Just joined! And excited to start the healing process

[SDHopeful]

I've been looking for an anxiety forum for a few months now and can't believe I didn't come across this place sooner.  

I'm a 25 year old male, currently in law school with an undergraduate degree in bioengineering and I'm a hypochondriac.  

It started around age 21 from my physiology/pathology course studies and over the past year it has gotten considerably worse.  I did some homeopathy (Sulphur) and thought I was cured as really just had minor anxiety over the past few years (the occasional "is this headache a brain tumor" type silly thought).  

However, around a year ago, I had blood in my stool for the 1st time (accompanied by weeks of abdominal pain) and completely broke down (called parents telling them I told them something was wrong and I probably have colon cancer) instead of just thinking I had something harmless like hemorrhoids.  I got a colonoscopy (worst week of my life) and it didn't stop there.  Got a full GI CT scan as well and everything came back normal and was told it was mild hemorrhoids and my anxiety/stress is giving me IBS.  

And now, about a month ago, I had been feeling lightheaded and weak and then had my 1st panic attack about 2 weeks ago.  The full 9 yards with chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and fluttering and thought for sure I was having a heart attack.  I was obviously rushed to the ER (in my 1st ever ambulance ride) and my EKG was normal and all the blood tests as well.  Obviously, that wasn't enough for me so I talked to my doctor (after my 2nd panic attack a few days later with no ER this time but the ambulance came again and both my arms were numb which convinced my mind that this time it really was a heart attack) who got me on an event recorder (normal) and stress echocardiogram (normal).  The sad part?  I still don't feel right (have had weird heart palpitations/fluttering every day since my 1st panic attack coupled with this electrical shock/jolting feeling around my chest area that hasn't allowed me to sleep for the past few days and I've never had stuff like this before) and I am 2nd guessing those heart examinations (as most hypochondriacs do) but enough is enough!  

I'm starting CBT therapy hopefully this week for the 1st time ever and I just started a Kava Kava regime (along with magnesium and fish oil) yesterday and I'm going to do that for a few weeks before turning to anxiety/anti-depressant medications.  My doctor says I have GAD along with my hypochondriasis and this anxiety has now created a panic disorder and that I really need to get on medications.  

He wants to put me on Lexapro (5mg for 6 months) or Pristiq (for 6 months) and I'm absolutely TERRIFIED of the side effects like seizures and serotonin syndrome...etc and HATE taking medications (totally prefer the natural path).  Any insight on these drugs???

Just wanted to introduce myself, say hello and see if anyone has had similar stories (especially the electrical shock type feeling which is scaring the crap out of me) and I'm going to post this on the introduce yourself, GAD and medication forums as well!  

Thanks so much!

[shakeandscream]

I have only taken Lexapro, not prestiq or whatever you said.
It's a good drug, and it helped me at first.
But I tend to flatten out on medicine to where it doesn't do anything anymore.
Best of luck!

[SDHopeful]

When you say you flatten out...are you still better than before you started at least?

I don't care about getting fully "fixed" with the Lexapro (which won't happen as changing your thought process is goal #1) but if it makes you feel better and then YOU STAY that way after gradually coming off of it then that sounds good to me.

[Ra]

Well anti-depressants change your levels of seratonin and norapinephrin, and so if it helps you it will only help you while you are on it. Just like if you take allergy medicine, your allergies will come back when you stop taking it. Anti-depressants aren't healing in pill--they are chemicals that make up for a defect in your body, just like any other drug

[SDHopeful]

I've heard some of the drugs actually permanently close up some of the reuptake receptors over time?

Guess not...this is why I don't want to start at all and have never taken any anti anxiety/depression medication. 

