Having awful day

[Merlinssister]

Can't concentrate today, can't get any comfort, just keep crying and crying. Why aren't the drugs helping? Why aren't I feeling any better? Why isn't it getting any easier? I feel like I'm going mad.

[seh1980]

hello there,

wow - that was a lot of questions!! lol first of all, calm down. it sounds like you are getting worked up about not feeling too good. don't worry, we all go through the stage of crying and wondering why our meds aren't working. It could be that you haven't been on them long enough for them to have a real effect yet. how long have u been on them and what r u on?

Sarah (seh1980)

[nomorepanic]

We all have bad days and feel as though we can't cope.

It may help to re-read Meg's post on "First steps" to see if there is anything that may help you.

Hope you feel a bit better now?

Nicola

[Rennie1989]

merlin

give it time, it takes a while for them to work!

Scooter Girl

if i wa hungry would u feed me, if i fell u you help me up, if i was crying would brush away my tears

[Merlinssister]

*blushes*

Apologies for the panic yesterday. I find the whole not able to concentrate thing really freaky, and it just makes it harder to look at things logically. Thanks for the support.

[sal]

Dont apologise we are all here to help each other.

Panic leads to irrational thinking and we cant slow it down. Nothing is logic when we panic and we do feel we are going mad.

You didnt and hopefully have had a better day today.



Love Sal xxxxx

[nomorepanic]

Merlin

Don't apologise - if you can't panic here then where can you do it :) We know better than most how it feels and we can support you.

Hope you feel brighter now?

Nicola

[Rennie1989]

merlin

are you new to the drugs, if so you may of been a bit paranoid about them, dont apologise for the panic attack, youve had it and its gone, you can think about the future now

Scooter Girl

if i wa hungry would u feed me, if i fell u you help me up, if i was crying would brush away my tears

[Merlinssister]

Thanks guys. Am still very anxious but managing to keep it more under control. And in answer to your question scooter girl, yes I am new to SSRIs and am anxious about them as I seemed to have had a lot of side effects. It is slowly calming down after two weeks, but I've had to play around with them a bit. :)

[Meg]

Hi , Glad it's settling somewhat now.

It can make the anxiety worse before it gets better and takes 3-5 weeks to kick in fully.

Meg

[tara]

I'm sure that when the side effects settle down you'll feel a lot more in control and less panicky and fustrated about things. It's always a good idea to play around with the meds until YOU feel comfortable with them, i do that a lot. Take more when i need to and less when i need to. Hope your having a better day today . Take Care Tara xxx

[Meg]

Continually varying doses of SSRI's is not a good idea at all. In the long run it confuses your system and can make the side effect profile much worse.

By all means fiddle until you have a regime that works for you and then stick with it.

Do adjust when and how much you take of betablockers and benzodiazepines but not regular medication.


Meg

Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.
If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.
Robert Albert Bloch

[Rennie1989]

merlin

glad your settling in now, you should feel alot better :D

Scooter Girl

if i wa hungry would u feed me, if i fell u you help me up, if i was crying would brush away my tears

[Caz Fab Pants]

Hi,

I know exactly what you mean about not being able to concentrate while on SSRi's as I'm on them too. I didn't notice it too much when I was on 50mg but I'm now on 100mg and find it hard to get interested in things and remember things. I also find my mind works slower so its hard to be spontaneous when having conversations. I used to be able to talk for England but when I chat these days I dont 'flow' like I used to.

Its something you get used to and I'm sure it reduces as time goes by.

I know some might think I shouldn't say this because it doesn't effect everyone but I have also found the medication has killed off my sex drive and made it impossible to cry. You may not be effected like this and I guess neither of these are serious, however I'd rather not experience them.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.

Caroline (apologies if I've been too honest)
x

[Meg]

Both symptoms you mention are extremely common with SSRI's and why not mention them . There may be people who are experencing similar things but don't like to ask or haven't made the connection as a side effect..

We welcome honest sharing and a variety of opinions on this site. No point skipping round subjects - noone learns from that .



Meg

Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.
If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.
Robert Albert Bloch

[sal]

Hi

It wont be long before the side affects subside. They do take a while and at first can seem to highlight the problems.

You did well writing on here how you feel so you can get some postive advice back.

It isnt easy at first but look to the long term approach and how they can help you. I hope you are feeling a lot better now and settling into the routine of the tablets but if not give them some time please, as until then you wont know how they can help you.

Good luck and hope to hear from you soon .



Love Sal xxxxx

[Merlinssister]

Hey Caroline,

Don't worry about being too honest. This is the place to do it. :DI've also had elements of all that you said, and i'm on a much lower dose. It's the concentration thing i'm finding hardest, and I also feel I've got less influence over my ability to pick myself up, or control my panic. Part of me wished I'd pushed to go onto amitryptiline, which I used when I was younger, but I'm not sure if I'm looking at them with rose coloured glasses. *shrugs*

[tara]

Meg I didn't know not to play around with SSRI's, not that I don't take them at all or take too many, just i'll take half at say 10am and then another half at 12 or 1, maybe i should just take it all at one time. My betablockers i do take lees of them when i'm feeling good and the right amount when i'm not so good. Thanks meg for the information we learn all the time Tara xxx

[sarah]

Hi tara

Its doesnt matter when you take your ssri's so long as you take a continuous dose at regular times. I am on 30mg of citalopram and I take 20mg in the morning and 10mg at bedtime and its working brilliantly for me. If I take them all in one go I feel a bit funny...lol

take care
love Sarah
xx

[tara]

Thanks for that Sarah, maybe I'll carry on doing what i'm doing now, it seems to be working for me and they don't make me feel funny when I don't take it all in one go LOL. Tara xxx