Health anxiety and taking meds

[jayjoe18]

Is there anyone here who has or has had health anxiety but managed to take anti d's? I've recovered from health anxiety with only a few worries here and there now but my social/general anxiety/phobias are all still present and I know I need medical help but the fear aroun medication is still there.

I wanted to try CBT to help me start meds but the therapist was against it and we only worked on one problem (toilet phobia). This CBT had now been cancelled as I've mentioned in another part of the forum and I don't think I can wait it out again. I know I need meds but my previous worries surrounding health are preventing me from starting them.

I'm not sure what exactly I'm worried about, it's just a general fear really. It's also fear if side effects, long term effects on your body, actually swallowing the pill etc. I have tried to invision what it would be like taking the first pill and I just know that it will take me forever to make the decision, and then once I do I know I'll regret it and have a panic attack. I also feel like I'd easy to physically be sick to remove it from my body.

I've never been able to swallow tablets even before the anxiety. I know I have to man up but we all know its not that easy with anxiety. I feel stupid, but is there anyone else who has been through similar? How did you find the courage to take the first pill and continue taking them?

[JustJules]

JayJoe, I too am like that with pills - always terrified of side affects etc. I usually take half a tablet first and see what happens, usually nothing! Then I pluck up the courage and take a full one next time or continue with half until my body gets used to it. I don't know what you've been prescribed but I take Citalopram and have never had any problems with them luckily. When I came off them, the secret again, is to take it really slowly - chipping away at the tablet over the weeks until I gradually end up with just a bit of tablet - it's worked every time so don't be scared of getting hooked on them either. You'll know the time when you are ready to come off them. I've been on and off them for quite a few years now.

Good luck.

Julie

[Rennie1989]

You have to remember that anti depressants do not fix your problems, it only masks them. If you're worried about taking them then why give yourself something else to worry about?

[yenool]

You have to remember that anti depressants do not fix your problems, it only masks them. If you're worried about taking them then why give yourself something else to worry about?

Some people have such severe depression/anxiety that they just cannot overcome their problems with therapy alone. For some people an anti depressant takes the edge off their mood/anxiety so that they can then function well enough to implement thinking and lifestyle changes with the help of a therapist.

So while I agree they don't 'fix' the problem for many people they do significantly help.

OP I think I understand your problem. I get extremely anxious about taking new medications - I worry for weeks/months about potential side effects, allergic reactions, long term risks, addiction, etc. Then once I have taken the pill I usually have a bit of a panic until I have been taking it a few days.

Not sure what advice to give really, other than to say it is a risk/reward judgement that only you can make. Do you feel the potential gains from taking the medication offset the risks as you see them?

If the answer is yes and you want to give it a go then one way to get started is to break off a really tiny piece of the pill and try it... then a bit more the next day and so on. Basically tapering on the medication really carefully which means you can avoid sudden side effects.

[Fishmanpa]

I usually take half a tablet first and see what happens, usually nothing! Then I pluck up the courage and take a full one next time or continue with half until my body gets used to it.

Please keep in mind that a doctor bases a drug dose on many factors. Taking less or more can affect the way it works in your system. This goes for all medications, not just psychotropics.

[jayjoe18]

JayJoe, I too am like that with pills - always terrified of side affects etc. I usually take half a tablet first and see what happens, usually nothing! Then I pluck up the courage and take a full one next time or continue with half until my body gets used to it. I don't know what you've been prescribed but I take Citalopram and have never had any problems with them luckily. When I came off them, the secret again, is to take it really slowly - chipping away at the tablet over the weeks until I gradually end up with just a bit of tablet - it's worked every time so don't be scared of getting hooked on them either. You'll know the time when you are ready to come off them. I've been on and off them for quite a few years now.

Good luck.

Julie

Thank you Julie, I think this is a wise idea to start and taper off slowly, I'll definitely do this if I pluck up the courage to start. I've not been prescribe anything recently but I'm going to ask if I can have cipralex/lexapro as I've heard it's the one with least side effects so it's really good to know that you haven't had any problems with citalopram as I know they are from the same family!

You have to remember that anti depressants do not fix your problems, it only masks them. If you're worried about taking them then why give yourself something else to worry about?

I've had anxiety now for nearing 8 years and no therapy has worked for me, I literally have no quality of life so that's why I think I need to try the meds or I don't think I'll ever get better, not fully anyway, I know they aren't a cure but it's got to the point that I'm practically agoraphobic. I wouldn't say depressed but as you can imagine it's making me feel so low I can't cope anymore.

Some people have such severe depression/anxiety that they just cannot overcome their problems with therapy alone. For some people an anti depressant takes the edge off their mood/anxiety so that they can then function well enough to implement thinking and lifestyle changes with the help of a therapist.

So while I agree they don't 'fix' the problem for many people they do significantly help.

OP I think I understand your problem. I get extremely anxious about taking new medications - I worry for weeks/months about potential side effects, allergic reactions, long term risks, addiction, etc. Then once I have taken the pill I usually have a bit of a panic until I have been taking it a few days.

Not sure what advice to give really, other than to say it is a risk/reward judgement that only you can make. Do you feel the potential gains from taking the medication offset the risks as you see them?

If the answer is yes and you want to give it a go then one way to get started is to break off a really tiny piece of the pill and try it... then a bit more the next day and so on. Basically tapering on the medication really carefully which means you can avoid sudden side effects.

I agree yenool, that is exactly me. I've tried therapy of a few different kinds over the past 7/8 years and nothing has helped. I think I must have an imbalance, especially as mental health runs strongly in the family, which my docs agree on. I just can't get my head around taking the tablets. Did the tapering onto the meds work well for you? And did your meds help you?

Please keep in mind that a doctor bases a drug dose on many factors. Taking less or more can affect the way it works in your system. This goes for all medications, not just psychotropics.

Thanks for the tip Fishmanpa, I thought it would be safe though to take less than prescribed? Obviously I would consult my doctor first.