I've been through quite a lot my entire life with depression/ocd and anxiety. I've been ok for a year off meds but recently since being diagnosed with PCOS and having alot of stomach problems, my anxiety is coming back pretty badly, and mostly at night. It's always after 4pm that it will start to kick in, and sometimes I will get a full fledged panick attack, to where I dont know what to do because I have no anti anxiety medication. I try to busy myself or watch tv, sometimes I will pace and or try to light candles and relax with deep breathing..but I am just sick of them in general. I hate my mind and body, and I dont want to live like I did before. It turns into social anxiety, because I am afraid of going out and having an anxiety attack. My insurance is up soon and I cant go back on paxil unless I want to pay $120 a bottle..
Does anyone else get these at night, or have had social anxiety..and what did you do for it??
NOTHING has helped me besides medicine and then therapy and learning techniques. I hope one day I will be able to get off the medicine and just use what I have learned in therapy but not yet. I was at the point where my attacks came on out of no where so I had no way to know when it was gonna happen and it would be so bad my throat felt like it was closing and I thought I was literally dying. The symptoms were as real as someone going through it rather than just a panic attack. It has been the most scary thing I have ever expierenced. I didnt want to go out bc I was contantly in fear of another attack and being around people made it worse. The medicine has taken a while but gradually it helped more and more. I still get mini attacks and have even had I think 2 full huge panic attacks since starting the medicine but they were still not as bad as the original ones. I still worry about having an attack but the meds and therapy have helped a lot. I am no where near cured but I am def. a lot more happy and calm then I was a few months ago.
Is there a clinic or anything for low cost or a sliding scale so you can get medicine? Big Hugs. Nothing I did before medicine and therapy helped and I tried EVERYTHING. I was ashamed (thats why it took me so long to tell my Dr and get meds) of not being able to control myself and having these attacks. Finally I got to the breaking part with my life being out of control and i was in total fear the whole day of having another attack and when I did I would think I was dying. I am here if you want to talk. If nothing is working then I would say the medicine is priceless. I hope you can find somewhere that will give it to you for less. Maybe even go to the ER/urgent care for your next severe attack and they can give you some sample or a place where you can get medicine for less. Hope I helped a little
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I have had various forms of anxiety and when I lived alone or when roommates were gone for the weekend I would have anxiety attacks at night. Since then I have started therapy and first started out on Lexapro and am now on Celexa (safer for pregnancy). The combo of therapy and medicine has really helped.
Since you are a student, does your school have a health center. If so, they may offer therapy for little or no cost to students (probably for a limited number of visits, though). Also, there are some relatively inexpensive insurance plans available for students. My other suggestion is to see what your doctor thinks of your trying generic Prozac or Celexa. Those would be much, much cheaper than any of the brand name antidepressants.
You do have options, sometimes they just don't jump out in front of you. Also, you could see if there are any medical studies in your area for anxiety/depression and by participating you would get medication and treatment for free!
You can't let yourself feed off negative thoughts about yourself (although it is so easy to do!). From your profile it sounds like you are really smart and capable and have a bright future!
Another option is to check around at local churches or health clinics, some of them may offer counseling/therapy for little or no cost.
I know how difficult things can get, but just don't give up on finding a way to get help. It is out there!
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Having been through similar relapses with depression.... pleeeease consider getting back on your meds before it escalates. I hated having to go back on mine, but in the short and long term it did me the world of good a prevented a full relapse
My health insurance does not pay for anything related to mental health but I am able to get generic Prozac (which has really helped with my anxiety and depression) for $20 per month. It's even cheaper (like $10 per month) at Sam's and Costco but I use CVS. Just from experience, if you have true anxiety disorder, there are very few things besides meds that will really help...at least for me anyway. When I am having anxiety/panic attacks, it is usually worse at night for me too. I'm not sure why that is.
Also, your school should offer free counseling. When I was in college, it was student support services that I went through for counseling. I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Mandi
__________________ Mandi-30 Ron-35 Married 6/14/03 DX-2001
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I work within the mental health field AND am a patient so I know all about the crappy high cost of medications. With Medicare Part D (as well as Medicaid reforms within my state), benzos are no longer covered and it's becoming more and more difficult for people to afford their necessary meds for mental health.
