Please come and share your stories of anti anxiety medication- I think I might need some

[Flamingo49]

Just been signed off work for a month- mega stressful job, single parent, no family support. My body feels physically awful- tight chest all the time like someone is squeezing my heart in their first, sometimes I struggle to catch my breath, churning tummy, insomnia. My brain is totally overwhelmed- I can't make the simplest decision without panicking, I go into Tesco and come out without half the things I went in for. Will medication help? Has anyone had similar experiences they are willing to share? I am seeing a therapist and practice deep breathing but none of it seems to be helping.

I'm on quitiapene. I'm not sure if it's actually helped as my anxiety is rooted in ongoing trauma. However I am certainly better than pre medication, although that could just be time. It has made me eat like crazy though and have gained weight, but a lower dose might not have this problem.

My first question would be how old are you?

This is really common in peri-menopause and GPs tend to hand out anti-depressants rather than HRT which is really what many women need instead.

I'm on sertraline 50mg for similar symptoms.
Felt really sick for a week and everything slowed down which was weird but not unpleasant. I've been on them since may and the nausea went after about 3 weeks. I feel loads better than I did.

@MadMadMadamMim - I'm 46, but not long had comprehensive bloods done and nothing was said about hormones when I had my bloods done.

Quetiapine is an antipsychotic, it shouldn't be prescribed as a first line treatment for anxiety!

Good advice on peri menopause, also thyroid problems can cause anxiety.

Betablockers can help with the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Blue, peri should be treated according to symptoms rather than bloods. If you're experiencing symptoms have a look at the NICE guidance for HRT. Many GPs don't seem to know where to start!

I was on sertraline first. It did nothing for me. I'm probably on the extreme end though as ongoing trauma.

I am on 100mg of sertraline and have been for years. I had really severe anxiety after my second child was born and sertraline pretty much saved my sanity. I had therapy too but it was the sertraline that saved me.

@MadMadMadamMim

My first question would be how old are you?

This is really common in peri-menopause and GPs tend to hand out anti-depressants rather than HRT which is really what many women need instead.

I'm nearly 41. The GP didn't mention getting any tests for physical health, it was just a phone consult. Should I push for that?

I'm on propranolol which helps with the symptoms but unfortunately doesn't help with the actual anxiety issues I have. It just takes the load off for a few hours

I had something very similar in the winter - it felt like a breakdown. I started on Fluoxetine- it was hell for about 4 weeks as I adjusted, then an almost total cure.
I’m 99% sure it was menopausal. I’m also on HRT which has been terrific.

I’m 50

Same as weeme02. I was prescribed 40mg twice a day and after 6 months I reduced it to once a day. Now I take as and when. It helps a bit, but doesn't stop the anxiety starting. Pretty sure mine is peri menopausal as I'm 49.

I've struggled with anxiety for many years but had always managed to hold my head above water (albeit with some unhealthy coping mechanisms like self-harm and alcohol) until a few years ago when I completely lost my shit. I was frequently unable to finish a sentence because my mind would just blank out on me, I was having regular panic attacks, and my OCD behaviours got really out of hand.

One day at work my manager asked me a simple question and I just stammered and then cried - my brain just wouldn't work. I saw my GP on a same day appointment and was started on Sertraline and Propranolol. They were a godsend.

I ended up having my dose increased to 200mg Sertraline once daily and Propranolol 40mg up to three times daily as required, and I found them really helpful. They didn't cure my anxiety but they gave me some breathing space to start addressing things.

I ended up seeing a psychologist (after 18 months on a waiting list). We had 20 sessions and went right back to my childhood, and once I understood where my issues had stemmed from, I found it easier to deal with them and felt less guilty/ashamed about the way I was feeling.

After the sessions ended, I carried on working things through on my own and trying to practice healthier ways of managing my emotions. When I was feeling strong enough, I then weaned myself off the medication slowly.

I still do have anxiety and OCD, but I'm much more able to cope with it now.

I know that medications don't work for everyone, but for me they were the thing that allowed me to finally start addressing things. They weren't a cure in themselves but they just gave me some headspace, and I'm really glad I was prescribed them. If things ever escalated again then I would restart them without hesitation.

It depends on your own personal circumstances and feelings, but I wouldn't rule them out if you're not finding other treatments useful xx

Shit, I didn't realise quite how long that response was - sorry!

I'm not medically qualified - I just know from my own experience that I suddenly started feeling panicky (late 40s) and swamped and out of the blue would think OMG I feel teary! I can't burst into tears!. It was awful. I would wake in the night with racing heart, etc.

GP prescribed fluoxetine (Prozac) as an anti depressant. It took the panic away, made me feel flat and a bit sluggish and I put 3 stone on over the next 18 months. I eventually went back and said I don't think I'm depressed. I think it's menopause. Can I come off this and have HRT?

This has been fabulous for me. Now 56, still on Kliofem, an HRT. No periods for past 5 years and I felt almost immediately like my old self once I got on it.