Question:
From 4 months and I am talking PROZAC as treatment
for panic attacks. However, I got a panic attacks if first problem I am
going to face.
Is this medicine is right and is there any bright
future for this problem and how about agoraphobia.
Answer:
I can't say about Prozac. But I have had some luck with Xanax for
anxiety and "agoraphobia". Xanax *can* become addictive, so it should
be taken as little as possible.
My doc has me taking .5MG as needed for panic attacks. But I really
try to stay away from it as much as possible.
ASAP is an *open* newsgroup where everybody can post anything (s)he likes
any time. We all suffer from an anxiety disorder. You are very welcome to
join us which You actually have already done by posting here.
If I read you right you are in one of the *Emirates* and I don't have the
faintest idea about how mental health care is organized there. Anyway, you
do have Prozac there which is generally speaking a good med for Panic
Disorder w/agoraphobia. Do you think it doesn't work too well? How much do
you take?
There are roughly two groups of meds which work well for PD:
- *antidepressants* like Prozac. Prozac belongs to the SSRI-group. If it
doesn't work, you might want to try another of these meds: Luvox, Celexa,
Zoloft or Paxil. There are also other AD's from different groups that work
as well.
- *anxiolytics* from the *benzodiazepine* group (Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan,
Valium and a bunch of others; the afore mentioned are the most popluar
*benzos*).
An antidepressant can very well be combined with a benzo.
There is *one* kind of *psychotherapy* which often has very good results for
Panic Disorder and especially for *agoraphobia*. This is *Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy* (CBT), mostly pracxticed by a *clinical psychologist*.
It is a here-and-now therapy targeted directly at your symptoms. I hope it
is possible to do this therapy in your country.
I take .5 Ativan 3 times a day as needed (now). I did take Ativan only at
night, but I got the prescription changed yesterday. I took 1/2 of one this
morning feeling shaky and then felt okay. If I feel shaky again, I'll take
a whole one. I also take Desipramine, an anti-depressant, at night. This
has helped me a lot, especially in the past 4 yrs. I also have PA & agor.
Please keep in touch with this group. They are wonderful people with
helpful suggestions and encouragement.
