Encouragement and words of wisdom needed today please :(
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hey!
So its 3 weeks on Monday since i increased my dose to 20mg and its been tough! however, the past week I have felt more calm and not been panicking in the mornings.
This week I have had a feeling in my hand - like a numb feeling and i'm more aware of how my hand feels when I'm using it! Last week a tingle in my toe and pins and needles but they have gone now. Anyway I started overthinking this feeling in my hand and even though 'pricking, tingling and numbness' are listed as a common side effect I'm still overthinking and convincing myself there is something serious wrong and I'm going to lose the use of my hand.
please someone rationalise with me that this is just the citalopram messing with me whilst it stabilises? I felt like I have made so much progress and to panic like I did at 5am this morning feels like such a set back and dissapointment. I just want to enjoy saturday with my family and this is overshadowing it so far. x
0 likes, 15 replies
Guest Aimee87
Posted
Sorry you are having a bad day today. Can I just ask when you first upped dose did you feel not too bad one day then anxious the next? Yesterday not too bad today anxious again not as bad as when first started cit but very up and down. Hope you soon improve very hard when we worry over every little thing x
Aimee87 Guest
Posted
Hi, When I first changed dose I didnt have any good days for the first 11 days at all! So thats really positive for you if you are having some less anxious days already 😃 x
graham69986 Aimee87
Posted
Hi Aimee i think everything you are feeling is just side effects and also symptoms of anxiety in general. Ive not had the exact same as you but parts of my skin often feel sore or like a burning sensation, mainly on my neck, back or right arm. For the last few days ive had random burning on my neck and part of my arm near my elbow and aroind that area has felt sore almost like an irritation as if ive grazed it
I have health anxiety so all these things and the little aches and pains make me worry
Aimee87 graham69986
Posted
Yes my doctor thinks its either a side effect of the medication or anxiety related, she isn't worried at all and they are the experts we have to trust in the professionals don't we! I have health anxiety since November when I had a health scare and found waiting for results very traumatic - even though i'm fine its left me worrying I'll have to go through something like that again - hence why I'm worrying about every little thing. Being on a medication that causes a whole range of random side effects doesn't help us does it haha x
graham69986 Aimee87
Posted
My dr is the same she just says its all down to the meds or anxiety. You are right, all these side effects and anxiety symptoms definately dont help when we have health anxiety. Mine all started with a scare about a mole last year and even though it was ok and all my others got checked i now fear my moles so any skin feelings set me off as well as any discomfort anywhere in my body. Ive only been on these meds coming up to 6 weeks
Aimee87 graham69986
Posted
Your experience is the same as mine honestly I was totally fine until I had to have a blood test for cancer markers in my blood - now I'm worrying about everything. So i really feel for you Graham its horrible, as soon as I stop having one symptom and start to feel better i get another one to worry about! How are you feeling 6 weeks in any improvement?
graham69986 Aimee87
Posted
Yes im the same, one day i worry about something on my neck then its my arm then my chest lol
The symptoms vary from skin soreness or burning to soreness in my ribs to pains in my body etc
At the moment im having up and downs with my anxiety but overall probably better than i was at the start x
Guest Aimee87
Posted
Think you are amazing to cope with two children and this awful anxiety. If you've had a health scare only natural to feel fearful after. My husband had cardiac arrest 4 years ago and for year afterwards was convinced he'd have another. Think I may have had some anxiety in the past and the zopiclone masked it to some extent, so stopping it opens the flood gates. Least doctors now realise the problems it can cause and restrict it's use to only few weeks. I can relate to having one worry that subsides only for another to appear, almost like your brain is trying to find something to worry about. Hope you improve over the weekend.
Aimee87 Guest
Posted
Thank you, my children are a blessing with my anxiety because they force me to get up and get on with the day and thats a really good thing! Arrr i can imagine exactly how your husband felt with that, its not nice at all. You're right, I have generalised anxiety disorder so yes, at the moment whilst i am struggling it grabs onto anything! Its so frustrating. I've had a really good week though and determined not to let today overshadow that. From what i've read on this forum we can all expect good and bad days x
Guest Aimee87
Posted
I know exactly what you mean. Think anyone without anxiety disorder would be worried if they had blood test re cancer markers, so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it, seems a normal reaction. I'm retired so haven't got work as a distraction. I've been designing tapestries which is bit of distraction. But you should pat yourself on the back for coping with running a house and children on top of this. Think was right move upping my dose as even though not great was def worse last week. You can sometimes get referred pain that generates from a different area to where you feel the pain at the moment.
Aimee87 Guest
Posted
Thank you for saying that, I'm doing my best and as far as my children are concerned I am still happy, smiley mummy when they are around! I wouldn't want them to see me struggling. Is your husband retired to or are you alone in the daytime? Thats a really good thing to do to distract yourself, have you looked into mindfullness journalling? x
Guest Aimee87
Posted
Yes both retired, I'm lucky he is very supportive, was tough after his heart attack/cardiac arrest happened at home we nearly lost him, wonder if still bit anxiety from that. Do find it hard when one day not too bad then bang back to awful next day. Hope things calm down for you and the new dosage evens out. Do struggle bit with mindfulness but I'm trying the box breathing x
Aimee87 Guest
Posted
Yeh i agree the mindfullness does seem to take a while to get used to, my teacher of the course i'm doing has done it for years and she says it takes at least 90 days of practice before it starts to fully benefit you!
Have you got grown up children?
You probably will have anxiety from that, its a huge thing to go through and experience! How long have you been retired for? x
Cara424 Aimee87
Posted
I never had this side effect from the drug persay but I get this all the time in my hands. Usually due to inflamation and actually upper back strain from being on my phone/computer. Check in with your body to see if you have any neck/back aches. It directly correlates as does salt intake.
Anyway, stay the course, many symptoms disappear before you know it. It's hard but as I write this I am totally fine now and don't even think about my anxiety. I never thought I would get here.
Aimee87 Cara424
Posted
Thanks for this 😃 I actually do have a strain in my back near my shoulder blade its a trapped nerve according to the osteopath i visited! Its my right side and my right hand that is giving me problems. When do you salt intake what do you mean? Mine is low as not been eating my doctor told me I need more salt lol! I so wish i could be anxiety free but its good to hear it can be achieved x