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Avatar universal

Suffer with Depression and anxiety

This is what I've been diagnosed with and I'm on meds for this.  We tried to increase the amount about 4 weeks ago but after the third week I felt worse rather than better so doctor suggested I go back down to the regular amount which I have done for a week now.

Mornings are my worst, fear of getting out of bed and having to face the day.  But I do get up and I usually go to Curves first thing.  I guess my question is I have constant anxiety most of the day, and I'm finding it hard to get through the day.  I try to keep myself busy but going to one of my clients (I'm a bookkeeper) but I find after about an hour I have to leave.  My concentration is not there and I get very ansty feeling.  Good thing I have two good clients who don't mind me doing this.  

I know people say to keep yourself busy and have distractions but I still find I'm thinking about the anxiety most of the time.  Which is probably feeding it even more.

Can anyone share how they get through there day ?????
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1584712 tn?1296761213
Well, I am glad to hear that you are felling  a bit  better...

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Avatar universal
Well had abit better day today.  Went to Curves for my weigh in and I've lost a total of 39 pounds so far.  That has taken me a year but hey its been slow and sure.  What else can I ask for.

I've also been having trouble concentrating when I go to one of my clients.  I usually last about a half hour to an hour but today I was there for an hour and a half.  She's an awesome lady and she knows I suffer with anxiety/depression so she lets me work as long as I can.    One thing I do now is pat myself on the back when I get into my truck.  Say way to go, you did it !!!!!

Told her its only been 2 weeks today that I decreased my meds so hopefully from now on things start to get abit better !!!!



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Avatar universal
Thanks for the info !!!  I did go see my doctor and I do have a spray to put in my nose and thought I'd give the humidifer a try to.  If this doesn't work I will be boiling some water and putting stuff like you suggested in.

Helpful - 0
1584712 tn?1296761213
If it is going to be of some comfort to you... Ten years ago, I was 21 years old, and for the first time in my life I had experience that life is not nice, and that earth is not always flat and regular... there are many unexplained and unusual things. What happened to me was that whenever I tried to walk I always had some strong feeling of shaking, like standing in the boat. Few weeks later my vision start to make strange things, like shimmering, I couldn't see highly contrast objects and objects lined up in a row like book stacks or CDs. I went to see ten neurologists and ophthalmologists and everything was fine, except of my hematologist who was sure that something must be wrong. After one year of struggle, they made a CT scan of my head and found huge cerebellar arachnoid cyst. Neurologist sad that that was probably the cause of everything. Psychiatrist, was convinced that was a just stupid rubbish. I finished my studies, and passed 2/3 of exams using sedatives to relieve instability feeling. But can you imagine how it was  for me frustrating, walking around and seeing things like windows edges, traffic sings, letters. everything shimmering and moving a bit. After four years, I instability feeling started to disappear, and after a while, that shimmering also, was reduced significantly, and when I was 26 years old I got a job, had my balance back... and I never saw my neurologist again. In a meantime, I had one good relationship, lasted for 2 and a half years, after that I was a bit alone, or looking for someone  but free and available just for sex etc.  I learned how to make websites, and how to make flash animations. Two years ago I was in Japan, for six months, life was beautiful. Who would guess that I will fully recover from what ever caused that issue and had a happy nice life, until recently, again I started feeling problems with balance, and again started to have those weird hallucinations, illusions, like shimmering of contrast objects, text, even worse, when I look at the people faces nose or eyebrows are just blink in a moment... Since I am a chemist, working as a teaching assistant at the faculty, and I am in the final year or my PhD... this was like a hit of a sudden storm. Am I loosing my mind. My joints sometimes are hurting me, and my muscles as well.  Every single morning I am struggling to open my eyes because I know what I am going to see. But nevertheless in a moment of complete darkness, there is always some small source of light. You just need to find it and stick to it. There is no such a long lasting rain that will not eventually stop. Time is the best remedy. Only thing to do is to wait and be patient. In a meantime, just to make your nose unplugged, why you don't go and buy some drops, or some remedy based on ephedrine... also, maybe a good thing to do is to put a mixture of basilicum herb, menthe and camomile flowers, in a pot of boiling water and cover your head with a towel, while taking deep breath of vapors. Repeat that every time before going to sleep. While your face is still warm, cover it with a towel and go immediately to bed.    
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Avatar universal
I tried sleeping with a humidifier on in the bedroom last night.  One reason for my plugged up nose (which I've had for sometome) but I also slept better last night.  I usually wake up during the night and get up to go to the bathrrom but last night I slept for 8 hours, only woke up once and went right back to sleep.

