Hi everyone
Just wanted to give an update so that anyone who finds themselves in a similiar situation to me can see someone elses experience.
I had been taking half inderal (80mg extended release) for about 3 years following severe panic attacks making me housebound. These tablets slowly helped me build confidence to get out of the house and get back to work. Unfortunately these tablets were discontinued and this gave me a wake up call / kick up the backside that made me realise that I had been using these as a crutch and just taking them without getting to the bottom of what had caused these panics and I was just masking the symptoms. Unfortunately this caused even more panic as I knew I had to try a different slow release (I had been prescribed the half inderal branded type because the others disagreed with me). I was terrified of trying a new tablet - doesn't help that I have OCD, hate change and hate taking meds never mind trying new ones!
Anyway my lovely GP suggested I try the instant release type and said I could take up to 8 x 10mg a day. This seemed a huge amount even though I was taking this amount over 24 hours and the fact I am fearful of meds didn't help.
I was scared of how these would affect me with the other type still being in my blood and my normal tablet taking time was midday and the day I should hve takenn the tablet I put it off until about 6pm and took 2 x 10mg. About an hour later I felt the drug kick in. I feel drained, nervous but like a zombie. I didn't like it at all! I took myself off to bed and led watching tv willing it to wear off! I think a lot of this was my own anxiety. I am so good at making myself feel rubbish
The next day I took a 20mg dose in the morning and another around 5pm.
For the first few days I felt really zombied - I think whilst my body got used the different way the medication is released. I had my first CBT session a few days after taking them and I was dreading it as it was at the other side of town and driving is when my panics used to kick in. I did start to panic on the way there and spent most of the session freaking out but I got through it and I have been able to function - get to work, go shopping, drive etc on this dose without panic taking hold and taking over.
This is the dose I have been taking ever since and it works for me so far. My hope is that I can wean myself off this dose to just taking it as and when I need to (when the panic is too much and I need something to calm me down).
It has been so long since I started taking the tablets after my mini breakdown that I have just been continuing to take them thinking I need them to control the panic. I had assumed I would need 80mg to keep tabs on the panic attacks but so far so good. I hope that weaning myself off them slowly will work and I won't need them as much as I think I do. I feel better about myself and although my life anxiety is still with me I know I need to learn how to manage it so I don't get stressed out and then the anxiety gets out of control.
Does anyone else take the instant release tablets? How many do you take? Have you managed to wean off them successfully?