Thanks for the response Davey. When I got the diagnosis of agoraphobia and GAD it made sense to me. I have overcome it and am doing much, much better now. I was also diagnosed with depression on a number of occasions in my early 20s -- and I know when I'm depressed, so that makes sense to me too. My doctor eventually decided to put me on a low-estrogen birth control pill because she thought that was contributing to my depression. That seemed to do the trick and I didn't get depressed again for about 10 years. It came back for the first time after I weaned myself off Celexa last spring. I felt mildly depressed and tired all the time. My doctor put me on a low dose of Wellbutrin, but that threw me into a severe depression. My doc told me to stop taking it, and the depression lifted about a week after I stopped. I decided to just do more yoga and walking to deal with the mild depression and I started feeling better. Then my uncle committed suicide in the July, and I fell into a depression that just wouldn't go away.
I'm taking Lexapro now. It has lifted me out of my depression. I don't feel fabulous, but I'm not constantly miserable like I was before. I'm able to feel happy when good things happy and I have a relatively positive outlook on things now, so that's a major improvement. I also haven't had a panic attack since I've been on it. So, for now, it seems to be the solution for me.
My family and my closest friends all know about the psychiatrist who told me I was bipolar. Although they and my doctor all disagree with that diagnosis I have asked them to tell me if they EVER see any changes in my mood -- anything that seems like a red flag to them. I want their input. I don't want anything sneaking up on me. So far, so good, though.
Thanks again for your insight.
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“Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it." - Mahatma Gandhi
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