best med u had for anxiey

[snowgirl]

Since my family MD is not helping me and I see a third year resident in pscy who is not helping me. I would like to know from those of you who suffer from anxiety and I mean anxiety that gives you panic attacks , or anxiety that keeps you from not going out with friends......... anxiety that interferes with your life. What was the one medication, book, what one thing helped you the most pull out of it so you could go on with your life back to being productive.
There are times along with my Ic pain I feel the depression and the anxiety also played into the role of me not being able to work. I remember having anxiety attacks on the side of the bed before work. I do have a pscy.phd therapist but he never really says ok this is how you work through it. My anxiety is all from the JOB that I had to resign from and the fact everyday I think and want to go back to work in a year. This may not be possible. I will tell you because of the pain clinic right now I feel my bladder could work....... however still I say they won't let an RN work on MS contin. It's the darn depression and anxiety that has not changed in one year. There are days I don't even want to get out of bed. I did drag myself to the movies with ex co workers last week.......... a year ago I would just cancel on them. I did have anxiety before I met them as I knew they would talk about work and that makes me anxious. I want to be like them and still working with them. When I got home I was glad I went but still a little anxious. Oh yes I have anxiety especially last week after my therapy sesssion I could just feel the jittery feeling like nervous. I never had this anxiey in my life until I had to resign from my job.

Vicky

[mimimama]

Vicky,


This sounds all too familiar! I suffer terribly from panic attacks. It is one of the reasons i work mostly from my home now. I am a Special Events Exec. for Clinique and it requires a great deal of travel. I started having panic attacks while on the expressway during my commutes and I couldn't get a hold on my anxiety and panic attacks. The worst one happened while i was READING a book about anxiety and self-help in the comfort of my own home. I had an attack for over two hours straight and nothing helped! Ok..so I am digressing here.

I haven't had a bad attack for a long time. I now can control them with my meds and deep breathing and other coping mechanisms I've learned from others. I want you to know that there IS HOPE and it will get better!

Here i what works for me:

1.Paxil CR and Klonopin daily (AMAZING how these meds have worked for me!)
2.Xanax as needed. When I feel the slightest tinge of an attack coming I hit it with a Xanax and "POOF" it's gone! Now I only need to take 1 at bedtime to unwind and relax my pelvic muscles.
3.Try to not READ about panic attacks while suffering from them. The less you think about them, the bettter! Reading about symptoms and dwelling on your panic issues can make some people MUCH worse.
4.Try taking long walks, playing with your pets, reading a novel, watching a funny movie, talking with an understanding friend on the phone, etc. Keep your mind busy in a good way.:smile tee
5.Prayer and Yoga are so helpful to bring on a relaxed state.
6.Join a support group in your area that helps deal with anxiety and panic disorder.
7. Chamomile tea.

I really hope I can help you. I know how devastating Panic Attacks are. Especially if you don't have a good doctor to help you manage them. I see a nurse practicioner and she told me the first thing we needed to do was "Knock those thoughts out with the right meds" Keep looking for a good doctor.

Good luck and PM me if you need to talk!

Since my family MD is not helping me and I see a third year resident in pscy who is not helping me. I would like to know from those of you who suffer from anxiety and I mean anxiety that gives you panic attacks , or anxiety that keeps you from not going out with friends......... anxiety that interferes with your life. What was the one medication, book, what one thing helped you the most pull out of it so you could go on with your life back to being productive.
There are times along with my Ic pain I feel the depression and the anxiety also played into the role of me not being able to work. I remember having anxiety attacks on the side of the bed before work. I do have a pscy.phd therapist but he never really says ok this is how you work through it. My anxiety is all from the JOB that I had to resign from and the fact everyday I think and want to go back to work in a year. This may not be possible. I will tell you because of the pain clinic right now I feel my bladder could work....... however still I say they won't let an RN work on MS contin. It's the darn depression and anxiety that has not changed in one year. There are days I don't even want to get out of bed. I did drag myself to the movies with ex co workers last week.......... a year ago I would just cancel on them. I did have anxiety before I met them as I knew they would talk about work and that makes me anxious. I want to be like them and still working with them. When I got home I was glad I went but still a little anxious. Oh yes I have anxiety especially last week after my therapy sesssion I could just feel the jittery feeling like nervous. I never had this anxiey in my life until I had to resign from my job.

