Anxiety and medication journeys

Hi Ann,

How's your day been?

Yes, my mental health nurse specialist was happy with me, is not changing any medication, though did say in the future they would like me off Diazepam and Quetiapine, but fortunately that won't be for ages yet!

Didn't really have any answers regarding my sleep, so guess I'll just have to live with it!!

Hugs 🤗 

Hi there,

  thats great about your Appt with nurse and thry must see you are in a better place now.  I am still dropping down the mirtaz and having some anxiety with it.  Feel the avoidance creeps in.  Taking about 3mg in daytime.  Dr says stop mirtaz and use the diaz to hel me through the anxious times.  Shes away on holiday so wont see her  (GP). For two mor weeks.  I am just not sure how i will manage on no mirtaz and just Diaz.  She also like yours did, suggested we wait and come off it at a later date.

Managed to get to shops yesterday just local but walked about a bit and after my 3mg felt a bit better.

hope your sleep improves just takes time i suppose.

suns out here.

Hi Ann,

I sometimes wonder if these professionals actually know what they are doing!

It's always like, try this pill try that pill, stop this, start that...... and it just messes us up even more!!

I don't see how Diazepam alone will help, although it's great and practically instantaneous in its affect, a AD builds up in your system for , hopefully long term relief?!

It's good you got out 😊

Hope today is better for you.

Hugs 🤗 

you are so right. 

I feel really messed up by these 'professionals' wish i had never been to see them.

getting off this mirtazapine is a real killer as many have said, i can only echo that.

hope you are continuing to do ok.

I'll try again, wrote something and didn't post ggrr

Good morning everyone,

How are you all doing?

I slept a little better last night.

Still getting small waves of anxiety.

My friend is coming round today, fortunately she is someone I don't have to pretend with.

Ann the length of time you are having to wait to see someone sucks!!

I wish you could see someone sooner who can help you.

Nikki I know you have a psych appointment this week, I hope you get some answers from that .

Sending hugs to everyone 🤗

Good to hear you are having a friend today you are doing well.  Better sleep too.

i have dropped down to quarter pill and sleep isn't so good but i will battle on.  Still having to take a couple of valium when going out of house but feeling less groggy from the anti dep although it takes till after lunch before i can operate as normally as possible,  anxiety is my main problem, dr has always said that, but getting it to stop is so hard.  My lifestyle, hobbies, gym etc just memories.  Motivation not there. 

Anyway, fight another day. Hope yours is good.

Hi Ann,

Anxiety is main problem too, always has been and I think I've accepted I'll never be completely rid of it, but it's hard going learning to live with it!

I too have to take Diazepam when going out and I carry them with me whilst I'm out too.

It's such a shame the life we had has become distant memories.

Sounds like you had a pretty full life before?!

You never know, one day in the future you may get some if not all of it back, I'm really hoping you do.

Hugs 🤗 

Thanks Karen for your lovely note.

well, i can feel a bit of the old me coming back, just its anxious,  which it was a little before but never needed a med.  just got on with it.

my ride with anti deps has been a hatd one, all 'meant' to reduce anxiety but gave such awful side effects.  Wonder if there will ever be a cure.

yes, i identify the going out with a valium in my pocket - just in case!

hope one day we will both be able tomsay we have conquered this.

all the best. Your daily help is so good.

Maybe one day Ann, we will, but I don't think we should beat ourselves up if we don't!

It's good you feel a little of the old you coming back even if you do need medication to help.

I don't think I'll ever be medication free and don't intend to worry that I won't be, if it means I get some kind of normality I'll carry on taking whatever helps.

Hope your day gets better as it goes on.

Hugs 🤗 

Hi Ann,

Hope you managed to get through the day as best as possible.

How lovely you managed to get out to see the Queen open the bridge earlier today.

Couldn't believe we are having another royal baby, gosh William and Kate will have their hands full lol .

Well I hope you manage to get some sleep tonight.

Hugs 🤗 

Hi Karen

hope your day will be good.  I have woken with high anxiety Imthink, its a feeling of fear of doing things, like shops, meeting friends, going places etc.  I have had this throughout my days on mirtazapine and cutting it fown hasnt made any difference.

i note you still need diaz going out - you are also on other meds, do they not help the anxiety?   

I just want the consult to give me something to help with all of this.  I dont know if i mentioned i have had over 20 sessions of cbt but it didnt work.  Cost a fortune as nhs no availability of psychologist here.

i feel bad, not bad enough for crisis team, just bad.

Hoping for a better day for you today.

holding out my hopes for escitalopram or quetiapine, cant remember your regime.

hope nikki ok, not much from her.

Hi Ann,

Sorry your still feeling so rubbish 😢

The Quetiapine helps a lot, difficult to tell if the Escitilopram is working or not as the Quetiapine is sedating too?!

But still need that Diazepam to go out, I don't know if it's habit or psychological or I really need it?!!

It's only 2mg so doesn't do a lot!

I really wish your appointment was sooner for you so you could get some answers.

