[harmonyinheart]

My anxiety has been so high lately it is unbearable. I can't take antidepressants because of my bipolar, I'm only given a very low dose of clonazepam, I take lithium and take quetiapine ER morning and night. I started buspirone-5 mg 3 x a day about 10 days ago. It has yet to help. I was on it a few years ago for a few months and it did nothing then, either.
I don't know what to do. I am having anxiety attacks in the middle of the night that I jolt awake from, heart pounding and drenched in sweat. My OCD is terribly difficult to handle as a result as well.
I try exercise- I bike 30+ miles a day, I try to read, I try music and breathing exercises I can't find relief.
Anyone else in a similar boat? What do you do to cope? Any suggestions of how to lessen the anxiety's impact? It really is awful

[Sunflower123]

Originally Posted by harmonyinheart

My anxiety has been so high lately it is unbearable. I can't take antidepressants because of my bipolar, I'm only given a very low dose of clonazepam, I take lithium and take quetiapine ER morning and night. I started buspirone-5 mg 3 x a day about 10 days ago. It has yet to help. I was on it a few years ago for a few months and it did nothing then, either.
I don't know what to do. I am having anxiety attacks in the middle of the night that I jolt awake from, heart pounding and drenched in sweat. My OCD is terribly difficult to handle as a result as well.
I try exercise- I bike 30+ miles a day, I try to read, I try music and breathing exercises I can't find relief.
Anyone else in a similar boat? What do you do to cope? Any suggestions of how to lessen the anxiety's impact? It really is awful

You sound like you are doing what you can. You need to be on a higher dosage of anti anxiety medication. Anxiety is a terrible thing to have. I hope you feel better soon. Best wishes.

[ZenKeeper]

I can relate to the OCD part of your post, and I'll give you what I've done to cope after having it real bad these past few months. What I realized after a lot of thinking about my OCD is this: Anyone who you have effected will most likely one day forget about what you did to them, and they might also be open for an apology. Also, people are not inherently bad, and if you were a bad person one time in your life, you can change to be a good person, and make up for some of the mistakes you did. The final thing I thought about, was that in life, you may hurt some people, but if you strive to be a good person, you will probably help more people than harm people. I have guilt OCD, so I don't know how well that helped, but either way, I hope you have a great day, and I hope the situation you're dealing with get better in time.

[harmonyinheart]

Thank so for your guys' input. And I really like that quote : "Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace."
I don't really deal with guilt OCD, but obsessive and intrusive thoughts and images- usually involving harm- and the other big OCD stuff is cleaning and checking and reassurance seeking mostly. Also getting things done in far adavance as possible-from portioning out food for weeks+ at a time to cleaning the exact same things one day after just having done so so I have one more day until I have to do it again. Of course this is silly and I end up doing it early yet again. And the food stuff- I do it everyday, restock my stock. But I just can't sit with knowing there are things to be done in the future or the chance I may run out of something. And with the heightened anxiety it just amplifies all these things.
Your rationalizations are helpful though, zen keeper.
And thank you too Jennifer. I know I need a med adjustment but my psychiatrist is reluctant to raise my clonazepam (though 2 mg is the max amount in a day I'm prescribed) and the buspirone we just began, so I think he is going to wait and see with that. I'm considering asking if more quetiapine would help. I take the ER, and I take 150 mg in he morning and 300 in the pm. Maybe that would help, I don't know.

If anyone else has sugggestions I welcome them

[Misssy2]

I am bipolar as well...Bipolar 1...mostly in the manic stage.

I rate high on the anxiety scale..so high I am out of work and approved for benefits by our Federal Government.

The only drug that has made a significant difference in my anxiety and panic attacks is Zoloft....surprisingly I did not believe any drug could help me...it really does help.

If you are dead set against antidepressents...try magnesium...google magnesium and anxiety and believe what you read because I occasionally take it for anxiety when I run out of Ativan.

[harmonyinheart]

Thanks. I will look into the magnesium thing. And antidepressants are a no go- I've reacted so badly to so many my doc won't even approach them again.

[salus]

Gabapentin is very good for anxiety ,

[Unrigged64072835]

My psychiatrist prescribes gabapentin and Vistaril for the anxiety. It helps me a bit. I've been on while I've had med changes for my bipolar depression.

You didn't mention a therapist. Do you have one?

[harmonyinheart]

Tried gabapentin and it is also a no go for me. Just made me feel stuffy and when I tried to get off it it took so so long because it exacerbated my depressive symptoms so much.

I do have a therapist. I just started with her. I have had to change so many times over the past few years though with insurance changes and therapists leaving and a few that just did not work out Unbelievable but this will be number seven. But she is not seeming like she will leave soon and accepts my insurance which will not be changing. And we clicked I think pretty well at our first session she seems really intent on helping me too. I don't get that from a lot of professionals it seems these days

[ZenKeeper]

Originally Posted by harmonyinheart

Unbelievable but this will be number seven. But she is not seeming like she will leave soon and accepts my insurance which will not be changing. And we clicked I think pretty well at our first session she seems really intent on helping me too. I don't get that from a lot of professionals it seems these days

I'm glad you seem to be doing well with your new therapist, always good to hear that someone is getting help and doing better. Whatever happens, we all have your back. Here's hoping that the new therapist you have will help you bunches with some of the problems you're facing, and as always, have a fantastic day!

[harmonyinheart]

(I meant druggy in my post above not stuffy-darn autocorrect

Thanks to everyone for your support. It helps. I really appreciate it

[moonglade]

Have you tried L Theanine for anxiety? Not sure if it helps bipolar though

[Misssy2]

LOL..I was wondering how Gabapentin would make anyone "stuffy"..I know that Seroquel makes me "stuffy".

Yea, some people can not take Gabapentin as it knocks them on their rearends...which I don't even notice that i took it really except feeling a little tired from it.

My sister can't even function on Gabapentin..lol...I don't know why they gave it to my sister anyway for MS...its not even indicated for MS (the FDA has not approved the use for MS) or ANXIETY for that matter. I HATE when Drs prescribe medication "off-label"..using meds for things they are not intended for.

They do all this to try and eliminate giving us what works...BENZOS

[Misssy2]

Originally Posted by moonglade

Have you tried L Theanine for anxiety? Not sure if it helps bipolar though

L-Theanine is really good too...it is in the gummy bears I chew at night before bed...and it does make me relaxed and my eyes heavy...if it didn't make my eyes heavy and make me sleepy I would take it ALL DAY...it is relaxing.

[harmonyinheart]

I'll look into that L-Theanine, bring it up to my doctor. Thanks

[Samadhi]

Hi harmony, I hope things get better in the future, I've been dealing with panic attacks too and extreme anxiety, I know the feeling. If it helps, most of the unhealthy thoughts and scenarios your mind tells you will happen don't most of the time. I hope you have a fantastic day though, find peace in the fact that we all care about you, and if something does go wrong, we all have your back.