Vicky

[Texas Baby]

Vicky,
I have had anxiety & panic for over 12 years. I have tried Buspar that worked well for a while . Then it got really bad. I have been on Xanax for about 10 years. I also take Lexapro for depression. I know they make an extended version of xanax now. I am going to ask my doc about that next time I see him. I take my xanax at nite before bed and prn for panic attacks. It still helps even after all these years. Hope that helps you. Also good music like Josh Grobin and a quite room where I can get a way from the world for a while, something to soothe you nerves. My therapist also recommended a book called getting out of your mind and back into your life that I am working thru with him. I hope that helps. IC can really do alot of other things to your body as we all know the least being panic attacks and anxiety.
T baby

[snowgirl]

Texas baby,

Thanks for your response. Family MD started me on buspar- two things one I could not pee I had urinary retention 2- made me more nervous.

I take xanax as needed now and used to be able to just not take it when my crisis or stress was over. Now I have been on xanax one year and twice a day. I don't like that. I used to take 0.25mg and had to increase to 0.5 mg twice a day and I don't like that. It's to the point 0.5 sometimes is not enough however I refuse to take or increase that dose. Klonopin has been mentioned to me by one of my md's yet she has not writtern for it.

Sometimes I can just feel the nervousness in my chest area like while I am out eating tonight with my sister. No explanation for the anxiety at that time.

VIcky

[Sally939]

I had more general anxiety where I always felt nervous. I tried many of the ssri's and they helped. I found that anafrinill helped me the most but it had some strong side effects. It made me so sleepy.

[sue041]

I can feel the attack coming on I get really hot in my ears and then I seem to tense up and want to jump in front of a truck or run into a wall, something to jerk me out of it. I get so hot like I am going to blow up. I don't mean scream I mean like my body feels like it will burst. I tried cold wash cloths going outside in the freezing weather, it is like you need something to jar this feeling out of your body and quickly. I go to the Dr. tomorrow for a skin cancer test, I am going to ask her if I should take an extra xanax when I feel like that. Christmas day it was just me and my husband and all I did was cry all day. A neighbors young daughter died of cancer and I felt so bad for the family I just could not stop crying. When I get like this I can't sleep either like you feel if you could fall asleep it would like calm you for awhile. I do lay on the bed and pray and think of all the things I am thankful for and try to make it feel like others have more problems than I do and I should pull myself out of it.
Hope someone can understand the feelings a person gets, sometimes I cannot breath and like almost pass out from breathing so hard.Thanks for listening and if you have a sure fire way to get yourself calmed down let me know.
Take care and God Bless.
Sue041:pray:

[Texas Baby]

Vicky & sue,
I know just how you feel. I get like that too sometime as well. i have actually hyperventolated a time or two. And yes I do have trouble sleeping. Vicky, you might ask your doc for extended release Xanax. Also atarax which is a drug used to target the mast cells in the bladder of the IC patients actually has an antianxiety propert as well. I take it at night so I do not fell draggy in the am( plus it helps my allergies as it is an antihistime). Just a thought.
Tbaby

[karen10]

I can soooo relate to what you are saying! I was diagnosed with panic disorder about 10 years ago. I also work with people who have panic and anxiety disorders. I'll tell you the formula for anxiety: avoidance = increased anxiety, exposure = decreased anxiety. HOWEVER, to add to this formula, if the exposure is too much at a time, it will feel like increased anxiety. Sometimes "flooding" works (meaning you're afraid of snakes so you go into a snake pit for a day and eventually your body will tire of the "anxiety response" and the anxiety will decrease), however, this is not used very often in dealing with anxiety. The other thing that works is called systematic desensitization. This is where you have gradual exposure to the thing that causes anxiety while working with someone to help decrease your anxiety. All anxiety is best helped with therapy and meds. Just meds alone do not usually help decrease the anxiety overall. It might help in the moment, but it's best you learn to deal with anxiety provoking situations. Some of us are just prone to anxiety as a response to stress.

A couple years ago, I also had a job that brought my panic back in full force. I had to leave the job--it was too stressful. Sometimes you just have to do that. It wasn't right for me, and I had to find something that worked.

Meds that have been very helpful for anxiety are the SSRI's, the most helpful for many is Paxil, Lexapro, and Effexor. All the benzo's (like xanax) are like bandaids, they help in the moment for a few hours by "shutting off" the anxiety response, but don't offer any long term relief unless you keep taking them, but eventually you will develop a tolerance and possible addiction. After working with detox patients for a few years, I learned that benzo's are one of the most dangerous drugs to detox from, so make sure you are under the care of a physician when using them!! A calcium/mag supplement works as a very gentle natural tranquilizer over time as it supports the nervous system. For some, nutritional therapy is helpful. There is also a role that hormones play in anxiety as well as adrenal gland exhaustion. I would recommend doing your own research on all of this, and then discuss with your doctor/therapist.

