Anxcity physical symptoms

How did you get over it?

Ye im like that at mo but got the horrible sensation in me throat carnt describe it did u get that?? Im tense alot too x

I recovered from years of depression and anxiety just by taking these SSRI medications at 20mg.  It took a long time, but slowly I got better as each month went by.  By about 6 months I felt really good and continued to improve as more time went by.  That was 15 years ago (I'd been ill for. 15 years too).

I'd taken tri-cyclic meds for years with no success and had CBT and counselling, but never really felt comfortable with it.  The new SSRI meds made me feel ill with side effects, but what was the alternative ... the depression/anxiety I had or continue on the new meds.  I continued and couldn't believe it as I started to feel better and back to being the me I used to be.

What are SSRI's please? I was doing better whilst taking citalopram but a nightmare since I stopped. Been taking ametriptyline for a week. The throat thing is the hardest symptom for me to deal with usually lasts for weeks x

Ive been like this since xmas was on citalapram but changed me to sertraline 3 week ago started feelin good but gone off it again we my throat and tension its uncomfatable x

Hi amy i was on citalaopram but changed me to sertraline as the other gave me palpertations felt loads better on sertraline im just same we throat thing and tension mainly in my neck but thats wat doctor says the throat is tension x

How do you control it?

Wat the throat thing??? I carnt really i try and ignore and drink lots of water its all about relaxing but when your like us its hard x

Yes! Mine had gone until last night. Decided to have a curry some rice got stuck in my throat and I panicked, now it's been back all day 😔

I no how u feel love its not nice and hard to ignore it i try my best sat here now and me throat is so tense and me head and neck i troed diszapan but its not for me x

I was going to ask for that when I see the GP next week. Does it relax you? I can't live like this anymore and it's only been 2 years different things keep happening to me and I don't know why x

Yes it dus and helps u sleep i took it a on night but it makes u feel so spaced out and the nxt day i was dixzzy i only had 5mg but yhey really strong well they was for me x ive been for hypnoses and meditation which relaxes u but dnt always last as im back at square one x what helps me too is ive started reading alot and turning off the telly also i downladed a calming album on my phone and lay and listen to it x

Bloody awful isn't it so hard to focus on anything else. I'm thinking I'm worse brcause I've changed meds but who knows x

Ive learnt meds can make u bad befor they make u better so that keeps me going also alot of side effects x

I just hate the whole situation, it makes me feel ill all the time. The thing in my throat is so hard to cope with when I get it it just doesn't go and I always think I can't live like this. Like somebody is grabbing my throat all the time.

Amy i no just how u feel love i honestly do hun are u taking any meds for the anxiety?? X

I'm weaning myself off citalopram because they gave me acid. The doc put me on amytriptyline for headaches, but I don't think they are strong enough as an antidepressant. Might go back on the otheres x

Ive ended up we ibs me stomach bad that was on citalaopram been better since ive been on sertraline x

Citalopram is an SSRI, so is Sertraline, Prozac, Fluoxetine etc etc.  SSRI means Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitor and works like this:

It's thought that SSRIs work by increasing the levels of a chemical called serotonin in the brain.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (a messenger chemical that carries signals between nerve cells in the brain). It's thought to have a good influence on mood, emotion and sleep.

After carrying a message, serotonin is usually reabsorbed by the nerve cells (known as 'reuptake'). SSRIs work by blocking ('inhibiting') reuptake, meaning more serotonin is available to pass further messages between nearby nerve cells.

Ametriptyline is a tri-cyclic type of anti-depressant which are different to SSRI's.  I used to take a tri-cyclic but it didn't do anything for me.  SSRI's helped me recover.  SSRI's take a long time to work and you need to be very persistent ... very persistent.

Thanks! Wish I had carried on with the citalopram to be honest!

Citralopram gave me indigestion in the beginning but it wore off eventually. If Citalopram doesn't suit you though there are plenty of other SSRI's to try.  Citalopram is the 3rd SSRI I've taken - the first Seroxat didn't agree with me, the second one was discontinued and a Citalopram is the one I've been on now for years.

How long did it take for them to kick in? Im on sertraline was on citalopram for 6 week tjen changed to this nearly 4 week ago still feel really tierd and weak and tension headaches and the heavyness on my chest xx

I think it was 3-4 months before I started feeling positive, then around 6 months I felt quite good.  Sadly these meds do take so long to work and people often give up before they reach their full potential.  You get worse before you get better, and even when you start feeling good you'll get bad ups and downs too - but with lots of patience and just persevering on, these down times will pass each time.  This happened through my recovery - up one minute, down the next for months and months.  

K x

Thanks kate im sticking in there or im trying too im going to tenerife with my family tomorrow not sure if its a gud idea or not but im hoping it is wat do u think??? Still got alot of physical symtoms but try to ignore them x

It's best to carry on as normal with everything, even though you don't feel like it.  I was in Teneriffe years ago when I was ill - felt completely not myself, depressed etc but I enjoyed myself as best I could and it's a lovely place for a holiday.

Go and have a great time - relax, do things, have fun.  You'll take your illness with you and you'll bring it home with you - but that's fine, expect it to be with you whilst you recover.

Have a great time :-)

K x

Aww thanks kate i no thats time few week ago i cudnt leave the house so i no im gettin there x kate can i ask did u get the tense in ur throat and neck?? Like ur being strangled abit x

I'm being strangled as we speak lol. Mine gets worse after eating so i think its acid too. I take omerprazole for that so not sure. Enjoy your holiday x

Lol me too ha thanks love x

Hey that's brilliant that you've got this far and can leave the house!  Teneriffe next!

No I can't say I ever got a tense throat and neck, though know the meds affect people in different ways.  The only time I've ever got a tense throat was if I've taken the tablet without any liquid ... just swallowed it.  On those occasions it's started taking effect and made my throat go really tense.  I've heard some people get a really tense jaw too.

Hi kate back from holiday i did well on flights which i was nervous about but i got there and got home lol i did ok was really really tierd and struggled with the tension thing in my throat :-/ and my neck and head r really bad back to work tomorrow and in doctors tuesday so have to wait and b paitent like u say im just on my 2nd week on me increased amount of 100mg x

That's brilliant!  One step at a time eh :-)

Glad as the holiday was a success.  We have to try and carry on as normally as we can whilst waiting for medication to start working.

i remember years ago when I was having a really tough time and I broke down in front of a friend, she said 'you're going on holiday next week, I'm sure you'll have a great time and come back all refreshed and better'.  Better?  If only she knew!!

Getting back into routine will be good.  

Yes each dose increase take a while to settle.  Have you thought of relaxation class or yoga to help with the head and neck tension?  Hope goes well at the doctors.

K x

Yes we have to try :-) ye i have hun i had acupuncture yesterday so see if that kicks in just so uncomfy :-/ but guess il keep going xx

I had accupuncture for back problems some time ago - weird treatment, and strangely sticking a pin in my toe helped my back 

Lol ye theres certain places were they put them couldnt really feel it to b honest x

That's a shame ... mind you it made me tense when the needles were stuck in.