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I'm having a really hard time...

Posted , 3 users are following.

ariillustrates
ariillustrates

I'm supposed to be starting Duloxetine (Cymbalta) today. In fact, I was supposed to start it about two hours ago. Instead, all I've done is cry and feel crazy panic to the point where I can't take it. It's just sitting in front of me and I am absolutely terrified. I tried restarting Effexor a few months ago after a year of not taking it and ended up in the hosiptal after. Even though I think that reaction was due to the Levothyroxine I was taking, I don't know for sure and it was a weird coincidence that it happened afew hours after taking the Effexor. 

My doctor prescribed me Duloxetine because it works similarly to Effexor. I'm just afraid something bad will happen again, because it sent me into a downward spiral of panic that I couldn't get out of for a while and am still sometimes suffering from. 

I just need reassurance. Have any of you taken Cymbalta, Effexor, or suffered from med anxiety?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • sara59490
    sara59490 ariillustrates

    Posted

    In my experience when you take medications you need to be in a calm state of mind when taking them because I did the same thing with sertaline and worked myself up so much that the side effects were worse than my anxiety itself and I got super depressed when I wasn't depressed before. So if you are going to take them do it when you are calm is my only advice.

    I hope this helps! It will get better.

    • ariillustrates
      ariillustrates sara59490

      Posted

      Thank-you! My therapist office has a 24 hour mobile response team, and I ended up calling them because I was in such a bad state of panic. They told me the same thing. They just wanted me to focus on calming down for today and then they are going to call in the morning to talk me through taking the med.

      Is sertraline working for you now? Or are you taking something different? Thank-you so much for your response! It means a lot to see that I'm not alone in having the overwhelming medication anxiety. 

  • borderriever
    borderriever ariillustrates

    Posted

    You need to take your medication your GP has prescribed, they are for you and should work ok, you are only on that one medication so you should be fine.

    You will understand the drug will take time to work so be bold and try not to worry. If something goes wrong you can call NHS Helpline on Tel 111 for advice, they are there to help. So take your medications 

    BOB

    • ariillustrates
      ariillustrates borderriever

      Posted

      Thank-you very much for your response. I actually did call a helpline a little earlier (though, not the same one as I am in the US), and they are going to help me get started. I'm trying to be brave about it. 

      Thank-you smile 

  • sara59490
    sara59490 ariillustrates

    Posted

    I actually stopped taking the meds cuz I didn't like the side effects and am just doing therapy now.

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