Good luck to you! Anxiety can be managed, don't give up. Working with a therapist who is trained in this is very important. :smile tee

[muxerr012]

Ativan or the generic form (Lorazepam) helps me immensely with anxiety.

[humpieumpumkin]

Ditto, ativan helps not only with anxiety, but also with my PFD.

Erika:hi:

[snowgirl]

yes I would like to change from xanax to ativan. My family MD said no ativan is adddictive. My pscy MD would rather see me on ativan- well still waiting for a script for that.

Avoidance is my number one behavior when I feel anxiety or depressed. Cancelled my therapy session last week total avoidance. I did get a cancellation the next day and went. I have to push myself just to do things.
Sometimes I feel anxiey just going out of the house. I hope I am not developing social agrophobia- sp.

Vicky

No therapist has taught me ok this is what you do when you feel anxious. However I have a few cd's my pscychologist has burned for me.
I hate having anxiety. I agree xanax is a band-aid and yes my dosage did increase from .25- .5. I have taken it daily for one year now. Whereas over the years I would take it only for crisis or stress and use it only whenever needed not daily like now. I also have discussed xanax withdrawal with my therapist I am going to ask my pain MD about it.

Vicky

Avoidance is my middle name for about the last year. You understand that behavior don't you?

[muxerr012]

Hi Vicky,

Believe me about avoidance-it has plagued me off and on for many years and I'm now 45. In my mid thirties I hid like a hermit for 3 years going nowhere except for work and the grocery store. I had to psyche myself up just to go grocery shopping on Sundays, and only went to work because I HAD to. I too thought I was becomming agorophobic (SP). I kept a small diary about those days and boy it's painful to even look back at the entries I made.

My biggest fear now is that I'm not making it in life. I suffer from extreme CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and Fibromyalgia. I fall asleep everywhere but in bed it seems! I sleep every day in my car at lunch while at work and have been late to work anywhere from 10 mins to 3 hours!! I'm so afraid I can't make it anymore and will have to seek disability. I'd lose my house!! I'm a single Mom and bought my 1st house 10 yrs ago at 35. I have 3 beautiful dogs and 2 grandbabies and the thought of losing my home is unbearable to me.

BBB mentioned a med called Provigil which helps you wake up. Does anyone know about this drug used for CFS patients? Does it work, does it make my insomnia at night worse, does it wreck your body like speed does? I'm really scared. Any thoughts or knowledge of this med would be SO appreciated!

Vicky....back to the Ativan and Xanax. They are totally diff in the way they make you feel. I really don't take them as I am supposed too all day because then I would NEVER make it thru the workday! I have both meds. If I'm really upset or anxious during the day I take half a Xanax. At home at night I take one Ativan an hour before bed and one Xanax right at bedtime just to help me sleep. 4-6 hrs a night which is way better than before. BUT no matter how much sleep I get I am still so tired during the day and fall asleep sitting up in my car! Many of you will think it's because of the bedtime meds I take. This has been happening to me BEFORE I even started on the anxiety meds. tho.

Does anyone out there have any info on Provigil? Thanks so much. And Vicky you are not alone. I really do know how your anxiety feels. I wish I had some good answers for you other than go ahead and try taking the Ativan as prescribed and I pray this helps you very much. Please keep us posted, k?

[lisabar36]

Vicky, my son suffers from Panic attacks and anxiety. What has worked the best for him, he is now 18, he takes Paxil CR and he was on Klonopin but was weaned off that, he was on everything before that and nothing worked. I see it works well for Mimi also. Of course everyone is different, some meds work better for one person then the other, now I can't speak for your doctor, but my sons doctor said paxil cr is the best treatment for anxiety and panic attacks from the studies done. He did have him on Klonopin for quite some time after starting the paxil cr to give it time to work. He suffered for years on many different treatments that did not help him, but along with counseling, he is doing great! He hasn't had an attack for quite some time now. I would talk with your doctor and maybe they can recomend something for you, I have experienced it before, for a short time, and I never knew what it was like but watched my son go through it, and once I experienced it, it is HORRIBLE. May I add, my son would not leave the house, he couldn't sleep, he always thought he was going to die from it, he was always nervous. I dealt with it since he was 11, he is 18. It broke my heart to see him suffer and I know he was on SO many meds that didn't help at all. It was all trial and error and finally he found the right combo and a great counselor and yes there is hope. :)

