Taking medication brings on panic attacks [Archive]

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thepanicman

28-11-11, 11:04

Anyone had this? It could be a vitamin tablet, paracetamol, ibuprofen or a local anaesthetic (as yesterday). It's a complete pain in the backside. I think it's caused by fear of taking too much of whatever it is, but that doesn't make it any better.

Luckily my panic attacks are nowhere near what they were a couple of years ago (losing my job with a mortgage to pay brought all that on), but they are still a distraction. I can get over them in 15-20 minutes these days with breath control or doing things that calm me.

This forum is great by the way, I find just reading other peoples "ridiculous" symptoms helps me feel better quite quickly. By that I mean it reminds me that my own panic causes are also completely laughable if I think about them rationally. Obviously that's not something that we do much when we get a panic attack though.

melvin

28-11-11, 17:50

hi i used to be like that but it kinda went i now take blood pressure and colestril tabs no props

Mindful

29-11-11, 16:01

If i read the side effects list on any medication you can bet your last pound that i will develop said side effects..like clockwork :ohmy::D

Gembutt

29-11-11, 16:38

I know how you feel Mindful! I thought it was only me that did that but I won't take any form of medication unless I really have to... even paracetemol. I worry what they're going to do to me and I think I am going to have an allergic reaction (even if I have taken them before)...
And I am going to the doctor next week about starting some for my anxiety so wish me luck! x

Mindful

29-11-11, 19:27

Good luck Gem!

I am ok with paracetomal and ibufen sp? But anything else, forget it! I was put on beta blockers many many years ago when i first plucked up the courage to see the doctor and after the first tablet i felt so strange i couldnt take any more.

Hats off to anyone who uses medication, if it works then it works. It isnt for me though. I'd rather know that what i am feeling is natural ( if you know what i mean?) rather than some horrid side effect from medication. It is tempting though, id love to find a magic pill to take it all away. :unsure:

Gembutt

29-11-11, 19:41

thepanicman

29-11-11, 20:53

If i read the side effects list on any medication you can bet your last pound that i will develop said side effects..like clockwork :ohmy::D

Oh no, I'm far more ridiculous than that. I don't get the side effects, I have a panic attack thinking about getting them. Boom! What do you think about that?

Mindful

29-11-11, 21:24

Yeah that's why I have refused to go on medication for so long.. I wanted to be able to beat them on my own but even when I feel like I have they seem to creep back into my life and I don't want to have to put up with them anymore so I'm going to give the medication a try anyway :).. I would regret it if I never did and they could have helped me :)

xx Go for it Gem, many people have said that the medications work wonders. x

Oh no, I'm far more ridiculous than that. I don't get the side effects, I have a panic attack thinking about getting them. Boom! What do you think about that?

You win :hugs:

kwarly

30-11-11, 17:05

I don't condone taking tablets unless you need to, but some of the medications out there for panic and anxiety work wonders. I started taking citalopram (which i took for about 15 months a while back and was fine with it) the other week and had such a massive panic attack, but it was so bad i really believed it was the tablets making me go wrong. i even went to a&e which makes me feel like a COMPLETE idiot now as i actually used to work there, know everyone....and it was just a really really awful panic attack.
if you really suffer badly with anxiety, take a deep breath and just try the medication. nothing bad will happen to you, you won't even notice anything different. i now have been taking sertraline for about 10 days and feel better already after feeling really crap lately. do it!

---------- Post added at 17:05 ---------- Previous post was at 17:04 ----------

just to clarify, as the above doesnt sound like a good encouragement to take the tablets, what was the worst possible scenario? a panic attack and some embarrassment. i've had worse. take a risk