[Ra]

I haven't heard that, though I'm not sure what that would mean anyway but I've had alot of experience with antidepressants because my mom and sister take them too. I think they started by taking lexapro. they both said they really liked that one. And when my aunt was prescribed lexapro she called my mom for her opinion on it and my mom said it was really good :)

[luv2chat]

Hi Sdhopeful Im sorry to hear about all your worries but rest assured you are not alone. I have been there with the heart thing very scarey but the more you focus the more you get and like I have said with many post we who have this health anxiety and GAD and panic we are much more in tune with our body than others. We get a twitch we zone in on it we get heart palps we know it we wait for  more to come we become very sensitive to every feeling and every change in our body.. I was on effexor for 3 years got great felt great went off it for a year about 6 weeks ago felt something different googled it and well here I am..I had to go get o n meds only because I know myself and thatas what I need I know I have that chemical imbalance.IBS comes with anxiety I know I have it even though I have not been tested also my friend who is the same way who has been good for a couple years is on effexor she went in for routine colonoscopy all went great nothing wrong but she found she has IBS she didnt know and I guess she didnt have enough seratonin in her intestines which is what helps casue the spasms...Interestin I had no idea ,so she was on meds and feeling good and still had to have an increase.Thats the part where Im saying with some it really is a chemical imbalance and some do need meds. I wish you the best of luck with your natural remedies hope they work for you but if they dont please dont feel ashamed to have to try meds they dont have to be forever sometimes just to get youi back on your feet..Feel better

[sixpack]

hi and welcome to the group.   I'm glad you found us.  There are lots of nice folks around here who are in the same ole boat.

Lots of people, especially those with anxiety disorders, are fearful of taking meds.  Some people do have reactions to meds, just like any meds, there is a risk. I think, my opinion, that many folks have very bad reactions to meds because they fear they will.  Two of my brothers-in-law are shrinks--one a psychologist, one a psychiatrist.  Both agree that it is pretty much a crap shoot which med will work best for the individual person.  So sometimes you have to try a couple of different ones to see what works.  The psychiatrist BIL also shook his head a bit one time and told me that some of his patients have EVERY reaction listed on the drug pamphlets on every med he prescribes.  He says they are that anxious about meds that they end up making themselves freaky about them.   In the beginning you may feel a bit lightheaded or nauseous or tired etc, but after a while, those side effects will go away.  I took paxil and zoloft in the past.  The only thing that happened to me was weight gain.  Not pleasant but not the worst thing in the world either.  I wasn't all drugged up.  I didn't feel hazy or numb or any of those things.  What it did do for me is help me not to ruminate over every ache and pain and turn them into a horrid ailment.   there are several folks here who take lexapro.  Kayteecatt takes a small dose and is really benefitting from it.  Pristiq is pretty new on the market here (I believe).  I hope the natural stuff is helpful to you.  Remember herbal remedies have side effects as well.  Good luck to you.

[SDHopeful]

Thanks for the advice sixpack! 

I'm leaning heavily towards starting Lexapro after my Kava Kava trial period

[david84]

My wife is on Lexapro and she swears by it, although she does not have HA. I myself am too scared to start medication, so I definitely know how you feel. I was just prescribed Protonix for my stomach issues (stomach issues and anxiety seem to go hand in hand) and I haven't started taking it yet, due to the side effect list attached to the bag that the medicine came in. Nothing too serious, but nothing that I want either.

It's so hard to start new medication. I think it's something that all hypochondriacs struggle with.

[sixpack]

  hopeful. 

Hope all goes well.  keep us in the loop, would you?

[aec711]

Hello and Welcome!
I am a 28 y/o female. I started with my first panic attack when I was 19. Although I have had H/A for as long as I can remember, I didnt have my first true panic attack until I was 19. I went to the hospital too...my first amulance ride also haha. Anyway, I was put on Lexapro then and have taken it ever since. It was great for about the first 5-6 years.  So now for the last few years my panic attacks come and go. I call them my panic attack phases because they can last for months and months and my anxiety is at an all time high. So, I am currently in one of those phases.  I want to talk to my Dr about going up from my current 10mg, or trying something else.  I think my body is numb to the drug now. Anyway, I would recommend it.  I also did the cognitive therapy, which I liked while doing it, but once I stopped going, it didnt help anymore.  This totally sucks as we can all atest to. And, I think the worst part is my family, friends and co-workers probably all think I am wacko lol. We all joke about it and they try to make me feel better, but I really think I annoy them haha. Anyway, good luck. Let us know how you feel once you start your therapy and things :)