Do I just give up and take the medication?

[Kb97]

Hey guys,
If you know me from previous posts you'll know I've had panic disorder for years and I was on Prozac for 2 years. I relapsed after smoking weed in Amsterdam and became obsessed with my heart again. They've done all the tests with only the ambulance ecg coming back with artial fibrillation. Everything was clear after that test so I can only guess it got it wrong. Where I am right now: I'm drinking camomile tea twice a day which is helping a lot but my panic attacks are very intense and the physical symptoms to do with my heart are so overwhelming. I've just had one now and I could feel my heart beating everywhere and I've got a new symptom where I feel like my ears are ringing and I'm going deaf. Anyway I'm having a panic attack every two days, I don't want to put my partner through this anymore but the thought of the side effects going back onto the Prozac is putting me off. I was only on 20mg and I was so sick with side effects for 4 weeks. After the 4 weeks it saved my life. It's so scary because it just feels like something is really wrong which sends me into more panic. Please help should I just take the Prozac offer again?! It did stop them completely last time. Note that my panic attacks send me into panic for hours

[Pythonian]

In a word, yes. I take Prozac as well (60 mg) and must admit it was hellish waiting for it to kick in. However the side effects were temporary. Could also ask your Dr. about other SSRI options like Lexapro and Zoloft. I was on Lex for 10 years before it faded out and I transitioned to Prozac. For me Lexapro was great.

Your post says it all, panic is unfortunately taking a toll on you currently and was gone when you were on medication. To me the answer is clear, but obviously I am pro-medication.

If you do decide to go back on a SSRI, keep with it. The transition may be tough but temporary and you know the relief they can provide. Best wishes.

[Kb97]

Hey thank you for the reply,
I think it wouldn't be such an issue if it wasn't for this damn heart symptoms it's so overwhelming for me. My mum is very anti antidepressants but I've spoken to her about it (she tried to stop the doctor giving me them when I lived at home) and she agrees it's probably what I need right now. I've been told to ask about other medication but I'm worried they won't work as it could be a trial and a error, I just got really lucky with the Prozac and it worked I was a new person. I think I'll speak to my partner then to my gp and just go for it as I know it works and makes me a better person. I just don't like being down the medication route as it makes me feel a bit robotic a bit forced if that makes sense

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Kb this my stance on this re meds while they can and do help have you looked at having some sort of therapy instead of or combining the 2 together? we aren't dr's on here so my advice would be go back to your dr and discuss other avenues available to you :) Watched a programme last week on the over use of meds for Anxiety/Depression etc and even the dr on the programme said this is not good. As for ringing in your ear this is normal I have had it and it's possible it may be titinus It wont make you deaf either. As for your heart have you had this looked at with a ECG test? Iam med free and have been for years Iam proud of my self on that score and looking at other ways of controlling my conditions. Good luck keep us updated :) Cheers

[ana]

Taking medication doesn't mean giving up. Quite the contrary, it means being proactive in helping yourself cure the disorder and get healthy, get your life back. If you don't think Prozac agrees well with you, there are a number of other, different medications you could try instead. Perhaps you can mention this to your doctor. Forcing yourself to take Prozac will create the feeling of resistance towards the medication and will therefore create more anxiety. Find a medication that's suitable for you, give it time to start working, and keep working on resolving the issues that prevent you from being anxiety-free.

[poppadr3w]

I wouldn't say that taking medication is "giving up." That's a poor way of perceiving it.


People take medications for a myriad of reasons. From diabetes to heart issues, many people are on medication, some people being on multiple (myself included). There is a stigma with mental health medications, but I feel that lately that has been falling away. More people are becoming more comfortable taking them or even just talking about them.


There is no shame in taking the medications. But I was the same way as you... I viewed it as "giving in." I didn't want to rely on antidepressants for my anxiety and felt weak. But as the physical manifestations became more and more overwhelming, I "gave in," and it was a great decision to increase the quality of my life.

Remember, not all people take medications forever. You may take them for a year and then be able to come off if life instances change or therapy is of profound benefit to you. But even if you do have to take them for a long time, there is no shame, friend. You need to do what you need to do to feel better.

