<p>I see you have received a lot of feedback but I feel compelled to respond. As a person who has suffered debilitating panic attacks when I was about your daughter’s age, I feel concerned about your tone and approach. When I first developed anxiety, I had many family members tell me to be “strong” and “tough it out.” The greatest advice I received came from an ER nurse. I ended up at the ER because I had a panic attack so horrific I actually called the paramedics to my home because I thought I was dying.</p>
<p>I was explaining to her how I was attempting to avoid medication and be “strong.” She told me to be gentle with myself. She said, “You need to stop having panic attacks and if that means you start with taking medication then that is what you need to do.” Something just clicked. I gave in and took an anxiolytic when I felt the suffocating fear approach. I also went to a counselor and learned other approaches to deal with my anxiety. I was able to sort out why I was feeling like this.</p>
<p>Medication rescued me when I was spiraling out of control. I did not need it forever but I thank God it was there when I did. It allowed me to figure things out. Please be accepting of your daughter no matter what. The best advice I can give you is to listen closely to her and provide unconditional love. If that means she needs to take a semester off then do it. It is easier to fix things early then to let things spiral out of control.</p>
<p>My thoughts are with you.</p>
<p>edit: concerning medication- xanax did not work for me as it is so short acting it caused rebound anxiety. What worked for me was klonopin.</p>
<p>I am a Registered nurse and was going through school when this started. Nursing school can be very stress inducing!</p>
<p>I am glad to hear about the medical leave inquiry. Your D doesn’t have to give anything up; she can just hit “pause” on her college program to address this health emergency, and then resume it when she is ready. It happens all the time for all kinds of treatable medical and psychiatric problems.</p>
<p>As an internist, I regularly see people with onset of severe anxiety. This can often be turned around in as little as a couple of weeks. I start treatment myself unless I have concerns about a more complicated mental illness, because most psychiatrists consider it to be an emergency only if the person may require psychiatric hospitalization, and otherwise it can take weeks to get an appointment. My approach is to assess for metabolic problems and to start treatment with both a drug in the Valium class to take as needed (xanax is one, but there are many others), and an antidepressant. Almost all antidepressants work for anxiety and will reduce or prevent symptoms (Wellbutrin is an exception), but they take a few weeks to kick in. The valium-like drugs work immediately but have the potential to be addictive if used long-term, and I will only prescribe them for a few weeks. (Personally I think a psychiatrist should be involved if a longer course is needed.) I encourage my patients to explore non- drug means of treatment - for example cognitive behavioral therapy is effective; but when someone is acutely experiencing severe anxiety, drug treatment will kick in faster than anything else, and will allow the person to function and sort through the issue more calmly. So for Bolete and anyone else in this situation, bear in mind that if timely access to a mental health professional is an issue, many primary care practitioners can also treat this problem. Also a primary care practitioner may be able to help advocate for earlier psychiatric care. I hope your D gets the help she needs!</p>
<p>Bolete, if for some reason she can’t get a medical leave or doesn’t want to take one, ask the college about a personal leave. My D took a semester off for non-medical reasons, and it was no problem at all. When she returned, she just picked up where she left off.</p>
Does Klonopin make you less drowsy than Xanax? I’ve been taking half of what my doctor recommends at one time and about 1/6 of what my doctor recommends in a day since I think he’s far too pill happy, and sometimes I’m still sleepy after I pop a halfie.</p>
<p>*
There are some places (New Mexico, Louisina), and I believe possibly in the military, where psychologists have prescription writing privileges.*</p>
<p>You’re right! In new Mexico & louisana, psychologists can write prescriptions if they have a post doc masters in clinical psychopharmacology.</p>
<p>Wait, she considering dropping out because her stomach growls during class?</p>
<p>Omg, it is embarrassing. It happens to me during big lectures sometimes and it gets me over heated and red because Im just wishing that my stomach isnt extra loud and people dont hear it and look at me…but it never drove me to a point of having panic attacks. </p>
<p>I just find it odd that this is her main problem. Get her help immediately…or just time to breathe and sort things out. I wouldn’t allow her to drop out completely though. Medical leave.</p>
<p>The news is a kick in the guts. Three weeks ago there was much happiness and excitement over the new stage in life and now this. No matter, we will get past this and the process of overcoming adversity will make her stronger. </p>
<p>This is so out of character for my daughter that I’m wondering if the cause is a treatable illness. My daughter is tough. She is a big game hunter who has put many elk, deer, and other critters into our freezer. Twice she was charged by wild boar while hunting with a bow. Scared me, but she thought the experience was exciting. She’s a saltwater angler, downhill skier, soccer player and loves the rodeo. All the while still being a girly girl (not really sure how to make that point). </p>
<p>I called the head of counseling at her college and asked him to intervene because she wanted to come home right away. After looking at the notes from her counseling sessions, he agreed that she should stay and that the counseling center could work on the symptoms quickly while they unwind the cause of the issue. She ended up meeting three counselors and one nurse practitioner at different times. She connected with one who told her it was her choice to stay or to get help at home and my daughter chose to come home.</p>
