Depression and anxiety since becoming ill

[TheAccidentalExhibitionist]

I'm hoping to get some support please. A month ago I got sick with a disease called lupus. It has turned my life upside down. I feel terribly unwell all the time and very emotional about it.
The GP gave me some anti depressants which I held on to for a while but started taking two nights ago. I'm on 10mg of escitalopram. My anxiety is coming in waves now and I've just experienced two back to back panic attacks. This is partly an emotional rection to being ill and partly a symptom of the illness.
As my health deteriorates (I started with a head tremor today) so does my mood. I feel that I am not being adequately managed by my GP and am struggling to know where to turn. It's especially difficult as I'm not in the UK. Can someone hold my hand while I get through this?
Sorry this sounds stiff and formal, I'm not used to talking about my mental health.

Hi there - hand holding for you here.

You poor thing. I also suffer with anxiety and its truly awful. But..... I am starting to manage it and am much more in control which takes the fear away.

Unfortunately it's a vicious circle. Once the anxiety systems start, your body reacts, which in turn makes you worry, which in turn aggregates the anxiety symptoms. I know it's hard but you need to say to yourself. Ok I'm feeling anxious, BUT I know I will only feel unwell for a few minutes and it will pass. It helps me to splash my face with cold water, put a cold wat towel across my neck and breathe. It works I promise.

The escitalopram will take a few weeks to work and it is perfectly normal to heighten your anxiety until your body adjusts. It can be a difficult first week but stick with it.

Try not to read too much on the Internet as people only tend to log their negative experiences which really are unhelpful.

You will get there my lovely xx

Sorry for typos. Predictive text.

Aggrevates anxiety and wet towel !

Thanks funnyfishface for replying, it means a lot.
I have a history of depression and anxiety but I haven't had either for 15 years. This illness has come along so quickly and knocked me off my feet. Anxiety is an added unneeded factor that makes a hard situation even harder. I have paranoia about going psychotic.

Funny thing is that I go from feeling mentally strong during the afternoon then my anxiety increases at night and all that mental strength goes out the window. My health feels out of control. I hate it.

Hi, I'm here to handhold... Practice deep breathing, fast shallow breathing will make them worse. Breathe in slowly for 5 and put slowly for 5...

I'm going through it at the moment too. My anxiety is also driven by feeling like I'm going insane! Which I know I'm not as really mad/psychotic people don't think they're going mad, they think they're normal!

There's lots of downloads to try to help calm you, I find these useful.

Take care and always here to hand hold xx

Thanks charlieboo I think I'm going insane when I have anxiety too. That's often how I can gauge the severity of the anxiety.
I feel much better after seeing the doctor this afternoon, she has given me some sleeping tablets and a medication to stop a head tremor that's just started.
I'm aware my anxiety is still high but I feel someone is looking after me and that helps!