Anxiety!!

[Myzone]

I am really struggling, the last 3 weeks I have been on citalopram and before that sertraline for 3 months but I don’t feel like me, I can’t stay still, my heart is always racing and skipping beats. My stomach hasn’t been the same in months, I feel really off balance and head pressure and short of breath and weak every single day. I have done cbt for the last 2 months and again have seen no improvement. I’m even crying writing this as I honestly feel like I’m dying.

Sorry you are feeling this way.

it sounds like the physical side of anxiety is taking over. Perhaps speak to your doctor about taking propranolol which will calm all of the physical side effects of your anxiety down. This will then help you concentrate on recovery with Citalopram. Also remember that citalopram can make you feel worse before you feel better and in some people needs a good few weeks to start working properly.

Anxiety and stress can cause major physical symptoms. I hope you feel better soon but please try to keep in mind that it may well be the anxiety causing your symptoms.

@rachaelclaire1 hi and thanks for your reply, unfortunately I can’t take propranolol as I have asthma. I am doing breathing exercises everyday and meditation but nothing is helping.

I am going through the same. 2 weeks on citalopram but feel worse not better. Spend most of the day trying to calm myself down. It’s hard isn’t it.

I would definitely still speak to doctor- there must be an alternative that you could take.

@HateMyJob12345 yes it definitely is, I am really struggling. My body just feels like it’s falling apart

@rachaelclaire1 i have my review this week and I will definitely mention it.

Hold on! Do you use techniques from the CBT? It took me a while to figure out what was useful from it.
Setraline was awful for my stomach. Couldn’t manage it at all. The new meds will take a few weeks. I took all sorts before settling on fluoxetine. It’s been a huge help.
In the meantime exercise, spending some time outside and mindfulness and meditation can all help.

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/mental-wellbeing-audio-guides/

this may help in the meantime - has some good audio exercises

try doing some yoga every day and give the meds time to settle

Hi @Wolfiefan yes, I do 4-7-8 breathing along with a few other c.b.t techniques as well as doing a diary everyday.

@rachaelclaire1 thanks I really appreciate that

@Myzone your welcome.

Really hope you feel better soon. Remember this will pass🙏

I'm sorry you've had such a tough few weeks OP, anxiety is shit.
My GP wouldn't prescribe me propanalol either as was TTC at the time.

He recommended avoiding meditation during the acute heartpounding phase as it can make things worse for some people - instead he recommended getting some mid-intensity exercise. Stuff like brisk walking or dancing, for at least 20 minutes at a stretch. The explanation was something about burning off the adrenaline that the body has generated and this helps things return to normal. I found it really helped me and the effects were cumulative over time. You must be exhausted though, so if you try this please go carefully - maybe exercise at home and/or have someone with you?
I hope you feel better soon.

Sorry, I meant to say tough few months..!

Hi @tortiecat thanks for your reply, I am trying really hard to increase my physical activities but it’s really hard some days as I feel so short of breath that it starts to set my anxiety of. I have 2 kids and 3 horses and 2 dogs so I’m always doing little walks but it all just feels like a never ending rollercoaster

Have a look at this video, it might help you;

I've had this on and off for 3 years, the only thing that helps when it all goes off is exercise, just until the panicking stops. Even at 2am I've been known to get up and start doing jumping Jack's, I got a cheap exercise bike too.

I've had different types of therapy since I was 16, but something my new therapist said to me the other day really helped. She said it's like a smoke alarm going off in your brain, you notice something that makes you feel anxious and your brain rings the alarm to wake your body up to the danger and the panic attack spreads like a fire.

So now sometimes I'm doing jumping Jack's imagining myself fanning my broken-smoke-alarm-brain with a tea towel lol.

I hope you feel better soon, being outside and with animals will do wonders for you xx

@Myzone how are you feeling now

Hi @rachaelclaire1 still the same, I now take no antidepressants because I had an allergic reaction

Oh no, sorry to hear that I hoped you would be feeling a little better.

@rachaelclaire1 it just feels like it’s never ending at the moment, 6 months + I have now really struggled every single day and my body just doesn’t feel right.

Sorry to hear that. I would just keep going to doctor. You know your own body best x

I highly recommend Mirtazepine. It takes the edge of the physical side effects for me and lets me function.

However, I still have the odd panic attack and when they come on i've found icing my vagus nerve is amazing. Try putting something icy cold like a can of soda on your chest just above your cleavage to your clavicle bone and breath in and out. It works wonders for me and stops the attacks dead.

Im still living with other symptoms but at least the worst are at bay with the meds and techniques.

@FartSock5000 ive been on Mirtazapine and it didn’t help at all unfortunately, I’ll try the vagus nerve thing as happy to try anything. Good to hear your finding some ways to cope x