Now if I could only get my hose unplugged.

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Avatar universal
Today hasn't been the best of days.  I did get up at my usual time and I chatted online for abit.  I did go to Curves and made a lunch date with the instructor I really like for tomorrow.

I do bookeeping and two of my clients I do here at home.  I tried today to work on one of them and this total overwhelming feeling came over me.  It was like oh my I have to get up and go something or go someplace.  I did go outside for a few minutes for  some fresh air but it was still hard to do anything.

Yes I'm going to beat myself up by saying this should be easy for me, I'm picking on easy stuff to do but its still so hard to do.  Walked away a couple of times and finaly did get one month finished (took all of a 1/2 hour) and I feel so stupid that it is so hard to do right now.

Any one else ever feel like this ????????



Helpful - 0
180749 tn?1443595232
Something to help you get results quicker. Do the pranayam twice a day, with  eyes closed. Let your friend read in your journals, and tell the friend to do it as well, so you can compare notes.
Do the anulom vilom , before the bookkeeping session, and after 45 minutes, and you will be able to carry on and finish the work.
Let me know how you feel after 7 days and at some point later.
The Yog Pranayam will  help you relax and also help with the anxiety. You will notice benefits in days.
Build up your timing gradually. If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.

Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(into chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose. Duration upto 5 minutes.

Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Age over 15 years -Repeat this cycle for 10 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Age under 15 years -Repeat this cycle for 5 to 10  minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 11  times

Once you are better, continue the pranayam once a day.
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Avatar universal
Yes instead of making myself a mental list for what I want to do tomorrow I have actually written it down.  As I do I will check off.  The very last thing  I listed was a reward after I do this.  Don't know what that will be yet but I'll come up with something.

I did a group thing last year and today they had a meeting for any graduates that wanted to go.  I went today.  We have to introduce ourself, like name and when we graduated and then do a check in. This was a 5 week cognitive therapy thing I did last year on Depression, Grief Loss, Relationships etc.   Like how we're doing, what is working, what isn't.  So when my turn came around I explained that I wasn't doing very well after xmas.  Doctor increased my celexa but instead of getting better I got worse.  Two weeks ago I went back to see him and we went back to my regular dose.  I'm finding that is helping and if I just keep doing what I'm doing right now and  things will get better.

I know I have to be patient, I know I have to give it time but especially in the mornings I ask myself why doesn't this work faster !!!!!  Usually after I calm down I know better.

I was told today that it has been setup that I can see a councellor and I should get a call in a couple of days.  I know the appointment won't be right away but hey I got the ball rolling.

I think councelling will help me, I've never done it before but I'm actually looking forward to it.  I know I have a couple of issues that need to be worked on so as long as I open my mouth and let her know (which I will) I'm hoping to get help with that to.

I've also started journalling, Never done that before either.  I have a dear friend who I trust completely and I've been sending them to her.  She has been giving me encouragement and see things that I'm not seeing within myself so that also gives me hope.  Also nice to hear.





I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I've proven it before and I will prove it again one of these days real soon I hope.

Helpful - 0
1584712 tn?1296761213
Sometimes for anxiety attacks simple breathing exercise helped me. For example, I found a position which most suited me... such as laying on the bed, on my right side, getting my knees close to my chest, close my eyes and start breathing deeply. With every deep breath I tried to imagine some colorful flower in a blossom, widely opening petals, and with every breath I exhale I was visualizing the same flower closing its petals.  Repeating that for 10 min, was relaxing me. Also, sometimes, if you are constantly worry, and if you are religious person... a simple prayer can help. Because most of the stress causing anxiety in my case was coming from the filling that many things in my life just simple got out of my control. And to be honest how many things in a real life we really can control. So leaving some important part of the burden, in your thoughts, to some powerful force such as god, to deal with it, can relieve the anxiety.  Also, a prolonged period of stress is a just  an introduction to depression. We always make some stupid demands and sometimes we are not simply aware of it, like I must go and bye a new shirt tomorrow. I must finish this paper by the end of the week. I must do this or I must do that. So, sometimes it is ok to ask yourself do I really must to do everything that.  
And for depression maybe the best thing to do is to settle down some simple tasks, simple goals...make a list and stick to it. The brain is working according to the principle of effort and reward. Whenever you finish some task successfully your brain releases serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters... making you feel happy and satisfied. The task should not be difficult because you need to finish it. Eventually you will start making some progress.
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Avatar universal
I joined Curves about a year ago but it sort of fell to the wayside back in November but I'm going again.  Actually that is what gets me outa bed in the morning, I get up have my coffee and then shower etc and head for Curves.  I'm actually going 6 days a week, more so for the anxiety right now

Right now I'm doing it because it helps with my anxiety but I'm also trying to loose more weight.

