Please send prayers and wishes

[lizziegrace]

My daughter has suffered from severe anxiety and panic disorders since she was 12. The last two weeks, she's been in a downward spiral again. We have a appointment with her doctor this afternoon and I hope she can help get all this straightened out. Since her boyfriend unceremoniously dumped her, she's been going downhill.

I know it's easy to say "suck it up" and "get over it", but going back a couple generations, that's not how she came hardwired into this world. She's trying very, very hard to maintain here.

6 years ago, I came within hours of having her hospitalized. I pray we're not going down that same path, although this all feels so familiar.

I have to go to work. I'll be back on later this afternoon with an update.

Thanks to all of you.

[Beware the Beast Man]

1. Most definitely. Anxiety really sucks.

:hug:

[miss_american_pie]

2. Oh the poor dear

Stay strong for her. :hug:

[billyskank]

3. Oh no

:hug:

[peekaloo]

4. Best wishes for you and your daughter.

:hug:

[bluethruandthru]

5. Prayers and good thoughts for you both!

Panic disorder is not something that can be overcome by "sucking it up". She's very fortunate that she has a wonderful mother who recognizes that. Lots of good medications out there now that can help tremendously. Keep us posted on her progress.

:hug:

[NewWaveChick1981]

6. Good vibes coming your way...

I'm sorry for her and for you that she suffers this disorder. :hug: I hope everything turns out in a positive way!

[RFKHumphreyObama]

7. My thoughts, prayers, best wishes and positive vibes to you and your

daughter LizzieGrace. I hope your daughter's OK and that everything works out for the best

And for the record I would never say that your daughter should "suck it up" or "get over it" -especially if she is suffering from panic or anxiety disorder. Your daughter's feelings and emotions are of paramount importance and people react differently to life's experiences. It is just important that we be there with love, patience, tolerance, understanding and sympathy when people experience those feelings and emotions.

I'm sorry Lizziegrace. I do hope everything will be OK with your daughter and for you. I'll keep you both in my thoughts and prayers :hug:

[bigwillq]

8. Sending my good wishes and positive vibes!

Hope everything works out for her. :hug:

[reyd reid reed]

9. I'll keep both of you in my thoughts...

And send all the positive energy I can pull together your way.

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. My dear lizziegrace........

All my good thoughts and prayers are headed your way, sweetie........

I am so sorry your daughter is suffering so much.......

And you alongside her.....

Wish I were there right now so I could lend a hand to you both......

I will be watching for your update.......

:hug:

[MissHoneychurch]

11. Best of luck for your daughter and yourself and your family

:hug:

[MissMillie]

12. Lizzie, I'll keep your family in my prayers

:hug:

I'm so sorry that things are not going well.

[WCGreen]

13. Oh Lizzie.....

I pray for you....

[Midlodemocrat]

14. lizziegrace, good thoughts and prayers to you and your daughter.

:hug:

[flamingyouth]

15. Definitely

That really, really sucks. People who say "suck it up" or "get over it" obviously don't know how devastating this illness can be. I do. And I feel for you and for your daughter. All my best to you. :hug:

[Ohio Joe]

16. All the best to you and your daughter

:hug:

[jobycom]

17. Good luck, you.

Some people can't suck it up, that's how it works. Hope she and you can get a handle on it. You both have my sympathies and well-wishes. :hug:

[Kajsa]

18. I'm sending prayers, good vibes and wishes

to you and your daughter.

There is no "suck it up" with the disorders you described.
Medical attention is what she needs and is getting.

I'm sending a big hug your way.

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

19. We're back

I found out that since we have no insurance and we're living on 1/2 the income I used to bring in, my daughter had been cutting her pills in half to conserve... Add that to the recent relationship breakup and we have a mess. The doctor has doubled her Paxil dose and gave her a med to take for "breakthrough" attacks. There were several other things that should have been discussed, but she insisted on going in alone and forgot.

Anyway, I hope this keeps her on track. I was up until 1:00am with her and she got back up again around 5:00am with a bad attack. I found her downstairs on the couch when I got up at 6:15.

Thanks for all the good wishes. I tend to have anxiety issues myself, so sometimes I feel I'm not much help.

:hug: to all of you. You mean the world!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

20. Lizzie ---

has your daughter tried taking cognitive behavioral therapy? I have suffered from panic disorder with agoraphobia since I was 28. I spent the first 8 years just about out of my mind, running from treatment to treatment (including meds) trying to get a handle on it. I then when through a CBT course at Kaiser and it truly changed my life.

I was almost 100% panic free for many years after (I still used meds to fly) -- I recently had a relapse due to a combination of perimenopause (not uncommon, I found out in CBT class due to the hormone shift) and a family crisis. I think my relapse would have been 100% worse if I had not had CBT treatment.

If you want to chat about it, just IM me.

[lizziegrace]

21. When she goes back to college in the fall

The university has a young adult counselling group and the specific targets are students dealing with depression and anxiety issues. She will be covered under student health then and I've encouraged her (okay, demanded) that she attend and find other strategies and methods to cope with this. Medication is okay for her, but it's obviously not the best course for the long-term... She's only 19.

Thank you so much for the information. I'll find out if CBT is part of the program. If it isn't, as soon as I get full-time work with benefits, I'll find one that is.

:hug:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

22. She can beat this...

I'm very happy to hear there is a program at her school -- it can only help her.

Here is the website of one of the more well known CBT organizations:

http://www.stresscenter.com/

It is the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety run by Lucinda Bassett -- you may have seen their commercials on TV.

CBT is all about learning what is happening to your body when you have a panic attack or high anxiety, what causes it, discovering what your triggers are, exposing yourself to your triggers repeatedly until you develop a tolerence to your triggers, and learning tools to deal with the mental and physical aspects of panic. It is NOT focused on past traumas or talking in the traditional theraputic way -- they feel that that type of therapy can actually be counter productive when dealing with anxiety. I went through years of traditional therapy with little impact on my disorder -- but the three month course I took from Kaiser had me completely changed.

I should also add that there is another alternative therapy called neurobiofeedback that I had good success with after my relapse. It is biofeedback for the brain -- and I found it very effectve for my anxiety and related depression. The downside is that it is expensive (which is why I stoppped) and not widely available. It is being used very siccessfully for ADD and ADHA, too.

Good luck to your daughter!