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Health anxiety meds

Posted , 4 users are following.

charlotte96197
charlotte96197

Hi everyone,

Just wanting abit of advice on medication for health anxiety. I've been taking fluoxetine since February, it took the edge off but wasn't brilliant. Also it gave me quite a few side effects (really vivid dreams, sensitive skin etc).

What does everyone else take and what side effects do they have?

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • anneporter
    anneporter charlotte96197

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte, this may sound simplistic but you mustnt give up. You need to get to the root of why you are anxious. Only then can you work on it. And probably its a combination of things that will help. Pills have their place in calming you. Then meditation, cbt,.which can be simply doing things, ignoring symptoms untilyou realise nothing terrible is going to happen. Finding something which will distract you, in my case tin whistle, concentrates my mind and makes me breathe properly. I have suffered from anxiety all my life. There is no magic cure and I will probably never be totally free, I aim to minimise the effect. I look back and think, Hey I am still here and in one piece, -all that anxiety fornothing! What a waste. We only get one life-I think! So I need to make the most of it. Easier said than done. But getting to the root cause is the first step. Try journalling each day for a start. I do wish yoi well.x
  • anneporter
    anneporter charlotte96197

    Posted

    Having massage is really helpful. You dont need an expert, and plenty of advice re massage online. My partner gives me reflexology every night. And upper back massage every week. So calming. Dont drink caffeine at all!. Herbal tea-rooibos, and ones with passionflower, valerian, vervain, etc all good. Minimum alcohol. Too much depresses you.
  • anneporter
    anneporter charlotte96197

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte, me again. Sorry but the stuff I posted was in response to another persons discussion. Apologies. I cant really be of help to you, I have never found medication that helped much except diazepam, which became very addictive, and in the end didnt help except if I took bigger doses. I now stick to Kalms and herbal tea and a glassmof wine most days, but not every day!
    • anneporter
      anneporter ambee29651

      Posted

      Hi Ambee.  I read recently a post by someone who felt it was wrong for people on the forum to recommend stuff for others, as everyone is individual and responses are individual.  So bearing that in mind i will give you my experience.  Also there is a drug called citalopram which a lot of people use, it has side effects which vary from mild to extremely severe depending on the person taking it.  but a lot of users have reported it helping them tremendously. if you look through the forums you should find info on it.  

      As for Kalms I took it for a while.  But I was having bad palpitations and when i investigated I found that this can be a side effect for some people, so I stopped taking it. however I was also taking valerian based tea and read that it can cause side effects too.  But its very helpful for some people.  So really its a minefield and its trial and error.  I stopped taking both valerian and Kalms and the palpitations stopped.  But I havent the courage to try either again to find out which one had the bad side effect and risk them returning, which is a pity as valerian is known for being very calming.  I stick to camomile, passionflower etc.  i hope you find something that helps, anxiety is so disabling.  I was out yesterday and felt anxious and my breathing was actually affected.  we were en route to a concert and I just wanted to go home.  we called in for a meal before going and met an american couple who were eager to chat about their visit to ireland. when we left i realised my anxiety had gone.  so we have to be brave sometimes and work through the symptoms we are getting. xx

    • anneporter
      anneporter ambee29651

      Posted

      Ambee, I also take a multi vitamin which I think is important, but also started taking a magnesium supplement and it is helping my anxiety and also helping me sleep. But as I said, you have to find what suits you. Other people find it helpful too. Its not expensive if you want to try it.
  • sue63604
    sue63604 charlotte96197

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte...I have had anxiety for most of my life.  I have taken everything and am at a place right now where I am trying to deal with this without medicine.  Every time I used medication, new symptoms would arise. I am going through withdrawal symptoms from being on lorazepam for 3 years.  This is going to be a process that the doc didn't make me aware of.  I am currently utilizing essential oils and they are truly helping alot.  I use them with a diffuser, on my skin and internally. They calm me enough so that I can calm myself.  As Anne said, we need to calm our mind.  What she is using is what I call replacement therapy.  We need to replace our feelings with something else.  I love the idea of the tin whistle.  It stops you in your trackssmile I'm going to try that one.  I pray that you find something that will work for you.  I didn't even want to list the side effects that I've (and continue to) experience due to medication.  Look for triggers.  Recognize what they are and squash them...ignore them and replce them.

     

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