Anxiety and slight apathy

I had decompression in 2013, and have syringomyelia. Over the years I have been on several antidepressants. My issues with them were weight gain, then big bills every time I had to go back 2 or 3 times until one started to agree and work with me, office copays, therapy etc costs, etc. So, like anyone else I just quit taking them.

What have any of you taken for anxiety and depression that has worked well for you?
What I am noticing, is, any kind of stimuli whether good or bad is taking over and I am not stable. My physical therapist has suggested Valerian Root. Currently I am taking 1500 of that usually 2 or 3 times a day GNC brand is what I take.
It works well around the family at home and calms me down.

However, whenever I leave my home environment (not too much) I find it is not working as well. When I leave home I feel very vulnerable and even my heart rate races too fast in traffic. I find myself not leaving home too much anymore because the stimuli is far too fatiguing. Who else goes through this and what are you on, how do you handle it? I simply get tired of paying to go to the doctors until he or she gets it right. I often think I am trying to live a normal life in an abnormal body. It is hard to be something you’re not in today’s fast pasted life.

Sorry you are going thru this catlover72. I had my surgery in Oct of this year and also have been going through depression and anxiety my doctor has not put me on any meds yet. I find it hard to be out of the house too as it just seems to be to much. I will let you know if my Doctor recommends anything so that maybe you can see what your doctor thinks about it for you.

Thank you.

Hi Catlover 72,
I went through the anxiety thing too. I would be driving to work and change directions and go to the hospital. I used the valarerian root and it was good. Have u checked each of your meds to see if they might make u anxious? I took buspar and it drove me crazy. Also, while on one of the benzodiazepines, I would have to take one to get home. I was a mess. I went to a chiropractor that practiced nutritional healing. He helped me get off the meds with natural drugs to rebalance the neurotransmitters in my stomach. There is a book u can download for free called how to get off psychological drugs. It explains what is wrong with the psych drugs and the deficiencies they cause. Also, gives products you can purchase to help you. Best to go to holistic doctor to guide you through process. If u can’t find the book, let me know. Of course a goof B complex is important too. Hope to hear from u.

Thanks for your reply and the little one looks really content :slight_smile:. I wound up giving in even since I posted this and going into see the doctor. Now I am on Lexapro, but I vowed to get off of it the second my weight starts to climb. My cousin keeps trying to get me to see her homeopathic doctor as well. I will be looking into this next spring. I too have tried the Valerian Root and still use it with the Lexapro, but maybe I wasn’t taking enough or something. One of my daughters is still school aged and keeping up with the demands of that seems crippling sometimes. I had decompression in 2013. It really is not an exact science or fix, that’s for sure. Thanks for your reply. I will be looking into the online book as well._

Hello Apple62,
Just wanted you to know I am off the Lexapro…it took me a few months :)!! Thanks for all your encouraging words.

Glad to hear U got off Lexapro. Not sure how pic got on reply.