[Billsbaby]

i used xanax and it would take my panic attacks away in 10 minutes! i know how scary they are,until you have one you really have no clue how scary it is.i hope you find something to make you better.jamie

[jazz]

Hi Guys,
we all sound alot alike...I have had panic & anxiety since 1995. Have been on different meds over the years. They started me on Paxil first, but I felt shaky all over so they put me on Klonipin .5mg twice a day to help with the side effects, after 6 months I had him change it, so I went on serzone, and kept the klonipin...the klonipin has been the best thing for me. If I wasn't on a anti depressant I sometimes just took the Klonipin twice a day. Over the yrs my depression lessnend or worstened. But in 2006 I had to quit working as a RN, for early symptoms of Huntingtons Disease..I had a hard time remembering things, I was having bad panic while getting ready for work, as I was so worried about working...my memory trouble started over the past few yrs, so I finally had to quit as I had to be safe working in the ICU. and I didn't want to get fired and not get benefits...That year 2006 was so hard.I was soooooo depressed, no one called me from work, but most of them didn't understand what I was going thru. I didn't know what to do with myself so I sat at home most of the time. I would forget to take my Lexapro(which I started in 2004 for depression) but still took Klonipin. My hubby was very supportive as he knew between the IC and HD I was going thru alot. He bought groceries and cooked alot to help me. We would cook together at night so I had that to look foward to. Once I got out of the house I was ok, but getting out was the hardest. I had to go thru the grieving process with loosing my job, thats what my counselor told me.. so I guess thats what I was doing.. Over the summer of 2006 I went off the Lexpro...then Feb 17th 2007 my husband died of a heart attack. He went for a walk and didn't come back. needles to say my depression went all low. He was my world! A part of me is gone..........I live out in the country by myself, so I stay sooo lonely.
I went to my Psych and he put me on Cymbalta, so now I am on that and I think it works ok, but being so having a broken heart, I don't think a pill can help that help. This pas tyr I just sit here for weeks in my pjs, don't even shower maybe every 2 wks. I need to go back to my counselor, and I decided I am gonna try to find a grief support group this year, as his anniversary in Feb is gonna be rough!!!
nancy

[gigisgirl]

I take .5 Klonopin twice a day also. It does help me relax, I'm sure it does much for the pain but it helps me relax and sleep better.

[jen48446]

I started meditating about 3 months ago & I noticed a difference within a couple of weeks, I do 10-15 minutes before I go to sleep & I am gradually becoming calmer & more tolerant about everything. A former co worker recommended I try it because she was going through some issues & I had discussed some of mine with her, she told me that she had been doing it for about 3 months & it was somewhat of a lifesaver for her. I got a CD from Borders. The key is to keep doing it, I know the 1st time I did it, it was on a Saturday & I fell asleep for nearly 2 hours! I called my former co worker & told her & she said that my falling asleep meant it was helping & don't give up so I didn't! I listen to relaxation music CD's whenever possible to keep my mind from going all over the place, it helps tremendously. I also got a book on daily devotion/meditation scriptures from the local book store so I start my day out on a positive note as well. As long as I make the time for myself daily I'm okay but if I don't then I notice a difference very quick!:angel::smile tee:cat:

[Charisse]

I have suffered for over 10 years now. Ativan is my savior. I don't use it everyday but I've been using it a 4 or 5 times a week now for the past year and I have not developed a tolerance to it. I cannot take any of the SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants because they all make me feel super nauseated. I am looking into Remeron right now because that is in a different class but I've heard it causes severe weight gain so I doubt it will be an option for me.

A good book to read is called "Freedom From Fear". I forget the author but you can probably find it on Amazon. It is written by a dr who spent years with panic disorder. He actually gives you steps on how to get out of the house and start doing things you avoid. I was a huge "avoider" and over the years I have learned that this only reinforces the anxiety. The only way to get better is to start doing the things you fear. I was borderline agoraphobic for awhile. You may need meds to help you get out and do things at first but that's okay.

Third get a good meditation or relaxation CD. I have my downloaded into my IPOD and have been instructed by my therapist to listen to it every night. It is relaxing while I'm listening to it although I can't tell if it's doing anything the rest of the time. My therapist said it's one of those things you just do (it's only 15 mins a day) and that it may not feel like anything at first but with daily practice the benefits will come.

If you don't like yoga then I have found some peaceful stretching to be just as helpful. It really relaxes you before bed too.

[snowgirl]

thanks for your reply. I do have a few relaxation cd's my therapist made me. I listened for awhile then quit. I should get them out again. I never had this anxiety in my life until I had to resign from my job of 24 years, go on SS disability, and move in with the folks.

