Long time no talk, eh? I am still having problems with the anxiety attacks. I have gone to a professional psychologist now so that we can isolate the situation and determine what we are dealing with. We have determined that I am suffering from panic attack disorder as well as mild depression. Since I have been suffering from this since I was in preschool we also determined that it is probably due to serotonin levels.Big suprise! Same thing I found out researching on my own. At any rate, I was given Paxil to try and it gave me a weird reaction. My body felt like it was on fire. They said it must have been an allergic reaction and wanted to put me on Xanax and some other anti-depressant. I decided that I am just not comfortable with the meds and I wanted to try something else. My psych said to try 5-htp complex. Since he is not in the natural field he advised me to ask about it in detail from a naturopath. I have researched it and there are many precautions on the long term use and going very high on the doages. What is a good place to start and what are the downsides about long term use? If it works, I don't want to go to a limit and have to stop, you know what I mean (without sounding like an addict)?

Somer,

Aren't you the one who was doing well on Kali Phos., or was that someone else?

Snoopy

yes. That was me to an extent. I did well on kali-phos and then I moved to carc per djkempson. That worked well for a while and it wore off too (even after upping the doses). I figured that I needed to find out what was the root of the problem before I can get rid of it. I wanted to make sure that it didn't have to do with a troubled past and that is where the psychologist came in. I have been taking slow steps because I want to be sure that everything I do will have some sort of result, even if it is negative. I keep trying the different homeopathics and they wear off in a week or two. Uping the dose doesn't help at all. That is why they did some blood tests to confirm that it is a physical thing and not a "mental block". I guess the results were conclusive enough to know that it was an imbalance in the serotonin levels and that is why they put me on Paxil. I figured I would try it but soon learned that I can't get away from my sensativities to pharmaceudical remedies. What a mess, huh? I can say that for the few days that I was on it I had enough of a positive response, in that I was partially attack free and depressed free, and that made me keep looking in the "imbalance" direction. With the difference it made in the headaches, muscle spasms, mood swings, crying, nausea, "boogie man syndrome", uncontrollable outbursts of anger, etc...(as you can see it happened in a short period of time)I am convinced that this is the path. Maybe not pharmaceudically but none the less. I know I skipped around a bit, but you understand the jist of it.

Unfortunately the old thread was long enough ago that I have not found it in the archives. I will try and give a version of it now.
I am 24 year old female who has had panic attacks ever since I was in preschool (age 3). I would get so nervous about seperating from my mother that I would get sick and the nurses would send me home. I continued that trend until I was about 13 years old and began my cycle. It started again and considerably worse after my second child was born. I had an accident in October 2000 (car) that kicked it into high gear. I was nervous about going anywhere so badly that I would throw up either before, during, or after the trip to and from the destination. My heart pounds, I get the chills very badly, I get thirsty, tired, moody,headaches, tmj tenses, skittish, clammy, I feel like I am about to cry at any second, I feel like in my head I am clawing at the windows to get out when on the outside I appear generally normal. I have to get away from everyone and everything. Even my safe zone( my house) isn't good enough if someone is coming over. I would get these spells where I would get angry with my husband (normal spousal fights) and he wouldn't be listening so I would get enraged and start to cry. The crying would make me even more mad because I wasn't sad and I didn't want him to think I was and I would cry more. I would continue this cycle until I couldn't remember why I was crying or how to get out of it. This is new info even for the people who remember my old thread.

I had an interesting childhood. My father molested my sister and I. My mother didn't feel that it was right for her to divirce him for fear that he would have visitation rights. I had a good relationship with my mom. The attacks, by the way, started before any molestation. I was a very content child. A little over anxious to please everyone and make everyone like me, but other that that I was and am pretty well rounded. I had all my immunizations and am allergic to Penecillen. I have no other major medical conditions. I have had problems with my gastrointesinal system, but after lengthy looks at my diet, that is all cleared up now.I have been an active person for most of my life with the exception of the past few years. I had gestational diabetes with my first child and gained 70 lbs. I have since lost 35 of those and am active in the gym. I was very studious in school and I tend to be "needy" in relationships. I am a VERY committed person and a very loyal friend. I think I covered all of the medical and personlity things.

I tried a few things. Pulsatilla 30c, kali-phos 30c, carc 30c, sang 30c, ignatia amara 30c, and ginger for nausea (all of these were increased to 200c and the carc was increased to 1M). I have just started 5-htp 50mg once a day with a partner of L-tyrosine 100mg once a day. It has cut the carbohydrate cravings dramatically, I had a bit of a groggy spell for an hour but it was gone. I even when pumpkin hunting tonight with a group and had nearly no attack. A minute of nervousness and nothing else. I am very unclear about the precautions on 5-htp. I have noticed a warning to not take it long term but does that mean 3 months and stop for good or pulse it?

I neglected to mention that I have been tested extensively for the root of these attack (i was anxious to either pinpoint or exclude and imbalance) and I showed an imbalance in the serotonin levels. I was prescribed Paxil 10mg and had bad reactions. I have taken Buspar and they wanted to put me on Xanax, but I am not terribly comfortable with that so I never picked up the prescription. Since I know that it is a physical and not an emotional problem, I need to hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

If I have left any info out, let me know I will let you know. I am not a person who is shy or reserved about sharing personal info

Kali Phos sounded good. What was your response/improvement with it? Your remedy may be something very close to that.

Regards,
doctorleela

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When I took the kali-phos I felt good on it for about 3 weeks. It started to wear off and I had to move on to 200c. It did not advance anymore even afer the 200c, so I was told to try carc. Like all the other remedies I tried it burnt out. I have a history of these things even with pharmaceudical meds. They work with a bang right at first and then they wear off in a quarter of the time it is supposed to (an example: my epidural. It lasted for and hour and was nowhere to be found).I can honestly say that taking the 5-htp has given me a calming feeling more than anything else I tried.

[ 29 October 2001: Message edited by: somer ]

I never read your earlier posts, but have you seen a homeopath in person? That would be the best thing for you, as the correct remedy would continue to work for you and likely cure you eventually. If that is impossible, maybe the doctor(s) that helped you here before can help again if you email them or bring up your old thread (so they can review the case) and update them with current symptoms.

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Kescah

It has been made mention to me that it wasn't understood what I was talking (5-htp). It is a purer form of L-tryptophan, an amino acid that helps with the balance of serotonin production. That is why it is suggested to be used instead of Paxil, Zolof, Prozac and the others. It is said to subsitute for tranquilizers and creates and all around sense of well being.I now that it is new to the US compared to the other remedies out there, but I was told that it is widely used in Europe and the UK.

Interesting Somer, Must be a sort of supplement, as in vitamins and such. I'm not averse to those when they are indicated and required.


I've not heard much about it though, hope someone will give you a good opinion.

Warm regards,
doctorleela

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5 HTP has been used here for that problem for the last few years. Most people have to take it for a few weeks before getting the benefits.

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Kescah