Anxiety (GAD) Meds

Hi ya all,
I just wanted to followup on a post I placed in July about help with GAD in reference to medications. This may be helpful for other folks out there or just visitors to this site.
I have probably had GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) for several years but only went for help this past April. After all considerations and suggestions from both Dr's and this website, I started on 10mg of Prozac per day in August and .25 mg of Xanax as needed for breakthrough anxiety. I cannot tell you how much better I feel and regret not going for help sooner. I'm certainly not out of the woods with this disorder but it doesnt control me like it use to. 10 mg of Prozac is about the lowest dose you can take but it started to work for me after the first few days I took it. I know all meds don't work the same for all people but if this helps anybody make a decision on treatment, I wish you the best. My thanks go out to all who replied to my post in July !!!

Hi bluesman. I'm glad to hear that you received some good help from the meds. Glad to hear from you again too.

Hi bluesman. Thanks for the update, and the encouragement you give to all those who are on the fence about taking meds.

Glad you feel better, and I hope it keeps on getting better. Take care.

i had been wondering if you were okay. really glad that the meds are helping you. that is very encouraging news for people who might still be trying to make up their mind about meds. xoxox pat

bluesman...do you mind me asking what your anxiety was like for you? Because I seem to be unable to relax. Sometimes I go on what I call a 'worry-binge' where I think about everything I can possibly think about and all the things that could go wrong with them or how to make sure I stay on top of them, etc etc. The thing with me was I have been doing this my whole life, and while I know it's not normal, it's MY normal. It's just what I do.

Anyway, is this kind of what you were experiencing? Because I mean, I don't know if what's wrong with me can be fixed by meds.

Thanks.

Hi hereiam,
Everything you said is exactly what I have felt for years also. It was my normal and I thrived in it. I lived and breathed stress, working 33 years in extremely high stress environments. I worried about everything and lived on the absolute edge. Its almost an addiction.

It becomes a problem when it starts to effect your everyday life. More irritable, lack of memory and concentration, insomnia, fatigue, etc...

It came to a head for me when I almost started to have panic attack type episodes over my constant worry. It just came to the point that I needed some help. I've always thought myself to be very much in control, and seeking out help was the last thing I thought I'd do.

My Dr has told me to back off a few notches or I'd end up with some very serious health conditions. I am now in the process of semi-retiring and choosing a less stressful lifestyle. The meds have taken the edge off. Instead of worrying about something for hours/days etc... I'm now more able to forget about things a bit better. I still have a long ways to go because I've been at this worry game for 47 years !!

Anyway....hope this helps. If your constant worry is affecting your health and happiness and has been for several months/years....it might be time to seek out some help.

Good luck !!!

thanks, bluesman.