Hey guys,
I wanted to document somewhere my experience's with generalised anxiety disorder and my experiences to hopefully help and advise others. 13 years ago I was a normal guy, married just had my first child and a very stressful job, that I liked. I had normal life stressors I suppose but financially we were in a mess, my in laws were difficult, my baby wouldn't sleep and to top it all of I was a worrier.
On my wa to work one sunny afternoon I took my first panic attack. Didn't know what it was? It was like a wave rushing over my body, my throat tightened, dizzy and sick. I thought I was seriously ill with something. The next few weeks turned into 3 or 4 months. Off sick from work test after tests. Thought diabetes, no!
My mood I remember changed one day, I was fed up at being sick and tried, it was like a cloud, a dark one at that hanging over me. I felt down, miserable, unhappy, frustrated.
My GP thought I had anxiety and tried some anti-depressants. Without exaggeration I must have tried 10 different types over a very small period. However the side effects kept getting in the way, mainly fatigue and I would see the GP and they would try a different key for this lock. Not one GP, and I seen plenty, ever explained about side effects and what to expect and sometimes you just have to ride it, ie it makes you feel worse to get better. I didn't know this so a change it was. I tried everything taking with or without food and different times of the day, eventually settling taking it at night. The best one that I could semi tolerate was escitalopram however it did make me feel numb and tired sleeping 14 hours a day if I could. It stopped my panic attack and it was hard work to go to work every day battling this chronic fatigue. It was a life but not much of one. Every day I felt I suffered with it, it was my life, my only thoughts nothing else mattered.
So I plodded along. Different jobs managing my life as bes I could, not doing anything that would increase the tiredness ie anything else really in my life. I spent days and nights off lying in a daze or sleeping. If I had to do anything I would moan and complain and everyone was sick of me constantly complaining of feeling ill or tired.
A couple of times I had been to CBT and we had discussed the option of stopping. So I would, with my GP's knowledge and guess what i would get to 7 days and it as like being hit by a hammer. Very down in mood and anxiety beyond belief. And yes you have guessed phoned the gp and he advised to go back on, not a single mention of expected withdrawal symptoms. So I was stuck in a miserable existence but a existence none the less.
About 6 or 7 months ago I started getting sort of niggles in my neck, aches, my sinuses started getting bad and I just felt things were not right. Worse than normal, and one day sitting in a meeting I had a minor panic attack. Not had one of these for years. I went to the Gp and explained, I felt this drug was not doing what it used to do. That was my feeling and he stated this can happen. So what drug would I like to change to was the question? He left it to me. I thought I needed something and my brain was telling me Prozac, why I really don't know apart from I had this gut feeling that I had tried this 12 years ago and although it didn't work, or I didn't give it long enough to work I thought I had one good day one it.

So one exchanged to the other that day. No mention of what to expect, anything about the drugs half life or anything. First couple of weeks were actually ok, then well the side effects of the Prozac kicked in. I had anxiety altered mood, dizziness, nausea headaches etc. It was settling after 4 weeks but not brilliant and at my review I said his and I was quickly shoved onto 40mg. There is a theme in this bit guess what happened yes the dose change kicked off more side effects for the next 3 or 4 weeks. Once this settled I felt awful, to quote a Scottish phrase off ma face ie drugged up beyond belief. It was too much. Gp decided to reduce back to 20mg and yes you've guessed the dose adjustment started the side effects again. 3 or 4 weeks later it settled but I had side effects of even 20 mg and it was still to much so I had by this point had enough and asked to stop everything. I spent the next 3 days researching the internet I need to get myelf in control of me. I knew what to expect. It was going to be the hardest thing I have ever done.

Interestingly I found out that Prozac is the drug of choice used to get people of the sort acting ssri's. So by choosing the Prozac 3 months ago I had made a good choice. Saying that its a long process due to the length of time the drug takes to leave the body but these effects are less severe due to this.
Today I am only 3 weeks clear since my last medication. It is going to be a process. Am I anxious? not really, I have a mild anxiety at times, no panic attacks. My mood is affected definitely but that will get better after my body gets used to no medication, it has been 13 years in total.
Is there a place for medication, yes definitely, acutely. But be warned and do your homework in the choices you make. If I knew now, 13 years ago, I may have had my life back along time ago.
I ill keep you posted and if anyone has advise on how to manage without medication ie exercise or ideas on what worked for them.
God bless
I would appreciate any advise
ross