Anxiety Meds

[Blondebakingmumma]

Posting here for traffic

I’m considering starting anxiety meds. I would love to here from personal experience how meds have helped your life and any side effects you’ve had.

Just want to feel more prepared, informed before I speak to my GP.

Thanks!

[ElizabethMainwaring]

Do you mean antidepressants or beta blockers?
There's not much else that they can give you for anxiety.
I have had GAD for decades.
I'm on citalopram and it definitely helps.

[Blondebakingmumma]

Hi Elizabeth- just looking for feedback from people with anxiety on meds and how it’s helped. Have you had any negative side effects from citalopram?

[ElizabethMainwaring]

You never know what antidepressants will suit you.
Your GP will start you on a low dose of one (usually sertraline) and see you again in a couple of weeks to see how you are getting on. They might up the dose or swap it for another type depending on your experience.

[ElizabethMainwaring]

No side effects with citalopram, but I think sertraline made me feel worse.
However, my aunt takes sertraline and swears by it.

[IncorrigibleTitmouse]

They make a HUGE difference to me. I couldn’t have mine for 3 months recently (Covid—lost my job and therefore my health insurance because I’m in the US) and I was miserable. I could tell how much they’d been working for me.

I’m also on Citalopram but my (UK) GP first tried me on Sertraline about 10 years ago. They didn’t agree with me at all, gave me crazy nightmares and I couldn’t sleep. So I gave it a month, let my GP know and she put me on Citalopram. They’ve worked wonderfully. My panic attacks are reduced to almost never and my GAD is definitely under control. You may need to try a few to see what works, it’s a process, but you have to give it a chance. Living with chronic anxiety can really ruin a person’s life.

[Blondebakingmumma]

Great feedback thanks 🙏

[Elsewyre]

Orgasm became essentially impossible for me on citalopram but that was so much of a problem as it completely removed all sex drive too.

[Blondebakingmumma]

Elsewyre- that’s annoying. Have you changed to a different med?

[Tartan333]

I have tried propranolol (beta blockers) which didn't do anything.
I was on citalopram for a couple of years which worked wonderfully, I felt so much better when taking them. I came off them to TTC and never went back on them but think I need to. However what puts me off is the side effects for me were weight gain and hair loss.

[TeenPlusTwenties]

My teen has been on propranolol (beta blockers) for about 4 weeks. They have massively reduced her anxiety.
It is still there but manageable, and she is even getting a small amount of schoolwork done, first since lockdown.
Her sleep may be a bit affected, but that could just be the heat.
The test will come when she tries to go into school in 10 days time.

[fizzpopbang123]

Be prepared for the fact the GP will not necessarily offer you medication. It is not up to you, the GP will need to diagnose you actually have anxiety first (you've not disclosed a history of it, I'm just going by your post). It is the cause of the anxiety that needs to be treated, not the symptoms.

CBT is a proven effective treatment for lots of types of anxiety, for many people. You can actually self refer to your local wellbeing for this, so even if it's not offered by the GP, you can get do it anyway. Just google for your area. It may be 1-1, or group based, or even online.

You really, really don't want to be on medication if you can help it, and it is not necessarily the magic cure you may think it is. You need to be prepared to make long term lifestyle changes too.

[Nonononon]

I just started on propranolol and it's worked quite well. I was really struggling with the physical symptoms of anxiety, (pounding heart, sweating, feeling like I couldn't breathe and shaking). They've taken most of that away although i still don't feel quite right in my head.
I was on sertraline for about a year, 50mg to start with, wanted that increased so they did up to 100mg.. then I started to feel really weird, having random panic attacks over nothing, rang the gp wanting to come off them and she suggested they up them again to 150mg, that was bad idea.. I felt like I was losing my mind. Full on dissociation (this one time I was at soft play and all of a sudden felt like I wasn't real and that I was in a dream ) panic attacks worse etc.. so I slowly came off them.. looking back I should have stuck with the 50mg but I just wanted them out of my system. Now I feel like they have done irreparable damage. I have issues with panic attacks and anxiety like never before, yes I wasn't right before I started them but now I feel like they have given me an extra dimension to my mental health issues that weren't there before.
Now I'm getting CBT and just sticking with the propranolol. I could probably do with another type of anti-depressant given I feel so shit atm but after that last experience I'm too scared to.
Can't and won't take benzos due to past alcohol issue.

