Panic attacks/Anxiety/Meds/Dilema !

[toffeebluenose]

Hi all

Looking for some advice / help .. new to the site and have only posted the once..

I came off long term meds for obtrusive thoughts (8years Paroxetine) last September. I only took them that long because I knew no differerent. I had a little counselling to start with which lasted a couple of months, went on the meds and was then pretty much left to myself

Went cold turkey as (I thought) they made me lethargic, stuck in the day etc and it was affecting my relationship

Bad move, I totally fell apart, thoughts returned, mood swings

To top it off my relationship brokedown.

Got a good counsellor and started to find myself a bit .. lost weight etc

Trouble is I have been plagued by Panic and Anxiety ever since. I'm back with my ex and that has caused a lot of Anxiety although I hide it well

We are moving forward and although I have my doubts things have settled.

But I still get plagued by panic attacks and anxiety. Reading a lot on here it seems I have health anxiety. Trouble is it affects my mood and I just want to be happy. Every time it happens my mind goes back to wanting meds again .. just to be able to think 'normal' to have a chest pain and my first thought to be indegestion rather than a heart attack .. to relax in front of the tv withought worrying about wher the next attack/ crap thought is coming from

I was doing ok .. but I went out at the weekend .. didn;t go too mad but really seem to suffer after a drink .. so does this mean I can't get drunk again .. the end of what little social life I have left ! Maybe being a little dramatic but still would llike to wake up with a hang over and realiose it for what it is .. rather than thining i'm going to die

So my dilema is .. despite how well I have doen to come of the meds .. go back on them so I can enjoy things again .. is that the answer ??

Would really like some advice or to hear from someone who has a similar situation .. someone who has come off meds and had to go back on .. was ot the right thing to do .. or someone who has stayed off and still fighting ?

Just get a bit sick of fighting .. looking for an easy life .. but is the answer to go back on meds ?? I scream out for them when i'm like this, but when i'm positive and in a good frame of mind i'm ok

But over the last 8months I reckon I can count the ok days on one hand....

Would really appreciate hearing from someone

[beastsbeauty]

Hi Toffee.
I suppose everyone is different. But I find that alcohol can bring on my anxiety more, but it depends on what I've been drinking and how much. Many people will say never drink again, others will say 'Why shouldn't anxiety sufferers be able to enjoy the odd drink'. I do have the occasional drink, but it took me a while to find what suited me. I tend to drink low alcohol Rose wine, if not available then I'd advise 50/50 mix with lemonade or soda. At the same time I would also recommend that at the moment it's best that you don't drink until you are confident that your body will be able to cope with it. And I'd definitely recommend you do not drink if you decide to go back on your medication.
With regards to your medication, I'd advise that you make an appointment with your GP as they are the best people to speak to. There's no shame in going back on medication if your body needs it. I've been on and off mine, but always with the advice of my GP.
Hope this helps. Feel free to chat and please let me know how you get on.

[toffeebluenose]

hi .. thanks for your words and advice. Just a bit annoyed in general that this is happening to me .. I didn't even really know what Panic attacks or Anxiety was until 6 months ago ! Trouble is i've probably overdosed myself on info and symptoms and paying the price .. damn that google !

I think I will give it until the end of this week to make a decision on the meds .. need to talk with my CBT therapist and perhaps my Mother

i'm still not sure about my relationship so maybe that needs addressing as well. Trouble is I feel like I can't talk to my partner, she has her own issues and I feel I need to be the strong one.

[obsessive b]

Hi

I too was on seroxat for 8 years got down to a very low dose then for some reason lst Oct got really bad with p/a anxiety again struggled on for a few months then 3 weeks ago my doctor decided to change me straight over from 10mg of seroxat to 20mg it was horrible for the first 2 weeks I was a complete mess I am now into 3 /12 week and things have calmed down alot I still have to take evryday as it comes and tonight I do feel abit low but I hope thats just becus I am due on. I certaintly wouldn't struglle or be ashamed about going back on the meds. If you need them you need them. It fightens me sometimes I think am I always going to be on them but my doctoris convined I will be off them in no time.

B

[blueangel]

Hi Toffee (I presume you're an Everton fan!)

I agree with the post above - there's no shame about medication; it's there to correct an imbalance in your body, just in the same way that other people need medication to correct things like hormone imbalances.

It does sound like you need to address the relationship though. If you feel that you don't have enough control over your life, that will always make anxiety worse.

I've had to take antidepressants several times, and this time I've been on them since Christmas. I'd tried to fight it off for three years and had to admit defeat, and to be honest I wish I'd done it earlier as I'd got to the stage where it was really interfering with my life.