Best anti anxiety med that changed your life

[Blueeveryday]

Evening

My anxiety is crushing me. I’m having therapy but lady suggested trying anti depressants again which I swore at one time I wouldn’t after having a bad time with them.

I’ve tried several citalopram, done nothing for mood after 5 months stopped. Sertraline, wasn’t on them long enough tbh. Fluxotine made me very suicidal and then Venlafaxine. No never ever again.

Thinking of Escitalopram maybe. Going to ring GP tomorrow.

Tell me what helped you? My anxious thoughts are ruining my life

Not feeling well. Felt very faint this morning, hot, dizzy and weak. Ended up lying in the bathroom floor.

Sort of....I was taught - years ago - that depression and anxiety are two sides of the same coin.

I'm sorry you're feeling so bad, in my experience it is par for the course sadly.

in order to squash anxiety, they have to squash your central nervous system, so it all takes a while to sort itself out.

Sorry, I meant to quote you. I had dizzy spells and headaches too.

if I come off this lot, I'm not going to try again I don't think, but after 25 years + of meds, that's a hard call to make.

how are you this afternoon?

My anxiety is through the roof. Is this normal?

I have found all ADs increased anxiety at first. Would your GP prescribe some short term anti anxiety meds - diazepam? Just until the AD kicks in? Anxiety is a bitch.

Olanzapine has changed my life.

(people say it causes weight gain, but not the case for me, I've been taking 10mg)

I have had my anxiety go through the roof in the first week or two (or more) of staring on ADs. So yes I would say it’s within the realms of normal. Unfortunately. You could ask your doctor for either diazepam or propanalol to see you through this period.

It’s really awful, it really is, but it will pass and you will start to feel better.

When I was on olazapine it really helped slow my racing thoughts down I did put on quite a bit of weight that made me look really healthy unfortunately when I stopped taking it went down to 9 stone but I've got medical issues too, but yes I'd definitely agree on olazapine being helpful

Plain old St John's Wort does the job for me - I notice that self-care drops, and I'm reluctant to do things like make phone calls when I forget to take it for a while, and my work quality drops as I have a kind of inability to get started on anything because my todo list is so long.

If I forget, then I get anxious and easily distracted and down, and so forget to take it more, and it's a vicious circle.

I do also take a few other bits and pieces - especailly Iron since I have heavy periods seems to help with general tiredness.

@SameKeyThough it sure is that alright. Had such a horrible day. I will see if GP will prescribe me more. I’ve taken them before.
I pray this medication helps.

@TallulahG Never heard of that one. Glad it helps you❤️

@Kielyflower Your post has helped me. Fingers crossed it passes and works. My mind needs a break. This constant negativity and questioning everything is not normal.

Prozac- they say it's for depression but it totally solved my anxiety

Propanalol. I still have to work through the anxious thoughts but am able to do so without feeling awful and scared from the physical response. It doubly helps me as I've then rationalised whatever the worry was and can refer back to that. I don't need to.take it often now.

@fixies Tried it and it made me worse ☹️ Glad it worked for you though.

Escitalopram has really worked for me. Good luck OP.

I started paroxetine which has absolutely changed my life (aside from feeling sick the first week absolutely no side effects) and was on propranolol (the sustained release one so it lasts 24h) until it properly kicked in. Really hope the escitalopram works for you OP

I'm on Mirtazapine 30mg, the only downside is it makes you gain weight, I've put on 5 stone. Since I was ill & cut all the crap from my diet, I've managed to lose 1 stone 11 pounds, but that is eating a very low calorie diet of average 6-800 calories a day.

Almost this exact time last year I was at the peak of my anxiety ‘mountain’. My anxiety was (probably still is) mainly around social situations but it was specifically at work. I reached the stage that I was having panic attacks on top of panic attacks at work, I was an actual wreck. I managed to keep a lid on it and no one actually noticed although inside I was falling apart and popping beta blockers left right and centre.

I was frantically looking into which drug would help me. I did an intense course of therapy which definitely helped a bit. Eventually I phoned in sick and I didn’t ever go back. I’m now on no medication, not even the beta blockers anymore. I still have them as a ‘just in case’ and I think I’d probably take some if I was going to be under pressure in a social situation and need to speak.

I now have a job that doesn’t make me feel any of those feelings. Life really is too short to ever have to feel like that. Hope you find something sorted. If there is a cause of your anxiety is there any way of you tackling that?

To add to this I would avoid taking it past say 7 PM unless absolutely necessary, the nightmares can be bonkers! You'll laugh the next day but not pleasant at the time and you dont want your sleep affected. I understand this effect doesn't last forever though.

I’m glad it was helpful. It’s helped me to have helped you .

It can be hard to imagine things improving when you’re struggling, but I’ve learnt (am still learning) to be patient and to be hopeful.

I find doing breathing exercises and repeating some sort of calming or positive word or phrase silently to myself can help me get through the worst moments. And we always do get through them.

Sertraline saved my life. I take propanadol as and when when im panicking.
Magnesium was a game changer and vitamin D and B.

@Kielyflower Which AD do you take? Has it helped you immensely?
Sometimes I wonder am I unfixable, that I will always be like this.

Alprazolam (Xanax) was miraculous for me. I don't think it's prescribed in the UK?