Not sure - need some guidance.

[Turtle]

This is my first time posting here. My boyfriend found this site for me. I'll just get right to the point.

I've been suffering from anxiety for a few years now. I've never been on pills for it for very long (like 1 pill for about 3 months maybe?), that was about a year ago.

My anxiety was getting better for a while but then it took a turn for the worse a few months ago and hasn't been improving. I saw my family doctor because I was feeling sick and nauseous constantly from not eating or from trying to eat - because that usually triggers my anxiety (OMG I'm gonna die, this food is tainted, who touched it, etc etc etc). She prescribed me with Cipralex and I am currently on day 3.

I understand it takes a few weeks for it to really do it's thing. I felt really weird but way better on day 1 and day 2.

Today is day 3 and this morning at work I had a pretty intense panic attack while trying to eat my breakfast. It didn't subside easily and quickly like it did on day 1 & 2. I feel really groggy today from the medication as I did the past two days - but it's a bit worse.

I don't feel nauseous however (from the pill or from my anxiety). So I guess that's a good thing - at least that side effect isn't impeding me atm.

My question is, should I keep taking this pill? I'm freaked out about pills and I'm sure I'm just self sabotaging and looking for any excuse to stop taking it. I recognize that it did help and will only help more as time goes on and these side effects will dissipate, right? (Or wont they?)

I last saw my psychiatrist almost a year ago and I've emailed him and informed him of my situation and I'm waiting to hear back from him in hopes I can see him - I trust him with my anxiety disorder and medication much more than my family doctor.

Does anyone have any experience with Cypralex or any new medication and how ICK you felt the first couple of days. This that feeling go away? Should I stick with it?

I'm definitely not suffering from any of the really bad effects that I am aware of. No heart palpitation. Some times my vision is a bit off (sort of blurry a bit) - but mostly it's just this groggy sort of head ache and anxiety just under the surface about .. well about ALL of this.

I guess I'm trying to talk myself into stopping.. and out of stopping the pills at the same time. >_<

AND HELLO!.. I'm new here!

I chose "Turtle" as my handle cos I wish I had a shell I could hide in most times. xD

[vicky23]

Hi Turtle,
I'm glad your bf found this site I'm sure it will be helpful to you :)
It's a difficult one! Some people don't like taking meds and that's fine, there are natural therapies out there that help. Other people feel they need the support of the medication to take a bit of the intensity off the anxiety so they can function and it does help immensely.
I would say continue to take the pills and wait until your psychiatrist gets back to you with his opinion. Have you tried CBT? there is lots of information online about it and I think this would be helpful for you to question/ change the thoughts surrounding food. I don't have any experience with that drug, most side effects do wear off though :)
x

[NoPoet]

You've actually already identified the problems: The intrusive thoughts are what are stopping you from eating and being able to enjoy food. Break the thoughts and you might find the problem goes away quite quickly.

List ALL of your thoughts that come when you think of food, look at food AND eat food. Find ones that recur, or ones that overlap to reveal a specific problem. Then think of as many counters to that as you can. Concentrate on killing one problem at a time with total prejudice. Then move onto the next one. Be ruthless, we're talking scorched earth: if you think of nine negative thoughts, find twenty positives.