Does anyone here have anxiety?

I had an anxiety attack that put me in the hospital overnight... doc put me on cymbalta... um... my weight loss stalled... until I stopped taking it due to an allergy to the meds... (made me cough and sneeze)... lost a few since being off... but I think I have gotta find something else...I highly recommend doing SOMETHING...

I have had anxiety for about ten years, give or take.
It really does blow, but it is something that we have to live with. I would recommend going to see a doctor for help, but not a medical doctor, someone that deals with this (psychologist I think? I always get them mixed up) and they have different kinds of medication that they can put you on. I have Xanax, I have not gained weight from it... But each person is different.

I had that before. If you don't want to take meds, you could try something more natural. I took st john's wort extract. It's an herb, and is not addictive. It takes a few weeks to build support your body's ability to normalize, but you'll feel pretty normal within 4-6 weeks. It takes several months to heal your imbalance. I found that I could taper off my dosage after 3 months of taking it. You can keep a bottle on hand in case you feel you still need support.
A nice side benefit is that you will sleep better after taking the herb, which helps weight loss IMO.
Here's a link, if you want to read about the herb. Best wishes!
http://www.enetmd.com/content/treat-anxiety-and-depression-hypericum-st-johns-wort

My understanding is that it does interact with some meds, so you should be aware of that. I never take meds.

I have anxiety and depression. Last year I was on medication for it which caused me to gain over 30 lbs in 2 months. Currently I'm not on any medications due to the weight gain and other side effects. I am in psychotherapy for the past 2 months and despite the cost it is helping a lot. I just got back from a concert where I didn't cry or have an anxiety attack. There are some days where I still feel it a lot, but this has surprised even me. I'm not sure if the depression will ever go away, but my treatment is far from over. I just want to let you know that it can get to a much better place than where it is at.

I've been on Celexa for about 3 years, and it did not hinder my weight loss efforts at all. Part of the problem with anti-depressants putting weight on people may be that it makes them feel a bit more relaxed, therefore they might be hungrier or feel like indulging more.

When I am depressed or anxious, I will actually forget to eat, or just not feel like eating. When I started Celexa, I put on an extra 20 pounds because I ate more. It wasn't because of the drug essentially, but because I was eating at a surplus. That's mainly why some people put on weight when starting the medication.

When I started tracking my intake, the weight fell off.

The best thing you can do is be mindful of your intake and make sure to log your food, to ensure that you are not overeating.

^^This. Plus I've been on Fluoxetine (the generic form of Prozac) for several years and it's never contributed to my weight gain. Most of the gain was from me being an idiot and eating as a form of coping. Tracking with MFP has helped a lot.

Plus your doctor should know the side effects of the drugs they prescribe and if they don't, they better find out. I make my doctor do that before I leave the office. One, I like to know what it is I'm taking and Two, they can't remember everything. So you might find out by making them look that it reacts with another drug your taking or what not. They are getting paid more then I will ever make. Get your answers before you leave.

I've had Anxiety since I was a Kid. Suffered with mammoth Panic attacks. Occasionally still do.

Ive never taken meds (probably should have) Been through some really dark patches, contimplating suicide in the past, but have managed to work through it.

Ive always delt with the problem alone.

When i was younger, it was delt with as a sign of weakness, so through that, i hardened up. Probably too much.

Problem now is, when i feel the anxiety picking up, or the Panic setting in, i now deal with it in anger. It was the only way i was able to control it.

Probably really should have it seen to, but its been so long now, i guess im used to it....like its normal..

I used to have all kinds of meds, in the end I was 30 kilos heavier and I have sworn never again! + it took me months to get off the oxazepam! I stopped using pills, determine to face my problem instead of running away from it any longer. Meds don't solve your problem, they only supress it and sooner or later you have to deal with it anyway. What helped me getting over my panic attacks was quiting drinking alcohol and cafeinne, selfhypnosis, breathing exercises and when I felt one coming up I told myself: "Okay I'm ready for it! Let it come!" and gone it was. The first time might be bad, the second time it is somewhat less, etc etc...

Psychiatrists are the ones with medical training who can prescribe medication. Psychologists often provide "talk therapy" and other coping skills. Very easy to mix them up. They often work together as a team with one monitoring the drugs while the other handles therapy sessions.

My favorite "self-help" book is called "The Heal Your Anxiety Workbook" by John Arden. I like the chapter on changing your diet to avoid triggers for anxiety (such as foods or drinks with a lot of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and/or salt), plus recommendations on what to add to your diet to fight anxiety (includes Omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, C vitamins, calcium, magnesium and potassium). "Good" foods include fresh fruits and veggies (not canned due to salt content), whole wheat, milk, yogurt, peanuts, tofu, beef, fish, chicken, etc. I've managed to cut out most caffeine and started taking vitamins, but I still struggle with sugar and salt.

Another section of the book that works for me are breathing exercises, especially if I feel an anxiety attack coming on. My favorite exercise is slowly breathing in, hold your breath for a moment (5-10 seconds is my preference), then slowly exhale as much air as you can. Repeat several times. Slowing your breathing helps to calm your body and mind down so you can relax. If I feel my heart pounding or racing due to anxiety, I know it's time to focus on my breathing.

i have severe anxiety that attributes and triggers my eating disorder which is bulimia. my best friend's husband is a orthopedic surgeon as well as a very well trained nutrition guru and he suggested a natural supplement called "neuro chill" . completely legal and works better than Valerian which i have taken now for a few years. the company that makes it is called "mind nutrition" i highly recommend looking into it. it works quickly like xanax which i took for 8 years and now live over seas and it's not readily available and i started taking neuro chill in place of it and it works identically only non addictive and not a crash with more anxiety.

Yes, they can increase your appetite and depending on the drug they might have an impact your metabolism. I've found I can lose weight on them if I stick to my calorie goals, it's slightly harder, but not impossibly so. The hunger is often more pronounced on certain drugs.

If you're reluctant to take medication, a course of CBT is often very useful for anxiety. (Panic attacks, if you have them, may need a slightly (or totally) different approach to any anxiety management you receive.) CBT is useful because it can help tackle the root of the problem without having to examine the nitty gritty of it. It's more logic/strategy based which some people might find easier/more useful.

One step you can take in the meantime is to start doing breathing exercises. There are lots of examples on the net, but at first just simply concentrating on your breathing and forcing yourself to breathe more slowly can help mitigate an anxiety attack. Once you get better at it, you may be able to thwart a panic attack, or at least ease the intensity of one.

Good luck with it all, OP.