Made the move to 20 mg of the Cipralex.........

Kate, I know perfectly how you are feeling concerning the racing heart, I am tense and worried every waking moment., I was obsessed with my heart before this medication, hence the reason why I was put on this medication to calm my thoughts of thinking constantly about my heart health. I think I have a healthy heart, I am 59, and only discovered I had a murmur 15 years ago. But it is not a problem murmer according to Doctors. But because my Mom died of a heart attack at 62 and its been 25 years she is passed I have been obsessed since she died with my heart. I had some good years in between till today, but in between if I wasn't obsessed with my heart it would be with any other symptoms I would have. I am black or white thinking so my thoughts have always been out of control. So you can only imagine if I was obsessed before with my heart and not having the racing heart all the time, just here and there and not that often. Well now having it every waking moment on this medication, well now I feel worse than I ever did with my negative obsessive thoughts. That is why I am really looking forward to feeling that sense of calm people talk about when you are on a medication like this. I have never taken anything my whole life. This is all new to me. So if anyone gets you when it comes to your worries, its certainly myself. Of course the anxiety and panic comes from the worry of the racing heart. Do you have the racing heart all day long as I do. When I am busy at work I don't feel it as much. Only when I am not busy as I focus on it. But I am still so anxious and tense all the time. The only time I think my body gets somewhat rest is when I am asleep. But honestly I think even that is not that great because I wake up exhausted, so who knows what goes on while I am asleep

I've been so bone fatigued all week, it is debilitating, I don't know how I make it through my stressful days at work. How old are you Kate ? Have you suffered with this racing heart before ? Looks like we are not the only ones who suffer with similar symptoms......anyway, hang in there and I will try as well...............

I had CBT this morning and sat and cried but it has given me hope I will get through this. The guy who I saw has years of experience as a mental health nurse and knew within 15 mins my anxiety is all based around health, having no self worth and not liking myself I have been through 2 abuse marriages and never spoke about them till today. My anxiety is so high and the panic that sets In and I don't know how to break the circle but with his help and understanding why I am like I am I feel I can and will beat this. We spoke about cipralex and he said for the tablets to work they have to bring it all to the fore front which doesn't help us feel better as we want to infact we feel worse. If anxiety is high the heart racing will seem so much worse as we r waiting for it watching it listening to it and focusing on it it's not a heart issue it's an anxiety issue that triggers it which sounds like u and I have the same worries and concerns over health.

Mine is worse in the morning I wake feeling I have to go win the war but having not taken the tablets for 2 days as I couldn't decide what to do I feel so much worse today with anxiety yet my heart isn't as racey, But I know tomorrow morning it will be bad but some how we have to over come it and believe.

I have hormones racing to which does not help the anxiety. As I write now I am sooo anxious yet half an hr ago I wasn't 😁

I am 41 no smoker non drinker under weight from all this so heart should be ok I had a few episodes of sinus tachycardia a few years back and that's what I think is going to happen on the tablets.

You sound like my twin sister, lol ! I remember how bad I was also with anxiety in my forties and thought in my fifties I would be done with it, being in post-menopause and all. But of course no its even worse. Had some good years in my fifties, but this past two years, and especially past several months, the worse. And yes your 100% right, it is much worse when you listen to your heart and focus on each beat. Yesterday at work on my break I literally had my hand on my heart to feel the beats and then said to myself, how stupid I was and started talking to myself to STOP this. But I can't seem to stop. I also never smoked, don't drink, always was underweight my whole life, but after I had my daughter at 35 I held a weight of 125 and still holding. Actually because I was always so thin my whole life I certainly developed a complex about this so when I gained weight I was in my glory. And I have stayed toned and fit my whole life with many exercise programs and still workout 3 to 4 times a week. I go for yearly physicals and besides my cholesterol being a little high, I am pretty much healthy. But still worry about dying constantly and having a heart attack or stroke. I also have always suffered of low self-esteem and am not kind or compassionate with myself. I have no problem giving advice and being kind to others. But not to me. I have struggled with this my whole life. Discussions in therapy many years. Even now at 59 I am back in therapy discussing the same thing. Be gentle and treat myself better than I do. Thinking those negative thoughts is being so mean and so unkind to myself. In therapy we did a role play where the therapist said, I am your daughter and you are you. My daughter is 23 and she is my life. My only child. So she pretended that my daughter was saying to me, Mom, I feel like I am going to have a heart attack because my heart is racing and I feel like I will have a stroke and die. And I also feel like I might have stomach cancer, or brain cancer. And then the therapist said, what would you say to her. Of course I replied, I would console her and tell her no you are so healthy, and vibrant, etc. and not stop until she felt amazing again. The therapist then said, now you should tell yourself the samething. I get the whole role play and all, but cannot seem to be that way for myself.

