Conditions seeming to get worse

[syedrahman]

Thank you all for your kind help and support. It literally bought tears to my eyes whilst I was reading all your responses that you left for me. I will forever be in all of your debts.

Today, Sunday 20th March 2005, I feel so desperate and helpless. Couldn't get to sleep the previous night. Dozed off about 4am. Woke up at 8.30 am in a cold sweat. I lay in bed and was unable to get up physically. I finally managed to pull myself up at around about 10am but immediately I had a dizzy spell. I went back to bed to lie down again. I constantly battled with myself saying I will be fine, don't worry, all will be ok. I dozzed off again and again woke up at 3pm. I was physically crying. I couldn't understand why. I felt so dizzy that I cannot describe how it is. I only have to slightly move my head and wooosh the world goes. Walking to the bathroom is a major effort. As soon as I feel dizzy, the panic and anxiety attacks are happening again.

I am literrally trembling as I write this post. I feel so sick that I want to throw up but am unable to. I wish these side effects would go away. Its been 7 days of Sertraline 25mg and I am going through hell. I do think that the tablets are slightly helping. What is happening to me I don't know. I can't lie down, I can't sit up, I can't do anything without being dizzy. Closing my eyes causes the same senario. When I get dizzy I also feel very nauseated. My mouth is constantly dry and feel extremely thirsty. I feel sleepy but can't sleep. What I can't understand is that I used Sertraline 50mg for about 2 years continuously a while back and don't recall having these side effects. Why am I being subjected to them now. I try explaining my health scenario to my wife and family and all say "snap out of it, you're fine.."

My GP after my encounter with various other antibiotics and Amitriptyline and Cipralex side effects wouldn't give me Sertraline. She said don't take anything. But I couldn't cope and went and got them after requesting for them again. She did say that antidepressants had side effects. I can't go back to her and say look whats happening to me. I don't know what to do. I am at breaking point. I can't stop shaking. I need salvation. I need to get back to work. I am so scared...I am fearful for my life.

Sy

[katiekatie]

Sy

Don't be afraid to speak to dr if you feel that you need to. Your dr needs to know what medications you are taking and what effects they are having on you.

Are you eating properly? If not that can make you feel dizzy too, I do it myself, I think I feel sick and not well so I go and lie down, I don't eat properly for a few days then I wonder why I am feeling worse...keep to bland, low fat foods and do eat even if you want to be sick, chances are it will dilute the effects of the medication and reduce the sick feeling. Try to keep rested but keep your mind active and off your symptoms...not easy I know.

katiekatie

[dizzyd]

Can't believe what I have just read Sy - you are describing my day today completely. Woke up at 7 went to bathroom - had to call my husband because I thought I was going to fall off the loo! ( i totally lost it ) and have spent most of the day on my bed as I knew I caouldn't fall of that. I have spent the day bewildered and crying. I cannot cope with feeling so weak and giddy all the time. Have thought and spoken with husband at great length and decided it's back on the cipramil tomorrow. I will go and see Doc ( Has anyone tried ciprilex? I believe it has fewer side effects and works quicker than cipramil - is that right?) I have never had a dizzy day like it and couldn't even sit at the dining table to eat my dinner. My friend is a GP she came to see me and (it was her who mentioned cipralex) and she said my dizzy is almost certainly me breathing anxiously. No ectopic heart beats though - every cloud and all that ! Gettting Dizzy now so off I go x Love Dizzy

[mjh74]

Hi syedrahman,

I have only joined this site today but reading this post of yours ties in very closely to an experience that I have JUST been through and am currently going through infact!

I have taken Cipramil for depression over the past two and a half years and after 3 attempts to come off them, managed it just over a year ago. I felt great for a year but after work stress started to suffer bad anxiety. My GP started me on beta blockers at first and then back onto Cipramil (even though I'm not depressed this time). He started me on 20mg rather than 10mg. This combined with the beta blockers and I felt so ill I thought I was going to die. I felt the most amazing anxiety, nausea, really bad sweats and very exhausted yet was unable to sleep. I really felt like the world was collapsing around me and everything felt wrong. I halved back down to 10mg of Cipramil and started to feel a bit more human but still felt very anxious so I went back to see him and he switched me to another anti depressant (effexor). He told me to miss 2 days of Cipramil and start the Effexor. Within the first 2 or 3 days I felt really relaxed, the next 3 days I started to feel absolutely dia again, VERY much like you are describing now. I am currently withdrawing from the lot so I have a clean slate and can "find" myself again and start dealing with the problem I have.