[pan1c]

Hi Kb97 / All,

Reading your messages is like reading the story of my life approximately 4 years ago. I had panic attacks, sometimes three a day. I became agoraphobic due to panic. I was absolutely obsessed about my heart and had test after test. Heart would skips beats due to high stress and panic and adrenaline, I was convinced I was dying. I was lucky. I met via forums a guy who suffered as I did. He put me onto a website in Australia of another guy who had suffered and documented his story. Best thing I ever did was getting his ebook. The long and short of it was that I didn't want to be reliant on meds but it was going that way. I learnt that until I remove the Valium and dealt with it head on, I got nowhere, just kept going in circles. Symptoms were horrific but with his ideas I made more ground than ever. I could barely walk my symptoms were so bad at one point. Thankfully I'm all good. Happy to discuss my experiences with all on these forums. Website was antianxietyaustralia.com.au. Cheers

[ana]

Pan1c, I'm agoraphobic and I'm at a point where I struggle to walk places 5 minutes away from my house because it's so bad. However, medication helps relieve the tension so that I can remain as functional as I can be. I agree, depending on medication alone isn't useful as there is no magic pill, but some of us simply can't afford to slip back into a place where we the panic is so bad we can no longer go out, work, and where all we do is suffer terribly each and every day. I'm glad you found the strength and courage to push through and come out the other end, and you should be very proud of yourself. :)

[Turnaround00]

I think if the meds worked for you before then you should try again.
I am your typical anti medication person and I go through a couple years on antidepressants then get all confident and tell myself I can do it without but after a few months I am worse than I ever had been.
I don't see the point in fighting it if the meds are there and can help you. I am currently feeling quite shit from the side effects of prozac but I am sure I will be fine again soon. I just told myself I need to work, I need my life back, I like life apart form the crippling anxiety so I just walked to my shelf and took the first capsule and decided I needed to. Simple as
Hope you feel better soon x

[Fishmanpa]

The simple answer is "Yes".

NOTE: Taking meds is not "giving up". Mental illness is an illness just like any other and sometimes you need meds to help treat it. Think of them as a crutch to help you walk until you get your feet back under you ;)

Positive thoughts

[pan1c]

I completely understand that the meds are required for some at certain stages but they unfortunately only mask the symptoms, they don't attack the underlying cause of the anxiety. My advice is to slowly reduce the meds with professional help when you feel strong enough, face the rebound anxiety head on and tackle the underlying cause. It's my belief that until you do this, you will always be stuck in a loop.

---------- Post added at 10:53 ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 ----------


Pan1c, I'm agoraphobic and I'm at a point where I struggle to walk places 5 minutes away from my house because it's so bad. However, medication helps relieve the tension so that I can remain as functional as I can be. I agree, depending on medication alone isn't useful as there is no magic pill, but some of us simply can't afford to slip back into a place where we the panic is so bad we can no longer go out, work, and where all we do is suffer terribly each and every day. I'm glad you found the strength and courage to push through and come out the other end, and you should be very proud of yourself. :)

Hi Ana, I have been there believe me. It was the thought of not being able to work and provide for my family that kept me going through those days. Just thinking about work the next day sent me to panic and by the morning, full blown panic attacks. Be strong Ana, I found amazing techniques on an Australian website that helped me immensely. Try this if you can. When you have time go for a 10 min walk, push yourself, go 5 mins further than you usually go or try a shop etc. Now I know it will feel terrible but please try to push your self that little bit extra, then return home and have a cup of chamomile tea. Now think, that walk may have felt terrible, you probably thought that the extra push today wasn't possible, but it was, you did it and you should feel a little control. The truth is with agoraphobia / panic, we are doing it to our self's with our thought process. Pushing yourself, achieving a little more when you can will return some control and confidence, it is literally the only way out of agoraphobia. I'm happy to chat whenever you like. The good news is there is 100% a way out, I did it from from the depths of this condition and that's why i'm here to help where I can.

[ana]

Thank you for your kind words of support. The things you say make a lot of sense. I do push myself because I have no choice. I've got to work, and I don't want to be housebound. It's difficult to go further than what I usually go, but I'm going to try and expand my radius of movement. Thank you again :)

[Turnaround00]

I think most people here know that medication is just masking the symptoms and that is probably why alot feel bad taking medication as well as possible side effects etc.
Its all well and good to say you understand pan1c but when you are in the midst of a breakdown from the anxiety like the person writing this is then sometimes its better to know that taking the meds is the best option right now. For me personally I would need to take a lot of time out to get to the bottom of this and hit it straight on med free. This would mean not working, not having enough money to pay for a mortage. Some people just can't afford to stop their lives for a couple of years. I also believe that while you may have solved your anxiety that does not mean that you can solve eveyone elses anxiety. I feel that each persons anxiety is so unique to them and we are all made that bit differently thus making each case unique. I have soe days where I feel like I have cured myself and feel like everyone can do this but then you think how you are at your worst and think that the next person may be even worse than that and so on. I would love to be med free and most others would too but I would prefer to get out of this anxiety hell hole by taking meds right now as I feel terrible plus I can not afford to go natural as I iwill be out of work for a long time.
Each case is completely different

[snowghost57]

Taking medication is not giving up! I am one that does not like to take medication. I tried them years ago and did not give them a chance to work. After a major meltdown a few months ago, I realized I needed help to get over this "hump" in my life. So I talked to my doctor and told her how I really didn't like medication, I have terrible side effects. So we decided on a low dose of Zoloft 25mg, in the UK you know it has Sertraline. I lasted almost 3 weeks. I just couldn't tolerate the side effects, sleeping all day, nausea, couldn't eat, I lost 4lbs. It did teach me to push away intrusive thoughts. I wasn't living my life, I was wrapping it in a cocoon. I am now drug free.