Like today my sister and I went out to a movie then to the mall to pick up something. We are sitting in the food court eating a snack and I can just feel the nervousness. I have never felt this way in my life!! I am a very social chatty person. Now I get anxious going to the mall and grocery store why there is no reason for anxiety there. I don't understand it.

Xanax they need to lose that and give me ativan. They keep saying Klonopin.
Think I would rather have the ativen. Doesn't matter I just know the xanax is shorter acting. I don't want to take xanax everytime I leave the house- that's the wrong reason. However I have had to take a xanax before my therapy session. I try not to anymore........ ha then I have to take one when I get home. Get this my Family MD told me that for me to take a xanax before I come to my office visits!!! Nice guy huh. He is the one that told me what I was going through was like grieving a death. Now I need the xanax to deal with his burnt out attitude . He is grouchy and just dropped to part time at age 48.

Any special CD relaxation you recommend or one of your favorites?

Vicky Plus Ativan does not wear off as quick as xanax.

[snowgirl]

Charisse,

This is what I am afraid/ skeptical of. I don't want to have agrophobic anxiety however I am wondering if I am bordeline like you mentioned. Vn

[Charisse]

I will get you the name of the meditation CD I got when I get home. My therapist let me borrow it. The woman has a website where you can download the meditation onto your Ipod -I just can't remember her name. She has a very soothing voice. I am having a hard time doing it every night as well because it seems so pointless at times but I need to give it a good try before giving up.

I highly recommend that book Freedom from Fear. It was like a lightbulb went off in my head when I read it. This guy totally "gets it". It's hard work but I believe if you do what he says in his book, you will get over feeling anxious. It's all about changing your thought patterns so that the mall is not a dangerous place etc. I have been there so I know what you are going through. I always have to have an "out" and I've left the mall more times than I'm proud to admit. I still have a hard time riding with anyone in the car unless I'm driving and even then it's difficult. I can't do public transport at all and flying is very anxiety provoking simply because I have no option of getting off the plane. The only place I feel truly safe is home but even there I will have panic attacks. I am a lot better now though. I even flew to Amsterdam this past September which is something I thought I'd never be able to do! I agree about the Xanax. I tried it and I would have a panic attack as soon as it left my system. It's like I could feel the exact moment it wore off. I refer to it as "popping in and popping out" syndrome. Sure it works quicker than Ativan but it also leaves the system really fast and I didn't like that feeling. I never feel when the Ativan wears off so there is no rebound anxiety. Other than that I don't feel it's any different than Xanax and a lot of people prefer Xanax.

[muxerr012]

Charisse,

I've been reading your posts and I agree that Ativan (generic form Lorazepam) is much better than Xanax. I just take one at night. How strange that many of us are feeling crowd anxiety because I do too and never have before all these dx's (IC, fibro, etc). I noticed you take claritan which I used to take too. Histimines I hear are pretty bad for IC'ers. I began taking Allegra a few months ago after a bad cold and it works so well. Another IC'er here asked her doc about it and he said Allegra is also good for the stomach. It works much better for me than Claritan did. Also only $10 on my insurance so it's cheaper than Claritan. Are you taking any meds for your Fibro? Not sure how bad your fibro pain is, but mine is getting worse. I've been on Lyrica for 3 months now and it's helping so much for both the Fibro and IC. Just thought I'd share that with you. Be well....

[bjcov]

I am new to this bladder stuff. I don't have pain. But something is wrong down there. I went to a uro, who was a jerk, did a cysto w/ no pyridium, no pain meds. and sent me on my way w/ OAB drugs. I am panicked because I am basically medicating myself from things I see on here. And I feel I won't have the ability to explain what is wrong w/ me when I am sent to a specialist in seattle, which is 4 hrs away! I feel that the anxiety about that and feeling like this forever is what is affecting me the most. What is a good starting med for someone like me. I'm also one of those people who is scared to death of getting addicted to anything. Please help me. I feel like the potty scares me too, and my bedroom. I need to fix this so I can be a good mommy and not a freaked out one.

[Charisse]

Gina nice to meet you! I haven't taken Lyrica but I love it when others tell me it works. Have you had any side effects? I'm pretty sensitive to a lot of medications so I have held off on asking my doc about Lyrica. I am controlling my fibro pain pretty well with Ambien, Ativan and light exercise but none of that seems to help the IC. Do you feel the Lyrica helps your IC too?

The meditation CD that I got is by Diana Lang. www.dianalang.com or www.newworldlibrary.com to order the CD and booklet. I don't know that it's really all that much better than any other meditation CD but I like her voice.

