Calling Maisie

[Linda W]

Hi Maisie,

I was wondering how you were feeling. A lot better I hope.

I have been thinking of you.

Linda

 

[Maisie]

Hi Linda

I am feeling a lot better. I have been able to drive and go into town over the past week without any feelings of panic at all!

I still feel a bit tired but can''t seem to sleep right through the night. The doctor thinks that will pass over time. I am in week 5 now.

Thank you so much for posting your experiences when you did. If you hadn''t I would never have tried this medication. I owe you a lot!!

 

[Linda W]

I am so happy to hear you are feeling better

Isn''t it wonderful to be able to go outside and not worry about getting an attack??

Yes, you will be able to sleep better, as time goes on.

Thank you so much, for letting me know how you are doing. I had been thinking about you.


Love, Linda

 

[Maisie]

I wanted to let you know how I was but I couldn''t work out where to post the message!

I feel so much better its amazing. The really weird thing is I still have the trigger that would have caused the attack.. that second where I feel a bit strange...but then nothing happens..... and I feel like I am trying to panic but it won''t work.. does that make sense?

 

[Linda W]

It sure does, because I get the same thing. In restaurants, if they are super crowded. I thing uh oh, will the panic come. It doesn''t and I am so relieved. I simply can''t tolerate crowded places, but am so glad the panic attack doesn''t come anymore, so I know exactly what you are talking about.


Linda

 

[Maisie]

I''m really glad you know what I meant! I took my daughters clothes shopping the other day and it was amazing to spend time with them and not feel stressed and scared. They took full advantage and spent loads!!

I think my doctor wants me to stay on this medicine for about 2 years and then see how I am. He said if I need to I can stay on it forever. Just a few weeks ago I couldn''t stand the idea of taking them.. now I don''t want him to take them away!

 

[Linda W]

Me too. I was off for awhile and they came back. I was so glad to be back on them again. I will probably have to stay on them forever too, which is fine by me. I don''t ever want to have those attacks again. They were horrible weren''t they?

 

[gemgirl]

Ladies, I apologize for intruding in this conversation but I think you might both be able to help me. Maisie, I''m really happy that you''re doing better. I didn''t often read all of the PS categories, but I did get the idea that you were having a problem and weren''t feeling too well. I''m happy that what you''re taking is helping you. What are you taking?

 

[Maisie]

Its an anti depressant called Citalopram. I don''t know what it would be called in the states.

Do you have panic attacks too?

 

[gemgirl]

No, not panic attacks. I was diagnosed two weeks ago with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My doctor gave me something to take when I know I''m going to be in a stressful situation that causes me to remember what happened to me. She told me I can take it only when I know I''m going to need it -or- to help me sleep, because I haven''t slept well in nearly two months. I took 1/4 of a pill and it did work to help me sleep. That part was nice, but the next day, I guess when the drug wore off, I felt sick for an hour or more, like I couldn''t breathe and was going to pass out. I need something very very mild. I am very sensitive to chemicals and I have a problem with a LOT of medications. I''m seeing my Neuro again in a couple of weeks. I have to ask for something else. Something extemely mild. It''s either that or behavioral therapy.

 

[gemgirl]

That''s Celexa in the states.

 

[Maisie]

I was almost passing out everytime I went outside gemgirl and I couldn''t cope with any kind of social situation. I am 5 weeks into taking these meds and I am seeing a massive difference. I started off feeling very sick and a little bit dizzy but that passed quite quickly. See if your doctor thinks they might work for you. Are you sure your reaction was caused by your medicine? I would have thought you would react when you actually took it.. not the next day.

 

[gemgirl]

I''m sorry you''ve had this problem Maisie, but I understand it happens to alot of people. I''ve known people who suffered from social anxiety or were afraid of crowds, elevators, bridges or other things. My recent problem is a result of physical abuse, and general personal mistreatment. I''ll stick with my doctor until we find the right thing for me.

 

[Maisie]

I hope your doctor finds the right thing to help you. I know you must be wishing all this would go away... I know I did. I always said I would never take medication but in the end I knew I wouldn''t change without some help.

I am here if you need support.

 

[lyra]

I''m sorry I missed your original thread Maisie. I''m glad celexa is working so well for you. I am on the updated version lexapro (different formula somehow). I used to have intense panic attacks too. I rarely have them at all anymore. Glad you are being helped too Linda, that''s great.

Gemgirl, I hope you can find something to help you out, medication, therapy or both. I''ve read about how they are sometimes using propranolol (sp?) to help with PTSD. Apparently it helps out in the long run. Don''t know what you''re on right now that didn''t work well for you. I''m also very sensitive to meds and usually only need a very low dose of anything for it to work okay for me. Good luck, and take care. Sorry to hear you''re having such troubles.

 

[Linda W]

gemgirl: I hope you find the right medication that works for you, that is so important. You and your Dr. will work together to find the right one. I had to try a couple myself, before we found the right one. I am so sorry about your history too, what a terrible thing to have to have had to endure.

lyra: I am so glad your lexapro is helping you. It is so nice not to have those awful attacks anymore.


Please ladies, let''s keep each other updated ok? We can use this thread, as a support system, if need be.


Linda

 

[gemgirl]

Thank you Maisie. You''re always so sweet and kind.

Lyra, I can''t take most of the meds that are prescribed most frequently today and if I can tolerate them, I take a crumb sized portion as opposed to a whole pill. I have to ask my cardiologist about Inderal. I took a baby''s dose of it for my arrthymia close to thirty years ago when my Father died. I''ll ask him if it will help this. Thanks! My Neuro gave me the smallest dose of Xanax to try (and I cut the tablet into four pieces and took one liitle tiny 1/4) and it helped me to sleep, which was very nice, but the bounce back reaction the next day was very uncomfortable.

Linda, I kind of knew with me it would be a trial and error type thing with the meds. That''s why my Neuro wants to see me every month until we get this right. The physical abuse is one thing that I have to come to terms with and stop reliving, but the person who has abused me my whole life is threatening to drag me through a lawsuit and court (which is a whole other story). Hopefully we''ll be able to nip that in the bud before it becomes a big to do because I''ll never hold up physically in court. I''ll wind up passed out on the floor in that kind of environment. The people who truly need help, never seem to get that help. They just go through life manipulating, abusing and bullying nice normal people.

 

[Linda W]

Oh gemgirl, I do hope you don''t have to go through that. That would be awful stress. Would by any chance this person would be put in jail?

I hope the meds work for you soon and you find the right one.

I am sending you a big hug..

Love, Linda

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/12/2008 3:10:51 PM
Author: Maisie
I wanted to let you know how I was but I couldn''t work out where to post the message!

I feel so much better its amazing. The really weird thing is I still have the trigger that would have caused the attack.. that second where I feel a bit strange...but then nothing happens..... and I feel like I am trying to panic but it won''t work.. does that make sense?

Makes sense to me, I used to get that, hopefully it will ease in time. Glad to hear you are doing better bruddah!

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Maisie,

So sorry to hear about your illness. I noticed you were not posting and I wondered what had happened. I saw your photo on another thread and I thought I would like to say how pretty I thought you were and younger than I thought. I''m glad Linda could help. While I didn''t have panic attacks I learned how to do Sidda Yoga in your country while I was there. It''s relaxation exercises that helped me through a bad time. In this country some books refer to them as "The Relaxation Response. It''s a meditation tecnique that gives real benefits to the users. Your country was ahead of the U.S on this. It is now used for cancer patients in U.S. hospitals.
I am glad you are feeling better. Take care of yourself, Maisie.

Sincerely,
Annette