I really wish there was something I could say that could take some of the despiration away, I really don't know how I had the strength to still be sitting here after the past 2 months. A lof of those days I really don't remember now they were "that" bad but I AM out of the worst now and the irrational hopelessness of it all has subcided to "right, lets try and deal with this".

I really hope this helps...

Regards,

Mark.

[Longie]

hi

i was on citalopram for 4 wks and my anxiety got much worse, i came off it and stated on paroxetine although i have side effects i know in the long run it will work for me, have used it before.

in hindsight i think th e side effects of the citalopram was actually caused by the actual acute anxios state that i was in.

if i were you i would try to stick on a med for at least 6 wks, until you decide if it is working or not,try and tell yourself it is just a sympton of my anxiety when you feel your panic rising

have yoy read any self help books i was recomended one by dr claire weekes just got it and it is fantastic,actually makes me feel normal
remember give it time, it takes along time for our stress to build up to give us these physical symptons, so we cant expect them to go overnight

take care Jane

[seh1980]

hello Sy,

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through such a rough time!! The side-effects may be horrible but I do think that you should give the meds a chance. It can take up to 2 months for some meds to have a noticeable effect . Please do go see your GP again if you feel that you need to - don't be scared or ashamed.

Sarah :D

[sal]

Hi Sy

I know how hard the side affects are but if you truly believe these will help you like they did before and you do feel slightly better hang in there and it will get better.

You are worrying about a lot of things, things that might never happen. I know it is easier said than done but you will get there, get back to work and manage money wise.

You have done it before and know you have more knowledge and understanding and no that it wont last forever.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.

[bubbles]

Sy,

Sorry you are feeling so bad. The side-effects that you are suffering sound very similar to how I felt for the first couple of weeks on Sertraline
It may be hard, at this stage, to distinguish between the illness & the side-effects. (That's how I felt at the time!)

You say that you didn't suffer like this when taking Sertraline before. As I'm sure you know meds can affect us differently at different times. Maybe you are starting from a base of more intense anxiety this time or something is different to when you used them before.

I know that the side-effects can be horrible but you say that you feel the meds are slightly helping---if you can, hang on in there, it can take a few weeks for this to settle down & for you to feel any real benefits.
If you really can't cope with this, go back to your GP, it is nothing to be ashamed of & she may be able to reassure you that it will pass.

You will get better as you did before.


Linda. x

Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.

[nomorepanic]

It is a difficult decision to make - to stay on the meds and suffer the side effects or to come off them and try to tackle the issues another way.

If you think it is worth it then you will have to give a few weeks until you start to feel better I am afraid.

Hope you feel better soon.

Nicola

[sweet_gem]

hi sy
i fair want to hug you i know how you are feeling only im like that and its not side effects lol its unfair of your family to tell you to pull yourself together if only they knew what people like us go through do you feel any better today i do hope so
please ust try like me and has dizzy has i am i just try and try hard but a few years ago i spent 6 months laid on a sofa cause of dizziness through anxiety i darent move and i had 8 kids but i did it and i had a year then of a so so life now im back to bad panics because i got mineries and that dizzy feeling is horrid but i darnt lay down for if i dont get up lol so the anxiety is back and i know iv to keep going i wish you luck any my thought are with all the dizzy ones love julie

j butcher

[Meg]

Hi Sy,

What youºre describing is extermely common and some of us have bene through it. These drugs do take a few weeks to setle in and these weeks can be the worst of all but the days do get better and this does pass.

Drugs are not the ultimate solution but they can give you a break .

Please read the <first steps page and remember many of us hav ebeen there and got the Tshirt and now its all in the past. You can be there too.

Hope today is getting easier

Meg
www.overcominganxiety.co.uk
You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance