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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SuzieWong on January 5, 2005, at 18:44:28
I need some help with the diagnosis of my condition.
I have always worried about death, illness etc since being a small child. I used to be convinced that I was going blind, that I had contracted rabies, that I was going to urinate in public and embarass myself etc etc.
I have never had good esteem, I am shy but most people wouldn't know it, I never feel like I fit in and I worry about relationships etc.
I started developing panic attacks 11 years ago which made me become slightly agoraphobic, it would have been full blown if I didn't recognise the symptoms (my grandmother and aunt suffer with it and to extent I think my mum does too but she wouldn't admit it). Eight years ago I was in a car accident in which I suffered among other things a closed head injury. I was rejected by a group of friends around the same time which didn't help any of the above and I would feel overwhelmed with sadness all the time.
As a result of this my doctor suggested I should try some Prozac which I took for about 6 months. When I came off it I was fine for a while but then noticed a general depressed feeling and the panic attacks and anxiety started to come back. So my doctor put me on Celexa. I didn't actually feel that they did that much good but I carried on taking it for 5 years because I think I didn't actually care. I decided to wean myself off which I did over a 9month period with great problems. I felt I had a terminal illness I was so bad and it wasn't until I found some info on the internet that I realised these were withdrawal symptoms.
After being off Celexa for about 2 months I started to suffer severe rebound anxiety to the extent that I felt the floor was opening up and I was dying. My doctor advised me to take Prozac which I have now been doing for about 9 months at a very low dose ie 10mg.
When I first started taking the Prozac I became extremely manic and agitated. It was driving me crazy and I was constantly at the doctors trying to find something to stop it. My initial dose had been only 4mg and the gradual increasing of the dose gradually reduced some of the mania. However at one critical moment I saw a different doctor and he mentioned the diagnosis of agitated depression which frightened me immensely.
We have to remember here that I started taking Prozac initially because I was feeling overwhelmed with sadness. I had no other symptoms other than the panic attacks that I had suffered for some time. I truly felt that my current symptoms had been due to the taking of the Prozac although I did have a few manic moments towards the end of tapering off of Celexa.
The intial dosing of Prozac also gave me immense insomnia when I would wake up at 3 in the morning and obsess about going mad, dying etc. I would feel immense anxiety drifting over me which was extremely uncomfortable. I had weird thoughts which led to me becoming obsessed about nearly everything including whether I would harm my children or anybody elses for that matter because I had read some awful stories about side effects of taking Prozac. I was only okay if I was with people or doing something to stop me feeling a bit manic and in some respects I am still a bit like that now.
I don't suffer with insomnia, but I wake up with a depressed feeling. I should point out that also at the beginning of taking the Prozac a second time I had terrible stomach churning anxiety/stomach dropping. I can't stand being on my own. I hate being at home...its almost as if the Prozac has had a paradoxical effect on me. I want to be out all the time. I am driving everywhere and we need to remember also soemthing that I hadn't mentioned, that I developed a phobia about driving following the car accident which was another reason for going on the ADs at first aswell.
I still obsess that I am going mad and when I think about it I get horrendous anxiety going through me. But, I feel really well. I don't want to stop taking this drug because it is making me feel alive and do lots of things, playing tennis etc. In fact I have to do some of the exercise to almost work the anxiety feelings out of me.
I still worry though that I do have agitated depression and that its not being treated correctly but me not taking any notice of the different doctor. I hardly have a day where I feel content. I am probably really depressed now whereas I don't consider that I was properly depressed before. I'm so confused because I don't know anymore whether its the Prozac making me depressed or if I am actually depressed anyway.
I look forward to hearing what some of the experts out there have to say.
Many thanks and sorry its so long.
Posted by olysi79 on January 5, 2005, at 22:46:07
In reply to Is this agitated depression or not?, posted by SuzieWong on January 5, 2005, at 18:44:28
Hi Suzie,
Barbara- this is one for you too, any advice for her on this?Anyways Suzie, It sounds indeed like you are suffering from a mixed agitated depression. I have seen this happen to others and it also happened to me upon discontinuation of an antidepressant,a s well as when I first went ont hem... I absolutely flipped out. It is a mixed state that requires treatment. You should ask your doctor for a mood stabilizerto take with your antidepressant. Also a benzo such as Klonopin or Ativan might help if you take them occasionally. Finally, have an antipsychotic on hand as emergency medicine if you want.
Agitated depressions are often times symptoms of bipolar disorder, perhaps somewhere on the spectrum. It can either be BP II or "soft BP". They contain a mix of both depression and hypomania and they feel very uncomfortable. Quite a few people on the board have experienced them. I put Barbaracat's name in the subject line because she has experienced these too and may have additional advice. I know what agitated/mixed states feel like.... intesnely painful. There's stuff out there you can do. First, get your stress under control as stress really can aggravate these. Second, back to the doctor for med adjustments ASAP. If the current doctor won't help you, time to find a new one that will.> I need some help with the diagnosis of my condition.
