First post...anxious mess...any help???

[Anxiousandtired]

I’ve suffered with anxiety for about 5 years, at the worst point it transformed into postnatal depression after having my second daughter. This is when my sleep anxiety started and turned into depression. I had awful insomnia and started taking sertraline which was brilliant. Ever since I have had a couple of reoccurring episodes of anxiety and have gone on and off my sertraline.

Fast forward to this week and my sleep anxiety has flared up BIG STYLE. I went out drinking with colleagues Tuesday afternoon, had quite a bit of red wine, was in bed by 11 (stopped drinking at 8) and I woke up with palpitations at 3 and was anxious I wouldn’t go back to sleep...so I didn’t!

Same thing Wednesday night (no booze) awake at 2.50...palpitations, anxiety and didn’t go back to sleep.

So yesterday morning I started back on the sertraline, but I’ve just had the most terrible night. Stayed up until 12.30 thinking I’d sleep longer but woke up at 2.30! I’ve been awake and panicking ever since. I even took a 2mg diazepam before bed and again at 4....they did nothing 😩

I know my meds’ will kick in within the next 5-7 days, and I know that they will stop the anxiety and I will sleep again, but does anyone have any tips on riding this adrenaline wave in the meantime???

Literally can’t stop shaking, dry mouth, can’t eat, head is so fuzzy

Sorry for the long message

[Kellbell82]

Hello :) I'm new to the forum too although not New to anxiety and depression. Also I suffered severe postnatal depression after the birth of my now 11 year old. I've had 2 more babies since then and thankfully the depression was bearable and not so severe because I was started taking fluoxetine early on in both pregnancies, something I didn't do with my other Son. I've been on and off medication since I was 17, now 35. Currently not on anything apart from a load of vitamins and supplements and having a pretty rough time just now, the weather at this time of year always makes me 10 times worse!

But anyway, I just wanted to offer some sympathy really as I know exactly what it feels like to be up all night with anxiety and how difficult it is to fall asleep when your brain won't shut the f@#k up! I find that meditating as I'm trying to fall asleep helps me, also I take a magnesium supplement a couple of hours before I go to bed which helps me sleep easier. I lay there and try to empty my mind, breath steady and in some sort of rhythm. If any thoughts come to my mind I just push them away and try not to dwell on them, just breath. The first week starting back on medication is hard I know, you have to keep busy and try not to let it overcome you. I sing songs in my head, it seems to help drown out any bad thoughts and makes me less anxious. When I had the severe postnatal depression with my son I swear 'Bob Marley - Buffalo Soldier' got me through some of the worst days of my life! Sounds ridiculous lol but it helped so much! I would just sing it over and over in my head and get on with doing all the mum stuff I had to do without falling to bits and crawling into a corner.

Just to say also that booze does the same to me. I love a drink but it makes me feel worse for a couple of days afterwards. Do you find your anxiety and depression come back to bite you more so in the winter? It's like a pattern with me. Seasonal affective disorder seems to come hand in hand with anxiety and depression. Get yourself some vitamin d3 supplements and maybe an SAD lamp. You would be surprised how good they are for perking you up in the miserable dark winter months.

Sorry for the long ramble lol hope you feel much better soon hun :)

Kell

[ZigZag]

Hi, sorry to hear you're having a bad time. I would just like to agree with Kell about the SAD lamp - I bought one for myself a couple of weeks ago and I think it is helping with my sleep problems - I still wake up and get anxiety symptoms but they are not as bad when I use the lamp. Definitely worth trying.

[Anxiousandtired]

Thank you Kell, I loved your long rambling message, it’s exactly the same as my OP!! Sounds like we’re kindered spirits! I practice mindfulness using an app during the day, but in the night the app just annoys me, when I’m really panicking I just want to throw my phone out of the window!! Going to try and find a mindfulness/meditation exercise that I can learn and do it on my own when the panic sets in xx

[CleoD]

hi there
sorry to hear what you are going through - its been a while for me but when I cant sleep (which makes you feel worse) I take phenergan 10mg they are available in boots and are an antihistamine - you also wake up the next day feeling calmer.. whats probably happening is if you are off the meds and then go back on them you get side effects again... I had an awful time when I first went on fluoxetine... didnt sleep for weeks...

my tip ... take 10mg of phenergan about half an hour before you go to sleep.. (you can take more but I find them very strong) then when you wake up in the am (as soon as you do have a plain biscuit by bed and a tiny bit of valium.. this helps you get up and out.... I did this until the tabs kicked in and it helped.... I refuse to back on antidepressants again but when things get bad.... I use this combo... also the booze definitely makes things worse... so I try to only drink if I know I will get some me time the next day......

hope this helps - xo

---------- Post added at 22:19 ---------- Previous post was at 22:14 ----------

ps also read the book the depression cure - it is really amazing... and helped me a lot... it also recommends SAD lamps and fish oils..

re phenergan my gp recommended this as it is non addictive.. when you ask for it in pharmacy just say you suffer from travel sickness....

xo

[Sylver1975]

I have GAD and also suffered from insomnia. I take Mitrazapine before bed and find it helps. It's horrible waking up and wanting to sleep but not being able to. There's a really good Meditation for sleep by Michael Sealey that you can find on Youtube. Even if it doesn't get you back to sleep, it might help you to relax.

Adrenaline can be burnt off by doing some exercise, even jogging on the spot, someone told me once that it also helps if you wave your arms around as well. If you don't feel like eating, try to at least nibble something, toast or plain biscuits, to keep your stomach from being too empty. As you said, this will pass, you just have to ride the wave.

Take care,
Sylver.