# I need your help



## Roy H. (Nov 12, 2018)

I feel like I'm not going to make it. I've talked to therapists and psychiatrist and - maybe I'm not articulating the social fobia issues enough or something - but being around people is EXTREMELY uncomfortable for me. Eye contact I'd uncomfortable, and the vibes I get from people when they are around me is I make them uncomfortable. 

What the hell is wrong with me? 

This job I'm doing I'm only in because I shut out other opportunities because of whatever social phobia issues there are traumatizing me, and I might walk away from it and give up my house if this keeps on. 

I really don't know what is wrong with me and I need help.

- - - Updated - - -

Just being around people in environments makes me sick to my stomach. I'm begging anyone who has information...to help me.


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## Daniel (Nov 12, 2018)

You may need ongoing professional support for a while.  

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## Roy H. (Nov 12, 2018)

Do I need to be committed?


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## Daniel (Nov 12, 2018)

I mean therapy like every week.  

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## Daniel (Nov 12, 2018)

The front line treatment for social anxiety is some form of behavior therapy like gradual exposure therapy.   So just staying employed can be very therapeutic.

Meds can help but they are obviously  not enough usually on their own.   

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## forgetmenot (Nov 12, 2018)

If you can talk to your work place and see if your hours can be shifted to where there are less people around if that is possible say evening shift or midnight shifts. Although like stated some contact with people is good and with therapy and meds you should not have to be put in hospital. 
   I myself prefer to be alone  i know it is not healthy but it is peaceful and safe.    I do not despise people though i just don't trust them anymore.   I hope you can find a balance that will help you keep working and get more stable  sorry you are suffering right now but there is hope with right meds and therapy that you can learn to be around people without the discomfort.


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## Daniel (Nov 12, 2018)

There are certainly a number of mentally healthy people who work night shifts and other relatively solitary positions.

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## David Baxter PhD (Nov 12, 2018)

@Roy H.

Are you taking any medications currently? If so, what?


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## Daniel (Nov 12, 2018)

And are you currently self-medicating with alcohol or any other substances?


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## Roy H. (Nov 13, 2018)

forgetmenot said:


> If you can talk to your work place and see if your hours can be shifted to where there are less people around if that is possible say evening shift or midnight shifts. Although like stated some contact with people is good and with therapy and meds you should not have to be put in hospital.
> I myself prefer to be alone  i know it is not healthy but it is peaceful and safe.    I do not despise people though i just don't trust them anymore.   I hope you can find a balance that will help you keep working and get more stable  sorry you are suffering right now but there is hope with right meds and therapy that you can learn to be around people without the discomfort.





But that's the thing. My life, for the rest of its duration, is contingent on elements that are out of my control? I don't want to live like that. I don't know how long I can live like that. I already feel like I'm hanging on for dear life. 


Yesterday I filled in for a guy - his 8 hour day shift in a medical device office. Wealthy people all over, and very much many people in your face. I felt like I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown the whole day (the last few days I filled in for him). 



And the sad terrible thing is, the work was EASY. The job was super easy. But my mental anxiety and stress had me on the verge of breaking down. 



This isn't the way it's supposed to be. 



David Baxter said:


> @Roy H.
> 
> Are you taking any medications currently? If so, what?





It's complicated. 


I was on Neurontin for some time (a couple years or so?) since like 2015? But when I started my latest job I asked the doctor for help and then they upped the Neurontin dose to 2700 mg a day and after a while I began to realize that was way too high. 

Then I did more research on it and requested to be taken off it. 


So I was being weened off back in April and was a month off entirely when my dad died. I was in the hospital the day I was to go back to the psychiatrist to get on a new med, and I wasn't going to leave my dad's side, so I missed that appointment. 


Next thing you know, I had to be at a funeral a week later so I started back on the Neurontin I had because I had nothing. 


Since then (May, when my dad died) I went back on a lower dose of Neurontin, and more recently (a few weeks ago) the last meeting with psych he put me on Prozac. 


But I have not started taking the prozac - I'm still taking the Neurontin. I was reading up on Prozac and I hate the side effects that I have read about. 


I am going to have to go back to psych and talk with him and clarify some of this I guess. And ask him for a SAD light as well as I will need one if last Winter was any indication. 



Daniel said:


> And are you currently self-medicating with alcohol or any other substances?




I've slipped a few times since my dad's death in May. I was going on 18 months sober when my dad died in May - the longest I had ever been sober. 


As I said though I have slipped a few times since his death but currently I have been sober 3 weeks, and I saw therapist for first time last week and he has a LADC background and I am going to go back to see him Thursday.


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## Daniel (Nov 13, 2018)

> I was reading up on Prozac and I hate the side effects that I have read about.



But you were on Prozac before, though a number of years ago.


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## Roy H. (Nov 13, 2018)

Daniel said:


> But you were on Prozac before, though a number of years ago.



How did you know? I guess you looked back at an old thread/post I made? 


I was, but I was never sober long enough during that time - I never stayed sober long enough while they had put me on it to know if the benefits outweighed the negatives.


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## Daniel (Nov 13, 2018)

> How did you know? I guess you looked back at an old thread/post I made?



Exactly.


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## Daniel (Nov 13, 2018)

re: side effects

When I have had side effects, half the time they may even be beneficial, at least for a while.  When I was on Cymbalta or Abilify, I felt a little tired but also felt less anxious.  When I was on Wellbutrin, initially it was harder to sleep but easier to exercise (due to the stimulating effects).    

Also, my therapist just told me that genetic testing is now covered by Medicare, Medicaid, etc. to supposedly find which meds may work better for the individual.


