View Full Version : Does anyone here get scared about medication?
I didn't know whether to post this in the medication section or this section. It's not specifically about WHICH medication we're on, and want to go on, it's more of a general discussion about starting to take them.
I have had anxiety on and off for around 3/4 years. I have also experienced periods of very low moods (emptiness, sadness, feeling depressed) at times too.
I have the option and support of my doctor to take medication, but I keep messing about. I get a prescription, then get scared and don't collect the medication, or I tell the doctor I want to try to battle on without meds, but during a bad phase, I feel desperate for them!!!!
I hate my lack of being able to decide what's best. But more than that, I hate the fact I feel so nervous about taking meds. I can't understand WHY I feel so nervous about taking medication when I can see that it really helps people so much....
I am mainly scared of three things
1) The idea of putting something in my body that will altar my own mind and thoughts.
2) Scary side effects. Some side effects sound scarier than the anxiety and low moods I already have!
3) I also get scared that if I am on medication that gives me terrible side effects, I know I just can't stop taking them, you have to slowly wean yourself off for weeks/months. That idea scares me, that if I don't like what I am taking, I can't just stop...
My question is - did you feel nervous? Did you go on meds? If so, did you regret it or are you happier now you did?
Hi Haunted,
I was recently given beta blockers and it took me almost a week to take them because I was scared. Scared of side effects, they would hurt me or make me feel worse. Eventually I took them and did have mild side effects mainly because I had built them up as something bad in my mind they were doomed to fail. but I persevered with them and now they do help me a lot, and it turned out the side effects weren't actually side effects, I was coming down with a cold! I am happier now after taking them. Just remember that you doctor wouldn't give you something that would harm you, try not to read about the side effects it just makes it worse
:hugs:
Thank you Bekzie for your reply and reassurance. It just helps to know others have felt the same but got through it....
I didn't know whether to post this in the medication section or this section. It's not specifically about WHICH medication we're on, and want to go on, it's more of a general discussion about starting to take them.
I have had anxiety on and off for around 3/4 years. I have also experienced periods of very low moods (emptiness, sadness, feeling depressed) at times too.
I have the option and support of my doctor to take medication, but I keep messing about. I get a prescription, then get scared and don't collect the medication, or I tell the doctor I want to try to battle on without meds, but during a bad phase, I feel desperate for them!!!!
I hate my lack of being able to decide what's best. But more than that, I hate the fact I feel so nervous about taking meds. I can't understand WHY I feel so nervous about taking medication when I can see that it really helps people so much....
I am mainly scared of three things
1) The idea of putting something in my body that will altar my own mind and thoughts.
2) Scary side effects. Some side effects sound scarier than the anxiety and low moods I already have!
3) I also get scared that if I am on medication that gives me terrible side effects, I know I just can't stop taking them, you have to slowly wean yourself off for weeks/months. That idea scares me, that if I don't like what I am taking, I can't just stop...
My question is - did you feel nervous? Did you go on meds? If so, did you regret it or are you happier now you did?
It's quite normal and I've been in the same position. I still have sertraline in my drawer from a year ago that I was too afraid to start. at the height of my anxiety I was even scared to take tranquilisers!
if you were having terrible side effects then you wouldn't be on the drugs long enough to have to come off them slowly!
Thanks for your reply, I guess you make a good point - if side effects were that bad, I would stop sooner rather than later.
Do you mind me asking - are you on meds now? Or did you never start taking them?
I've just had a phone call from my doctor - he is great and very patient - and he's prescribed me a low dose of Fluoxetine. So here goes.
I am not going to read too much on the medicine section here about Fluoxetine because if I do, I will obsesses about any negative side effects I read and it will likely put me off.
You've also got to remember that people are far more likely to post on the forum to ask for support over difficulties with meds than to say everything is fine.
Hi Haunted,
I was terrified of taking an 'mind altering' medication for many years and struggled on with intermittant depression and panic attacks. In 2003 I tried some medication but at a normal dose and it made me more anxious and I didn't continue on them, I continued to deterioate and in 2004 was started on Fluoxetine, but at very low starting dose. It turned my life around and for 8 years I was really well, I slowly increased to 20mg a day and by the end of year 2 I was only taking 3 tablets (60mg) a week.
Anyway long story short, I stopped them and am struggling again with panic and depression. I recommend medication if you've tried other self help methods like CBT or counselling. To answer your questions, SSRI do not alter your mind, you are still you, you think the same only with less anxiety and worry. The side effects will appear quickly, within 2 weeks and all the drugs are easy to stop if you've been on them for a short period of time. The trick is to perservere through the side effects to feel the benefits though. Fluoxetine is the easiest drug to stop and it has a long half life so most people do not experience withdrawl.
Finally, I've been on and off meds for the past 10 years, I do not regret taking medication and when I find the right drug at the right dose now I will be staying on it for life. I view it like a diabetic with insulin - my brain needs some help for me to function fully, yes I could struggle on feeling anxious and low but why should I? Life should be fun, exciting and enjoyable not something to be enjured.
Good luck with the Fluox - start low and take it slow and be patient, it takes a while to work and when it does it's quite subtle, you don't notice you're feeling better until you look back on how you were before
Take care
Sam
I am not going to read too much on the medicine section here about Fluoxetine because if I do, I will obsesses about any negative side effects I read and it will likely put me off.
Good move. I'm convinced the more you read about SEs, the more likely you are to get them. When I first started Prozac, the SEs I experienced were negligible.
Thanks for your reply, I guess you make a good point - if side effects were that bad, I would stop sooner rather than later.