<p>My daughter thoughtfully explained why she needed to come home and I trust her judgment. She was granted a medical leave and is heading to the finance department this morning to settle things. She’ll find out the status of the scholarships, grants and student loans. I am flying out to pick her up. In the next few days, we will make appointments for a complete checkout by the family doc and gastro doc including all the tests described in this thread. We have mental health coverage and I’ll use their phone consultants to get her into local counseling and a visit to the neuropsy doc. With the help of an outstanding local nutrition and exercise specialist we’ll set up healthy planned diet along with a daily exercise routine and some yoga classes. A full time job, visits with her local friends and lots of love from home and hopefully we can understand this anxiety and kick it to the curb.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for your kind words, advice, support, thoughts and prayers. Reaching out on this forum and all the great replies and notes have brought me comfort. Thank you</p>
<p>“I’m wondering if the cause is a treatable illness.”</p>
<p>I’m sure that it is. Anxiety problems are very treatable and even curable. There are lots of excellent, scientifically validated treatment options. It’s out of character for her because it has as little do with her character as a fever or a rash. She will get better.</p>
<p>Bolete – It sounds like you and your daughter have used some very good judgment in handling this. She sounds like someone who won’t mess around in working on this problem, and I’m glad that you’re there to be a support person for her. Best wishes to you both!</p>
<p>Very best wishes to you and your daughter. My son had a similar experience this summer at a program separate from his university; I ended up flying to get him and bringing him home. We were able to sort things out in the ensuing couple of months, and he’s back - and happy - at school. All of which is to say that this experience is but a small detour on her journey, and you have clearly laid out a wonderful plan for her recovery. Take good care.</p>
<p>Please, please make sure that this is what your DAUGHTER wants. She may need time to kick back and relax. That’s why my son needed. When we thought about it, we realized he’d been in hyperdrive for about five years, excelling at this, that, and the other. He needed to STOP! </p>
<p>I also strongly urge you to contact NAMI - they offer free Family-to-Family education classes to help you understand all the issues involved.</p>
<p>You need to look at the big picture - what will it take to get your daughter healthy on a long-term basis? A few months of resting, IF that’s what she needs, will not hurt anything.</p>
<p>I am so glad to hear that your daughter will be taking a medical leave. But I also want to advise taking things a bit easy, at least at first. A full-time job could be great at some point, but maybe not right off the bat? Maybe first just focus on having her seen by a psychiatrist for a diagnosis, and arranging psychotherapy to help her deal with her anxiety?</p>
<p>ANd may I add thank god you have good mental health coverage. For all the studies and facts we have documenting that anxiety, panic, depression, etc are actual illnesses and not just someone who is a worrier/pessimist, etc. WHY WHY WHY are insurance companies allowed to exclude these conditions from coverage??</p>
<p>Good luck to the OP as you sort this out. It is so much easier to deal with these issues early on and learn appropriate strategies, than living with horrible symptoms and having to relearn appropriate responses to situations. Keep us posted!!</p>
<p>Since your daughter is taking a medical leave, I recommend getting the medical appts. and psychological/psychiatric evaluations done and reviewing/considering their recommendations first before setting up things like an intense exercise program. ( I noticed in your first post you had recommended 90 mins. a day, and for some people with significant anxiety, that could actually increase the anxiety.) Also a full time job might not be a good use of the medical leave time unless her issues resolve quickly. I have seen situations when a student took off a term for medical (mental health) reasons and rushed back without fully recovering or planning for whatever supports and strategies would be needed on return to school and the same problems reemerged. So I wanted to wish your daughter the best but to encourage you not to feel rushed to get everything back to normal. That too can increase anxiety in some people. Hopefully things will resolve soon.</p>
<p>Hugs to you! I know this has been tough especially with a lot of your happy hopes for your D seemingly dashed–but that’s only for now. It’ll be alright. You should be very glad your D has enough faith in you to ask for your support AND knew enough to ask for it. Follow her lead.
I just want to Ditto post 61–if medication is prescribed, try it. It can dramatically shorten the recovery time . These cases are not necessarily something to “power” through. They are real physical problems to be addressed. Just not as easy to see as a broken leg.
Not taking medication doesn’t make you a better person or some kind of “super hero”. I reiterate it because you and your D seem medication adverse and it may be the best avenue.</p>
<p>Bolete, I know it feels like a kick in the gut right now, but it’s a blessing in disguise. Many, many students never let on to their parents that anything is wrong, and suffer in silence or worse. It says a lot for your relationship that she trusted you enough to go to you with her distress. </p>
<p>She needed to come home. Now you’ll be able to make sure she’s getting what she needs, monitor her progress, talk directly with the health care professionals, and watch her get better with your own eyes. Imagine trying to do all of that long-distance.</p>
<p>Remember that she hasn’t lost her dream – not one little bit! This is a detour, but she’ll be back. You’re both going to get through this, and one day she’ll be pursuing that nursing education and career. You just wait and see. :)</p>
<p>More hugs to you. You absolutely did the right thing for your daughter, and that’s the very definition of a good mom.</p>
<p>This is a great website - lists the common emotional responses that people go through when they first experience a mental health issue, and their NEEDS. It really helped our family a lot to learn this info.</p>