Anxiety getting the best of me....

[amaxiechRN2011]

Not sure where to start....

I suffer from major anxiety. My anxieties are now getting the best of me, and making it difficult to function.

I get anxious about speaking in front of an audience big or small. As of late I get so anxious my speech becomes incoherent and sometimes have difficulty putting a sentence together. I fear that I will be judge and people will notice that I am anxious, which makes me speak faster.

I went to see a psychiatrist who gave me a prescription for anxiety meds, but I am afraiad to take it because

I read that it causes weight gain and a trick load of other side effects.

I also had a seizure 2 years ago, which is another raeson I am somewhat fearfull of taking any meds.

Is anyone here taking Anxiety meds? Please share your experiece.

[Marshall1]

You don't say what medication the doctor prescribed nor why you had seizures in the past..both of these would be something to consider..I know there are a few, very few, medications for depression and anxiety that can increase the risk of seizures..however, hopefully you shared with your doctor the facts about the seizures..medications can be very beneficial for depression and anxiety..just as they can for diabetes, hearts, etc. Some medications can cause weight gain, however, you have to balance the situation..if you are unable to function what difference does your weight make? If you are miserable it doesn't matter what the scale says - you can also look up medication side effects and know that not everyone who takes a medication has the side effect listed..if you already eat well and do some form of exercise that will help over all. Good luck..

[BrookeeLou_RN]

I have dealt with anxiety my whole life. After I had kids I dealt with it by screaming alot!! In my mind I was telling my self to stop but did not know how, I am also perfectionist. I graduated nursing school with top honors,,never had any problems,used to run my own study group for others, I took antidepressant then.. After my husband died, I ended up with bladder disease called interstitial cystitis. After 6 mos of morphine I gave up and had it removed and get s urostomy. This sent me over the edge went to psychiatrist who felt I could be bipolar, GP said NO. Anyow I was going to be dead pretty so I did what they said, Mood stabilizer etc.

Ended up being able to go off disability and did fine till last yr when both my parents died. Now am crashing,

So I thin k you should follow MD advice and take the meds they recommend. There are many and if first one does not work they will try others. FYI, new research show antidepressant may not be the answer.

I would so much rather be happy and functioning then worry about side effects or wt gain:twocents:

[kessadawn, BSN, RN]

I have horrible anxiety and and sometimes panic attacks frequently occur with no rhyme or reason as to what is triggering them. One thing that did help me was to completely cut out ALL caffiene, it was hard, but caffiene can be a big trigger for anxiety. Also, really sitting down to talk with someone can help you identify things that you may not even realize are triggers, as well as assist you in developing coping skills for the resulting anxiety. I think anti-anxiety meds are a great solution for many, the problem is sometimes it takes time until you find the one that works for you. My biggest complaint was a general drowsiness that made my long commute for nightshift very difficult. The decision to take meds is a personal one, and you really need to discuss your concerns with side effects with your doc. Anti-anxiety meds helped me a lot, I hope you find something that works for you! Good luck!