anybody too afraid to try their medications?

[swgrl09]

I have my new prescription for hydroxyzine hcl (aka atarax or vistaril), and I know it is a very low dose, but I cannot bring myself to trying it ... I'm scared it will make me so drowsy I won't wake up - which I know is irrational, as it has to wear off eventually.

How ridiculous does this even sound? I am anxious abut taking medication that is supposed to calm my anxiety. Agh! What a vicious circle. :mad:

[Dazza]

Hi,

I also have similar feelings.

I've had problems with anxiety and depression for many years. My depression was about 13 years ago, and lasted for about 4 years. I tried to avoid meds, until I felt I needed something, as I was just so low and couldn't cope. I was given Paroxeteine (Seroxat). I didn't like it, and came off it after a year.

Since then, I've been against taking meds, with the exception of taking valium once in a while, which I only do if I've had a string of sleepless nights or I am SUPER, super anxious, which is thankfully rare.

For me, it's partly due to fear of side effects. Sometimes I read that they can have cardiac effects for example... and of course, even though those side effects are extremely rare, I convince myself that I will be one of those extremely rare people who it will effect in that manner.

But for me, I have a strong belief that my anxiety is caused by my distorted thinking, and so I don't really believe in long term use of meds. I believe that changing the way of thinking is the long term solution. My doctor recently tried to give me Dogmatil, and anti-psychotic, which regulates dopamine levels in the brain, as he thinks that my anxiety might be down to irregular dopamine levels. I feel he's clutching at straws a little. He's a good doctor, as he know's about my health anxiety, and has tested me for everything under the sun in order to reassure me, but I feel he has little understanding about anxiety and how to treat it. When he gave me the prescription, I was kind of at a really low point in terms of anxiety, and said maybe I needed them (even my partner said, maybe you need them). But when I look at the pills, I just couldn't bring myself to taking them, as I knew that I'd have to start taking them for a long time (they take at least 10 days to take effect). So, I never took once single one...

I guess not wanting to be controlled by a pill is my main reason for not taking them.

[swgrl09]

My doctor prescribed mine to be "as needed" if I am feeling very anxious and need to relax, as sometimes I have good days and I explained to her how afraid I was of side effects and seeing how much trouble my sisters have been having with weight gain, changing medications, and trying to slowly decrease their medications. I guess mine is supposed to not be very addictive and I can use it if I need it, but it is not something I have to take daily, which is reassuring.

But I have never taken any medications for anxiety or depression before, so I am frightened as I do not know what to expect and I am alone in my apartment for the next few days until my bf returns from a business trip ....

Maybe I will just wait until he comes back to try it. I feel so weird though, like you said I have the bottle but I cannot bring myself to open it!!! It's just sitting in the medicine cabinet.

[xfilme]

I totally empathise. It took me two months to pluck up the courage to use my nasal spray for my allergies. x

[Dazza]

I feel so weird though, like you said I have the bottle but I cannot bring myself to open it!!! It's just sitting in the medicine cabinet.

hehe - yes. so, my policy in this situation is: if I don't feel anxious enough that I feel I need it, then I don't worry about not taking it. I will know in myself when I feel that I really, really need it, which is rare. (if that makes sense?).

[Danii]

Sounds just like me. I've had a bottle of pills for anxiety sitting on my kitchen table for a month. I take ativan .5 at times, but always when I just feel slightly anxious, because if I get too anxious I know itll just make it worse

[Beyonderz]

I struggled and fought with my doctor a lot before I started using Atarax, and one another medicine with it. He gave me atarax because I was having extreme sleeping problems. Then doctor told me that those side effects listed there actually have very low chance to have. I was told the same thing by my brother's girlfriend who is a biologist and works for a pharmacy company.

Then I just started the medication, and I didn't even feel a single side effect. I am glad I started using them because it helped my panic attacks get better.

Atarax is a kind of medicine you can have apprx 1 hrs before sleep, because it makes your muscles relax, and get sleepy. My doctor gave me another medicine also to use in the mornings, which actually helped the panic disorder itself.

If that medication is a bit hard to get use to, you can always ask your dr to change it to a lighter one. But Atarax, especially if used low dose, will not make you feel anything strange.

DO NOT READ ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD (do not read the leaflet of the medicine itself also), because every each person's body reacts different to medicines. The side effects they had, might not occur in your body.

[swgrl09]

I am so glad to hear from somebody who has tried it!!! And omg those leaflets are terrifying, and I know that they have to list every possible thing that can happen legally so that nobody sues their pants off, but reading about like ... well I won't even get into it, the doc said all I had to worry about was being sleepy, but I have insomnia anyway so that's a good thing. :)

[Wuboo]

I wouldn't be too scared, you know your're more likely to have a reaction to paracetamol than having adverse side effects with SSRI's.

I had the usual side effects with Sertraline, dizzy and sick, going to the toilet every 5 minutes etc. but it passed with in a week or two. I'd say go for it because you're probably not going to feel any more worse than you feel now with anxiety/panic!