[AnnaBanana333]

Citalopram changed my life. I went from an anxious wreck to someone that people think is super chilled. I still have anxiety and always will, but it no longer rules my life and I no longer lie in bed going over and over and over minor worries that seem like the end of the world.

I felt a little weird for the first week or so of taking it. Kind of spaced out, and I had trouble sleeping. But once that passed it was smooth sailing.

[fizzpopbang123]

Just want to feel more prepared, informed before I speak to my GP.

Also, regardless of the responses, all you will receive here are opinions, subjective ones, and only relevant to the posters own life and circumstances. They may be well intentioned, but will not prepare or inform you on your own personal situation.

Please don't confuse opinion with fact.

[Buggedandconfused]

I’ve been on Citalopram for 12 years. It’s great. I don’t get anxious anymore I just calmly work through issues. Sleep is hugely improved.
No change for me re: sex drive at all. No other side effects 👍

[YouDirtyMare]

@fizzpopbang123 stop lecturing the poor woman, she is asking for people's experience that's all and stop putting key words in bold. It's irritating

[fizzpopbang123]

YouDirtyMare please don't dictate to me what I can and can't say, you are not in charge of this thread.

OP, I apologise if this my posts come across as lecturing to you (you being the person I'm "talking" to here, not other posters) It was the way you started your sentence with "I’m considering starting anxiety meds..." I just wanted to offer an alternative perspective, and a heads up that whilst you may go in to the appointment expecting a conversation about meds, that your GP might discuss other options.

As I said before, there's no background to your post, and I thought it might be helpful so you are not disappointed or blindsided or be upset if the GP took the non medication route first.

I hope you get help you are happy with, that's the main thing.

[Delbelleber]

Fluoxetine here. Took some time but when it kicked in all the over thinking in my head went away. So I can talk to someone without analysing the conversation after, I now wouldn't give it a second thought.

[AftonGlen]

I have been taking Venlafaxine for 2 years for GAD. I have tried various pills but this one has changed my life. It made me feel sick for a few days but I started feeling a positive change after a few weeks.
When I have panic attacks I break down in uncontrollable tears and since the meds kicked in this hasn't happened once whereas it was happening at work, whilst having everyday conversations etc.
It does help as well that I have come to grips with what causes my anxiety and made lots of changes to my lifestyle- I definitely think pills can work great in tandem with therapy, self reflection etc.
I can't reach orgasm during sex, I think this is a common side effect with Venlafaxine, but at the moment this is something I am willing to compromise on.

[DefConOne]

In my experience GPs can’t wait to prescribe ADs for anxiety. It’s a cheap option. I have tried citalopran, sertraline and fluxotine. They all make me feel so unwell it’s worse than the anxiety. Some people get on really well with them so worth trying.

I am managing the anxiety with lifetime and talking therapy (I can only afford as I inherited a bit of money recently). I’d take a pill if I could. Good luck OP.

[feelingsomewhatlost]

Hated citalopram and sertraline but I do take beta blockers when I feel very anxious and they help massively. I like that I can just take them when I feel I need them, as opposed to having to take something every single day. Sertraline ruined my sex drive!

[wolfmom]

I'm on 3 venlafaxine is known as one that causes weight gain (by those who take it, doctors swear blind it doesn't) buspirone and mirtazapine (again with weight gain) what works for one won't necessarily work for you and they can lose efficiency over time. I still have horrific attacks, but, it's once or twice a week not several times a day

[Yankathebear]

Everyone is different (as you can see on here). Definitely worth talking to GP.

[Blondebakingmumma]

Thanks everyone for your experiences. Saw GP today who has given me a script for fluoxetine and also a referral for CBT

[Blondebakingmumma]

@Delbelleber I hope I get the same results as you. The upside to the lockdown is that I no longer have to over analyze every interaction because I have barely seen anyone! Now that restrictions are easing and I’m getting social invitations my anxiety is increasing