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Really need some help.

Posted , 6 users are following.

stephen35115
stephen35115

I am currently just about to go on holiday and my anxiety is through the roof and to top that I had a horrible panic attack at airport which nearly had me running out. I am trying every possible self help method I know but the anxiety seems so strong when I try to relax into it, I feel wired and on the brink of panic all the time, I have panic rushes throughout the day. I did not want to up my dose before I went on holiday as I was worried about horrible side effects I had before. But I am really struggling here. It's 5 weeks now on 10mg and the last 2 days have been the worst thus far. Any advice would be great. P.S I will be seeing GP in 2 weeks for Meds review. Thanks

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • jane08164
    jane08164 stephen35115

    Posted

    you probably need to go to 20mg, 10mg i have heard is only theraputic
  • Aileen61
    Aileen61 stephen35115

    Posted

    Hi Stephen, I am on wk 5 and taking 20mg and still wobbling quite a bit, have been told around 6 weeks I should begin to feel better. Morning & early afternoon are my worst time, by evening I begin to feel a bit normal again, and I think when I go to bed maybe tomorrow will be the turning point. Hope u feel better and if ur going on hols try and relax and enjoy, it will just take time, that what everyone tells me.
  • katecogs
    katecogs stephen35115

    Posted

    Hi Stephen

    You may well do better on 20mg but if you're about to go on holiday you won't feel the benefit from it yet.  Changes in our circumstances can bring about anxiety - I used to feel anxious going away, settle down on holiday then feel anxious about coming back.  I'd feel anxious on a Monday for work, settle down and then feel anxious on a Friday thinking of the weekend coming up.  I couldn't win.

    You're still going through recovery and you'll need to still accept life will be up and down for a while yet - and often more so with things like this.

    Sometimes trying to relax into the panic doesn't always give you immediate relief, but with continued practice it does help.  You might also be 'watching' your reaction as you're trying to relax, which in turn might be making you tense.  Also trying to make yourself better before a certain date/time can also lead to tenseness and frustration, which in turn makes you more anxious.

    Exercise helps to burn excess adrenaline.  Walking and getting to one with nature as you walk by is a great healer - strangely I also heard that on the radio this afternoon.

    Where are you going and when?

     

    • stephen35115
      stephen35115 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi Katecogs, We are off to the algarve at 6.00am tomorrow so night over in Gatwick. I really want to give the 10mg as best a shot as I can, but I need to find better coping strategies if I'm going to see that out. I totally get the wanting to be better before its time as you suggest, I get good periods in the day where I think "right that's it over and done with, back to normal living" only for a short time later to coming crashing down with a rush of panic. I still hate that adrenalin rush into my poor wee ( or not so wee now ) stomach. " loosen and accept" plays in my mind much of the time but when it's a biggie as much of today's have been I forget everything I read and learned and am swept under by the wave of panic. I am looking forward to my holiday as there is a gym I can use to let out the stress and plenty of healthy foods I am determined to stick with ( all inclusive is often a disaster food wise ) . I am fortunate that I don't drink any alcohol, nor smoke so no problem with the agitation from them. Hopefully this is just another blip on the road to recovery and I thank you yet again for your wise comforting words which make a world of difference to me when feeling like this.

      Stephen.x

    • katecogs
      katecogs stephen35115

      Posted

      You know, as hard as it is when these blips come, it's then when you get to practice what you know.  Relaxation, letting go, is hard to do, and there's no easy way other than trying as best you can to ride with it.  It's strange how these blips come back and bite us each time, and often big ones are due to something happening like a holiday.  So, rather than let the blip beat you, go with it, go on holiday, and you will no doubt find that once there you'll start feeling well again.

      I remember that adrenalin rush - gets you right in the pit of your stomach, and you just want to run away from it.  The more you practice letting go, going with it like riding on a surf wave, the quicker the blip will pass.

      Sometimes when you're excited and looking forward to something, when it actually happens you can feel quite panicked or low about it.  Also if you've been busy packing and sorting you could have made yourself feel tired without knowing it - that'll also have an impact.  Of course don't avoid doing these things, but go with it when the after effect kicks in.

      Well ...... I'm feeling quite jealous now with all this talk of holidays 😄  Hope you have a great time and escape this UK wet weather.  Wishing you happy hols ❤️😄

      K

  • David_21660
    David_21660 stephen35115

    Posted

    Hi Stephen,

    There is little you can do now that you are on holiday apart from try to relax, dont feed yer body with cr*p and cut out or down the alcohol intake, exercise and enjoy!

    With hindsigght it is easy to say you should have made an appointment to see yer GP before leaving and if upping was recommended you should have. You will get side effects when you up, but who is to know they may not have been that bad to spoilt yer hols? Anyway, thats only relevant for future thought re possible changes.

