Prozac for anxiety?
Posted , 8 users are following.
Ive have anxiety my whole life pretty much. It's just recently gotten really bad. I never told Dr's before until recently. I hate taking meds fear of side effects. First they gave me closapam (sorry for spelling) made me like a Zombie! Could not function and still anxious. They put me on Buisporine that lead me to calling 911. Couldn't breathe bad reaction. The only thing so far I'm taking that doesn't have a bad reaction is Adavan 1 mg. I take it once sometimes 2 times a day. It's sometimes makes me super sleepy...but not like a Zombie. Well they want to take me off it and put me on prozac. I read the side effects and didn't like what I read. I feel like this anxiety is never going to get better and I hate all these pills! Feeling hopeless.
0 likes, 12 replies
joe_04369 sarah_67495
Posted
Hello, I have been in your shoes and I'm still fighting anxiety but it is getting better. You have to remember something that I went through like you, these Meds work for some people with little side effects and don't work for others. I have been on at east 10 different meds for Depression and Anxiety and I'm starting to feeling so much better by finding the right combination. Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil did not work for me. It's hell going through the side effects but you
have no choice, you have to see if the side effects go away and you start feeling better which is going to take some time, at least a month or more. Now Clonazepam is a Benzo which is like Xanax but lasts longer like 8 hours, Xanax
is more for short term anxiety and works great, I take it when needed but all Benzos are highly addictive so you have to follow the DR rules, if you do you will be fine. Ativan is also a Benzo but a little different then the others, remember it takes time for the side efffects to go away so don't panic. Prozac is one of the oldest and best antidepressants there is, yes it did not work for me but is still
the leader for depression and anxiety also but I would stay on the Ativan or maybe try Xanax, its good to have a combo to feel better. Now here's something to ask your Dr for which so many people don't even try and it's used in the music business big time for stage fright BETA-BLOCKERS, the magic pill that calms you down, I take it one hour before going into a stressful situation like hosting a meeting or meeting new clients, it really just calms you down but you have to check with your Dr and see if you don't have any heart issues, you just take it at least an hour before it kicks in, so maybe it will help you out. Good luck and YOU WILL FEEL BETTER I PROMISE YOU!!!
God Bless and good luck.
sarah_67495 joe_04369
Posted
Thank you so much for your response! I truly appreciate it! The ER actually prescribed me propranolol , because I was having chest pains. I believe is a beta blocker?? I however never picked it up. I just don't want to be on all sorts of pills. Ya know. I wish it would just go away. I keep praying. I had a Holter monitor test done yesterday. Just to see if I have heart issues, or if what I'm feeling is caused by the anxiety. Well thanks again for your response! Wish you well! God Bless.
joe_04369 sarah_67495
Posted
You are so welcome. OK, first let me tell you I would bet your are 100% heathy but it doesn't hurt getting the tests done. What happened to me 7 tears ago is my anxiety was so bad that I thought I had a brain tumor and said screw it, I'm going to the ER and getting a full CT Scan and blood check up and heart check up all at one time to eliminate every factor. Gues what, I was heathly as can be, it was the Anxiety that was killing me, heart palpitations, no sleep, panic attacks you name it I had it. I was put on Lexapro and a small dose of Xanax, the side effects made me worse but the Doc said it's the best new drug hang in there. Well 5 days later I was in the hospital, I was completey gone and just wanted to die, the Lexapro almost killed me, please don't take this wrong or be scared becuase we all react different to Meds. After 3 days in the hospital, I was released and put on Seroquel for sleep which took a while to get the right dose but it was a life saver, I still take it if needed,
heck our Proud Troops serving our country are taking it for battle stress and sleep. Some people here might disagree with me on this but the best thing you could do right now is find the right Meds to help relieve the stress which is causing your pain. You are on the right track so try the Prozac, It will take at least a month to work and maybe longer. Go get the propranolol, you take it as needed and it is very safe and It works but takes an hour to kick in. I wish you the best and I know you can beat this, it's a battle but you will win!
