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 anxiety as 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
phil18965 ryan6864
Posted
You're so very close to the good times now mate and sound pretty strong, the sideys will gradually end and I suspect so will much of your health anxiety. Nice one!!
ryan6864 phil18965
Posted
Thx Phil, though I suspect the Dr may up the dose so I'll probably see them all come roaring back, but I think I can fight through it. I hope you are feeling better.
phil18965 ryan6864
Posted
Guess what? I saw my GP today and she has increased my dosage to 40mg, so I'll be in the same boat as you again too, here we go again! I went from 10 to 20mg a while ago and the sideys weren't too bad, about 4 days. What jolly fun.
ryan6864 phil18965
Posted
Hey Phil, we will be here to help you get through it.
I can't help but wonder how long this light headedness and dizziness will last
stevie80040 ryan6864
Posted
Hi its my first time posting here. I've been on fluoxetine for 3 weeks today and I'm really struggling with crippling anxiety. Please tell me this will pass as I feel like it's ruining my life. I've read that alot of people feel tired but I'm the complete opposite, like I've taken some sort of stimulant. I used to take fluoxetine for several years but foolishly stopped as I was feeling really well. I had about a 6 month break and then totally hit rock bottom when I broke up with my partner. I suffered a brain haemorrhage 4 years ago which caused a stroke so I'm disabled and unable to work. Since starting this medication again I feel ramped up and like I can't relax. I'm on lorazipam 0.5mg twice a day but the doctor wants me to come off it as its addictive but I don't know how I'm going to cope without it. I know my doctor talked about increasing the dose in a couple of weeks but if I'm still feeling the same I don't think I'll be able to cope if the side effects get worse. Please tell me this feeling will pass, I feel desperate
ryan6864
Edited
Currently extremely tired and lacking motivation or energy to do anything. I hope this is temporary.
phil18965 ryan6864
Edited
Hi Ryan, these two very common side effects WILL pass off when the brain starts to recognize, understand and take notice of the serotonin - it's a bit confused right now but it's relearning how to make happiness, in fact it's restructuring your neural pathways and receptors, and it takes a while, but remarkably quickly if you think how complex the brain is! I'm sure that's why we all get that awful fatigue and exhaustion and have to really push to even get off the bed, even after sleeping. Give it a bit more time, and try to get as much food down as you can, your body and brain needs it, and just rest and ride it out, you'll get past it soon enough mate, you should be proud of how far you've got to this point
ryan6864 phil18965
Posted
Ho Phil, how have you been doing on your increase?
mark56271 ryan6864
Edited
im just entering 4th month on flux and am finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel still get bad days and still struggle to sleep but compared to the start im much better this one hell of a med and when you think you are getting better symptoms reappear stay with it and good luck
ryan6864
Edited
Hey everyone, think I'm going through a blip, anxiety is pretty high and feeling sad, almost choked up. I hope you are all doing okay.
phil18965 ryan6864
Edited
Ah Ryan, you're going through it, it's a bloody awful time. Mate, just let it out, I've had more than a few good old tearful moments, it helps to get it out. I've been feeling a bit down today but I know it's only temporary and it's the meds bringing me down, same for you Ryan. Your anxiety will gradually start to get less I'm sure of it. It always seems worse in the evenings when there's more time for the brain to dwell on it all especially when already anxious. I'm just trying to accept these emotions as a passing blip and it sounds like you're having one now. it will pass and then you'll know what it was and it'll give you more strength and confidence to overcome it if it happens again. Keep going and keep fighting, you may be a bit down now but it'll pass off, maybe just a bit longer ok. Try having a hot drink with some something nice, I'm eating a lot of chocolate now, which makes me feel better, although I hardly ever have sweet food before this bloody nightmare started!
ryan6864 phil18965
Posted
Thanks Phil, I find out tomorrow if I increase the dose which will surely mean a return of all the side effects. I hope you are doing better as I believe you have had yours increased.
Yea, it's just a sort of sadness, I had my brother visit and he has gone back home so I felt sad he has gone but amplified by the medication. The tinnitus is still here and is looking permanent which is creating a huge amount of stress.
phil18965 ryan6864
Edited
Hiya Ryan, look at how far you've come now, and you're still not giving up mate, that's a tough thing to do, you should be well proud! I'm feeling better today, a bit nervous that the side effects haven't started yet, but hopeful they might not be as bad as I thought, so fingers crossed for you too, but hey why not give it a go if the doc does increase it, nothing much to lose at this point really other than sanity, and I think we have to be a bit mad right now to try and make sense of it all anyway! Maybe ask the doc to put you up to 30mg to start with (ie 1 x 10mg and 1 x 20mg capsules) and see how that goes for a while? I'm sorry to hear your still getting the tinnitus, keep on at the doc about it, I can see how it's contributing to the anxiety. I don't know much about that, and I can't imagine how it must make you feel. I do understand how it feels when someone goes away, it's just a very sad and empty lonely feeling inside. I just try to think every time it happens it makes me a bit stronger because I'm controlling it, I allow myself to have the emotion. I'm not sure if that's very healthy tbh but I've had to do it most of my life. I visualize my heart being encased in concrete, so nothing more can get inside or out to hurt me anymore. Hopefully it won't be too long till you see your brother again. Stay strong and well mate, keep going. You'll get through this.
ryan6864 phil18965
Posted
When I started the Fluoxetine it took about a week for the side effects to really kick in, maybe it'll be the same with increasing the dose?
Yea, it's nice just having someone to talk to or just be in company with if you are feeling anxious.
I hope you are doing well though.
heath23 ryan6864
Posted
hey mate, i know
the feeling i couldnt even come on here i have been so bad. i just want to feel normal again. i hate this so much! health anxiety is legit the worst form
of anxiety ive ever experienced
ryan6864 heath23
Posted
I feel you, even though I'm starting to feel better I still get health anxiety. Thoughts of things like cancer and etc plague the mind and the anxiety causes symptoms which in turn causes more anxiety.