Holiday nerves

[Suziewuzie]

Prior to my little breakdown I travelled Asia & europe on my own without a care in the world - and then the past few months I was too scared to leave my house! But tomorrow I'm off to Greece for a week with my boyfriend. I'm SO NERVOUS! I'm in a much better place now & a few months ago I couldn't have dreamt of leaving the country. But I have a niggling worry of What if I freak out while I'm there? Bah. Any words of wisdom appreciated x

[Mojo61]

You can do this Suzie! I let my anxiety stop me from going on holiday earlier in the month, I'd had it booked since last year (2 weeks in a beautiful villa in Corfu) but when it came to paying the balance in February I was in such a state that I cancelled it and lost our £300 deposit into the bargain.:weep::weep::weep:

You are fine, and once you get there you will love it and be so pleased with yourself for actually giving the anxiety two fingers and not letting it beat you. :yesyes::yesyes::yesyes:

Have a lovely time and tell us all about it when you get back :D:D:D:D

[Victory2016]

Have a great trip!!! You will be fine! Its amazing how far you have come. I have always wanted to go to Greece. Hope I can make it there someday!!!!

[Suziewuzie]

Thanks girls. I've always been nervous on flights so I know I'll feel a bit scatty at the airport but hopefully that will be it. I'm just so worried that I'll have a bad time and ruin it for my boyfriend but I know the more I worry the more likely that is to happen.

[Carnation]

Suziewuzie, I found the hardest part the over thinking and the pre journey nerves.
The 'what If's'. Once you get past them, you will fought through the worst part. x

[danithegirl]

Agreed- overthinking is the worst. As several people have said to me, remember that they're just thoughts and nothing more! :)

[Suziewuzie]

How is everyone?!
As predicted I had a huge panic attack at the airport but it was all internal, my boyfriend said I looked completely relaxed. I followed Claire Weekes advice & just stood and observed it, I let myself feel my heart pounding & my arms tingling & let myself feel the depersonalisation... then it went. And I was left thinking "Well that wasn't so bad!"
I felt uneasy at time during the holiday but still managed to do everything I wanted, explored the whole island on mopeds and my boyfriend proposed to me :)
So I'm feeling very proud of myself this was a huge milestone for me. I'm almost at 4 months now & can safely say I'm getting there.
Hope everyone is OK xxx

[Mojo61]

Fantastic! What a little trooper you are :yesyes:

[Victory2016]

Yahoooo!!!! Great news and Congrats on getting engaged. How exciting :D

[Andy1718]

What great news

[Becky2785]

Congrats xx

[mark84]

How is everyone?!
As predicted I had a huge panic attack at the airport but it was all internal, my boyfriend said I looked completely relaxed. I followed Claire Weekes advice & just stood and observed it, I let myself feel my heart pounding & my arms tingling & let myself feel the depersonalisation... then it went. And I was left thinking "Well that wasn't so bad!"
I felt uneasy at time during the holiday but still managed to do everything I wanted, explored the whole island on mopeds and my boyfriend proposed to me :)
So I'm feeling very proud of myself this was a huge milestone for me. I'm almost at 4 months now & can safely say I'm getting there.
Hope everyone is OK xxx

That's fantastic news, congratulations on the proposal too!:D

[pollynewsome]

Wonderful news,, Just goes to show we can and will be able to do things that we never thought we could! Well done Suzie and congrats to you. x

[Suziewuzie]

Oh thank you so much everyone!
I just hope anyone who's having a rough time or has just started citalopram can take some hope from this, I was crippled by my anxiety - I couldn't leave my house I was convinced I was going mad & it was terrifying and horrible and absolutely the worst period of my life. But lying on a boat on the aegean sea with my husband to be, that all felt like a totally different person! X

[Mojo61]

Suzie, how long were you taking the citalopram for before you felt better? I have been on 10mg for nearly 2 months now and I'm still struggling. I'm trying my hardest to make 10mg work for me because I really don't want to go up to 20 unless I have to, but although I'm better than I was I am still not right.

[Suziewuzie]

Well I took it for a month & felt dreadful so stopped for a few days. Then went back on it & probably noticed a difference about 3 weeks later, so about 7/8 weeks I noticed a difference & was able to go back to work. I still had quite a lot of bad days then & it was about 10 - 12 weeks before I was brave enough to say it was working. I still quite often think I should increase to 20mg because I do feel there's still room for improvement tbh. I think if you don't feel it's working at 8 weeks then that's a very sensible amount of time to have given it a fair go & decide to increase x

[pollynewsome]

Im now 7 weeks at 20mg and still not 100% by any means.. Better than i was but not right. Docs appointment on 3rd of June. I dont want to go to 30mg but if i need to i will. Im going to give it the full 12 weeks at 20mg though and see if i improve. x

[Mojo61]

Well I took it for a month & felt dreadful so stopped for a few days. Then went back on it & probably noticed a difference about 3 weeks later, so about 7/8 weeks I noticed a difference & was able to go back to work. I still had quite a lot of bad days then & it was about 10 - 12 weeks before I was brave enough to say it was working. I still quite often think I should increase to 20mg because I do feel there's still room for improvement tbh. I think if you don't feel it's working at 8 weeks then that's a very sensible amount of time to have given it a fair go & decide to increase x

Thanks Suzie. I feel it is working somewhat, I'm nowhere near as bad as I was before starting. But I'm not sure how much of that is down to the citalopram, how much of it is down to the HRT (which I started quite close to the Cit), how much of it is down to the 9 weeks of CBT I've had, or indeed how much of it is due to the fact that the sun is out! :shrug:

[Victory2016]

Thanks Suzie. I feel it is working somewhat, I'm nowhere near as bad as I was before starting. But I'm not sure how much of that is down to the citalopram, how much of it is down to the HRT (which I started quite close to the Cit), how much of it is down to the 9 weeks of CBT I've had, or indeed how much of it is due to the fact that the sun is out! :shrug:

I would try to stick it out until 12 weeks that seems to be the magic spot for a lot of people. If by then you are not improving then I would say definitely go to 20mg.

[Suziewuzie]

It's probably a combination of all of those things! But even 3 months is still relatively early days really if you've been feeling as bad as we have, so if you feel like you can manage then sure, wait a little longer and see how you feel. You can increase whenever you like theres no magic time. Maybe after another few weeks things will have settled a bit more x

[danithegirl]

Congratulations to you on your engagement! That is amazing news! :)