Posted by grapebubblegum on August 21, 2001, at 15:20:38
Two topics here: I don't want to rehash the effexor topics, but it's true that I don't even read them because the titles alone sound like horror stories and when my doctor mentioned effexor, I thought, "Oh, no, not that!" as if she were mentioning poison. I did fine on zoloft(slight difficulty sleeping) and paxil and never suffered any substantial symptoms on starting or withdrawing from them, (but I don't want to take them anymore for different reasons) and at times I just cut them off cold turkey not hearing about the horrible withdrawal symptoms I've tried not to read about here. I'm sure everyone is different, and maybe I'm lucky in that respect, but here's another weirdness:
Second point: I tried to discuss this in another thread but there wasn't much comment: I'll admit to being a java junkie, and it may be more serious than I thought. I tracked my symptoms of panic attacks over a period of years and I've noticed that my worst clusters of debilitating attacks occurred when I was off caffeine for one reason or another. Lately I feel much better after bumping my habit back up to normal which is an embarrassing 6 full tablespoons of medium-fine ground coffee per day brewed into two 16-oz mugs. I do not feel jittery, just normal.
Can this be possible that the purported anxiety-causing agent caffeine can be calming to certain individuals? I sleep great and always have. When I am off caffeine I also sleep fine but feel ill physically in many ways (sinus pain, lack of appetite, general uneasiness). I'm not talking about the short-term withdrawal effects, either, because for months I cut my habit in half and stayed that way but lately began suspecting, after examining all other variables, whether my sinus pain and creeping nausea and anxiety plus lowered threshold for panic attacks might be alleviated by returning to my old level of caffeine. When I was young and had never even tried caffeine I was more prone to attacks than I am now. So that I can explain this better to my doctor when I talk to her, what could be inferred by an apparent dependence on a stimulant like caffeine for antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties? Does this support the theory that the panic attacks could be an outgrowth of depression? I'm totally in the dark here, obviously. I am extremely sensitive to anything sedating, so geodon is not working out. Benzos work well in small amounts for me, but that is not looking like a long term solution because they do appear to leave depressing after effects on me. She is going to look for a new medication to try for control of panic attaks (probably some kind of antidepressant), so if anyone could please comment on what they might recommend I'd appreciate it. I am going to see her in a few hours and she'll have her own recommendation anyway, but I'd be happy to have some insight from any of you. Thanks,
GBG
poster:grapebubblegum
thread:75801
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75801.html