Talk to me about anti anxiety medication please

[bottomsup22]

Anxiety has been flaring up for a while now. I'm having attacks more and more often. My triggers are usually new and unfamiliar places or situations. Last week my dh and I took dc to a seaside we haven't been to before and I had an attack in the car. Then I took my eldest to a bonfire and had an attack there.

I also struggle with things like appointments, long car journeys, visiting other peoples homes. It's getting worse. My symptoms are panic, sweating, racing heart and retching. But the worst one is an urgent need for the loo (classic fight or flight) which makes me even more panicky if we are on the motorway or in a place where there are no toilets. It's getting where I only feel happy and safe if I'm in a familiar routine and familiar surroundings which is really affecting my quality of life.

So with this in mind I'm thinking of speaking to my GP about starting medication. I took citalopram for about a year before I became pregnant and although it didn't really cure my issues it did help me to feel stronger and have more of a 'fuck it' attitude. It made me very groggy and killed my libido though which wasn't great.

I wondered if anyone has any other advice or experience about what medication or techniques helped them with panic and anxiety? If I could avoid medication I would but I feel like I'm passed the point of exercise and good diet now. I can't get this overthinking under control and it's impacting on my life. My dc are missing out because I don't want to go places. The sad thing is I do want to but I feel unable because of the fear of a panic attack/toilet incident.

Any tips about medication or other techniques would be amazing. I did try CBT but it was useless.

This really is what I need. The fear of the physical symptoms seem to control me - I.e knowing I'm going to need a loo if I end up in a panic. If I could get that under control then I'm sure I wouldn't be so anxious in the first place and the cycle would be broken.

My anxiety manifests itself in my breathing, I can’t get a deep breath, swallowing lots and panic attacks. The propranolol just takes the edge off the physical symptoms. I would massively recommend a book by Dr Claire Weekes called ‘Self-Help for your nerves’, it was a game changer for me and I’m not normally a self help book kind of person.

I would add cbt did nothing for me either but the Dr Weekes book resonated, the basic premise of what she says is so simple.

Peri menopause caused me so much anxiety, could this be relevant to you?
I was Initally prescribed citalopram and propropanol, both of which helped.
However further symptoms indicated I was also perimenopausal so I'm now also on HRT.
I've had no side effects from any, the propropanol helps me when I'm panicky and my heart is racing, for me it's been really helpful. When I've got something coming up in the day which I know will trigger the anxiety I take a propropanol to ease the symptoms.

I don't think it's peri menopause just yet. I have always had periods of anxiety throughout my 20s and 30s. Weirdly it affects me more when my life is settled and happy. During times of actual stress I seem to be able to function much better.

So it's nothing new but it comes in peaks and troughs and right now I am struggling to get through it. I also don't want to have to live a stressful life in order to be mentally ok. It seems totally bizarre and illogical.

Propranolol may help me too. I was at a restaurant with friends last week and my Apple Watch notified me that I’d been sat still yet my heart rate had been over 100bpm for 10 minutes. That’s how nervous I was. It was actually good to see proof of my anxiety to see it’s not all in my head, it’s physiological as well.

Can you actually request a specific treatment from your GP? The more I think about it the more I don't want to go back to daily medication that leaves me groggy and affects me in other ways. I'd rather have something I can take as and when needed to just combat the symptoms when they arise.

But can I outrightly ask for propanolol or is it up to them to decide what's best?

I’ve not had palpitations with propranolol
@bottomsup22 - I think you can get them with it because it lowers your heart rate and blood pressure so you notice your heartbeats more - but palpitations aren’t dangerous in themselves. No long term side effects according to NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/propranolol
it does sound like it might be a good choice for you - you could ask to start on lowest dose (10mg). It works quickly and wears off in a few hours so if doesn’t agree with you you can just not take it again.

I don’t know about severe anxiety but have a look at Vaso vagal nerve activation. Cold showers are the best thing to activate it but also singing and humming. Cold showers really help me feel less anxious.

It’s not an issue to request a specific treatment - provided it’s not an addictive painkiller or something 😁
If the Dr disagrees they can do explain why and suggest alternatives that might suit you better. I’d ask to see a different GP than last time so you can get a second opinion.

It’s possibly last GP had a good reason to discourage using it, eg you have low blood pressure. But they should explain that clearly and suggest alternatives.

I was always prone to anxiety, mainly focussed around my health.

As I hit 45ish it went into overdrive. Possibly a peri menopause issue according to my GP.

Citalopram is my bestie!

My dd takes propanolol for anxiety and it has made an enormous difference. I think it works by blocking adrenaline, but I’m not completely sure.

Venlafaxine works great and doesn't make you groggy or sleepy.
And yes, you can request to try different things.
Try the app woebot. It really helps.
Learn meditation too.

I have had anxiety since I was 16. I was born in India and lived there till recent.
So i started going to counseling but didn't help.
There was some stigma out there, but I got medicated. Initially on Paxil. it made me feel myself after some up/downs but I ended up putting around 30 pounds. So eventually shifted to Prozac and have been doing fine ever since.
I have been off meds twice but had to go back on them, the last one I was off being in 2015. Since then I have been taking them regularly.

A few years ago, i read about 2 books regd anxiety - Dare response and At last a life. They made me understand stuff. It has helped many people so try that out.

Second the previous poster who suggested EMDR therapy. It totally changed my
life in terms of anxiety.

Propranolol is a lifesaver for me too! 80mg daily and no anxiety ..... come of it for a week and let it work out of my system and my anxiety is back taking over my life.

I was under the impression propranolol was taken as and when needed not daily?

I took Propranolol, I started with 40mg everyday and it stopped the anxiety symptoms but I was still quite nervous so Dr upped it to 80mg daily and it was a lifesaver!! I was still nervous in certain situations like going to new places but it was manageable. Then completely unrelated I developed severe depression so moved on to Venlafaxine as that helps with anxiety and depression. I now don't feel nervous at all, still feel emotions but no anxiety, actually feel like myself again for the first time in years. If it wasn't for Propranolol to begin with though, I truly believe I would have never left my house again!

Propranolol works by blocking the beta receptors in your body. These receptors are triggered by adrenalin, and this process is responsible for increasing your heart rate, breathing and mounting a fight or flight response. By blocking your ability to have a physical panic attack, the psychological fear is vastly reduced.

You need to understand the cause otherwise medication is just a sticking plaster. Propanalol did nothing for me apart from ruin my sleep. Vagus nerve work helped hugely as did deeper somatic work. Google Somatic experiencing and read Gabor Mate, Peter Levine and Bessel van der Kolk.