panic got bad enough that I needed the Xanax again? I would use it if my doctor believed that was all we had for right now to treat what is going on. Of ALL the medications I have taken over ALL the years of recovery and ALL the side effects I have gone through, with or about…. Xanax created the least problem of any drug I have taken. While I was taking it I didn’t experience any side effects other than I could function more normally than I had in years. When I had enough behavioral therapy behind me to start dosing off the Xanax the withdrawals were a happy sign for me (although uncomfortable at times) I knew I was going to get to try this on my own. That is a good feeling. An independent feeling. Just my experience, — *Angel Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html<head</head<BODY bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"<p<font size=3D2 = color=3D"#000000" face=3D"Arial"Elliott,<br<brThank you for the = article of Benzo’s. Also your 2cents worth<brabout taking an = anti-depressant along with a benzo as meeting<brtwo different but = similar needs for anxiety. I too wish they would<brquit calling = anti-depressants, anti-depressants. They are use for<brso many other = medical purposes.<br<brAs for the addiction of Benzo’s, particularly = Xanax, I am a classic<brcase. But, I am not an addict because I was = physically addicted<brto it. During the period of time that I took = them, medically I needed<brthem. I knew I would be physically addicted = and I knew I would<brhave to go through a process when I could quit = taking them and<brI did. What would I do if my panic got bad enough = that I needed<brthe Xanax again? I would use it if my doctor believed = that was all<brwe had for right now to treat what is going = on.<br<brOf ALL the medications I have taken over ALL the years of = recovery<brand ALL the side effects I have gone through, with or = about….<brXanax created the least problem of any drug I have taken. = While<brI was taking it I didn’t experience any side effects other than = I could<brfunction more normally than I had in years. When I had = enough<brbehavioral therapy behind me to start dosing off the Xanax = the<brwithdrawals were a happy sign for me (although uncomfortable at = times)<brI knew I was going to get to try this on my own. That is a = good<brfeeling. An independent feeling.<br<brJust my = experience,<br<br– <br = &= nbsp; *Angel<brE-mail: <font = </p </font</font</font</body</html
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After talking to my MD today, he referred me to a psychiatrist for a consultation. I have seen him for 10 years and he has done a good job of keeping my PD under control for me. Today he said that he thinks that my primary disorder is depression, and that the anxiety is triggerred by the dpression. He thinks that if the depression is managed that the PD will disappear. Would appreciate input or opinions on this.
Hi, CW. It’s chicken and egg, I feel. Some people *do* seem to suffer anxiety as a consequence of depression, others, however, become quite ‘reasonably’ exogenously depressed as a consequence of what this damned disease does to their lives. I think the only way of finding out is to treat it one way, then treat it another. That said, as the pharmacological treatments are very similar, I’m not sure what could be proved that way. Maybe CBT would give a clearer insight? It’s an interesting question… — Gary Cooper
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I was curious about the PD vs. GAD in that the anxiety vs. depression "has" been shown, in some cases, to be the underlying disease or disorder in "some" with GAD.
Yes, I agree. It took a lot of convincing for me to recognize that depression is the underlying disease in my GAD. But it makes sense because I rather be anxious than depressed, so my brain uses that preference and hides the depression and turns it into GAD..I think…uh??? What did I just said?? Elliott, you are the one who convinced me, so explain that one again Rosita sandwiched bewteen Depression-GAD-Depression
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I have what I believe is called anxiety neurosis from all that I have read, however my shrink firmly tells me that behind every anxiety there is usually a depression so he treats me with anti depressants, to which I have had very little response to date, except for Anafranil and that was only after having had ect and even then it took quite a long time to get anywhere near feeling better again. This latest attack has lasted about 5 years and has crippled me mentally and emotionally and yet still I am prescribed anti depressants. Does anyone have a view on whether it matters if you take anti anxiety or anti depressant drugs?
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have what I believe is called anxiety neurosis from all that I have read, however my shrink firmly tells me that behind every anxiety there is usually a depression so he treats me with anti depressants, to which I have had very little response to date, except for Anafranil and that was only after having had ect and even then it took quite a long time to get anywhere near feeling better again. This latest attack has lasted about 5 years and has crippled me mentally and emotionally and yet still I am prescribed anti depressants. Does anyone have a view on whether it matters if you take anti anxiety or anti depressant drugs?
What you take should depend on what your diagnosis is/are. Anxiety neurosis is an old term and not used anymore. I do not believe that behind every anxiey is a depression. Or behind every depression is an anxiety. But sometimes they occur together. Since this latest episode of problems has lasted 5 years, I’d get a 2nd opinion from a psychiatrist. Maybe he can helop you better. Chip
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John – I have same. I’d see a different doctor, if yours refuses to try Xanax , Ativan or Klonopin for awhile. It worked wonders for me, along w/ the antidepressants. Good luck. Joe.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have what I believe is called anxiety neurosis from all that I have read, however my shrink firmly tells me that behind every anxiety there is usually a depression so he treats me with anti depressants, to which I have had very little response to date, except for Anafranil and that was only after having had ect and even then it took quite a long time to get anywhere near feeling better again. This latest attack has lasted about 5 years and has crippled me mentally and emotionally and yet still I am prescribed anti depressants. Does anyone have a view on whether it matters if you take anti anxiety or anti depressant drugs?
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