[muxerr012]

It's verry nice to meet you too Charisse!

Yes I believe the Lyrica helps with my Fibro but also with my IC too because I can now eat a few more foods without having a flare or bad tummy pain all night. Sometimes I feel a bit dizzy only for a few minutes with Lyrica but it really helps if I take them with food. You know there are just so many symptoms that go along with both IC and Fibro that sometimes it's hard to tell what's causing what. Like I have also had CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) for many years which many of us with Fibro have. Some doctors think they're actually all the same disease, including the IC. Lots of fibro folks also have bladder and IBS issues and there must be a correlation there don't you think?

So when I feel sleepy during the day, sometimes I don't know if it's just the CFS or if it's from the Lyrica too. The Lyrica side effects seem very mild for me although I DO watch what I eat because they say it can make you gain weight. Sometimes I think it gives me a sweet tooth craving at night. Do you also have CFS? If so how do you deal with it? I really dislike feeling so tired all the time even on those nights when I do sleep well. I also dislike all these meds alot of us have to take :mad: drugs, drugs drugs, ugh. But I guess you have to think about the quality of your life too.

I'm curious though about your light exercises. What do you do? I really need to exercise and stop using my fibro as an excuse not to. Can you tell me a little more about what your relaxation and exercise routines consist of? I used to be so active but not in the last 4 yrs since my hysterectomy. I could use a little help for sure!

[butterfly249]

Sorry to hear about your attacks. I too have suffered for years with the same problems. I am barely able to keep my job right now due to the IC combined with the depression & anxiety. Unfortunately my Dad had all kinds of problems and suffered a nervous breakdown when he was 35, of course with 5 daughters Im sure that was stressful.2of his brothers took their own lives when they were in their 30's. So as you can see I have a pretty strong family history of this. All 4 of my sisters and myself are on meds for depression & anxiety, they are fortunate enough not to have IC. I wish I had been that lucky. Anyway all 5 of us are on different meds. None of us take the same thing. My doctor tried me on the meds they were on first but I have such a low drug tolerance the meds made me feel worse. I finally was able to take Lexapro. My doctor started me out on only one fourth of a 10 mg tablet,then after a couple weeks I went up to half of the 10 mg, tried going up to 10mg but I couldn't function on it. My point is unfortunately everyone is different and it is just a trial and error situation. Hang in there I thought I would never find anything to help but thankfully I finally did.

[Charisse]

My rheumatologist told me he believes the IC is related to the fibro. My GYN said the same thing too. I know what you mean about not knowing where your symptoms are coming from? I have been cheating on the IC diet this week and paying for it. I had OJ this morning but I was craving it so bad and feel like I'm fighting a cold off. I also bought some Atkins bars and shakes and they have sucralose in them. I had been feeling so well with the Elmiron that I thought I'd test it out and try to lose some weight.

In my experience (and were all different), I was not able to start an exercise routine until I got my sleep controlled. I was not getting stage 4 sleep at night so my muscles were not recovering. I started Ambien and after about a month I felt well enough to start SLOWLY exercising. I mean 10 mins of walking around the neighborhood and working with 1 or 2 lb weights just 3 or 4 times a week. I was also getting chiropractic adjustments weekly and working with a PT who specializes in fibro and he was able to convince me that it's okay to work the muscles that are in pain. I was so afraid of working my neck muscles because that is where most of my pain is but he showed me that strengthening them is so important to getting rid of the pain. My buttocks hurt a lot too but due to the IC I cannot do much leg work except for strict walking. I just bought Dance Dance Revolution which is a video game and I played it for the past hour and am thinking I might flare from it. i pretty much can only do walking which gets boring but those are my limitations right now. Personally I wouldn't try exercising again unless you are sure you are sleeping properly. Have you discussed stage 4 sleep with your dr? My rheumy said it is the main component of fibro. As for the relaxation, I have only just started that. I am supposed to listen to it for 15 mins every night but so far I'm only getting in one or two days a week. I need to work on that! Any relaxation CD should work for you as long as you like the person's voice and what they are saying. You may have to try out a few of them and don't try forcing yourself to do more than 5 or 10 mins at first. Same with the exercise. Just start out slow. I have worked my way up to 3 lb weights now and I do 12 sets of bicep curls, front shoulder raises, side shoulder raises, overhead tricep press and I go through that routine 3 times. After reading your posts about being so sleepy all the time I would highly suspect you are not getting into stage 4 sleep at night. Please mention it to your dr. Google it and bring in some articles to him if you have to. I am telling you Ambien changed my life. I was so worn out before needing 2 or 3 naps a day and now I wake up refreshed and rarely need to nap. When my dr first mentioned sleep meds to me I practically laughed in his face. I said I sleep too much and now you're going to give me a medication to make me sleep more?!! He said if you are getting into the right stages of sleep at night then you shouldn't need to nap during the day. And he was right. I didn't realize how poorly I was sleeping until I took Ambien. I stopped getting one cold virus after another too and I was able to start exercising again. It was like a whole new me emerged! He gave me samples of other sleeping pills to try as well and I figured out Ambien worked the best for me. You might try Rozerem or Lunesta as well. A lot of people use Benadryl for sleep but for people with Fibro it actually can interfere with the deeper stages of sleep so you probably need something stronger.

