h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

do you mind me asking what meds you're taking? (psych nurse here.)

Sure, no problem.
I am in UK so maybe in differant name in USA, as I believe you are.
If you know of any bad effects,side efects, etc from this medication please DON'T tell me as so bad before anything is beter than before new meds!
It is LYRICA 200mg 3 times daily. I was on 100mg 3n times daily but effects were less. I expect this dosage is fairly high.
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It is also called Pregabalin, the name on prescription.
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It really has helped as 2 days ago I was nearly running up and down my flat arms bouncing, totally unable to think straight and heart pounding. It was so bad I was even talking to myself as pumped full of adrenaline! A really bad panic attack, the worst so far, and yet I was relaxing at home.
I had been having those practicaly none stop but to a lesser degree at least hourly and a lot of time arms bouncing too while sitting down and very tense all the time. It has been diagnosed as Severe Chronic Anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder).
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I am having a thyroide and all organs blood test to see if an organic cause. The doctor thought I might be anemic as looked in eye lids and is testing for that too.
I remain anonomous(sp?) on here so can say such things and amd I hope this helps you and others!

Luckily enough, generic names are mostly the same. I won't tell you any bad effects, if you're savvy on the computer, you can scare yourself bad enough. I'm glad that your doctor is looking for other things as well. Some docs just try to throw drugs at symptoms without trying to figure out what's going on.
Anxiety and depression can be a helluva thing to deal with. I deal with those myself, tho, it seems, not as bad as you. It helps to have an anonymous place to go and vent. thanks for sharing with me.

You are welcome to look at "Depression" on my personal space here as has more history of me and mentions Sertraline anti depressant I take but it is now 100mg daily and seems to be stopping mega blues. Posting on h2g2 has been a great support for me and to find I am not alone!
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I won't look on internet for side effects of Pregabalin as I will go with the flow and I feel alive today but when I had that major panic attack I feared for my sanity big time ! I was actually walking around saying "I am a loony." out loud. That was really scary. It might just be adenaline overload but it felt scary to me as out of control!
Today I feel really relaxed and ok and smiling as I type this, can you belive it!

I should add that I have seen two doctors and they both ordered differant bloodtests and one asked for T3,T4,etc and one has asked for "Bone Profile" I think, also one doctor actually did tests of me looking at a pen as it moves around and he asked me to squeeze his hands as another test. There are absolutely loads of tests requested on the 2 bloodtest bags/forms I was given but too many to write out here!

i do believe the smiling and happy thing. One thing that i've found is that getting regular exercise and trying to maintain a regular sleep schedule helps both the depression, and the anxiety. A doctor that i know says that getting an hour of exercise in the sun can help you as much as some antidepressants. I don't know if you have that much sun where you are, in the damp UK, but here in canada, its possible.

Since I am still sick off work the Sertraline has been raised to 150mg daily as depression is creeping up again, it is an antidepressant mainly but may help with bad shakes and panic attacks I am still getting.
Sadly Pregabaline is at top dosage so can't go higher. The depression increasing a little is inevitable really as shakes, etc has now been here 7 weeks, the false Asthma type symptoms were here for around 3 months on top of 7 weeks.
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I fear I won't be given another anxiety medication if Pregabaline doesn't work as perhaps no point as suspect it is quite strong. I suspect that the next stage would be some sort of medication so strong I couldn't think straight or walk in a straight line which would be worse than I have now.
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I would not be surprised if it all got so bad at some point in future I had to take so much time off sick working would not be possible. I am prepared for this as my spending isn't great and could survive, and to be honest at times I feel weary of working so wouldn't be heartbroken.

what kind of behavioural treatment/focus have you tried? I'm thinking cognitive behavioural therapy, being more active (which, i know, is difficult when youre depressed) Meds are not always the answer. There is also light therapy (which, in the fall, winter, and the UK might be an answer.)
I hope you feel better.