[SUNNY2009]

I am dealing with CSA and Child abuse both parents bla bla bla.....
I am currently taking Prestiq and have been for 5 mos ... so far I thought it was going ok ....I also take lorazapam as needed

Prior to prestiq I had taken Prozac for abt 90 days but that was not good for me I was very dark in thoughts and did not like the way I felt

All prescriptions are thru my docs off thru my nurse practitioner ....

I admit I have spells of anxiety and they are often ... but there are usually /always reasons for it...
something that brings it on .... problem is I get so damn stressed and it last for hours and I try to relax and bring myself out of it. I have things I will do to help.... but sometimes the mind will not shut down....esp at night

But... at the same time I dont feel like changing drugs is such a good thing I mean 1st it took many many years before I would take anything...now I finally am taking something and I thought I was better off than I was.... but he has mentioned it again and suggested I do this for med eval....

I am really anxious about it...I feel like anxiety is always going to be a part of me and so there is no way I am going to get rid of it completely....

I asked him in my email lots of questions like....what does a psychiatrist do, what is the purpose, do I have to tell him stuff and will he communicate w/him (my T) ....

I am agitated and anxiety ridden and hate that I even sent him an email telling him I was in an stressed state of mind at the time....I do not understand why this is the solution....friggin already on stuff....dont want to be drugged up and feel like my brain is off....dont want to open up and have to talk to another person (psychiatrist) who i dont know ...

thats one side of me....then my other side says ... ok must be a reason...I just need to know what a psychiatrist does and what the purpose is and what are the typical routes they take.....how do you know when something is working or not ?????

Please excuse my frustration I am just a little crazed and trying to cope with stuff and this came up today as a response and so I am looking for some guidance on this subject.....

Thank you ....

also I trust my T and that is the other reason I want to ask ... I figured he must be saying it for a reason

[Slothrop]

Nothing against nurse practitioners, but yeah, there is something to be said for seeing an MD who is an expert on this stuff.

There are so many meds out there...there really is hope for finding something that fights your more debilitating symptoms without giving you the "brain is off" feeling.

Some people get agitated on certain antidepressants. There are often alternative antidepressants that calm many people.

I got meds from my family doc for years. Good doc, but not as a mental doc. I finally went to a psychiatrist and learned I had the symptoms of bipolar II. Completely different meds regimen now, and feeling a lot better.

Good luck!!!

[SUNNY2009]

When you are on meds are you not supposed to get anxiety?

[yo_grandma52]

Originally Posted by sunny2009

when you are on meds are you not supposed to get anxiety?

you have to work with the psychiatrist to get the right combination of meds. I do relaxation techniques for the anxiety and that helps. MAYBE YOU NEED TO TAKE MORE OF THE ANTI-ANXIETY MEDICINE ALSO.

[sunrise]

What kind of nurse practitioner does your prescribing? If it is a psychiatric nurse practitioner, then you will find a psychiatrist fills somewhat the same role, but has broader medical training. For example, if I just needed an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication, I wouldn't hesitate to go to a psych-NP, as that is their expertise and training. But if I was not very healthy, had heart and kidney problems, was diabetic, and needed psych meds too, then I would go see a psychiatrist and make sure he consulted with my internist or kidney doctor too. Where multiple organ systems are concerned and there is lots of pathology, I think it's best to go with a psyschiatrist rather than a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

If you are seeing a family nurse practitioner with no special expertise in psych, then I definitely think you should go see a psychiatrist. A generalist like an FNP or a family doc just doesn't have the expertise you may need. When you first go see the psychiatrist, he/she will ask you various questions to determine your symptoms and may ask you to answer standard questions from one or more questionnaires, where you have to rate your answer to each one (on a scale of 1-10, how much do you like socializing with other people, etc.). He/she will also ask you about your current meds, why you started taking them, how they are working for you, side effects, etc. Hopefully, your therapist knows a good psychiatrist or two he/she can recommend to you. It is always so helpful to have a good referral.

[January]

Hi,

Different Drs tried to help me with my anxiety and other problems down through the years. I really didn't get relief until I went to a psychiatrist and got the right meds. I began to have a good life again. I have no words to describe having peace inside instead of anxiety and panic all the time. Of course, when something bad happens, the panic happens but it's not as bad and I can take my medicine and get my thoughts under control.

I hope you go to the pdoc. What can it hurt?