[snowgirl]

I miss my ambien. I took ambien for years. Regular ambien quit working and I would wake up in the night and could not get back to sleep. Pain MD told me that's what happens. I then went to ambien CR 12.5mg it was the best for my sleep and kept me employed. Then my employer switched insurance companies to one that has a drug formulary. They won't pay for ambien CR . My md wrote the pharmacy division and they still denied me ambien.
I justquit taking ambien and had none left........... big mistake. My body went through ambien dependency withdrawal. Don't ever stop taking ambien without weaning............ and my family MD nor the pain clinic told me this.

I want my ambien back. I just had an RN case manager from my insurance company assigned to me . I may call her and as for some assistance. The only thing is I am scared to go through coming off ambien again. However it does help with the IC and I could work. My sleep is so much different without ambien. I see good majority of IC pt's on ambien CR.

It cost 160.00 a month and I was not willing to pay that. Lunesta nothing for me. The other one remeron? my MD says that is nothing more then melatonin. Well, I saw where someone on her had good results with it.

Vicky

[muxerr012]

Hi Charisse and Vicky!

I took Lunesta for 2 and a half years and it finally quit working for me too. I would wake after 3 maybe 4 hours tops and be so tired and not be able to fall back to sleep. I don't know why but Ambien regular and Ambien CR did nothing for me. Never could fall asleep on it. The best thing I take now is the Ativan/Lorazepam an hour before bed. I would say I sleep 5 to 5.5 hours maybe 3 or 4 nights a week. I'm trying to get to sleep that much every night. Once I reach that hurdle than you're right, maybe I can start slowww exercise. I have some 3 lb hand weights I'd like to try. I'm like you Charisse in that my biggest area of fibro pain is in the neck up to the back of my head. That is the worst pain and takes days for me to get over.

But you're right about not getting enough stage 4 sleep and my doctor has been working on this with me for 4 years now. It's only recently that he began to see the full picture as far as CFS, Fibro and IC. Now he's willing to help me take other things like Lyrica and Lorazepam. I know they're helping me sleep better but I still have a ways to go.

And yes Vicky these darn sleep meds cost a fortune even when they are on insurance. The Lunesta is $50 on insurance which is outrageous to me! Thanks for all the tips tho! I will try doing LIGHT exercise with my arms and neck. I too can't do much leg work at all without having a flare. How strange all this is!! Sit ups? Forget it! They put my back and abdomen in too much pain. Keep me posted of your progress ok and I'll do the same. Be well and keep in touch!!

[Zygala87]

Vicky you might search the net and ask your MD about Clonazepam. My understanding is unlike Valium it stays in the brain continuously. I've had panic attacks since I was a child. I'm 64 now. Still on 4mgs per day. Totally changed my life once the Doctors played around with different recipes. We are all so different. I am Praying they can help you. Unless one has had a panic attack they could never know how horrible it is. Hugs, Ziggy

[bridgette7]

i have anxiety a lot more that i use to now...i mean i've always been a nervous person but now that i have IC i have so many other things to worry about.

i don't know about the rest of you but i am only 24 and i already have "leakage"

relationships are brutal...the intimacy...aaah...

food and eating out it more trouble than its worth...

and simply going out and wondering where the closest bathroom is...

its terrible.

i don't take any medications right now but motrin 800 and an occasional xanax helps.

i don't know...

[Mel53H]

I take Paxil for depression and anxiety and take Antivan when needed for those meltdown days.

