Newly Diagnosed with GAD

[phil_t2cs]

I have recently been diagnosed with GAD and its killing me. The physical symptoms are unbearable. How does everyone cope? I'd love some suggestions

[Daisy131]

are you currently in therapy? they teach great coping skills.

for me, yoga, meditation, proper amount of sleep, lots of hot tea (i don't know, it seems soothing), medication and relaxation exercises, along with regular exercise.

hope you feel better soon! what are your worst symptoms? mine were insomnia, irritability and racing thoughts.

[phil_t2cs]

Thanks for your reply. This has been going on for 12-18 months now and i have only just been to visit my doctor. Have been referred for CBT but could have a 2-3 month wait unless I opt for private care. Currently prescribed Busiprone for the Anxiety and Propranolol for the palpitations.

Exercise may be my best 'self help' option, always feel better after a workout or some sport.

Worst symptom has to be a constant feeling of dread resulting in nausea and vomiting althought sleep problems are a close 2nd. Just can't switch off my crazy brain at night!

[Daisy131]

i totally understand. how long have you been on buspar?

[phil_t2cs]

I have been on the medication for less than 2 weeks and as yet i haven't noticed much change at all.

There are more stronger, long term options but the Dr is reluctant to prescribe until i have attended the CBT sessions.

Easier said than done, had a major panic attack in the office this morning. Spent 10 minutes in the bathroom crying. Felt much better after but its hard to deal with the constant fear and nausea.

[lcfrogs]

i totally understand. how long have you been on buspar?

Yes, how long? If it has been awhile, you may need to try a new medication. Sometimes Buspar is not enough to treat anxiety, and I have seen it to be ineffective in a lot of people (like all meds, it doesn't work for everyone).

[phil_t2cs]

I have already discussed the medication and its ineffectiveness with the Dr. He advised that it should start to take effect within a few days so i think i may have to go to an alternative as i have seen no benefits at all.

The symptoms over the last few days have been unbearable and all my usual techniques to reduce / avoid them aren't working anymore.

I'm moving my bed into another room to avoid noise and distractions in an attempt to get some good sleep. Hoping this might help.

[Daisy131]

try hot tea before bed, and nothing stimulating (tv, computer, phone). we are so hypersensitive as GAD sufferers.

a book you might want to look into is "help and hope for your nerves" by claire weekes. you can only find used copies on the net, and it's really old, but she really is fantastic. i felt like she wrote the book for me. some of the terminology is old (i think she calls anxiety nervous disorder or something), yet she offers some great tips.

as far as the buspar...i've heard it takes from 4-6 weeks to actually start working. a friend of mine takes in conjunction with zoloft for his depression and anxiety/panic attacks, and it works well for him. it appears, from what i've read and heard, that it seems to work better when used with another medication to boost its effectiveness. i tried it and it did nothing for me, but your mileage may vary on it. everyone's body chemistry is different. and don't be afraid to tell your doctor it's not working. if you're miserable, tell him.

i will say this about CBT- it'svery eye-opening. it forces you to find the reasons behind your panic attacks, makes you stay with thoughts that are scary so that you desensitize yourself to them, and teaches you ways to cope through them.

i read that you cried in the bathroom after an attack. were you just shaken up, or do you think there may be some underlying depression there that isn't getting addressed? i only ask because that's sort of what happened to me.

best of luck to you- please keep us posted. and whatever you do STAY OFF OF GOOGLE!!!!

[phil_t2cs]

There is definitley a depression element to what i'm experiencing. I have been referred for some CBT sessions but that will take some time to arrange. I'm just worried about how to cope inbetween now and then if the medication doesn't work. Can't continue like this for months on end.

Anti-depressants are an option from the dr but he advised that the CBT therapist prefers that patients aren't taking them while moving through the CBT process. I'm starting to think i may have no choice as this is now starting to affect my wife which in turn increases my anxiety. A very vicious cycle.