Cindy's Story
My anxiety started right after my husband and I bought our first house back in 1996. I had no idea what it was but I'll never forget it. I woke up out of a dead sleep with the pouding heart, hot and cold sweats, feelings that I was dying. You name it I got it. I ended up quitting several jobs because i just couldn't cope. During this time the depression also kicked in. Thankfully I found a good doctor after a little looking who put me on Prozac and xanax. It took a while but eventually I started to feel better.
It comes back on and off throughout the years. I have my ups and my downs. Thank God I have a wonderfully supportive husband. My biggest mistake is that I've always tried to only take the xanax as "needed" instead of taking it as the therapuetic dose i really should be doing. Well I've suffered 2 miscarriages within the last six months. Both of which I had to have a D&C for. Well anyone who sufferes from anxiety knows that things like that can really trigger big time anxious problems. The last one I had a bad reaction from the anestesia and that did it. My sister who is a nurse finaly got me to understand that I HAVE to take my xanax on a daily preventative basis. I just started doing that this weekend and it's already helping me feel much better. It's just so hard to do when I feel okay but as she explained to me (along with my therapist) that if I just take it the way I should then I'll always feel good. If I have a problem and I need an extra dose that is okay to.
I've learned alot about myself during all these years of suffering with this. I have a wonderful little boy and we've decided that I should stop working full time when school starts again and concentrate on being there for him. That in itself helps me to feel better. I always worry I'll freak out at work or something will happen.
Their is help out there and I encourage all of us going through this to find the best things that work for you and stick with it. Don't make the mistake I keep making and stop taking your meds because you're feeling better. Remembe you're feeling better because of your meds!