workingthroughit
13-08-12, 12:23
Hi everyone,
I am 26, and have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks and, looking back, what must have been moderate depression for about 10 years. I had a breakdown early last year when I had to take time off work. The panic attacks got so bad that I didn't feel safe in my own skin any more. I have always hated this constant theme of thinking that something bad is going to happen and that I won't be able to handle it. This theme has ruled my life, and subsequently ruined my quality of living. I was on beta blockers and sedatives for a little while, and I did CBT which helped. However, a year and a half later, now I am back in that dark place and it got to a point this week where I literally didn't know what to do any more. I took myself off to the doctor's and he has given me antidepressants. I know this is the only way forward, and I suppose I can take some comfort in the fact that I was strong enough to go and get this help. However; I am on day 4 of taking Lustral (sertraline) today and I am going through absolute hell. I am not sleeping, not eating properly, lost my appetite, feeling so unbelievably anxious and panicky, raised adrenaline and heartbeat, feeling and being sick, dizziness, terror, sweats and a weird tingling/warmth down my arms and hands. I have to assume these are all side affects, and that they won't be here forever. The next couple of weeks are going to be really hard, and I need some reassurance that this is just getting worse before it gets better and that these things are normal. The symptoms of these tablets are so bad that I want to stop taking them. But I know that's not the right thing to do.
Sorry this was such a long post, but I'm feeling so awful right now I wanted to see if others had felt the same. Thanks for looking.
I am 26, and have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks and, looking back, what must have been moderate depression for about 10 years. I had a breakdown early last year when I had to take time off work. The panic attacks got so bad that I didn't feel safe in my own skin any more. I have always hated this constant theme of thinking that something bad is going to happen and that I won't be able to handle it. This theme has ruled my life, and subsequently ruined my quality of living. I was on beta blockers and sedatives for a little while, and I did CBT which helped. However, a year and a half later, now I am back in that dark place and it got to a point this week where I literally didn't know what to do any more. I took myself off to the doctor's and he has given me antidepressants. I know this is the only way forward, and I suppose I can take some comfort in the fact that I was strong enough to go and get this help. However; I am on day 4 of taking Lustral (sertraline) today and I am going through absolute hell. I am not sleeping, not eating properly, lost my appetite, feeling so unbelievably anxious and panicky, raised adrenaline and heartbeat, feeling and being sick, dizziness, terror, sweats and a weird tingling/warmth down my arms and hands. I have to assume these are all side affects, and that they won't be here forever. The next couple of weeks are going to be really hard, and I need some reassurance that this is just getting worse before it gets better and that these things are normal. The symptoms of these tablets are so bad that I want to stop taking them. But I know that's not the right thing to do.
Sorry this was such a long post, but I'm feeling so awful right now I wanted to see if others had felt the same. Thanks for looking.