Do you mind me asking - are you on meds now? Or did you never start taking them?
I've just had a phone call from my doctor - he is great and very patient - and he's prescribed me a low dose of Fluoxetine. So here goes.
I am not going to read too much on the medicine section here about Fluoxetine because if I do, I will obsesses about any negative side effects I read and it will likely put me off.
Nope not on any medication. I recovered quite well without them although recently I've had a blip due to so much running about without stopping.
I'm trying Ashwaghanda at the moment. Its a herbal thing. Started on thursday so its too early to tell if they've had any impact. I've also been taking vit B complex and magnesium.
Otherwise, relaxation, mindfulness, and some hypnosis ("stop worrying" from hypnosis downloads) helped.
I would definately agree to not reading other threads about any medication because you will always find positive and negative experiences and being anxious you will give more weight to the negative ones.
spottitchsam
25-03-13, 12:17
I didn't know whether to post this in the medication section or this section. It's not specifically about WHICH medication we're on, and want to go on, it's more of a general discussion about starting to take them.
I have had anxiety on and off for around 3/4 years. I have also experienced periods of very low moods (emptiness, sadness, feeling depressed) at times too.
I have the option and support of my doctor to take medication, but I keep messing about. I get a prescription, then get scared and don't collect the medication, or I tell the doctor I want to try to battle on without meds, but during a bad phase, I feel desperate for them!!!!
I hate my lack of being able to decide what's best. But more than that, I hate the fact I feel so nervous about taking meds. I can't understand WHY I feel so nervous about taking medication when I can see that it really helps people so much....
I am mainly scared of three things
1) The idea of putting something in my body that will altar my own mind and thoughts.
2) Scary side effects. Some side effects sound scarier than the anxiety and low moods I already have!
3) I also get scared that if I am on medication that gives me terrible side effects, I know I just can't stop taking them, you have to slowly wean yourself off for weeks/months. That idea scares me, that if I don't like what I am taking, I can't just stop...
My question is - did you feel nervous? Did you go on meds? If so, did you regret it or are you happier now you did?
morning Haunted that could be me writing this,since january of this year i started having panic attacks again after a break of them from years ago,i have been put on 4/5 different pills.at long last i think i have found the one that suits me.the other pills was either causing me side effects of dry mouth which made me panic more,another one which a different gp subscribed made my sleep apena worse,another one made me feel like mike tyson,i could take on the world.as others have said your gp would not give you anything that would harm you.you may have to try a couple before they find the right one/dose for you.i know its hard for you but why not give it a try for a few months you may even suprise yourself.sometimes we all need a helping hand.have a good day and keep on posting on this wonderful site.without all these lovely people on here i know i would not been able to get through this.
:hugs::hugs::hugs:
I was prescribed citalopram last year and didnt really think much of the side effects, I took one and oh my!! Never again. It was just that one and it really affected me. I was living a horrible nightmare, it was like one long panic attack all day and the next day wasnt so great either. Never again. I also took some sudafed for my cold the other month then read the little leaflet, side effects was fast or irregular heart rate. I panicked so much as I get that already, didnt need it any worse!
I dont like taking anything new, I just stick to my propranolol which I know :)
I just want to thank you guys for your help and your answers. It does help just to get some reassurance and to hear how you have all coped.
I am nervous about medication, I do worry about SE's, but I am trying my hardest not to focus on that.
Hi Haunted, I just have to say that I could of written that post, everything you said is exactly what I think/worry about! I've had anxiety since I was 14 (almost 6 years now) and have tried therapy, CBT etc. The therapy did help, but only for short periods of time, once I left therapy slowly anxiety fell back into place and I would end up right where I started. Things have slowly gotten worse for me over the years and I'm left now with only medication as the option but the problem is I'm terrified! Sometimes I don't even know why I'm scared to take it, I just am! I feel terrible for messing my doctor and family about, I keep saying I'll take them but then when I actually have them in my hand I physically can't do it. I've had Fluoxetine in my draw for the past year now! I think though for some people anxiety can be caused by an event or difficult situations in life so therefore therapy works, but for others I really belive it's a chemical imbalance, something in your DNA, I think that's how it is for me anyway and therefore medication would probably be the best option. It's just getting past the inital scary first steps of taking it that's the problem. Do let us know how you get on if your able to take them and if not don't beat yourself up about it, I know how difficult it is x
I've taken quite a few different medications over the years, so I've lost my fear of them, if I ever had it.
I still feel a little concerned as to the side effects before I start. I always start on a Friday night, so I can sleep all weekend if need be :)
I've been on daily medication for over 5 years (I was on and off ADs and beta-blockers for 18 years before that).
Medication has saved my job, my health and probably my marriage, so I welcome any drug which helps me.
That said the weight gain and sexual side effects of the 2 I'm on (see my sig) are a real annoyance.
There's only duloxetine left to try, but pregabalin, despite the SEs is doing a good job so I'm not going to rock that boat just yet :winks:
I have a fear of medication. It was so bad that for a while I couldn't take anything, not even pain killers or vitamin tablets. I have been given propranolol and I took one and couldn't stop thinking about being inside my body so I haven't taken them since. I did try anti-depressants once, but had a bad experience and I think that is where a lot of my fear has come from. I can rationalise most things, but not this. I would love to be able to take something that would make me feel better, but I just can't get over this fear. I would love to hear how you get on and how you cope with this. I really really hope you do it and prove to yourself it's not that scary after all and that you start to feel better. Please let us know how you get on.
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