Topic Title: what happened?
| |  "what happened?"
, Tue 26 Aug 21:26
I was experiencing a really long, severe bout of almost daily anxiety that started a couple of months ago. My daily dose of 1200mg of SJW wasn't helping, so after reading info on this forum and other websites, I started to compliment my daily SJW intake with 5 HTP. It seemed to help somewhat, but as an upcoming camping trip to California approached (I live on the west coast of Canada) I felt my anxiety level increase. I really did not want this trip to be one anxiety episode after another, so I packed along a good supply of 5HTP and SJW for the trip.
Unfortunately, the trip was a disaster. The herbal supplements were not at all helpful; my levels of anxiety reached new frightening heights while on this trip, usually triggered by thoughts of being so far away from home and my children, and worries about having an anxiety attack and humiliating myself and my poor wife. It reached a climax when, one day, I experienced this horrifying anxiety (panic?) attack. It was a physical sensation that started in my head (hot flashes) and worked its way down my body (tingling sensations). I tried not to panic--did deep breathing, positive self-talk, etc, and subsided. But the pangs of anxiety stayed with me the whole trip, ruining what should have been a memorable holiday with the love of my life.
I really have alot of hope for the herbal route to managing this anxiety. I have two siblings who use perscription antidepressents to manage their anxiety/depression and the side effects are truly scary.
I'm making arrangements to talk to a counsellor about my anxiety. I'm afraid that he'll refer me to my family doctor who will no doubt perscribe some crap drug.
Have any of you been at this crossroad? I really want keep trying the herbal route. I'll keep changing dosages (at one time on this trip i was probably taking 400mg of 5HTP plus 1200+ mg of SJW with no affect.) I just bought some L-tyrosine and I'll compliment it with the 5HTP and SJW to see if that helps. I tell ya, at this point I feel so weary about all this--and pissed off at having to endure this illness. I recall somebody--a doctor I think, saying that using herbs to battle emotional illnesses is like using a pop gun against a army. I'm almost starting to believe it.
Of course now that I'm back home the anxiety has lessened. But I don't want to live my life having to avoid life's pleasures just so I won't have to experience the hell of another bout of anxiety. It's like living a half life.
Posts: 2 | | Registered: Fri 11 Jul 2003 16:40 |
| |
| | "Re(1):what happened?" , Wed 10 Sep 11:38
Nanabeat - I strongly recommend Perika from Nature's Way. It is by far the best St. John's Wort supplement out there. It is the gold standard. It is standardized with 3% Hyperforin. The basic dosage is 900mg per day. However if you have strong anxiety I recommend starting at 900 and after 2 weeks increasing to 1800mg. Do this by taking 2 tablets with each meal. Stay on this for a 2 month period. I guarantee you will see major results. It will change your life! Best of luck and let me know how it goes. I expect to hear back from you in 2 months.
Posts: 13 | | Registered: Sat 23 Aug 2003 15:35 |
| |  "Re(1):what happened?"
, Fri 29 Aug 05:09
I can relate to how you were feeling on that trip. The same thing happens to me practically every time I'm away from home, out of my element. Through therapy I've learned to talk to my husband. I tell him, I'm having an anxiety attack, feeling overwhelmed, freaking out...he usually tells me to go take some 5htp and Kava Kava, but he also helps to relieve my anxiety by finding out how he can help. Also, I try my best not to think about "what if's" and just live in the moment. I know my biggest problem is what I think other people expect of me...for example, I'm going back to school, and my parents are so excited for me, telling me I'm so smart, it will be easy for me to get straight a's. Yikes, my heart is pounding away just thinking about it!! Their expectations are so high what if I fail! I hate those what if's they really screw me up.
Anyways, I think medication can only help to a point and then we need to change our lives, the way we think, in order to relieve the anxiety. Sometimes therapy is the best choice, an other perspective is a good thing, and learning skills to cope with the anxiety and change. I've been considering going back to my therapist myself.
MJ DuPont
Posts: 582 | | Registered: Wed 20 Jun 2001 6:19 |
| | | "Re(2):what happened?" , Wed 10 Sep 14:04
There is relief waiting for you, somewhere, somehow... don't give up. You might have to look for a long time. I know I did. I looked for 7 years till I found my dosha appropriate herbs and believed in them. You know, placebo accounts for a good 20 percent of the perceived effects. You must have confidence in your doctor and yourself.
Posts: 12 | | Registered: Mon 18 Aug 2003 14:41 |
|
|
Home
email/admin 
SJW home 
forum index
