Need advice

[ShirleyM]

Hello Everyone

I need some advice I'm 38 years old and have been suffering panic attacks since I was about 18, I have managed to keep them pretty much under control and life has been pretty normal UNTIL about 2 months ago I have a really busy job, college, social life etc. I ahd a couple of bad panic attacks when shopping, then I got ill with soem sort of bug thing, I got over that but now I am panicking about everything. I havn't been to work for two weeks and in fact havn't been out side the house for over a week. My symtoms are: severe stomach pain, not sleeping, feeling in a daze, feeling as though I am going to faint and chest pain, palpitations mainly feeling like I am going to die, I went to my GP last Friday and she says it is just anxiety and has given me anti depressents called CIPRAMOL, but the worst thing is I am too scared to take the pills becuase I read all the side effects and think they are going to make me worse than ever and don't think I could cope at the moment with the side effects.

The doctor also gave me sleeping tablets to take for a few days to try to get some sleep and I find myself counting the hours till I can take a sleeping tablet and get some rest from how I feel.


I feel so useless at the moment and keep thinking that there must be something seriously wrong with me as anxiety can't make you feel that bad all the time, I so want to get better.

I am panicking because I have to go back to work on Monday and think that I am not up to it.

Can anyone advise if they have used cipramol before for anxiety and if they experienced any bad side effects and if it helped?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Shirley

[Meg]

Dear Shirley,

Anxiety can make you feel that bad ...

It's extremely common for a bug or illness to tip people off into panic and anxiety.


The stomach pain- if its churny pain have a few swigs of something fizzy and have a good burp. Are you eating well?

The daze is very common and will go when you're calmer

The fainting and heart palps are very common. Read 'First steps' in the introduction section of this forum.

If the sleeping tablets are helping - great - but they are for short term use only

Cipramol may help enormously but is not essential to a good recovery. They canntake some settling onto and you may feel slightly more anxious whilst you adjust to them but then they should help control the symptoms.

There are several people on this forum who do take it so you'll get more on that later on I'm sure.

Go out even if its just for a walk each day - do not start avoiding things - that way agoraphobia lies...

Let us know how you get on





Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[sarah]

Hi Shirley

I am on Cipramil and I knew the side effects. Im also from a pharmacy background so I also knew that just because they state possible side effects it didnt necessarily mean I would get them.
With that in mind I took them knowing that I needed something to help me out of the black hole into which I was rapidly sinking.
I didnt suffer ANY side effects except maybe a headache or 2 and a little dizzyness (which I had anyway).
I wouldnt say in any way that they have cured the panic but it has lessened it and also as they are an antidepressant I have felt less miserable with my situation which has let me get on with trying to get myself better without dwelling on the 'poor me' side of things.

To put it in perspective, I WAS agoraphobic and am not now. Although I am not yet 'cured' I do think that this medication has gone a long way to help me become how well I am today.

take care
Love Sarah
xx


we arent mad, just the next stage of evolution :)

[benoo5]

hello shirley,
welcome to this great site,ime sure you will find lots of help,and advice here.
you say that you have suffered panic,for about 20 years,have you received any treatment in those years?
as for cipramil,its well documented on here,just type it in the search facility at the top right of the page.
the symptoms your having are all anxiety based,as meg says!and as she says do try,and leave the house for just a short walk (to the end of the road,and back) will help,for the time being,but the longer you avoid going out,is the main road to agoraphobia!
in the meantime,make your sitting room into a place of peace,and tranquility..have a nice bath..light candles..listen to relaxing music..watch a good comedy on tv..when ime stressed,i always watch videos of only fools and horses..if you have a tv in the bedroom,then lay on the bed,and relax.

a lot of people here listen to relaxation tapes,and i know these are of great benefit.

keep in touch,and just ask away,theres a lot of really nice people here......best wishes...bryan.

[sal]

Hi Shirley

Firstly welcome to the site. You will get so much help and support here, there is always someone right there to help you. Like Sarah i am on Cipramil, and was exactly the same as you before i started taking it. Previously i had tryed other meds and they made me feel worse, so i had a big cloud over my head about taking Cipramil. So to reduce the effect of side affects if any i took 5mg for a few days then 10 mg until after about 3 weeks i reached the 30 mg i had been prescribed and i couldnt believe it i didnt suffer anyside affects. Try to think of the tablet if you had to take it for diabetes or something like that, you wouldnt question the side affects would you, its just us anxiety worries look to the side affects straight away. Be positive in the tablets and at least try them, because like Sarah they have definately helped me get my life back on track. You say you cant believe anxiety can make you feel so ill, well you will hear on this site how many people have suffered to your extent and worse, it is really hard to accept how ill it makes you but hopefully your better days will come round as well and in even itself out. Im not sure if this has been any help but we are all hear to listen and support you.