Take care
sarah_67495 joe_04369
Posted
I'm sure I'm healthy as well. But like you experienced, the ER visits, thinking you had a brain tumor. I feel the same way. It's terrible. Then people say it's all in your head you're doing it to yourself there's nothing wrong with you. Easy for them to say...when it feels like you're dying. Haha! That's so scary what happened to you with the Lexapro! That's my fear. I never...like never take meds. So when I do I freak out and pretty much they all react bad. Except the Ativan. It's just not enough, because I still feel anxious and now sad. I cry almost everyday. It's ridiculous. I'll take your advice and try the other meds. It's nice to know I'm not alone and not crazy. I'm glad I found this sight. Take care...have a restful night. And once again thank you!
Aquin sarah_67495
Posted
Hi Sarah,
Ive been on prozac for 4 weeks. My doctor prescribed 20mg but with her advice i bought a pill cutter and started on a quarter of a tablet so that i could slowly work up. Im taking it for *severe* anxiety, OCD and depression. Im still only on half a pill (10mg) and just this past week I've begun noticing a drop in anxiety. I still have a long ways to go but am feeling hopeful. If you're concerned about side effects like i was, just start on a really low dose and slowly work up. I think everyone taking it for anxiety should start low and slow! It takes time to get results but i hear it's worth it. Good luck xx
RachRoux sarah_67495
Posted
Hey Sarah, I'm on 60mg of prozac for severe ocd and anxiety. I've been on it for almost 2 years now, it took about a year to work up to the max dose which was necessary for me as ocd responds only really in higher doses. It has helped me so much I am now able to engage in councelling and get the help I need to move forwards with my life. I understand how gripping anxiety can be and whatever the reason behind it for yourself, you will be at a point where you can move from this. Things do get better. Once you find the right med which of course takes time and patience it gives you time to breathe and opens things up for recovery. You wont necessarily be on pills forever it's giving yourself time to learn how to cope with anxiety which is what you will be able to get from a counsellor/therapist. I find that having a box of my favourite things helps me when I'm particularly anxious I can get out a colouring book, my favourite blanket, my unicorn teddy (who doesn't love unicorns) a film etc. Soothing things to help calm you. I also do a lot of short mindfulness exercises. Be kind to yourself, it's so important Xx
Milliemoo22 RachRoux
Posted
Hi Rach, I am just after a little bit of advice. I have a OCD as well as anxiety and have been in fluoxetine for nearly a year working my way up. I am currently in 50mg which I started 3 weeks ago but I feel absolutely awful at the minute, like I'm back to to beginning, did you have extra side effects when you increased the dose each time? How long did they last if you did? I really don't know if this is the right drug for me but I'm too scared to change again. I'm not sure whether to bite the bullet and go straight to 60mg
RachRoux Milliemoo22
Posted
Hey Millie, yeah unfortunately I had side effects every time I increased the dose which was awful as it was like they would settle then I'd have to increase and the side effects would be back with a vengeance. I did bite the bullet and went to 60mg from 40mg as I just couldn't take the constant side effects and I think tapering just seems to drag it all out. It's obviously up to you and how you feel, at the time I remember having some improvements at 40mg despite the side effects of increasing. I was still doing my rituals and still had my obsessions and compulsions but the anxiety that came with it was less intense and my panic attacks had reduced. This is why I decided to go to 60mg as I'd felt some improvement. It does take time to settle and the side effects are just ones you have to ride out. Almost 2 years after starting them now and the only side effect is a tremor in my hands which has got a lot better with time and exercise. Take care of yourself hun and let me know how you get on Xx
Milliemoo22 RachRoux
Posted
RachRoux Milliemoo22
Posted
When I initially started taking it it took about 6 week for me to start feeling the side effects go down but I'm glad I stuck it out. When I was increasing the side effects seemed to lessen a quicker in like 2 to 4 weeks even though they were still really intense. I try doing a lot of mindfulness and breathing exercises to help my anxiety maybe this could work for you? There is an app called my calm beat that helps slow your breathing down which I have found really helps my anxiety. Xx
hollee26189 sarah_67495
Posted
phil76209 sarah_67495
Posted