My thoughts on medication is that they should be used to help us through a crisis and with therapy to learn how to cope with life. Sure I have my ups and downs but I refuse to go back to the zombie state. This is not te way I wanted to live my life. I made a few friends here, and we chat in private email or Facebook messenger. We can chat to each other when we need it and I think that really helps. We have even thought we would encourage others to join our "little buddy" system. It's not a group, we just contact each other for positive support. Feel free to PM me if you would like to chat.

I really think we need more positive posts and focus on coping with our anxiety instead of medicating and worry if we are doing the right thing. It takes a lot of work. Sure I have days where I cry and intrusive thought creep back in, but I must focus on what is in front of me, do not visit the past, and do not think about the future. All we have is right now. Life can be over in the blink of an eye. I want to enjoy life and I am determined to keep my life anxiety free. It isn't easy but I'm working on it day by day hour by hour. These are just my thoughts and in no way should be misunderstood.

Take care!

---------- Post added at 10:41 ---------- Previous post was at 10:25 ----------


I think most people here know that medication is just masking the symptoms and that is probably why alot feel bad taking medication as well as possible side effects etc.
Its all well and good to say you understand pan1c but when you are in the midst of a breakdown from the anxiety like the person writing this is then sometimes its better to know that taking the meds is the best option right now. For me personally I would need to take a lot of time out to get to the bottom of this and hit it straight on med free. This would mean not working, not having enough money to pay for a mortage. Some people just can't afford to stop their lives for a couple of years. I also believe that while you may have solved your anxiety that does not mean that you can solve eveyone elses anxiety. I feel that each persons anxiety is so unique to them and we are all made that bit differently thus making each case unique. I have soe days where I feel like I have cured myself and feel like everyone can do this but then you think how you are at your worst and think that the next person may be even worse than that and so on. I would love to be med free and most others would too but I would prefer to get out of this anxiety hell hole by taking meds right now as I feel terrible plus I can not afford to go natural as I iwill be out of work for a long time.
Each case is completely different

I agree turnaround. We are each different. If medication helps you get out of the hole then do it. They helped me. True, we cannot solve someone else's anxiety. I just have concerns of the long term effects of these powerful medications. I know they are strong, I could feel the effects the medication had on my thought process. Maybe they might have worked if I stayed on them. The doctor told me that maybe the 3 weeks I was on them help reset the circuits in my brain, who knows? I didn't have 6-8 weeks to wait and find out if they would eradicate anxiety completely from my life. I too have to get a job, get back on my feet and live my life. I wasn't willing to sit on the couch and watch life go by.

[Turnaround00]

I too worry about the longterm affects of these medications. But, if you were physically sick would you tell someone not to take the medication. Just because it is mental illness doesn't mean drugs are bad. I do believe that they are prescribed far too quickly and unnecessarily but there are definitely times when they should be used, in my opinion. Modern life comes with more problems and more and more people will end up hooked on antidepressants which is not good but neither is a world consumed by materialism so if this is how people have to survive then so be it. Only time will tell the real affect these meds are having on our brains but so far I haven't come across anything too concerning. Just like I would take medication if I had heart failure, cancer or some other disease, same for mental health. Definitely a personal choice here and total depends on the individual case too

[pan1c]

Hi Turnaround, I had to take meds at times as I had no other option for exactly the same issues, I had to work to support my family. I definitely understand panic and anxiety as I was literally housebound, life was horrific. Every case is different and I'm not saying I can cure you all but any help or experiences I can relay I'm hoping can help in some way. You say I can’t solve every ones anxiety and this is true but maybe my feedback can help some people. Someone helped me resolve my anxiety so it is possible with the right guidance and mindset. I resolved my anxiety completely but not really until I reduced and stopped the medication and tackled the cause but I totally understand that it’s not practical for all to do this due to personal reasons. There are two ways to manage anxiety issues. Medication to mask the symptoms to continue life as best as possible, or techniques to address the underlying cause and work towards a resolution. There is no magic pill that resolves anxiety, the only way out is facing it head on and addressing the underlying issues and that is the same for all so there are similarities with sufferers. Also the symptoms experienced follow a similar pattern. Certainly though this is a personal choice and dependant on the individuals circumstances. I’m happy to point you in the direction of the website that helped me if you are interested. It no frills help online, no fluff, saved me completely. All the best.