I find that I have to plan my next day the night before.  Some people suggest I don't do that and just go with the flow but I'm finding that if I make a mental list of what I want to do the next day it helps to keep me focused and to make sure I do those things.  If I don't I'd probably say oh to heck with it and go back to bed.


Im also trying very hard not to have naps during the day.  Haven't had one since MOnday.  That day was not a good day and around 2:00 I said oh I can't do this any more and went and laid down.  Didn't really sleep, just dozed in the quietness for a couple of hours.  Doing that though I feel tired the rest of the night and usually go to bed pretty early



Helpful - 0
345079 tn?1299202476
If I dont have something planned for the next morning I have a very hard time getting up as well. I find that is alot more depression in my case then the anxiety. A really great way to start the day is with a workout. Find a great gym buddy or someone to work out with and someone that will ensure you stick with it and you will find that after a week or so you really start to love it.
I am glad that you sent the intake form off and hope you will hear something soon. Keep in touch as there are many of us that can relate
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Avatar universal
I am on celexa right now and patience is not a word in my vocabulasry right now.  I know I have to give the meds time to level me out I just wish it would happen yesterday and not two or three weeks from now.

I agree I do need to know what caused this attack of depression/anxiety once again.  I did a cognitive therapy course last year for five weeks.  Today it feels like what I learnt has sort of gone to the wayside.  Today I did stop in at the place where I took that and asked if there was some way I could meet with a councellor pn a one on one basis.  They sent the intake form off this afternoon so hopefully I hear something soon.  She did tell me it could be about 4 weeks or more.

At my doctor's appt the other day I asked to be referred to psychiatrists, I want to get to the bottom of this.  Was told it could take up to 6 months to get in.  

I'll take which ever ones comes first but in all honesty I will keep both appts whenever they come.
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1584712 tn?1296761213
When I had anxiety attacks, I asked myself what is the real cause lying behind. For example, when I oppened a book and start reading, I was heaving strong palpitations... such strong firm grip in my hands, my muscles completely squized... than I start tracing back... what did I do before I felt palpitations... I had oppened a book, I was prepearing an exam... than I had a strong fealing of unreasonable fear... a fear of reading???... well, a fear of adjusting myself to the very new situation... I was having some shimmering vision problems and balance issues at that time... so unconsciencely I was worried how I am going to continue with my previous routine, and strugle with my simptoms in the same time. When I succecfuly passed one exam, than another, than another again.... I resolved my fear. I was talking about exams, because I was a student at that time...  Xanax helped me a lot... but, actually falling in love, which made my daly life bearable, actually resolved everything. I bacame more secured... and that is that... You have to find out what is the main cause of your anxiety? Medicatin should help, xanax is really good... usually psychiatrists perscribe some antidepressants as well...
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370181 tn?1595629445
I think you first need to get your medications right, which can take time. Many of the psych meds take weeks to reach therapeutic levels, so it's possible you've just not been on them long enough. It could also not be the right medication for you. Some of us have had to try several before we find the one that helps us and has the fewest side effects, or at least, ones we can live with until they finally (and hopefully) go away with time. Getting the dosage right is another issue with these meds, as you've found out, and is also normal with these meds. It's really difficult, but one of the things those of us with depression and anxiety must have is patience.
You don't say what your doctor had put you on, but there are meds out there that will control the constant, daily anxiety which is known as "anticipatory anxiety." (The fear of having a panic or anxiety attack)
Keeping yourself busy and having distractions IS a positive step in controlling your anxiety and easing your depression, but if you have uncontrolled anticipatory anxiety, as you said, it is nearly impossible to stop thinking about how you're feeling and that does, indeed, turn into a viscious cycle.
I would also recommend you get into some therapy which will help you find the root cause of your anxiety/depression and teach you many coping skills.
How I get through my day is being on a good antianxiety med that controls the anticipatory anxiety and prevents panic attacks and I take an antidepressant at night. But I tried many, many drugs in various combinations and dosages before we hit on this combo. I think the key is finding a doctor who really understands these types of meds and here's that word again.............patience.
Don't get discouraged and don't give up.
And know that we are always here if you need to talk.
Peace
Greenlydia    
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