this is so frightening........?

Question

heres the deal, i play by the rules..i see the psych, i take my meds, i dont drink and i have no caffeine. i have been diagnosed with bi polar and generalized anxiety disorder. i take lithium and 2 mg of xanax. 3 days ago i was weaned off my effexor and have been dng this for a month. i am having horrible panic attacks where i feel like my throat is closing up, and my mind is racing, like i cant control what i am thinking or what is gng on.i dnt drive anymore and i cant go anywhere thats far from the hospital. my lithium was raised half a tablet hoping to stop this, but it isnt. i have 3 children a 7, 3, and an 8 month old and this is terrible. why are the meds not working? am i not bi polar and something else is gng on? i have had a cat scan and an mri to see if strokes but nothing. if my roomate and boyfriend leave and i am alone i dont know what is going on. i cant sign in anywhere because i will lose my children and i cant do that. could i be schitzo, or is there another disorder?

Answer 1

if you can get a good babysitter your fine. just cause you go to get help doesn't mean you lose your kids. just shows you want to do better for them. my little boys' mom went into a facility for a while to better herself and it worked.

Answer 2

The symptoms you describe sound more like anxiety to me. You say you take 2 mg of xanax, but not if that is your 24 hour dose or a single dose. You could use the antidepressant being changed or increased. There's lots of stuff out there and you and your doctor need to be willing to try changes.

Panic attacks are not funny. They create very real symptoms and perceptions. I hope you are seeing a counsellor for behavioral therapy as well as an MD for medical treatment. This two fold approach is more effective in curing the underlying condition.

Don't think about schitzo. Just think about getting the anxiety treated. It doesn't sound like typical bi-polar, so I'm going to assume that the lithium level is theraputic.

Asking a question is great first step. But next you have to discuss this with your MD and therapist. Best wishes.

Answer 3

Panic attacks usually start with a worry or a fear. From your question, I can see that you are very worried and fearful of another panic attack. However I have to tell you this, even the fear of having a panic attack can lead you to a panic attack. It may sound stupid to other people, but I know it's very real in your case. I've been on medication for panic attacks and it's very useful, I only take it when I know it's coming, and unlike the past, when I keep anticipating when the next panic attack will come, now I know that I can handle it with ease with medication, and knowing that lessens my panic attacks. There are various medication for panic attacks, you jus have to find out what works for you. I forgot the name of my medication, thou I remember it starts with 'A', sorta like Aplozoram, something like dat. I think increasing your lithium is a bad decision by the psychiatrist, cos that will only make you more dependent on lithium, and I do vaguely remember that lithium is not something meant for panic attacks thou I may be wrong. Go to your psychiatrist today and ask for some prescription for your panic attack, if your psychiatrist does not want to prescribe you for what so reason, then find another psychiatrist, cos it's your life and no one can understand what you're dealing with when you mentioned having racing thoughts, and throat closing up, not being able to feel your body, feel like you're gonna go crazy, not even psychiatrist themselves. I would also suggest not being over trusting and dependent on psychiatrist and find out what really works for you. Before I stop, let me ask you this, when was the last time you sleep without anticipating when the panic attack will come, be it tomorrow or the day after? If your answer is no, then I urge you to get the REAL MEDICATION MEANT FOR PANIC ATTACKS NOW. If you wanna talk more, my email is [e-mail]

Answer 4

Honey, calm down sweetheart! You're scaring yourself more by thinking things that have not been proven. You are NOT schizophrenic! Schizophrenia has much different signs and symptoms. This is most likely side effects of going off of effexor. The racing thoughts could be hypomania, which is a low grade of mania. I am wondering if maybe you need to be switched from lithium, which works great for depression, to depakote, which works much better for the manic episodes of bipolar disorder. Really though, I think you need to just think of some happy thoughts, focus on deep breathing for awhile, and tell yourself that you are calm, you are feeling relaxed, and so on. You can convince your mind to agree with your body by doing this and soon you will become more at ease.

Answer 5

taking xanax for long periods of time and then fo some reason stopping can make you lose your friggin mind.. It can make you literally feel like you are going crazy. Also you said you had an eight month old...what about post partum? It could be adding to the mix...but seriously have a friend watch the kids and go see a doctor...you will not lose your kids for trying to get help...

Answer 6

it sounds more anxiety, bi polar is when you have ups and downs. ANd they are in extrems...example...extremly happy, all hyper tons of engergy, then the next day (couple of hours later depends) the low is extrem sadness, depression, basically really bad depression.
Anxiety is everything that you have discribed above, your medication may not be working because you may need it for your anxiety. Xanax is used for anxiety and if you were removed from that...that is why you are having panic attacks....
I am saying this from experince by the way :)

Answer 7

I WOULD SAY ASK SOME 1 U TRUST TO TAKE THE KIDS SO U CAN GO SOMEWHERE BECAUSE U DONT KNOW HOW BAD IT WILL GET

Answer 8

God bless you child.