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## David Baxter PhD (Nov 13, 2018)

For most people, the side effects of Prozac are far fewer than the side-effects of Neurontin. In fact, for many, there are no major side-effects beyond the initial ones (lasting a few days to a week)as your system adapts to the medication.

Neurontin is a medication used to treat seizure disorders and some pain conditions. Why was this prescribed for you?

See Gabapentin: Side Effects, Dosage, Uses, and More:

* Gabapentin side effects*
Gabapentin  oral capsule causes dizziness and drowsiness. Avoid driving or using  heavy machinery while taking this drug until you know how it affects  you. It may also cause other side effects.

*More common side effects*
 Some of the more common side effects that can occur with use of gabapentin are listed below, along with their rates:


*Dizziness* 28% 
*Tiredness or drowsiness*  21% 
*Loss of coordination* 13% 
*Unusual eye movements* 8% 
*Tremor* 8% 
*Double vision* 6% 
*Blurred vision* 4% 
*Swelling of legs and feet* 2% 
 Also:


viral infection 
fever 
nausea and vomiting 
trouble speaking 
hostility 
jerky movements 
 The  side effect rates are based on patients over 12 years old, as reported  in clinical trials for the brand equivalent, Neurontin. Certain rates  vary by age. For example, pediatric patients 3 to 12 years of age most  commonly experienced viral infection (11%), fever (10%), nausea and/or  vomiting (8), tiredness (8%), and hostility (8%). There were no  clinically significant differences in rates between men and women. For  more information, see the FDA package insert.

 If  these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple  of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor  or pharmacist.

*Serious side effects*
 Call your doctor  right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms  feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.  Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:


*Changes in mood or anxiety.* Symptoms can include:
*thoughts of suicide or dying * 
*attempts to commit suicide * 
*anxiety that’s new or gets worse * 
crankiness that’s new or gets worse 
restlessness 
*panic attacks* 
trouble sleeping 
anger 
aggressive or violent behavior 
extreme increase in activity and talking 
unusual changes in behavior or mood 

Changes in behavior and thinking, especially in children ages 3 to 12 years. Symptoms can include:
emotional changes 
aggressiveness 
trouble concentrating 
restlessness 
changes in school performance 
hyper behavior 

Serious and life-threatening allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:
skin rashes 
hives 
fever 
swollen glands that do not go away 
swollen lips and tongue 
yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes 
unusual bruising or bleeding 
severe tiredness or weakness 
unexpected muscle pain 
frequent infections


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## Daniel (Nov 13, 2018)

It seems then that gabapentin (Neurontin) can both increase and decrease anxiety.

When I did a Google search, I found it is used off-label for anxiety, but the studies are small for its use in anxiety and social anxiety.


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## Roy H. (Nov 13, 2018)

David Baxter said:


> For most people, the side effects of Prozac are far fewer than the side-effects of Neurontin. In fact, for many, there are no major side-effects beyond the initial ones (lasting a few days to a week)as your system adapts to the medication.
> 
> Neurontin is a medication used to treat seizure disorders and some pain conditions. Why was this prescribed for you?
> 
> ...





I believe I was in in-patient treatment for alcohol when I first started taking it. 


I guess I am not entirely sure - it's been some years since I had whatever discussion I had prior to starting on it. 


My memory isn't the same as it used to be. 


I thought I was losing my mind (and body) when they put me on that 2700 mgs and it took me a while to put two and two together to realize that stuff was making me weak/dizzy/lethargic and so on. 


Then I was reading some real horror stories regarding the use of it.


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## David Baxter PhD (Nov 13, 2018)

Horror stories regarding the use of what?


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## Roy H. (Nov 13, 2018)

David Baxter said:


> Horror stories regarding the use of what?



Neurontin


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## David Baxter PhD (Nov 13, 2018)

Well my point is you will probably find Prozac a lot more helpful and easier to tolerate than Neurontin. 

Your doctor prescribed Prozac for a reason. My advice is to give it a try, for at least 6 months.


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## GaryQ (Nov 13, 2018)

Roy, If you were consuming alcohol during any medication trial you can usually write off whatever results you got or side effects since alcohol and most meds don't mix well.


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## Roy H. (Nov 14, 2018)

GaryQ said:


> Roy, If you were consuming alcohol during any medication trial you can usually write off whatever results you got or side effects since alcohol and most meds don't mix well.



I understand that. 




David Baxter said:


> Well my point is you will probably find Prozac a lot more helpful and easier to tolerate than Neurontin.
> 
> Your doctor prescribed Prozac for a reason. My advice is to give it a try, for at least 6 months.




Do you generally ween people off a med they are already on first, before they start the next medication you prescribe for them, or is it usually okay for them to abruptly stop one medication and then the next day start on the new medication?


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## David Baxter PhD (Nov 14, 2018)

I’m not very familiar with Neurontin. Check with your pharmacist or your doctor.


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## GaryQ (Nov 14, 2018)

David is right. Check with your doctor.

Although the primary reason to ween off of a medication is to prevent potential nasty withdrawal symptoms another important one is getting the current one totally out of your system (or st least most of it) because many meds have a very long half life and many meds in combination can have increased side effects or combined side effects of withdrawal from one with the side effects of the other. Which can make you think it’s the new med making you feel like crap. No way to tell if it’s one, the other or the combo causing it but most people will tend to assume it’s the new one because it can’t be the old one they’re not taking it anymore.

i tend to talk to my pharmacist also. That’s his specialty after all. Better safe than sorry. 
P.S. I learned the hard way though to get my pharmacist to call my doc if there’s a serious contradiction because doctors like every other professional don’t appreciate when the patient shows up saying “but my pharmacist told me... and you said” I seen my doc get quite “unhappy” once when I did it.


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