8 weeks on 20 second time - need reassurance!

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hi all im feeling really down and negative today. Had a terrible night with insomnia and now thinking that the meds arent doing anything except giving me side effects.

im better than i was for the first month but i still think im worse than i was before i started it again. Didnt have this insomnia or breathlessness or crying all the time. i had one bad panic episode related to severe pain from my IBS but otherwise was just a bit down and edgy. i said to my husband this morning i should just come off them but he got angry with me. The doc i saw yesterday has anxiety herself and she has been on meds for 18 years. she said i should probably have tried something different this time as i had been on the cit a while. she also said its a lot harder to treat the second time

I tried not taking the lorazepam yesterday (been taking 0.5 a day for a while now) to see how id go without it. i actually surprised myself and wasnt too bad- bit edgy and anxious but ok and i just cracked on with the day but it all went to custard at about 8.30 in the evening when i guess i was tired. Back to being anxious and breathless and tears again. So frustrating as i hadnt cried for a few days and id had a better day up to that point. i know part of the problem is that i keep putting these expectations on myself and get really frustrated when i feel like ive failed. Psych is still really keen for me to go increase as he thinks i will need that to get better but im just so scared of getting the side effects back, particularly increased anxiety and the awful burning sensations i used to get. Anyone else still really up and down at 8 weeks? should i increase? if so whats the best way to do it? incremently or just bite the bullet?

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2 Replies

  • Posted

    hi tamsin

    im no expert but ive read numerous times that it takes alot longer the second time on this medication & its more important to keep an even keel & stay on a dose for a certain amount of time than just keep upping dose.

    its a roller coater ride thats for sure

    take carerob

  • Posted

    most important thing is to give the dosage time to work. these meds work really work slow and need time. I have taken for a year. 10mg. I started on 20mg for anxiety. I tapered to 10mg and it keeps my anxiety at bay. Lots of times, people are overmedicated on these. Higher the dose is not always better. Give the meds time to work and let your mind settle. Surround yourself with family and friends.

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