Please advise you might change my life

Hello folks

Well after suffering with anxiety for 5 years I am finally going to take a SSRI, however I do want to make sure my Doctor is advising the right coarse of action.

He is recommending Prozac

So here is a run down of my condition over the past 5 years


I first got anxiety back around 2003, it was like a complete breakdown, just fealt like I couldnt cope with life, got CBT it actually went for about a year when the same thing happened again

2005 Another breakdown type anxiety period for months, this time I was obsessed I was going made, monitoring thoughts, sounds

2007 Another breakdown type anxiety period which lasted for months, this time I had a phobia about choking, and lost 2 stone in a matter of months from only eatting soft foods.

Couldnt walk past a table with coin's on it , afraid of small objects that could go into my mouth.

2008 Anxiety comes back in the form of health anxiety, i am monitoring my head, neck , eyes, getting eye all start because I got a symptom of being off balance, which comes and goes

I dont really get panic attacks, just prelonged anxiety.

Reading all the above makes me feel so sad, its been just a long journey.

Is prozac the route for me or should i be considering something else?

It's a hard decision whether or not to take meds. You've steered clear of them for so long so you must be reluctant to take them?

You can always give them a try, they may work brilliantly, or help a bit. But they might not work at all!

Personally, I've been on them, got off them and now hope I don't need them again. Although I don't know what else to do either!

That probably doesn't help at all, but I know how it feels when no one replies to your posts!!

Hope you find the strength to decide

ok tommy i tried a lot ssris and they were not suitable for me
i ended up with trazadone at night which has served ,me well and been on them three and a half years
my 2 mates and mum are on fluoxetine and i have to say its done them well for a variety conditions so its really your call mate and worth a shot

Tommy

I just saw your post saying no one had replied. Yep, that's sad when that happens, Smiley is lovely and she came to your rescue- it's her nature to be nice.

Right, yes this is what tends to happen to us anxiety prone types it goes away for long periods, then you get manageable periods, then you get periods where you just can't cope.

An ssri will help I think. Not sure about Prozac though. Prozac is a very good med for depression but it's more of a rev up med. I'm surprised that the gp didn't opt for something like Citalapram. Do your own research - look up a good meds website.

When you first go on an ssri the anxiety/depression can accellerate for the first couple of weeks but then you should start to feel better. Doctors now usually like to use medication and CBT together. I knw you've had cbt but maybe a little refresher course would help. I am no big fan of CBT unfortunately but it does work for so many people.

Good luck Tommy and if you don't get a reply to posts then just bring it back up to the top again by adding a new post under your first one.

you are all so good replying,

i forgot to mention i suffer or did suffer from ocd, switching switches etc.. maybe thats why he is saying prozac


i think the last time i was with my terapist like 2 years back he mentioned lexapro or effexor or something

I find this site very helpful when researching meds

http://www.askapatient.com/viewratin...0&name=LEXAPRO

The link will take you Lexapro ratings/reviews but you can search for any med.

All the best

Carl

Hello

I think that taking any SSRI is going to make you feel better.

I started on sertraline but had to switch to citalopram because of side effects. CItalopram works fine for me, i am an ex agoraphobic...

I do have other problems now though b ut SSRIs are really worth a go

Prozac is the oldest and there is so much research on it. I cannot see why not try it first!

Good luck!

I'm the same as you Tommy. Have been diagnosed with GAD (general anxiety disorder) and have been given Prozac 20mg. Have been on it for 11 days now and not feeling any better at the moment but it is early days. My Dr said she's had a lot of people with anxiety get a positive reaction from Prozac so I'm sticking it out hoping I will benefit from it soon. I recommend you take it in the morning and with food as it digests better then, good luck

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Originally Posted by Cat80

I'm the same as you Tommy. Have been diagnosed with GAD (general anxiety disorder) and have been given Prozac 20mg. Have been on it for 11 days now and not feeling any better at the moment but it is early days. My Dr said she's had a lot of people with anxiety get a positive reaction from Prozac so I'm sticking it out hoping I will benefit from it soon. I recommend you take it in the morning and with food as it digests better then, good luck

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are you able to get through the day or are you totally messed up on them?