Here's what you CAN do...
1. Every drug company has their own patient assistance program. Search their website until you find the information or ask your doctor if they are familiar with it and already have the apps.
2. Once you find it, the requirements will be: You have no third party insurance that will cover the medication (you can have it, but it won't cover it) and/or you can't afford the medication otherwise. I think income requirements usually are around 50k for the household.
3. Fill out the application even if you aren't sure if you qualify...the psychiatrist's office has to send it off for you and the meds usually come directly to the office or sometimes to your home.
4. In the meantime, get samples. Drug companies make samples for a reason. Tell your doc you want to stay on it but can't afford it.
Now, if you decide that medications aren't the route for you...I'd suggest some empowerment exercises. When you start to feel anxious, do a web search for ways to battle anxiety. Makes sense huh? The more proactive you are about fighting this... the more control you are going to have and the more IN CONTROL you are going to feel.
Again, I wish I could take my own advice. My anxiety is eating me alive right now and I don't even know why. It sucks. I can't focus and I can't stay on task. At nighttime, without ativan, I have horrible nightmares. It's uncool.
I do, however, feel better when I'm doing something like this. I see this as a step forward. I'm not just sitting here in misery. I'm trying to get better. I'm talking. I'm listening. I'm alive this way. I'm not hiding.
I also plan and make lists when I'm anxious. It helps to do things like look at my resume and feel proud at what I stand to accomplish if I can pull through this, etc...
Hope you are feeling a little better just by writing, take care
NOTHING has helped me besides medicine and then therapy and learning techniques. I hope one day I will be able to get off the medicine and just use what I have learned in therapy but not yet. I was at the point where my attacks came on out of no where so I had no way to know when it was gonna happen and it would be so bad my throat felt like it was closing and I thought I was literally dying. The symptoms were as real as someone going through it rather than just a panic attack. It has been the most scary thing I have ever expierenced. I didnt want to go out bc I was contantly in fear of another attack and being around people made it worse. The medicine has taken a while but gradually it helped more and more. I still get mini attacks and have even had I think 2 full huge panic attacks since starting the medicine but they were still not as bad as the original ones. I still worry about having an attack but the meds and therapy have helped a lot. I am no where near cured but I am def. a lot more happy and calm then I was a few
I totally agree with KinberlyHeidi. I was the exact same way until I was given Lexapro and taking it on a daily basis. I am still afraid that I will get a full blown anxiety attack one day but for now the meds are helping. I am hoping that one day I will be able to get off themeds just like KimberlyHeidi but I think I will take baby steps for that. Maybe you can talk to your doctor and see if you can get a generic brand of meds for now.(((hugs)))
__________________ Amy Diagnosed with PCOS in 2002 irregular cycles Metformin 850mg 2x a day To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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Thanks to all who replied, I read every comment and I can relate to all of them...but I still don't want to go back on medication. I am scared to death of what to do when my insurance is up..I am having so much going on medically with me right now and potential surgery, that I think it's a big cause for my anxiety attacks. I'm afraid if I go back on medication I wont be able to afford it anymore and have to stop it cold turkey which is a horrible thing to do.
I have been researching alot about it, and trying all the alternative routes..meditation, keeping busy, listening to music, aromatherapy, breathing techniques and herbs like valerian, chamomile, skullcap..and it does help. But not as much as medication would.
I am having so much trouble coping with the stomach problems I've been having and trouble with school/doctors, that I'm just a nervous reck. Not to mention PCOS symptoms and a rocky relationship on top of it all. Although my bf does try and help me anyway he can when I am having an anxiety attack in his presence..sometimes I want to be alone with one but he forces himself to stay and will just sit it out with me, talk to me, rub my feet, etc. Last night I was having a bad one along caused from this constant stomach upset and he helped me..so I am glad he understands somewhat.
Just talking on here and reading replies and advice, gives me strength and hope and calms me down and I wanna thank you all so much for that.
I plan on calling my doctor maybe tomorrow about this..I just feel HORRIBLE cause I have litterally been to my doctors about 20 times the past couple months, I am afraid they will start not taking me seriously and think I'm a hypochondriac...
Nightime Anxiety? 
