andyuk1987
19-06-13, 16:00
I posted here last week about the experience I've had over the last 7 weeks starting from a specific and significant anxiety trigger (explained below). 7 weeks later I still have spaced out, patchy, almost blurred vision and headspace, this is a permanent reminder of what's happened and I'm genuinely scared that this is permanent and I'll have to exist with this 'scar' from the events of the last month. Currently on fluoxetine to help with the depression I'm encountering but v much getting on top of the anxiety/panic and general nightmare of the earlier stages of the experience. Any of you guys had similar experience? will I ever be normal again?
- Earlier post -
So I guess I'll start by outlining what's happened to me over the last 7 weeks:
Following a hectic birthday weekend (not much sleep, a bunch of unhealthy food and lots of booze) I headed into work (I work in an office, full time) very exhausted (and grumpy!) and went about my day. When I got home I decided to get high to relax (I'm not a regular cannabis/drug user at all) which was a big mistake.
I became very anxious which turned into a full on anxiety attack, I was shaking/sweating, hot and cold flushes, dry mouth, my heart was racing and I was generally terrified. This lasted around 3 hours before I finally got to sleep that night a shivering mess. I woke the next day expecting to be fine but pretty much felt the same (without the hallucinogenic effects of being high). I carried on about my business that week as the anxiety grew, I became manic, stopped eating and sleeping, became extremely paranoid and totally frazzled/exhausted.
At this point I went home to my parents an explained to them what had happened. Things got worse over the next Two weeks, with a very stressful week at work in the middle of all of this I was at breaking point. My skin was burning, my mind racing with the most awful, catastrophic thoughts, I became scared of EVERYTHING. Being alone, sleeping, eating, family and friends. I became obsessed with the experience and how I was deteriorating.
Following a trip to the doctors I was prescribed 80 mg of Profanolol and 40mg of Fluoxetine to help with the depression that was mounting as every day went by with no improvement.
In the last 2 weeks I've managed to detatch myself from those initial hellish few weeks (almost completely) and keep myself busy & healthy (excersise has been a saviour) enough to move forward. Although my mood has increased and my anxiety decreased significantly I am still concerned by some of the physical symptoms that remain weeks later.
The main thing is that my vision has been almost blurry/spotty since the beginning and I've felt VERY spaced out (I'm aware Profanolol can contribute to this and am only taking 10mg a day now with the intention of coming off them in the coming weeks) but it's a contant reminder of what's happened and that something/s are still not right. I also have mild tremors as I go to sleep and wake.
I found this forum and would be interested in advice and similar stories from you guys, particularly around 'recovery' time. I should point out that generally and before all of this I was/am a moderately anxious person, always busy, always on the move and used to have mild panic attacks as a child which hadn't resurfaced until this incident. I'm in a completely different place than I was 3/4/5 weeks ago which Im grateful for, I just need to know that I've not got this for life :(
Thank you for reading
- Earlier post -
So I guess I'll start by outlining what's happened to me over the last 7 weeks:
Following a hectic birthday weekend (not much sleep, a bunch of unhealthy food and lots of booze) I headed into work (I work in an office, full time) very exhausted (and grumpy!) and went about my day. When I got home I decided to get high to relax (I'm not a regular cannabis/drug user at all) which was a big mistake.
I became very anxious which turned into a full on anxiety attack, I was shaking/sweating, hot and cold flushes, dry mouth, my heart was racing and I was generally terrified. This lasted around 3 hours before I finally got to sleep that night a shivering mess. I woke the next day expecting to be fine but pretty much felt the same (without the hallucinogenic effects of being high). I carried on about my business that week as the anxiety grew, I became manic, stopped eating and sleeping, became extremely paranoid and totally frazzled/exhausted.
At this point I went home to my parents an explained to them what had happened. Things got worse over the next Two weeks, with a very stressful week at work in the middle of all of this I was at breaking point. My skin was burning, my mind racing with the most awful, catastrophic thoughts, I became scared of EVERYTHING. Being alone, sleeping, eating, family and friends. I became obsessed with the experience and how I was deteriorating.
Following a trip to the doctors I was prescribed 80 mg of Profanolol and 40mg of Fluoxetine to help with the depression that was mounting as every day went by with no improvement.
In the last 2 weeks I've managed to detatch myself from those initial hellish few weeks (almost completely) and keep myself busy & healthy (excersise has been a saviour) enough to move forward. Although my mood has increased and my anxiety decreased significantly I am still concerned by some of the physical symptoms that remain weeks later.
The main thing is that my vision has been almost blurry/spotty since the beginning and I've felt VERY spaced out (I'm aware Profanolol can contribute to this and am only taking 10mg a day now with the intention of coming off them in the coming weeks) but it's a contant reminder of what's happened and that something/s are still not right. I also have mild tremors as I go to sleep and wake.
I found this forum and would be interested in advice and similar stories from you guys, particularly around 'recovery' time. I should point out that generally and before all of this I was/am a moderately anxious person, always busy, always on the move and used to have mild panic attacks as a child which hadn't resurfaced until this incident. I'm in a completely different place than I was 3/4/5 weeks ago which Im grateful for, I just need to know that I've not got this for life :(
Thank you for reading