Anxiety, advice please

[ParrotsEtEmAll]

Hi, I've NC, as I will be identifiable from this post.

I think I've suffered from anxiety for years, possibly since I was a teenager. I went to my GP earlier this year - she agreed that I was probably suffering from anxiety (and was worried that this might slide into depression). She referred me for CBT and prescribed me a low dose of Citalapram. I found the CBT quite useful, and my anxiety decreased over the course, but unfortunately increased sharply at the end of the course, possibly due to an ongoing and stressful situation at work. I didn't take the Citalapram as DS was (and still is) BFing.

I now feel like I'm not coping particularly well again. There are a couple of things at home and at work that I need to do, but I feel anxious when I try to do them / think about doing them. I've made an appointment with my GP on Friday. I'd like to talk to her about being signed off work for a couple of weeks in an effort to sort myself out. We've discussed this before, and she seemed quite positive about it. I decided against it initially, as I didn't want to disrupt my work / look like an unreliable employee etc. But now I just want to get well, and wonder whether it would be worth all of the negative aspects in the long run. If I am signed off work, I want to put as much effort as I can into making me as well as I can be - sleep, diet, excercise, CBT 'homework' etc. And tackling the things that I seem to be unable to tackle at the moment. If this doesn't work, I'd then be happy to consider Citalapram again.

Does this sound like a good idea? I feel like my whole life is affected by the way that I am, I'm just so fed up with finding everything do difficult all the time.

[sausagerolemodel]

I have suffered from anxiety/depression over the years. When my anxiety is extreme it is almost crippling. I was on citalopram on and off for years and although it lifted my depressive thoughts a bit, it didn't really mend my anxiety - just made me slightly better at coping with it.

After a couple of years off medication it all came back like a steamroller earlier this year and by the time I actually saw my GP I was in a real state. He prescribed sertraline this time round (100mg/day) and it has made a massive difference. Not only my emotional but also my physical signs of anxiety have virtually dried up and for the first time in years I think that perhaps I can get through life without constantly doubting/stressing.

He also gave me a short course (14) of zopiclone sleeping tablets. I have used them only occasionally on nights when i knew I would probably not otherwise sleep. Having them in the medicine cabinet as a prop, even if I don't use them, also helps because previously if I had a big day/event happening that I was stressed about then I wouldn't sleep and that would cause a negative feedback loop with my anxiety.

In terms of clinical trials I believe that Citalopram and Setraline are supposed to be as about effective as one another, but in my own experience, the latter has been far superior than the former, and I guess everyone is a bit different, so it wouldn't surprise me that one might suit individuals better than another even if the overall statistical effect is the same across a population.

Your last sentence struck such a chord
"I feel like my whole life is affected by the way that I am, I'm just so fed up with finding everything do difficult all the time."

That's exactly how I remember feeling. For now at least, Sertraline has changed my life.

I think your plan fo having a couple of weeks off is a good one. Certainly trying to sort your sleep out and getting exercise will help if you can manage it.

Also, re CBT - like you I had it, thought it was useful, but found the effects didn't last. I am to be referred again and this time I plan to specify from the beginning that what I want from the sessions is exercises and a continual "maintenance plan" for CBT that I can carry on myself. I hope they'll be able to deliver.

Also - while you are waiting for this, you might want to try this www.llttf.com/index.php?section=page&page_seq=13

Its funded by NHS Scotland so should all be kosher. I'm just having a look now.

Best of luck - and apologies for the long ramble!

[ParrotsEtEmAll]

sausage, thanks for your reply - it's really interesting to hear your experience. And it's really encouraging to hear that you feel so well at the moment .

I'll give Citalapram / Sertraline some more thought, as I think that my GP will be quite keen to prescribe something for me. DS is 2, and still BFs in the morning, so at the moment I'd probably rather not take anything. I'll see what she says to my proto-plan on Friday.

[orangeandlemons]

Proxetine is the one for anxiety when pscyhiatrists are prescribing.

It has dealt with mine when all others failed (5!)

[ParrotsEtEmAll]

Ah, oranges, that's partly why I'm not keen to begin taking medication - possibly having to try different drugs / side effects etc. I want to feel that I've given other approaches a good try, before beginning to take medication if I have to. I'll have to be clear about this tomorrow though, I worry that my GP will disagree.

[orangeandlemons]

Butparoxetine and clomipremene are the best obes for anxiety according to psych