Crippling Anxiety

[Sam3789]

I'm new here, and just Need help, since having my son 12 years ago I got postnatal depression and ever since I get bouts of really bad anxiety that can last weeks! I've been on Citalopram since he was born and feel it does nothing now.
I woke up a week ago with extreme anxiety from no where and it's killing me, in on 5 MG diazepam x 4 times a day. I can't eat, I'm constantly having diarrhoea, I can't keep still, mornings are the worst. I feel like I'm letting my family down too.
My GP wants me to try changing my meds to Escitalopram but I'm so scared of the side effects when changing. Has anyone felt like this cause I feel so alone.

Sorry to hear you are feeling like this. I don't have any experience of medication but didn't want to read and run.

What does your normal day look like?

Without Anxiety my normal day is get my son off to school, then I go to work until 3pm I then pick my son up and then he plays football at quite a high level and trains 3 nights a week which we travel quite far so I'm usually busy. But since this latest bout started I've not been able to function at all, I'm relying on family to help but I do feel so guilty as he doesn't really understand x

Poor you. I don't really have any advice other than to say you are not alone. I am to a much lesser degree struggling with anxiety at the moment.

I feel that I am badly letting my children down especially as I feel like my DD1 is suffering with anxiety also. I have made her an appointment with the GP and spend my days thinking of all the ways I have let her down.

What do you know about the side effects of the new drugs your GP has suggested?

No not sure on side effects but I'm thinking they can't be any worse than I feel now, I'm sorry you and your daughter are going through it it's honestly the worst thing I've gone through and feel like I'm always going to feel like this x

I'm very surprised you were given diazepam. I have severe anxiety and am under the mental health team for it, and psychiatrist point blank refused to give me diazepam. I take Pregabalin instead and it's the only thing that has taken the edge of the anxiety.

What dose citalopram you on?
Perhaps you could up them, obviously if your not on highest dose?

I went from 40mg citalopram to 10mg escitalopram but it was many years ago so can’t remember
Whatever you do and the way you are feeling, any change will affect you as your super hyped up at the moment. So in a way won’t be any different

I suffer from bad bouts of anxiety exactly like you do, I’m on diazepam everyday 2mg. It’s a horrible illness and so debilitating so I feel for you

How long have you been on diazepam? It is not a long term med and can cause a lot of the symptoms you mentioned

I've only been given 14 tablets, I'm seeing the doc tommorow as I've had my bloods done and he thinks I could be going through the menapause. I'm currently on 20 MG Citalopram at the moment x

That's good as benzodiazepines are very addictive and can cause so many problems (speaking from personal experience)

Is mirtazipine or sertroline an option? Both used in anxiety treatment :)

Why not up the citalopram then to 30 or 40mg ? Keep on the same drug but bigger dose.
I’d maybe go to 30mg ie 1 and a half tablets (use pill cutter) than full 20mg . Or if your brave then go the 20mg