I take a beta blocker and klonopiin for my panic attacks and mine are BAD! the beta blocker is inderol and that works wonders and has from day one. I also have xanax for breakthrough attacks, but don't have to use them very often! Paxil worked very well for me for 7 years, but has alot of sexual side effect and THAT was hard for my hubby and I to deal with! I mean I could care less if I ever had sex again while on paxil! :(

Best of luck to you dear! :)

I am on day two of weaning myself off Citalopram and am feeling pretty darn crappy. Yesterday went pretty good (I went from 40 mg down to 20mg) but today I can really feel it. However, I am going to ride it out and then once I'm used to this dose I'll go off it completely.

I'm tired of the meds, tired of the side effects. My agoraphobia has been at an all time high lately, I'm assuming I am getting towards the end of perimenopause. It doesn't seem to matter whether I take my Citalopram or not so I decided to wean myself off it.

Last time I saw my doc he asked how my agoraphobia was and I told him worse than ever and his reaction was "ok" and nothing else. He didn't even look up from his prescription pad.

I have Clonazepam I can take when things really get out of hand, as I go through the withdrawal from Citalopram. I'm going to try not to rely on that though and simply ride it out as best I can.

Last time when the doc wanted me to try Effexor instead of Citalopram he told me just to stop the one and start taking the other right away, but the pharmacist told me I had to wean off one and then slowly start the other. I felt shitty for about a month and then ending up not being able to handle the Effexor side effects, so had to go through the weaning again to get back onto Citalopram.

I do wonder, if it is this hard to get off these types of meds, what exactly are they doing to our brains?
I never did get a 'chemical imbalance' test when I was diagnosed and told I needed this medication. Nor did I ever get a 'chemical balance' test to see if we were at the right dose. I always found that rather strange.

Anyway, for better or worse, I think I'm done with medications.

I don't have high blood pressure, but I sure do have panic/anxiety. I only thing that I have found that has helped wtih this is Xanax. All the anti-depressants made my anxiety/panic worse. I know that Xanax has a bad rap, but for me and many others I know it has been our saving grace.

Take care and good luck on finding somethinig that works for you. There is no reason to suffer from anxiety and panic when there is medication to help.

Hugs,

Sheila

I agree Shelia. I have been on Klonipin for many years, long story but of course the anxiety from perimenopause/PMS is awful. I say if you can take a drug, do it. I took xanax for years after my dad died and once my life settled down I stopped. But only you know when the time is right. I dont care what they say about addiction. I got off them once and will again whenn the time is right for me. God bless all you ladies who are on this journey with me; it can be hell!!