19 years is a long time with one dr it might make sense to get a fresh perspective. I had my first PDoc and TDoc and make little progress. I didn't know how much progress could be made on my anxiety and depression because I didn't have the right guage. Get a second opinion.

Hi Mattiemae52,
Sorry to hear about your anxiety. If your doctor of 19 years hasn't found something that works for you, I would get another doctor that can help find something that can work for you. Sometimes it does take time to find the right medication, but 19 years seems like along time to have found something that works for you. I personally would think about switching. That's just my thoughts. Good luck, Italianmomma

I'm sorry you've been suffering Mattie. I would strongly suggest making an appointment with a psychiatrist. They are medical doctors that only deal with anxiety and other mental conditions. A psychiatrist will be able to help you go in the right direction.

And, if you don't know which one to go to, it is perfectly acceptable to ask your regular GP doctor for a referral. They will not be angry or upset about you asking. You are asking about a completely different kind of doctor.

Help is out there! Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the responses. @Girlin I have been seeing a PDoc and plan on changing to a different one. The first Doc I saw was a GP and that was a big mistake. It scares me to see someone new.

The doctors I most respect welcome second opinions. They are just over-worked humans taking their best educated guess. You don't necessarily have to switch to get a second opinion. If you have a good relationship with your current doc, it might be worth running the notion past him/her. I did and it worked beautifully. My GP called it, "A triple home run."

Hi Mattie, I can understand being scared to see someone new. You are just asking for another opinion. They won't "make" you do anything new or different. You're just collecting more information and opinions to help yourself feel better. Nothing wrong with that.

I have been seeing the same psychiatrist for 20 years and I decided to get a second opinion about 10 years ago. I was scared too... thinking my regular psychiatrist would somehow find out, lol. I was glad that I did get that second opinion... found out not all generic drugs are the same, it depends on the manufacturer of the generic... something I would have never known, had I not seen a second psychiatrist. It was very useful information he gave me, as now I know more about generic anxiety medications, that they are not all the same.

Thank you all for your kind words and support. Today has been especially hard. Why I don’t know. Feels like I’m losing hope.

Sorry to hear that, Mattie. Journaling helps me when I am having an especially difficult day. Do you ever journal?

Maybe it's the holiday that brings up memories or triggers. Today is almost over, so I hope you get a good night's sleep and that you feel better tomorrow! :)

Hope you are feeling better. I would check into it, and also keep a private journal to help you sort through what needs to be added to your treatment plan.

We did an adjustment several times a year to sort out what worked when and made changes, keeping track of the level of anxiety being managed.

Best wishes.

Hello -

Have you considered the possibility that your anxiety might not be central? Medical science is finally returning to the fact that people are conglomerates of integrated organ systems, not hierarchically arranged modules that require specialist to manage. It’s possible to have a problem in an organ system outside your brain that can mess up your mind and how you feel. The best known example of such a scenario is a problem in the gut. There’s even a fairly new field of medical science, psychoneuroimmunology: the study of the interaction between psychological processes and the nervous, immune and endocrine systems. I benefitted by having my anxiety disorder addressed from that medical perspective. So, if you have chronic gut distress or disorder, consider that your anxiety might be more “bottom up” than “top down.”

Stay Strong

Switch. My doc actually told me he was at the end of his ropes with me, having tried every med with little success, decided my only hope was ketamine. 5000.00 out of pocket, no thank you. Definitely time for a change for you.

Good Evening Dear,

I dont feel correct to say yes or no to recommending you getting a new doctor. I do feel strongly that you should be heard. Do you feel heard by your doctor? If so wonderful. If not, may I ask you why not? Do you think it should be attributed to your doctor? O have you been open with your doctor?

Dear, You deserve the best treatment. Consider where and how you are participating in that treatment and what you need to truly receive what you need.