[muxerr012]

Bridgette,

It seems like so many of us suffer from anxiety and I believe it just comes along with IC and many of the other autimmune disorders that seem common among us (fibro, arthritis, IBS, CFS, etc). Have you thought about seeing a doctor for medication that would help you with your IC and anxiety symptoms? I ask because you said you're not on any medication and I can't imagine not taking something to relieve the pain and anxiety of my IC. It has given many of us out lives back so to speak. Sometimes it is also worse to keep ignoring the anxiety and IC symptoms. It seems to aggravate the nerves and becomes a viscous cycle that becomes harder to gain control of.

I wish you well!!

[snowgirl]

Bridgette,

It seems like so many of us suffer from anxiety and I believe it just comes along with IC and many of the other autimmune disorders that seem common among us (fibro, arthritis, IBS, CFS, etc). Have you thought about seeing a doctor for medication that would help you with your IC and anxiety symptoms? I ask because you said you're not on any medication and I can't imagine not taking something to relieve the pain and anxiety of my IC. It has given many of us out lives back so to speak. Sometimes it is also worse to keep ignoring the anxiety and IC symptoms. It seems to aggravate the nerves and becomes a viscous cycle that becomes harder to gain control of.

I wish you well!!

Yes I take way too many meds as of last May 2007. What do you take for pain yourself or for anxiety. I am on elavil just got increased to 50mg for the deperssion and the help me sleep. Gained wt. on elavil as we do. I have xanax for the anxiety as needed I only take two a day am/pm. The days were much better for me all around when my insurance co paid for ambien CR. Now even with an letter from my MD I can't have ambien CR.The regular ambien doesn't work for me. I took ambiend CR for so long when I came off of it it was no handled profesionally by my internist. I was brought out cold turkey. I am here to tell you ambien withdrawal is xxxx same withdrawal symptoms as those coming off opiates. I could sleep on ambien 3 hours at a time instead of getting up evey 1 hour to pee. I may resubmit letter from my md and appeal this for " quality of life" it helped me work. I ask for a pain clinic consult back in May as I felt I was taking way too many vicodin on my dayss off, and weekends. Then I would go to work and take nothing for pain until I got home and went to bed. Basically, I have had Ic for 21 years end stage now with low bladder capacity. As my uro said he doens't ;know how I worked FT for 20 years. I did and with pain med only at bedtime. My anxiety never came until this years when I was asked by my employer of 21 years to return to a job I physically could not do. I was failing once a week FMLA. I would have used all of my FMLA and have been terminated so I resigned. NOw, I have the anxiety as I have given up my 24 years of nursing, all those years of learning and a speciality nurse recovery rooom. I lost my job, my career my passsion, my socialiazations from friends. I have pain meds and pain clininc now. I have pcyologist at pain clinic. I have xanax from my family MD and the support of my family. I have no job and when you work FT single as an RN salarly and go down to disability there are financial worries......... like I am only 45 and thought I would make it to 55 for retirement. Mentally, this would have been better at 55 but we don't get to choice the time.
I am blesses with world renowned uro at U Of MIchigan. He will probably retire in 1-2 years max. I always thought he would retire before I went out on ssdi........... he told me I will be there for you and he was and still is.
So, some of my anxiety has to be worked on in session as well. Some of the little pieces of this puzzle started last October 2007

[muxerr012]

VivkyVale,

I take Lyrica 50mgs 3 times a day for neuropathic pain for my fibro and my IC. It helps me so much and keeps me at work. I still struggle MANY days and have chronic fatigue syndrome and insomnia as well. I struggle to make it through the workday! Like you I am 45 yrs old and can not afford to lose my job!!

I take Ativan (generic form is Lorazepam) once at night for anxiety and this really helps me to sleep. I have Xanax also but really don't take it much at all. I have taken Lunesta off and on for 2 yrs for insomnia but I don't take it much at all anymore because it only gets me 4 hrs sleep. The lyrica and the lorazepam are what helps me sleep now.

I can SO relate to you!! I'm so sorry you suffer as I do from the insomnia! And I feel so bad that you lost your career and passion at such an early age! My dear I am so sorry and hope that you are ok financially. I know how hard it is believe me.

If it helps, I also take Allegra antihistimine for the IC which helps very much also. The IC Diet is something I follow religiously!!

I have so many financial issues right now and I am still working everyday!! These autoimmune diseases are kicking my butt and I get more diagnosis's every time I go to the doctor!! I now have fibro, IC, CFS, arthritis, periodontal disease, and a jaw bone that cracked off when they removed a molar in November! All these diseases were dx'd since May 2007! It's overwhelming to say the least. But I am NOT giving up! I will fight to get these diseases under control. If I find any answers to these autoimmune diseases I will let you know. I'm doing research now on a very promising cause and treatment for these conditions.

Be well and hang in there! :)