You are fortunate and blessed to have that friend who is a nurse and helping you through. Can you explain what you meant about what he said about the healing with Cipralex, I didn't quite understand what you meant. And also, what is CBT ? You mentioned you had that. And what is sinus tachycardia ? I loved what you said about going out to win the war............I feel the same...........you are also battling with pre-menopause and all the hormonal dysfuntions, I clearly remember those days and they were also bad for me. I wish the best days ahead for you and supporting each other through it all means alot.

That might be a good idea to take half in a.m. and other half in p.m. But as it stands now I am so discouraged and fed up of all these bad symptoms, shakiness, nervousness, racing heart, jitters, palpitations, every single day. No "happy lightbulb" for me either. Actually, there is nothing happy about this med right now. I am starting week 6 tomorrow.

Thanks for your great support. I am so sorry you had such a bad day. I also did yesterday, very bad. Can't deal with the racing heart much longer. But I will still keep on it. Hopefully your new med will bring you better days. I do wish that for you and send you positive thoughts, even if I can't give those to myself, lol........I have np giving good thoughts and compassion and love to others, if only I could give that to me as well, I definitely would not have to be on medication if that was the case. Still haven't figured out how to be kind and gentle with me......I pray one day I can, because I know when that day comes, my whole life will change. In the meatime Ian, I hold on to praying and hoping we all start getting healed and feel better. I work in a seniors residence and yesterday lost an amazing lady. Some we get closer to than others, and this one was like everybody's Mom.......so a very sad day yesterday ! Keep me posted how your new med is going !

Thanks for your post.  Sorry to hear about the loss of one of the seniors. I'm wondering whether you've had a chance to look at Mindfullness stuff yet? I feel you are constantly battling and fighting the symptoms, willing them away when they just won't go... We ALL do it! There's a growing body of thought which suggests that's the wrong thing to do and that we might try and accept what is and expand ourseves around it.  Difficult to explain here. Part of Mindfullness is acceptance and indeed exploring the unpleasant feelings, embracing them, befriending them.  I'm no expert so might not be explaining best.  Take a look.  Continued thoughts regarding the up dose.  It helped me a couple years ago.  Wish i hadn't stopped!

Thanks so much for your reply and support. I know I sound very negative but I can't help it. I try to stay positive on this med, but the bad symptoms weigh me down. I agree and love what you said about me constantly battling and fighting my symptoms, I do that for sure, but I cannot seem to stop. There is nothing in this world I would want more than to be able to accept where I am in my life and go with the flow. But, not me, and hence the reason I am on this med to begin with. Embracing and befriending them would be like winning a lottery for me. And by the way, you explained all so perfectly. I will look into the mindfullness, although I am so agitated and can't sit still because of these symptoms. Today I started getting some palpitations, ugh, to add on to the racing heart and shakiness. I feel like I am repeating myself over and over, but I guess in some weird way I need to vent all this. Please know that I appreciate your help and support so much.

Sorry to hear you're still not settling - I also read your other post.  Stick with it and go with the doc.... Whatever happens it will get better one way or the other.  I'm sure Mindfullness could be useful. It takes practice through meditation, which in itself I find deeply relaxing apart from the long term benefits of controling thoughts etc.

Venting thoughts is good, repeating or not.....

I seem to be tolerating the new med OK thanks - 3rd dose today so early days.  Certainly better than the Cipralex, but it was a surprise I had such a reaction as it's worked for me before.......

Keep going!