Had anti-anxiety medication worked for you?

[BathMarshmallow]

I'm a happy person but I am struggling with anxiety. I have all my life but times are particularly stressful! I've always just got by and I have no experience of being on meds so I'm wondering if they would help somebody like me. My symptoms are:

-brain fog
-intrusive thoughts, especially about my kids safety
-negative thinking, always looking for issues and unable to enjoy anything for fear it will go wrong
-teariness (all the time!)
-catastrophising
-fear of what's to come

I sound so fun! I do find joy and beauty in life and I am grateful and happy, but everything is characterised by the above too. Is this just life and I need to find ways to manage it or might medication help? I'd love to hear about what's helped anybody who this sounds familiar to :-(

@BathMarshmallow I was similar to you in that I always thought I could get by without meds, however it all built up and I had a really terrible period of anxiety and I literally wouldn’t have coped if I hadn’t been prescribed something. For the first time in a long time I was able to be happy again, it’s such a slow build up that I’d forgotten!

There is no shame at all in talking to your doctor and explaining how you feel, please don’t tell half truths either just be totally honest. My Doctors were amazing, so supportive!

I was given sertraline and built up the dosage of a period of months, so at no point did I feel ‘medicated’ (which is something I worried about) I will say I’m no longer on anything which I’m really happy about

I'd avoid medication in your shoes. Get some talk therapy, CBT or similar as first line.
Any meds are likely to mask the issue. And foggy brain was an exacerbated issue with all such medications I've had over the years.

Thanks @WhatsErFace2020 I'm so glad to hear it helped and that they were supportive! I'm worried about the feeling medicated aspect too

@luxurychocolate yes this is exactly what I'm confused about. I need to be sharp for work and I know it won't make the things I'm anxious about go away. However these aren't always concrete things but 'what ifs'

How old are you? Check hormonal levels first?

I'm on 30mg of citalopram for anxiety and it's been life changing. I don't feel medicated, I just feel much better.

Following this with Interest, I get a lot of those things OP, but at the same time I wouldn’t describe myself as depressed or an overly anxious person, I am generally happy . But these things come in waves and I wish I could gain control of them if you see what I mean.

@iminthegarden I'm 40

I could have written this post last year.

I finally took the plunge and spoke to my dr and I wish I had done it years ago.

I was given citalopram and it was the best thing in ever did. Agree with previous poster I don’t feel medicated at all but it helps take the edge off all those thoughts.

I can’t tell you how much better it makes me feel. Definitely speak to your dr.

@Mabelface if you don't mind me asking, was your anxiety like mine? And if so has it just made you able to rationalise thoughts/not go down that road? How has it helped? Thank you!

I went on beta blockers. They're as and when rather than something that takes time to work. I rarely need them now but they were a godsend for a tough period.

I had similar thoughts to you for most of my life from say 15 onwards. I somehow managed to keep going without meds, probably convincing myself I was being ridiculous/dramatic. Following a few horrific years of family illness and loss my DH marched me to the Doctor (against my better judgement) but the moment she asked me what was wrong I burst into heaving, snotty sobs and couldn’t stop.....

Long story short she suggested SSRIs and prescribed Escitalopram, it took 2/3 weeks to settle on the right dose but it was like a ton weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I still take it now but at a reduced dose which is exactly right for me.

I wasn’t sure about taking them initially until someone pointed out, if you have a headache you take a paracetamol so why wouldn’t you take something to alleviate this other illness? And, to be frank it has saved my life.

Good luck with whatever you choose, just because this worked for me (and I was lucky in that we hit on the right meds for me first time) it isn’t necessarily right for you. Be kind to yourself and try and make time and space for You.

I take citalopram for anxiety. My main symptoms were attacks brought on by certain situations.

I still panic. I still have the intrusive and illogical thoughts. They don't disappear with medication. But the best way I can describe it is that it gives me the strength to face these fears now and do things anyway. I feel more confident and balanced in myself. I suppose it's about giving you some control back. If your anxiety is really disrupting your life as it was with me, I would give them a try.

Low dose of propanarol for anxiety. Works a treat!

Thanks everyone, this is all really supportive and positive. @Sunshinesusan67 how you describe they work is kind of what I feel I need!

I'm on 100mg Sertraline for anxiety. It's definitely helped...it's almost like they block the intrusive thoughts, like they're still there somewhere but I can't bring them to the front of my mind in order to worry about them

I don't have any major side effects, some night sweats and I had diarrheoa for the first few days but that settled down. They've really improved my life and I plan to take them long term this time around as I find my problems come back if I come off SSRI's (I've taken a few different ones previously)

Have taken propranolol in the past - I can’t say it was a magic bullet, but I’ve always been wary of taking something that I can’t choose to simply stop so it’s a good choice from that perspective. I’ve been prescribed sertraline or citalopram on a number of occasions and only only actually had the prescription made up; the fact I was written a prescription with no mention of a follow-up to see how it was going made me nervous that if the dose wasn’t right or I was struggling with side effects I’d be on my own.

I’m very anxious again right now, and am actually thinking about paying for a consultation with a psychiatrist to discuss medication.

[quote BathMarshmallow]@Mabelface if you don't mind me asking, was your anxiety like mine? And if so has it just made you able to rationalise thoughts/not go down that road? How has it helped? Thank you![/quote]
I no longer have that feeling of impending doom, or that sick feeling or panicky. My ibs has settled right down. I was in permanent fight or flight. I'm calm and can focus on work better, instead of just thinking that I've got everything wrong and the shit is going to hit the fan.

@Mabelface you describe it so perfectly :
I totally understand that feeling of impending doom that never shifts. That's exactly how I feel

It might be worth investigating perimenopause as your symptoms fit especially the anxiety and brain fog and you are possibly entering that phase as most will in their 40s.

I started medication post partum for anxiety, the intrusive thoughts and physical symptoms were crippling at times.

I’ve been on sertraline and fluoxetine with awful side effects so I stopped. I stayed off meds for a year and then had a decline and started CBT which I thought was great, it helped to an extent but I ended up back on meds and switched to Venlafaxine which has had very mild, if any, side effects.

I still have intrusive thoughts etc but I’m able to deal with them quickly and I things don't spiral out of control anymore.

Agree with Mabel. I’ve been on fluoxetine. Far better than standing tearfully in the street when the darkness descends. I don’t feel medicated, I feel like I used to feel, I feel like me.

I have had the same symptoms for the past year and finally caved in and spoke to my Doctor after a particularly dark period.

I've been prescribed 50mg Setraline and Propranolol as and when needed for panic attacks. I was terrified of taking the Setraline after reading lots of scary stuff about the initial side effects but I'm on day 7 now and other than a bit of dizziness/nausea and feeling "spaced" on the first day I've been fine.

I don't feel medicated at all but have found that it gives me extra time to rationalise my thoughts and talk myself down before it goes full blown.

Medication isn't a long term fix for me but right now it's helping me get back on the level so that I can get help (have self referred for CBT) and process things logically.

Thanks for all these comments, I'm going to go to the GP I think, this has been really helpful