[SUNNY2009]

I called about 20 pdocs and most either dont take new patients or I didnt fit the criteria of who they do take or they were retured.
that was yesterday
today I start making the calls again (cuz i am not a quitter)
Finally I set up an appt but the pdoc is like 70+ yrs old and I worry that this may not be a good fit....
I have a message in to one other place and am hoping to here back tomrw ...hoepfully they will take me as a new patient ....
Thanks for all of your responses....it is good to be encouraged

[billieJ]

Dear Sunny ~ for about 10 years, I worked for a pdoc who was 70+ years old, and he was excellent. Experience counts for a lot in that field. I can't answer all your questions, but a psychiatrist prescribes psychiatric medication, and he will communicate with your T only if you sign a consent for him to do so. It would probably be a good idea to do so, unless you are opposed for any reason, as your T may have more experience than you do at identifying your symptoms. {Although, you are the expert, when it comes to knowing how they FEEL!}. Caring About You, and Wishing You Luck with Your Pdoc appt. ~ billieJ

[SUNNY2009]

OK I went, tt PDOC my stomach was nervous but I got through it. actually he was nice and funny and looked like Santa so how could I not like him...I guess ....
...but you know what aggravates me....he asks what I do for fun ...hmmm nothing comes to mind, asks if I socialize, hmm when I can...asks if I go out much ...hmmm once in a while....then he sz basically I am not enjoying life!
Since when do you have to enjoy life! LOL! ((I know that sounds strange or ironic)) but since when do you have to have fun things that you are interesed in that you can think of on the spot...

Am I missing this part of life? Seriously, does everyone have stuff they do that enlightens them or enriches their life...jeez ... I like relaxing at home...that brings me joy....what the heck is wrong with that?

Alright enough complaining...its just that it kinda made me feeling like there is something wrong with the way I live my life I just dont see it. Granted, yeah sometimes I want to go out with friends and I do on occassion.... but there isnt a lot of excitement in that.... I do go to concerts here and there and I did go ziplining recently. I dont get a lot of enjoyment out of hum drum crap....but that doesnt mean I am not enjoying life!
blagh!

Anyway he thinks I should transition from Prestiq to Zoloft and we will meet again in 2 weeks.

In the meantime I am riddled with anxiety....what the hell! I can feel it running through my bones mainly in my arms and hands....I hate this feeling...I think it has to do with change...anytime there is a change I PANIC....

I am sitting at my desk at work trying to focus, I have a hard time blocking out the ongoing conversations around me....hate it ... totally preoccupied w/this stuff and it is so damn hard to focus....
I hope that the zoloft works and helps with this too.

[January]

Sunny,

How are you doing now?

[SUNNY2009]

ehh...
Got the blahs....hate when that happens.
Anxiety is off and on. I am taking the prestiq and zoloft ... during the transition.

Some days I am so jeeped up all day but when I get home I get the blahs and dont want to do much. Actually I stress out about being under pressure to do things....like....

Tonite I was supposed to go meet with a friend to see his son play (music) local place but about an hour away. I left him a mess looking for directions...but he never called back. Dont mind to much, I guess I secretly hoped he would not call. Last night the same thing, although I just backed out cuz the show was so late 11:30pm and that too was abt an hour out.
By the time I get home I lose interest in doing anything out of the house. I think its habit. Not sure if its depression, maybe...but I also worked 2 12 hours days mon and tues and so maybe I am just expecting to much from myself.
Problem is it is like this on the weekends ... I am wiped out ...
then again...when I get home I just want to crash...not so muc to sleep but just to shut off... this is an old habit...one that up until a few weeks ago I was doing pretty good with but It has creeped back in....stuckness....
What gets me is comments like the one from the PDOC ... "you not gettin enjoyment in life"
how about "your burnt out and work too much" or "experiencing little energy cause your tired, burnt out and work too much" or how about "all the above and you are 30+ years late on dealing with the Childhood sexual, verbal and physical abuse and you arent married or dating cause you are too tired to get the hell out"

sorry abt that...I am looking around my home office and its a disaster...needs to be cleaned up a bit... thinking about the mortgage .... thinking about how sick and tired I am of doing everything and how I think that thats why I am here at this point in my life.....
Is it possible to just be burnt out and this is why I have anxiety...cause I cant seem to see me holding up my world on my own forever? OK....think thats enough,,,,

to answer your questions...I guess I am just exasperated! sorry you had to listen to all that ....