>
> I have always worried about death, illness etc since being a small child. I used to be convinced that I was going blind, that I had contracted rabies, that I was going to urinate in public and embarass myself etc etc.
>
> I have never had good esteem, I am shy but most people wouldn't know it, I never feel like I fit in and I worry about relationships etc.
>
> I started developing panic attacks 11 years ago which made me become slightly agoraphobic, it would have been full blown if I didn't recognise the symptoms (my grandmother and aunt suffer with it and to extent I think my mum does too but she wouldn't admit it). Eight years ago I was in a car accident in which I suffered among other things a closed head injury. I was rejected by a group of friends around the same time which didn't help any of the above and I would feel overwhelmed with sadness all the time.
>
> As a result of this my doctor suggested I should try some Prozac which I took for about 6 months. When I came off it I was fine for a while but then noticed a general depressed feeling and the panic attacks and anxiety started to come back. So my doctor put me on Celexa. I didn't actually feel that they did that much good but I carried on taking it for 5 years because I think I didn't actually care. I decided to wean myself off which I did over a 9month period with great problems. I felt I had a terminal illness I was so bad and it wasn't until I found some info on the internet that I realised these were withdrawal symptoms.
>
> After being off Celexa for about 2 months I started to suffer severe rebound anxiety to the extent that I felt the floor was opening up and I was dying. My doctor advised me to take Prozac which I have now been doing for about 9 months at a very low dose ie 10mg.
>
> When I first started taking the Prozac I became extremely manic and agitated. It was driving me crazy and I was constantly at the doctors trying to find something to stop it. My initial dose had been only 4mg and the gradual increasing of the dose gradually reduced some of the mania. However at one critical moment I saw a different doctor and he mentioned the diagnosis of agitated depression which frightened me immensely.
>
> We have to remember here that I started taking Prozac initially because I was feeling overwhelmed with sadness. I had no other symptoms other than the panic attacks that I had suffered for some time. I truly felt that my current symptoms had been due to the taking of the Prozac although I did have a few manic moments towards the end of tapering off of Celexa.
>
> The intial dosing of Prozac also gave me immense insomnia when I would wake up at 3 in the morning and obsess about going mad, dying etc. I would feel immense anxiety drifting over me which was extremely uncomfortable. I had weird thoughts which led to me becoming obsessed about nearly everything including whether I would harm my children or anybody elses for that matter because I had read some awful stories about side effects of taking Prozac. I was only okay if I was with people or doing something to stop me feeling a bit manic and in some respects I am still a bit like that now.
>
> I don't suffer with insomnia, but I wake up with a depressed feeling. I should point out that also at the beginning of taking the Prozac a second time I had terrible stomach churning anxiety/stomach dropping. I can't stand being on my own. I hate being at home...its almost as if the Prozac has had a paradoxical effect on me. I want to be out all the time. I am driving everywhere and we need to remember also soemthing that I hadn't mentioned, that I developed a phobia about driving following the car accident which was another reason for going on the ADs at first aswell.
>
> I still obsess that I am going mad and when I think about it I get horrendous anxiety going through me. But, I feel really well. I don't want to stop taking this drug because it is making me feel alive and do lots of things, playing tennis etc. In fact I have to do some of the exercise to almost work the anxiety feelings out of me.
>
> I still worry though that I do have agitated depression and that its not being treated correctly but me not taking any notice of the different doctor. I hardly have a day where I feel content. I am probably really depressed now whereas I don't consider that I was properly depressed before. I'm so confused because I don't know anymore whether its the Prozac making me depressed or if I am actually depressed anyway.
>
> I look forward to hearing what some of the experts out there have to say.
>
> Many thanks and sorry its so long.
Posted by Mr.Scott on January 5, 2005, at 22:57:31
In reply to Is this agitated depression or not?, posted by SuzieWong on January 5, 2005, at 18:44:28
Hi Suze,
Hang in there...You'll get it figured out!
First thing I would ask is if there is any real suspicion of bipolar disorder? I have bipolar type 2 and I feel much like you describe when I take SSRI antidepressants. That is I still feel like crap except on antidepressants I feel like agitated crap. There is also a condition known as akathisia I recommend you look up on google. It may or may not apply, but can be caused by ssri's.
It's also well known that antidepressants can worsen anxiety in some people. And Prozac is probably one of the worst offenders.
My first instinct would be to allow yourself to taper off the antidepressants even if you have to deal with withdrawal. Eventually...it too shall pass and then you will have a better idea of where you stand and what is causing what.
You may want to check out the link below although it may be a bit too wordy if you're not a freak like me about this stuff.
Scott
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.lieber.html
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