Take care

Lots of love Sal xxxx

[ShirleyM]

Hi All

Thanks so much for your quick responses, I am going to try to take a half the dose of the cipramil and see how i get on, i have also booked an appointment for hypnosis for Wed evening. You have really cheered me up and I will let you know how I get on. Glad there are others out there to help and I'm not the only one who feels like this
Shirley

[april tones]

hi shirley, i felt exactly the same about taking tabs till i come on here and read what some one posted about taking meds if you had diabetes, i took them, felt little shaky etc first few days and now nothing, no nasty side effects like i thought, you should try not to read leaflet as you will convince your self you have side effects. Im getting better and have managed to read my tabs instruction leaflet which i hadnt done before as too scared. Anxiety and deppression can give horrible physical symptoms, when i first had panic attacks few years ago i thought i was dying of tumour or stroke, i even had slurred speech and one side of body weak! real scary, all down to anxiety and not knowing what it was at time, hope that helps, take care, love april x

apriltones

[sarah]

Hi Shirley

Good luck with the hypno on wednesday. Ive got nothing but good things to say about hypno so let us know what you think.

love Sarah
xx

we arent mad, just the next stage of evolution :)

[sal]

Hi Shirley

Hope hypno goes well for you and remember whatever you feel like you will never be alone with us all to help you through it. Pleased youre going to try the cipramil, start on low dose and gradually get to dose doctor has recommended. Even if works in end a few side affects we can cope with and we are all here to support you. Take care.


Sal xxxx

[sweetwater]

Hi Shirley,
Cipramil is a reltively new anitidpressant (SSRI), and apparently has less adverse affects than the other SSRI antidepressants, which is a good thing...Good idea to start on half dose and depending on ur response, after 3-4 days move up to the prescribed dose. You will know virtually straight away whether the drug agrees with you or not. There are side effects that will feel crap, unfortunately, such as nausea, nervousness, dry mouth, dizziness, but they subside in around 2 wks, and then you hopefully will notice a lift in ur mood. For me, I have never been on Cipramil, but just about every other SSRI, and none have agreed with me...and within 3 days I've rung my dr. and told him I'm not taking it anymore, the reason for me being that I couldn't concentrate properly and felt very drugged up on them...I was on Parnate recently, and even on the lowest dose (20mg/day)- I couldn't tolerate it...but many people in here and elsewhere experience wonderful benefits from antidepressants, but please underestand that they are not "happy pills"- they are against depression and anxiety, they work to drive a bridge b/w the anxiety/depression and you...and as Meg said, make urself get out there once a day if you can, even if it's just a short walk or something, otherwise the perpetual cycle sets in, and you begin to avoid things and it just keeps on getting harder to face things...i've never tried hypnotheraphy...but it interests me...keep in touch Shirley and keep talking - these people are a wonderful support and very knowledgeable...much love to you all. xx.

[ShirleyM]

Hi All

Just and update on how things are at them moment, I had my hypnotherapy session on Wednesday night, it was very good, it basically teaches you relaxation and to replace your negative thoughts with postitive ones, felt slightly better on Thursday only slightly though long long way to go, went to the supermarket for the first time on Thursday afternoon, found felt terrible rushed in picked up basket run round picked up any old thing, felt sick, felt faint, legs felt wobbly, the worst bit was when I got to the checkout, I looked for the shortest queue but the silly checkout women was taking ages putting through the shopping, I really felt like throwing the basket down and running out of the shop but we needed stuff for tea, so I stood there packed my shopping as quick as possible and ran back into the safety of my car.

Today I have a horrible numb feeling on my fingers and the end of my nose (sounds funny if I wasn't thinking god what now?) does anyone else have this?

I keep thinking I going to waken up in the morning and feel better but it hasn't happened yet.

This site is wonderful and is what is keeping me from thinking I'm going mad at the moment.

Shirley

[stimpy]

Hi shirley and welcome!

Okay so the trip to the supermarket wasn't perfect, but you did it, that is the main thing.
Well done for having the courage to try.

I to go to bed wondering if this will all be over in the morning and the last year of my life was just some horrible dream and I will feel better. But it hasn't happened for me yet either.

Panic has this habbit of making you think and feel all sorts of funny things, so it wouldn't suprise me if numb fingers and nose is just another symptom.

Good luck with the medication


Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[:p]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'