Do anti depressants help HA?

[busybeingmum]

Please, please advice as I am at the end of my tether. My husband is loosing patience and after 2 years I am not recovering at all.....I have terrible HA. One symptom gets resolved and then another arises. I am never worry free. I am wasting precious time with my small children. The time has come for serious HELP. I think anti depressants may be the answer. I have been anti going on them but there is no light at the end of the tunnel for me.
I have had HA for 2 years following a breast biopsy (benign).
My latest worries are still breast focused but mainly that my eye is smaller than the other!!!!!!! The HA tells me I have tumour on optic nerve. I live in Germany and have no family (except hubby) for support. I have 2 small children.
PLEASE ADVICE.

Many thanks.

[JaneC]

Hi mum, this must be very hard for you as you must feel very isolated. I don't have HA myself but anti-deps might help - although I'm wondering if you might be able to get access to cognitive behavioural therapy, which might just work wonders xx

[Glitterbug]

Hi,

I can understand how you feel.

I started having ha when my first little one was born. I tried to work it out on my own but ended up worse so finally went on the anti depressants and they worked wonders. I was lucky and had a very understand doctor and a great health visitor. It was hard to begin with as I had a few side effects that made my ha worse but after a couple of months I started to feel much better. I have just had my second child and my ha is at an all time high so am going back on the tablets this week as had stoped them in pregnancy.

They are not for everyone and only you can decide what is best for you but if notting else has worked it may be worth giving them a go.

X

[busybeingmum]

Thanks Glitterbug - what side effects did you experience???
Hope your HA sorts soon - mine was triggered following the birth of my second and a lump in my breast founf during breastfeeding:weep:.xx

[serendipity]

I was on Citalopram and then had to come off due to side effects but they did help. I had another episode of bad anxiety so tried clomipramine and had to come off due to side effects (same side effects). They did help a lot but found coming off them an absolute nightmare and ended up with depression for a while after. I now have to cope with health anxiety on no medication and its hard, especially on my family.

I still had health anxiety on them and a full blown panic attack, but they did reduce my anxiety to a more manageable level.

The medication may help you a great deal, with no side effects.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Seren :)

[MoonlightFire]

I have had very major anxiety about my health on and off since I was 12 (I'm 29 now). I was put on sertraline (an ssri anti-depressant) when I was 22 and I have to say it gave me my life back. I was able to complete my degree and get on with things. I felt like I was me again :) Personally I would highly recommend anti depressants to help ease HA but I would also say that therapy is a very important component of treatment.

Good luck and I hope you feel better really soon,

Moonlight Xx

[Glitterbug]

They were not too bad, just cloudy head, tired a bit dizzy and had some crazy dreams. Did feel a bit wide eyed but only lasted a couple if weeks. I was on 20mg of fluoxtine. My doctor suggested a good way to go on them is to take them every other day for the first couple of weeks and then every day. This is how I came off them while pregnant and I found that fine, had no withdrawal.

I find it amazing how this happens to so many mums but I had never heard about it until it happened.
Mine just started with a racing heart and went from there. I have had a lump in my breast too, two actually.1 been there 10 years and the other a couple of years ago. They have tried to take it out twice but the thing keeps growing back lol so having it out again in the next couple of weeks.

If you want a chat your welcome to pm me

X

[andy404]

I been on and off paroxetine for my HA over a number of years now, it has really worked for me and no side effects at all! Best of luck with whatever you decide to do and hope you feel better soon.

[busybeingmum]

Have booked appt for docs next week to discuss anti depressants. Time has come for something to be done as worrying ruining so much time.