Anxiety

[Dens47]

Hi,

I'm 47 and a male.

I was just diagnosed with GAD. I was treated for depression about 14 years ago with Prozac. It worked great at that time, made me feel like a new man. I thought I was getting depressed about 3 years ago and went back on Prozac - this time I didn't really notice a difference and stayed on it a little more than a year. This past year has been brutal. First my son (then 15) decided to move halfway across the country to live with his Mom. Stress. Then my new wife's grown son moved back in with a deadbeat friend. Stress. Then his girlfriend moved in (we have a 3 bedroom house). More stress. Then deadbeat moves out but I'm told girlfriend is pregnant and they will be staying. Even more stress. They have a baby - it screams all the time. Stress. Neither stepson or girlfriend do anything to help around the house, I'm washing baby bottles. More stress. Their room looks like a pig pen (literally ) more stress. I end up in a hospital for 8 days following an emergency appendectomy. My son tells me over the summer that he wants to come back. His mom doesn't agree so we're in court. More stress. He moves back and I find he's been using alcohol and pot. Jeez! My wife and I are talking divorce and we're upside down in our house. I'm totally out of it.

In the past the only thing that could keep me from thinking, thinking, thinking was alcohol. Sometimes I could just drink one or two and feel better. Other times I'd need more. But, I was withdrawn, tired, irritable and sometimes just plain mean. That pretty much is driving my wife away and I don't think she trusts that I will continue treatment.

I called a psych and told him what was going on. He started to tell me to go on Prozac and I told him I needed something to handle all the anxiety So, he put me on Lexapro. I've been on it 5 days. I'm starting to jog and go to church again. I'm seeing a therapist. I'm looking into Yoga. I'm not drinking and the urge to drink to excess is gone, though my wife and I still have a glass of wine.

I'm totally all over the map. I have good times, I have bad times. I'm just trying my hardest to stay even. I've got a great job that I normally love, but it is a real grind getting things done right now. I know I had a bit of a placebo effect as soon as I got the new pills but today I've had another panic attack. That was something I didn't know I was having the past year, I just thought it was stress.

I just need to know that things are going to be all right. Has anyone felt like this here? Anyone been on Lexapro?

Dennis