Starting Week 3 More Anxious
Posted , 8 users are following.
Around the 18th of September I started to develop Tinnitus, I had stopped taking Sertraline a few months before and this noise as well as certain other health issues caused utter hell to my anxiety.
I stopped taking Sertraline because of how tired it made me.
My doctor prescribed me 20mg of Fluoxetine, it's supposed to be "activating" so I hoped less fatigue than the Sertraline.
I must have had every side effect. I took this for eight days then stopped as I heard it can make Tinnitus worse. Well stopping it didn't stop the Tinnitus (I still have it) and spent 7 weeks suffering. I wish I just kept taking it. I was also on antibiotics for the first seven days whilst taking it, so now I am worried the antibiotics have interfered with it.
I am back on the Fluoxetine and have been on it for about two weeks.
I am in hell, I have massive health anxiety and feel more anxious than ever, I have no appetite and am exhausted. My anxiety is worse in the evenings.
I am wondering if anyone has had these kinds of side effects:
shaking/trembling, pins and needles, shortness of breath, dry cough, left leg pain (around the calf accompanied by tingling), hunger but no appetite, insomnia yet severely tired, irritability.
Something else I have noticed is my brain keeps bringing up random old memories, be it life or something in a video game or on TV or a random song getting stuck in my head. Sometimes when I try to sleep I get a sudden jolt of anxietyas I'm starting to fall asleep.
Every sensation drives up my anxiety, I keep thinking the worst such as "Oh god I have MS! Cancer! Blood clots!" I can't seem to get this thinking under control, I have been to the doctors a few times, tests always come back fine. But my mind jumps to a new issue, even if I try to rationalise it, I have OCD so it's even more difficult.
I hear that weeks 2-4 are the worst, but will it get better? I just am so tired and desperately want this to work, it feels like the universe is against me and etc.
I am frightened that stopping then starting may have messed up the chances of it working, like my body is going to be immune to any good it does.
It would be nice to know if people here have or have had similar experiences. I will try to update regularly to monitor my progression.
0 likes, 72 replies
heath23 ryan6864
Edited
hey mate, iv been on fluoxetine for 4 weeks now. im 34 years old and have had anxiety for years but my health anxiety the past 18-24 months has been through the roof. I have read this thread and all your symptoms and that’s exactly what I’ve been going through. I’ve had so many tests all to come back clear. I’m now fixating on My hands shaking thinking oh s**t, it’s not cancer. What could this be some sort of nerve disease or ms. my mind is exhausted and when I think I’m getting better for example yesterday I had a great day I let everything go and I just relaxed for the first time in months but now today I wake up anxious from the get go. Now my head is spiralling again into all those negative thoughts could it be this? Could it be that? When I’m really bad people can be talking to me and I am not taking one of them words they are speaking in. They are passing through me like I’m a ghost and I feel guilty and rude but I’m not doing that on purpose. It’s just my mind is so somewhere else! My nausea was so bad also the first few weeks, but that has seem to calm down, and I’ve slowly got my appetite back which is good because I love food. I did lose a few kilos also, but I happened to contract Covid two weeks into starting the meds which also made my health anxiety so much worse.
its crazy about your left calf because i feel like mine did the same. my left hip is now sore and I’m wondering if it’s also from the tablets, or it could be an old injury from sport that i aggravated at work. but yes I am so conscious of all my body and my movements at the moment like if I drop something I’m thinking I’m clumsy what’s wrong with me disease that’s making my handshake like I’m super overthinking everything. I hope you feel better soon mate because this is a battle and we will get through it.
nataliya.k heath23
Posted
I went through all that 1 year ago.
Medication increasing anxiety for a while which is crazy when you think it should reduce your anxiety. When your anxiety increased your mind and your body very sensitive. Your brain is on high alert and constantly scanning your body for anything wrong, it turns normal sensations that everyone has lime headache, muscle pain and etc into something very scary and terminal. And that scares you even more adding to your anxiety and you stuck in this crazy loop.
Trying to get rid of this feeling, trying to breath, meditate and etc is not working and when you see its not working it scares you even more.
Do nothing, dont fight it. That's the way meds work and rewiring your brain, its not you and you will not "stuck" line that forever, because i bet thats what your mind telling you. For now try to live as normal as possible, taking these terrible feelings with you, go for a walk, cry if you need but keep going, it will get better soon.
And be scared about ups and downs - thTs how recovery goes - 3 steps forward and than 2 steps back.
Its not easy and sometimes you think you are going crazy, your are not, you are recovering, every day closer to feeling better, trust me you will get there.
ryan6864 heath23
Edited
I hope things work out for you, sounds like you too have had it rough. with the left calf pain I have noticed it is better at lower anxiety levels, I also get hip pain on my left side, right where the joint is.
MS is a fear, I am waiting for an MRI scan to see what's going on up there.
I have also just been trying to avoid people, I'm too anxious and nauseous to talk to them.
Strange thing is, I am more hungry than usual but I just can't eat properly, I really have to force food down. My belly is rumbling but I just stare at the food thinking "I don't want this", so now I get anxious about if I'll be able to eat.
I hear 4 weeks is often when people start feeling a it better, I hope so and I hope you start really recovering, but I am aware there can be blips.
ryan6864
Edited
Has anyone had this, you feel hungry, your belly is rumbling but you just don't want to eat? Like not nausea but just a complete lack of appetite.