I still get waves of anxiety and my Dr and mental health nurse specialist are aware of this, but haven't changed any medication!

Sleeping is still not great either!

I paid for a private counsellor at the beginning of the year, she was good as she'd suffered from anxiety herself, but I got to the point that I didn't feel I was getting any further with her so stopped.

Can't you get CBT on the NHS where you live?

We can here, usually a few weeks waiting list though .

Hope your day gets better.

Hugs 🤗 

Hi Nikki ,

I'm glad last night wasn't too bad for you.

Starting a new regime is very frightening isn't it?

A lot of people have had good results with Sertraline , I just wasn't one of them or I didn't stick to it for long enough?!

We're all here to offer support to you during this, and if at anytime you feel it's not working or your feeling bad please ring your GP straight away, don't suffer in silence , it's about time our medics stepped up and took notice!

You never know you might sail through it, I think we always look at it negatively due to past experiences .

I didn't sleep too bad, have GP tomorrow am hoping he gives me two boxes of Diazepam as we go away next Tuesday . 

I am getting a bit anxious about tbh.

Hugs 🤗 

Hi Karen 

Thank you. Yes I've already had months of struggling and that's impacting how I'm feeling about these coming weeks.

I'm sure your GP will give you the diazepam, I understand why you're worried though. But your nurse said it'll be a long time before you have to come off of it and it's still early days.

I also understand your nerves about your holiday. But it could be so good for you. I'm sending big hugs X

Well, i guess your outcone yesterday was sertraline.  My GP told me it was the gold standard and the first she would try if i wasnt already under the consultant.  He gets first stab at which changes are made for me.

I hope you have an easier time with this, they didnt try me with it till i had been on mirtazapine for a year.  I did give it a good run but my anxiety and nausea was not good, so stopped, probably too soon, but too late now.

try to stick with it if you can, its great for so many people, they get better when on it.  Mirtazapine doesnt suit everyone as we know.

keep,posting as you go and we look forward to hearing your results

its pouring here today, nasty week.  I had a friend round for a cuppa yesterday somthat was nice.  Nausea and fatigue still with me but putting it down to mirtaz lowering.

keep pushing, things will get better.

x

hi Karen

we are both now hopeful that nikki has a new regime and things may improve from now on.  This is such a vile illness isnt it?

you are very brave going on holday, i can only face days away here And there.  My friend and hubby have invited us to a cottage in lake district next week.  I cant face going.  Even with diazepam.  I feel so down some days i am not much company.  I wake either anxious or nauseous or both.  Some days it lifts, others it doesnt.  I dont know if its the lowering of mirtaz or the illness beneath.  Certainly not so many nightmares but not such good sleep either.

hope you are going to have a good week. Make sure gp gives you plenty diazepam!

keep us up to date

x

Thanks Ann. Gosh it seems endless doesn't it and time goes so slowly. 

The psychiatrist said she would ask me to try Mirtazipine again at a higher dose but felt it would make me too nervous having already tried.  I'm wondering if I should have tried longer on it really. 

That's good you had a friend round yesterday. I'm so sorry you're still struggling though. Your appointment can't come soon enough can it.

It's been rainy here and now just overcast and grey.

I'm sending a big hug. Keep posting too X

Hi Ann,

Sorry you are still struggling on, I guess nothing much is going to change for you until your long awaited psych appointment!

Sounds like maybe it's a combination of lowering and the illness?

Bit cloudy here, but no rain..... yet!!

Hugs 🤗 

Hi Nikki,

I really hope he does!!

At least it's not a long flight!

Would never of booked it if I knew how ill I was going to be with this damn anxiety!!

I hope you get some rest today.

Hugs 🤗 

How are you today?  Not long till tour new refime starts and you feel,better.

i have had a really bad night, sleep awful i think its because im now down to 3.75.  The longer this is going on the worse i feel.  So many more weeks till see psych and scared what he will give me next.

hard pulling through the days.  Might even gomback up to 7.5 if this continues but would be a shame to,admit defeat.

hope your day is better

Nikki,

i know you are in a really difficult,place just now, and i can sympathise..i have been there.  When it becaame too awful for me some time ago imbegged to let them take me to hospital.   After crisis team etc they did.  Yes,,the meds were chanhed but imfound the experience for a week or two,quite a challenge but came home, not mended but could cope just.

i dont know what's going on for you now but younhave the professionals around you and you will be able ro get the best care.  They will perhaps. Ake some changes and you will start ro feel,better.

this is the most cruel,of illnesses and it makes us so pessimistic about whats to come but try to think as positively as you can and i hope to hear how things go,for,you when you are ready.

our problems seem insurmountable,but they are not, we just need to get better and back to.normal days

thinking of you and sending hugs. ??

This is just a note of support for you, i know you are having it tough just now and understand.

please just take one moment at a time and all seems wrong just now but will get better.  

My great hugs to you.

Hi Ann,

I do screenshot your comments and send them to Nikki, she appreciates them very much and sends her love x