    In the meantime just try to relax and if yer near a Disco (I take it there are still Disco's around) have a good old dance that will help up the old seretonin levels, but remember no or little alcohol! When you get back keep that appointment and let the GP know exactly how you feel and have felt since the last time you saw she/he.

    Good luck and hopefully, have a good time!

    Regards,

    David

    • stephen35115
      stephen35115 David_21660

      Posted

      Thanks David, your suggestions are much appreciated and some really good tips although I think my wife would have a melt down if she thought I was sneaking off to the dancing! Ha ha. Seriously, thank you, what you've said is really helpful. 
    • David_21660
      David_21660 stephen35115

      Posted

      My Fiancee, Ann, did not know or understand anything either, but she decided she would. It is of the utmost importance that our loved ones know what is happening otherwise things will only get problematic and spiral out of control due to misunderstandings through something as easily remedied as ignorance (meant literally not rudely).

      Ann read my posts, read the replies and we discussed everything how I felt and what was happening to me. She came to my regular monthly appointments to the GP and became my crutch when I could hardly stand.

      Honestly Stephen please try to get your wife on board it is important for both of you and your Family.

      ENOUGH! Now enjoy yer hols!

      Reghards,

      David

       

  • stephen35115
    stephen35115

    Posted

    Thank you all for your suggestions and support. I didn't  go and see my GP before I left as I thought I could manage with the blips I've had so far. Interesting to see your post Aileen61 on getting better at evening time. I've also had this quite a few times but recently it's been less so. Last night I had to get up from bed and go into the living room such was my anxiety level. As I've said before I don't want the medication to cure me, just take a little of the edge off so I can see my way through. I have been here before and got through not using medication but this time the anxiety seems strong even when I don't see myself as contributing to it. The difference to have somewhere to share this stuff is immeasurable as my poor wife who is with me just doesn't understand ( nor do I think she should ) how can you understand unless you've been there. I am honestly so grateful to all of you as sometimes I just need reassurance I'm going to be ok. As sad as that may sound when I have days like this it's really something that makes a difference. 
    • weenett
      weenett stephen35115

      Posted

      Enjoy ur hols! Well try..... Keep us updated! Im still struggling 2 if that helps!
    • katecogs
      katecogs stephen35115

      Posted

      That's how my recovery came about.  I'd wake in the mornings full of anxiety, and by the evening I'd feel quite calm and almost normal.  This happened more and more and eventually the calm feeling started happening earlier in the day and at long last I started waking without anxiety.  Recovery sort of crept up on me.

      K x

    • Aileen61
      Aileen61 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi katecigs, I was asking that question, how did the recovery come about. I am usually really stressed when I wake up and it lasts into the afternoon and then I start to feel normal. However, today has been rather difficult all day, it is now 1am and I'm still anxious but my mind will not switch off to let me get some sleep. I just wish I could experience the calm soon.
    • katecogs
      katecogs Aileen61

      Posted

      Hi Aileen

      Recovery crept up on me so slowly I hardly noticed it.  I didn't realise I was recovering either.  Every morning I'd wake with that awful anxiety and of course that wasn't always an indication how the rest of the day would pan out.  Most people often get blips every so often which can feel like you're back at the beginning, but each blip wil pass.  Sometimes you'll get the odd time when you feel more anxious and it can be if you've overdone it one day, or you've got an event coming up, or any little thing, this can make you feel like this.  If you're feeling the calmness already, it will grow over time.  Just expect the odd time when you feel worse.

      How long have you been in the meds?

      K x

    • Aileen61
      Aileen61 katecogs

      Posted

      Hi katecogs, had a really bad night last night and ended up at Acc/emergency as I had terrible chest pain. WS there for hours got checked over bloods done &. Best X-ray all fine, so back home with the diagnosis acute anxiety attack. I think it was triggered by not sleeping and being exhausted. I almost at wk 6. But still feeling very sick, the hosp gave me a few anti sickness tabs which helped and I have just phoned my surgery to ask if they will prescribe them for me.
    • katecogs
      katecogs Aileen61

      Posted

      So sorry to hear that Aileen.  Yes acute anxiety/panic attacks can give you bad chest pains sometimes - people can mistake it for a heart attack too.  Glad they helped to sort you out.  Can feel quite frightening feeling like that I'm sure.

      Yes not sleeping and feeling exhausted can cause a few problems.  Something I've used for anti sickness (whilst on a cruise with very high seas blurgh) was ginger ale.  Cured my sickness (and husbands) within 15 mins.  I know a different type of sickness, but worth keeping in mind too.

      Still fairly early days for you, yet on the other hand you've come a long way already.  Everyone reacts differently to each meds and some get better quicker than others.  Hopefully the sleep problems and sickness will ease for you soon.

      K xx

    • Aileen61
      Aileen61 katecogs

      Posted

      Thanks katecogs, I don't know where I would b without people like ur good self always on hand to offer friendship & support, it means so much when ur hitting the potholes. Thanks again x
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