Medication for stress and anxiety?

[Bumble84]

I’ve contacted my GP and waiting for an appointment but wanted some advice from ‘real people’ maybe someone who’s has been through similar.

background, I have two young children, work PT (only recently back. DH is a shift worker. No family support and in fact I am supporting other family members where I can in ill health.

I don’t know if what I am feeling is just life and I need to just keep going but I really feel like my mental and physical health is suffering. I have a long term condition which I had not had a flare up of for about 10 years but in the last year it has flared up 3 times, I’m always tired and can just about find the energy to look after the kids. I worry I’m not a good enough Mum and I feel like my marriage is also suffering (although my DH is great with this and says that we need to recognise this is a difficult time but we’ll still be there for each other now and at the other side)

I never have time for myself as DH works shifts and when he is off I want to see him, not go out. I’m an introvert as well so I don’t recharge by being around others, I like to be alone. I’d like to go to the gym or something like that but finding the energy is so difficult.

I also go through spells of crippling insomnia which compounds everything and makes it all feel worse. I’ve done a CBT course to try and help with the insomnia, sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn’t.

I do try to eat well and I’ve really cut down alcohol consumption to maybe a bottle of wine a week but sometimes nothing at all. I don’t smoke, take daily vitamins and my job gets me out in the fresh air 3x/week. The feeling isn’t new so I don’t think it’s SAD.

My main question really is would medication help? When I’ve googled the medication for anxiety is anti depressants but there’s no medication for stress so I don’t know if that would help at all.

Hello
are you taking B vitamins and iron along with the multivitamin? That can really help with energy and mood.
also getting out for a brief walk every day , if possible, will help.
an SSRI can be really helpful with stress and anxiety as well as low mood - ideally life style changes would be best but it’s not always possible. I take citalopram long term and find it helps with anxiety a lot.
how old are you? Could it be hormones?

Also, Kalms night times tablets helped with insomnia, though can’t be taken with SSRI.
if it’s hormonal, HRT may help with the insomnia.

@Twoshoesnewshoes thank you. Yes I’m taking B vitamins and iron.

I did consider peri menopause, I’m 38 so it’s definitely possible. Can that be tested for in a blood test?

I think that’s the thing there are maybe other things I could do if my life was different but with a young family it’s all go. I have dropped my standards considerably for cleanliness and tidiness in the house.

I didn’t think medication would work for stress but at this point I’m willing to try.

Yes your GP can test for perimenopause though it’s not always reliable.
yoga is great for stress, have you tried yoga with Adrienne on YouTube?

I had actually started doing the 30 day yoga with Adrienne. I felt bad yoga generally a bit slow but maybe I should stick with it and maybe eventually it would teach me to slow down a bit.

I spoke to my GP and they are prescribing me a drowsy anti histamine as a starting point.

Sorry you're feeling this way. I have had the same issues all my life. I won't go into great detail as I'm sure no one wants to know! It's got really really bad recently though and esp since my DM passed away, I have lost the one person I could talk to. I hate my DH and have a young DS so have to hide everything from him and mask my feelings. Me and DH basically hate each other and we can't afford to divorce. Anyway, I said I wouldn't go into detail sorry! So just to say I tried HRT for the insomnia and other peri symptoms and it did nothing so stopped it. I think it's worth trying a low dose anti-depressant.
I hope you find some relief soon. Good luck.

@BooseysMom sorry for your loss. My DH is my me person that I talk to and I’d be bereft if anything happened to him. I’m sorry also your marriage is in a bad place. I do read on here HRT being recommended a lot, I suppose it will work for a lot of people but not others.

Bumble84 thank you 😊 that's very kind. I'm trying to patch things over with DH. We've been together nearly 20 years and tbh I don't know how I've done it!!

Just an update, it is promethazine that’s been prescribed. I’ve been taking it for 2 nights just, I didn’t sleep well night 1 but actually did sleep fairly well last night. I’ve got 2 weeks worth but I now find myself nervous about what will happen when I don’t take one if they work really well. Honestly feel just now that I’d worry about having nothing to worry about!