[Hopeful Camel]

I am having a very hard time of it right now. This has been going on for over a month. I have panic attacks, and find myself unable to speak clearly or even intelligibly. It has impacted my work, primarily, but also my self-esteem. I feel like it is having a negative spiral effect, in that the more it happens, the worse I get.

I thought it might be med related, but now I am back on the meds that I was on for years. I’m shaky, can’t formulate a clear thought, and tremble visibly. To make matters worse, I am an attorney. I am losing work due to my visible problems. I quit a good job due to the problems I was having.

I was seeing a pdoc who put me on lithium, which only made me worse. She was also increasing my benzos. I am now off the lithium and coming down off the benzos back to the stable dose of klonopin that I’ve been on for 10 years. I’m just trying to stabilize myself.

I had hoped that getting off of the lithium would do the trick, but I just had another bad attack. I was at work, trying to talk to a client. I couldn’t even formulate a clear sentence. I am ashamed.

Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts that might help? I’m desperate.

[jesusplay]

shop for doctors

[~Christina]

Maybe a sit down with your Pdoc and review all your medications... Maybe you could be Over medicated?

I have seen it over and over, Drugs just seem to be layered on top of drugs and on and on.

[THE16THDOCTOR]

I'm sorry that sounds rough. I'm No stranger to panic. It hurts like hell. Did it come on abruptly? How long were you stable with meds before? Relapse isn't uncommon. I hope it stabilizes asap for you. What abt making an emergency appointment w your dr?

[Hopeful Camel]

Originally Posted by THE16THDOCTOR

I'm sorry that sounds rough. I'm No stranger to panic. It hurts like hell. Did it come on abruptly? How long were you stable with meds before? Relapse isn't uncommon. I hope it stabilizes asap for you. What abt making an emergency appointment w your dr?

Thank you for your kind words. It did come on abruptly, although I can't say that I was completely stable on my meds prior to the onset of this problem. Things had been up and down for me. I guess now that you have me thinking about it, I've been in a general decline for about a year. But this past month of panic attacks is horrible.

I have an appointment with my doc in a week. She is trying to adjust me back to stability. I'm considering going back on zyprexa because it has helped me in the past when things have been horrible.

I appreciate your note.

[Hopeful Camel]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Maybe a sit down with your Pdoc and review all your medications... Maybe you could be Over medicated?

I have seen it over and over, Drugs just seem to be layered on top of drugs and on and on.

Thanks, Christina. I am on a ton of psych meds. Sometimes I wonder what drugs are doing what to me. There is a part of me that wishes I could go into the hospital and get off of all these drugs, detox, and then add just what needs to be added!

I always appreciate your insights. Thank you.

[Crazy Hitch]

I was on lithium and it did nothing to stabilize my mood and landed up permanently damaging my thyroid.

When I was abruptly taken off it I started lamatrogine 25mg increase per week.

I was on Saphris too but personally didn't go down well with me.

I've gone from 50mg Seroquel to 400mg. Does make me feel like a little bit of a blob.

My new pdoc I saw this week wants to have a think about how she is going to wean me off Valium or what meds she can use in lieu of. I found work excruciating causing panic attacks and a constant feeling of anxiety like something bad is constantly about to happen. Some days I would sit in my car for half an hour outside work too scared to get out and face the day.

I'm not really familiar with all the meds you're on but I think it's time to analyze the cocktail that you're on with your pdoc.

[Tucson]

I call this "cognitive deficits". I have gone through long periods where the forming of my sentences was problematic. Several months later, I began to improve. My memory of past events improved too. Still, I do have periods of time where I have difficulty forming more than five letter words little alone the right words.

I do not think this problem is related to meds for me. There is currently research in this area of BP. That is all I know about this problem. At times it ihas been very very frustrating for me. I now see this problem may not be as rare as I originally thought. I ran across a few others here with similar problems.

[Sinking Feeling]

Originally Posted by Hopeful Camel

I am having a very hard time of it right now. This has been going on for over a month. I have panic attacks, and find myself unable to speak clearly or even intelligibly. It has impacted my work, primarily, but also my self-esteem. I feel like it is having a negative spiral effect, in that the more it happens, the worse I get.

I thought it might be med related, but now I am back on the meds that I was on for years. I’m shaky, can’t formulate a clear thought, and tremble visibly. To make matters worse, I am an attorney. I am losing work due to my visible problems. I quit a good job due to the problems I was having.

I was seeing a pdoc who put me on lithium, which only made me worse. She was also increasing my benzos. I am now off the lithium and coming down off the benzos back to the stable dose of klonopin that I’ve been on for 10 years. I’m just trying to stabilize myself.

I had hoped that getting off of the lithium would do the trick, but I just had another bad attack. I was at work, trying to talk to a client. I couldn’t even formulate a clear sentence. I am ashamed.

Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts that might help? I’m desperate.

I feel like this some times too! In fact just recently. Serious anxiety and panic attacks. Was given a very stingy supply of klonopin which I knew would not be enough so I went back on zoloft just for the anxiety. Which does nothing for my depression but helps on the anxiety. I feel jittery and up and down but my anxiety is under control again well for now any way. But be careful with Zoloft, I never go over 100mg and never stay on it long. It can make me worse some times.

My pdoc told me I can get this way any time because I have atypical depression and most of my hypomanic episodes seem to be mostly anxiety, irritability and paranoia, which can also happen when I am depressed!

[Disorder7]

A couple of things jumped out at me. First, topomax is notorious for messing up cognitive functioning.

Second, you said you were on some of these meds before. I've heard one reason not to quit meds is because frequently when you try to resume them they no longer work. I have no idea why. It's just what I've heard.

My cognitive functioning has been severely impaired over the years, I guess because I was unmedicated. It's the nature of the beast.

The only advice I have is to doctor shop until you find someone who can help you. Take care.