Another thing but does anyone get the following: flashing lights when they are anxious.
Anxiety after eating? Currently laying here in bed after dinner, it was hell getting it down and I either feel anxious or somehow I'm hungry again.
Did anyone ever get frequent hunger pangs but no appetite?
I am also kind of scared, some people on this forum seem to have been on the Fluoxetine for like 10 weeks and feel no better. I can't even imagine going through this that long. It's taking everything I have.
I have pains in my body, mainly my legs, I hope they are just the Fluoxetine. My anxiety is pretty bad atm, but for some reason nights are always awful for me.
phil18965 ryan6864
Posted
Hi Ryan, sorry for the late reply, I hope you've managed to get through another day of hell? I completely lost my appetite and lost over 2 stone and it's just starting to come back the past few days so I've been shoveling as much as I can stomach, anything goes. The unhealthier the better right now,! I'm not enjoying it, but food and sleep is the answer. Mate, this will take all your willpower, it's a tough journey for sure, but you're still here and still fighting through it. No point giving up having got this far, and it's just around the corner to success, keep on fighting it. You're not going to get much worse, and you're still with us, it's going to get easier soon. I look back at where I was at the point you are now, and can't believe that I'm on week 9 today, and feeling like most of the side effects are going at last, so don't despair, and feel proud of yourself not sorry. I'm sure the physical pain is a combination of the tablets and that you're always tensed up with anxiety, and it will pass when the fluox starts working. Nights are worse because you're quiet and focused on everything and every ache and pain, try to distract yourself somehow (not googling everything helps!). You'll be over the hump soon mate and WILL get better, I'm sure of it.
ryan6864
Edited
A rough day, got a light headed feeling. Room isn't spinning but my head just feels weird.
heath23 ryan6864
Posted
i know the feeling, i get a bit off balance even. my hands feel weird still also, but i feel like im starting to turn the good corner, meaning having less panic attacks and maybe not as focussed on every sensation in my body as much. lets hope you feel better and better each day
phil18965 heath23
Edited
Hi Heath, how long you been on the happy gear for? I'm in week 9 and a lot of the initial side effects are going especially the nausea which has completely gone today, but I still feel dull, thought I'd be a bit happier by now, waiting a bit longer. Only a tiny rumour of anxiety the past few mornings, goes after I take the happy tablets. Ryan, we're thinking of you, keep going, another day you're going to get through ok mate!
heath23 phil18965
Posted
hey mate iv been on them for just over 4 weeks! im starting to feel ok but just the tremors in my hands are triggering my health anxiety a fair bit. did you experience these? im glad mate your starting to feel better, i cant wait to be where you are
phil18965 heath23
Posted
Hi Heath, you're on your way by the sounds of it, 4 weeks in, nice one! Won't be long before you're there mate, keep on pushing through it, fight it all the way, never give up, you'll feel really bloody proud of yourself when it's over. Oh yeah did I ever get the shaky hands, it's pretty much stopped now, still mild tremors about an hour after taking the pills. Actually that was one of the sideys I really knew was from the pills and so I didn't worry about it too much. In fact it caused a few funny moments in hindsight, my friend's sister came around to see me and she wanted a teaspoon of sugar in the coffee, oh boy did it go everywhere except in the cup! I was kinda nervous anyway cos she's very nice which didn't help! Try not to overthink the side effects, it'll make the anxiety worse, don't think it's anything else but the side effects playing with your head, cos that's all it is, you've not got some sudden fatal illness in 4 weeks flat and you're still with us! I reckon your health anxiety will start to get less as you become more confident and convinced that the side effects are caused by the fluox. Hope you're getting as much food down as you can, and rest, rest. Then some more rest.
nataliya.k heath23
Posted
I had hands shake and it was scarying me so much thinking its MS or Parkinson. But let me tell you this - every person has so e level of shakiness in their hands, but because you still have anxious mind it scanning your body, picks up any normal body functions and turning them into something scary and terminal. As soon as your anxiety goes away, those feeling and scanning of your body will go away as well.
You are doing great and you are on right path
heath23 phil18965
Posted
hey mate, i appreciate the kind words and support they really help and its good to know im not alone.
hopefully i can stop the panic and go with some of these side effects.
heath23 nataliya.k
Edited
hey Nat, your exactly right on that one, im constantly scanning my body but when i think about it logically these shaky hands only started once i started the fluoxetine so why would i think other crazy stuff! but thats health anxiety for you always going to worst case scenario.
ill try to relax and accept these side effects and hopefully that settles my anxiety which helps with the shakyness.
thanks for the replies and support its really helps me push through so i appreciate it
nataliya.k heath23
Posted
I am here any time, you are on right path and soon it will be just distant memory
ryan6864 nataliya.k
Posted
Hey Phil, starting to feel a little better, but my appetite isn't all there and like you I get some dizziness and my arms and hands do shake too.
I hope you start feeling better, I know I got a while until I feel myself again and when the Dr increases the dose I'll probably have to go through all this again.
ryan6864
Posted
Wrong person replied to but message is the same.
ryan6864 heath23
Posted
I also get shaking in my hands, I feel my body vibrating and sometimes get random pains. I'm also light headed and sometimes dizzy. It probably is just the Fluoxetine as this seems pretty common.