Anxiety Attacks

[Wigglypasta]

I'm gripped by anxiety at the moment. It just keeps coming in waves. It has been 4 days now. All day and night. I think I am anxious that I'm never going to get rid of this getting of anxiety. I've tried meditation, tapping, been for a run but the nervous feeling just returns immediately.

I have tried SSRIs many years ago for depression and had a really bad reaction including awful anxiety and desperate thoughts so I don't want to take them again. Can a Dr prescribe anything to give me immediate relief from this?

Hi wigglypasta, im in the same boat as you at the moment and its bloody miserable existing this way. I am on pregabalin and it works very well for my anxiety.

I initially was prescribed it for back pain and it sorting my anxiety was an added bonus. However after 14 years on it it stopped working for pain so I came off it very slowly and with no issues i'll add forgetting I ever had anxiety! My anxiety over the last 5 months has come back worse then ever. I started back on pregabalin 5 weeks ago and am 80% better then I was. It takes upto 8 weeks for full effect to be felt. I was close to a breakdown crying all the time and could not function. I have not cried since being back on it and am sleeping again.

I am having to exercise daily, practice meditation and eat well as these all help take the edge off too. The doctor has also precribed phenergan which i take daily to help whilst the pregabalin builds again.

Please see your gp there are other options for you.

If you want to talk I'm always around, I've been a lurker here for years but never post. These mental health boards have really helped me over the last few months. It's just so sad so many of us are suffering.

If it's physical symptoms of anxiety you're suffering with the most and don't get along with ssri's, you could speak to your GP and ask about propanol, it's a beta blocker that lowers heart rate, stops sweating/shaking, it doesn't affect the mental side of anxiety but it might help you get rid of the nervous energy, it's also not a tablet that you must take every day or long-term, it can be taken as and when needed. It helped me last year when my physical symptoms of anxiety were completely out of control.

Thank you both for replying. My husband is able to take my youngest son to school today so I am going to call the GP at 8 am today to try and get a phone or face to face appointment. It is definitely the physical symptoms that are giving me the most anxiety. It seems so ridiculous that I am giving myself anxiety over having anxiety. It makes no sense why I can't just calm down. My heart pounds, I go all hot and shake and my lips tingle. I will ask about beta blockers. x

Have a look at the Ted X “how not to feel anxious about anxiety” by Tim Box.

How did it go with getting through to the GP this morn?

I’m in the same boat op, anxiety has been through the roof these past few days, I’ve upped my sertraline from 50mg to 100mg so hopefully they start working soon. It’s awful. It’s the dizziness and chest tightening with shortness of breath that’s the worst with me! X

I have just seen the Dr and she prescribed me propranolol. Starting on 10mg but can go up to 40mg. Bit nervous of side effects but will take one. She said it should start to work in a few hours. I really hope it does. She also suggested self referring to healthy minds. Thank you again for everyone replying. I'm going to look at the you tube video when I get home. Sorry we are all in same boat. x

Propanol are really good for a quick fix! I can only take 20mg as if I take a 40 it makes me really dizzy xx

I only took 10mg as well OP and had no side effects, I am so scared of meds so this was a good one for me.