[anxiousgirl716]

So, my life is a bit of an anxiety pit at the moment because our company was sold and there's likelihood of layoffs (as always). Obviously, that's definitely worthy of being anxious. My department and my job are pretty safe for a year (though no guarantees as usual).

Anyway, I've always been rather high strung, but last week was the beginning of hell for me. After hearing who the final buyer was in the sale of the company, I started putting my resume out to jobs because I didn't want to be stuck on a sinking ship. I got an interview with one of the places and basically freaked out. I was crying, acting as if I didn't get this job then my life would be over, that I was going to be on the streets alone, etc. Logically, that's ridiculous. 1 - they aren't the only people hiring. 2 - I have a year. 3 - I have a family that will help me out. I had my inteview, did fine, but was still freaking out about all these irrational thoughts and they kept racing through my head.

I called my GP last Friday and they told me to double my dosage of Effexor to 75mg taken twice daily. (I am currently on 37.5mg taken twice daily.) I did, and it seemed to cut the anxiety and I could think about things, but let them go easily, unlike before. About 6 hours after taking the double dose, I got an extreme panic attack. Hot chest, racing thoughts, felt like I was going to lose my mind basically. Out of nowhere, really. I took the 2nd double dose that evening and 6 hours later, boom, panic attack set in. I called the on call doctor and they told me to reduce back to the regular dosage and call Monday for an appointment.

So, I reduced my meds back to the original dosage. And apparently the panicky/constant anxiety feelings I was having are sort of normal for Effexor, but still, not bearable to me. That lasted the whole weekend - I did manage to get out of my house and go to a bowling event, but otherwise, I just stayed home and tried to distract myself. Saturday night I googled psychiatric emergency numbers and called one - the guy on the line told me that the fact that I was feeling mroe anxious was not good and that I should call my doctor to see if I could get something to cut the anxious feelings or go to the ER. Having already been told that the weekend people (nurses) cannot prescribe over the phone, I knew my only choice was the ER. The ER doc prescribed me 4 days worth of 1 mg Ativan. And made me promise to go see my GP on Monday.

It helped a little bit. I was able to sleep a little, whereas I hadn't before. So, that was good. Still felt crappy, though...

Called Monday and got an appointment that day with the Nurse Practitioner. Relayed what I had gone through and she prescribed me Buspar on top of my regular Effexor dosage. She also gave me a prescription for some more Ativan just to get me through until the Buspar starts working (she said 2-4 weeks). It seems to be helping a little bit. I have moments of funk and moments of feeling fine.

I found this place when trying to find information on Buspar with Effexor and Ativan. It's nice ot see that there are other people who are experiencing anxiety and that I am not alone.

I have an appointment with a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in about 2 weeks. I think she will be a better resource for medication management than my GP. I had originally been on Zoloft - 150 mg per day - until about 2 years ago when I asked to be switched to Effexor. (My mom's boyfriend had been having some stomach issues like me and she said that the pills seemed to help with that, so I asked to switch.)

So, there's my story. Thanks for being here. It really is a comfort when you feel sort of alone. All of my family is in another city.

[Callmebj]

Hi anxiousgirl, I also take Effexor, but recently had a really high stress thing going on,
and I could not control my anxiety. I did get in touch with my Psych Dr. and he would not offer any more meds. as he said it was temporary reaction...and in my case it was. However with the job thing, you have an rather extended time than I would have had. I feel sure you are on a correct path to getting things taken care of. Good luck to you in all ways, job and anxiety. Hugs, bj