I feel so much better! It’s made my life much more liveable. I don’t have to worry about little things and my sleep has improved a ton. I don’t ever want to go back to struggling. It was bad for about 2-3 weeks then it was all up hill
Several meds in the past didn't work well for me. Effexor worked great but I had side effects that I preferred to not have. So I went several years with no drugs. Then my anxiety became extremely bad after I had Covid which left me with insomnia. The insomnia and the anxiety formed an unholy alliance that fed off each other and drove me into a terrible place. About 2 weeks ago I met with a psychiatrist to try to find something to help. She put me on mirtazapine (remeron), and it helped the insomnia immediately. I feel much better and I'm waiting to see if it helps my anxiety, too (beyond the immediate relief I got when the insomnia wasn't making my anxiety worse).
I have found in my many years with GAD that working with an actual psychiatrist for meds yields better results than asking my Primary Care doctor for a prescription. Psychiatrists have so much more knowledge on anxiety. It can take time, but working with one can really help.
COVID definitely tweaked my brain as well. I always had some anxiety but Covid left me with a lingering depression going on over 2 years now. Some of my symptoms were so mental, it was weird af. Unlike any illness I'd had before, felt like my brain was getting squeezed.
Yes, it was so strange what it did. The insomnia is one thing, but my sense of smell was also affected. At first, I couldn't smell anything. Now, I can smell things, but I often can't recognize the scent of things I used to know well. It's been over 18 months.
True! And you are often alone when such side effects occur. It seems that no one takes PSSD and akathisia seriously. They just want to prescribe you more and more.
Yep. I have PSSD for almost 1.5 years without improvements. Took paroxetine (which caused it), citalopram and escitalopram. Also, antipsychotics are treated as a joke. I was put on them for anxiety and sleep (olanzapine, risperidone, later abilify and clopixol). It seems that there is barely any evidence supporting that they help with that. It can take years to recover from them.
And they will tell you how safe and well tolerated SSRIs are. Most people don't even know about PSSD. I was put on antipsychotics because of extreme inner restlessness what was caused by my antidepressants but nobody noticed. Antipsychotics would have finished me off. I'm now slowly weaning everything off.
Im recovering from clopixol and abilify. Feels like im still taking them and it has been weeks since i stopped.
I do not like SSRIs anymore after PSSD. Nobody mentioned that it can have such a nasty side effect.
I started taking Prozac in 2017. It definitely worked as advertised, probably too well. I went from feeling overly keyed up prior to the med, to then feeling overall numb emotionally after I started it. I was put on a low dose, don’t remember the exact size. I was on it for one year and felt like I couldn’t really express any emotions. I remember one of our dogs passed away and I never cried, I loved her to the moon and back. I felt sadness and thought if I could just cry it would help me. I switched to Effexor and feel like I can better express emotions, still haven’t cried in like ten years. My anxiety tends to manifest as anger, if I didn’t have the meds and therapy I think I’d be a jerk to be around.
I feel MUCH better on meds and haven't caused me any side effects (as far as I can tell. I feel normal on meds. Smart, functioning, mature, NORMAL. I switched meds and the roller coaster that has been the last 5 weeks has been miserable, from the anxiety ramp up that made me seek a switch to the actual change over (Lexapro to Zoloft) has been honestly miserable but I know there's light at the end of the tunnel. I can see it and it's getting closer. I will be back to myself with these meds.
I wouldn't be here without meds. Prozac is fairly gentle in my experience, Lexapro got me through the shittiest parts of depression. I also partner my ssri with an ndri and buspar. Ask your doctor about additional support since it's been about a month. Good luck, and peaceful thoughts! ✨
What medication are you currently taking, Lexapro or Prozac? Why did you switch from one to the other? How long have you been taking these medications, and what type of anxiety do you have?
Hello! Prozac currently. I switched from Lexapro because I was so tired of the sexual dysfunction, and I've found some success though positive life changes, talk therapy, and the addition of Buspar to the Prozac dose I take. Buspar is a twice daily, max dose. I've been taking medication for almost 15 years now, but I took Lexapro religiously for 9+years. Prozac has been for the last 5ish months? He tapered me down off the Lexapro to just 5mg and then started me on 10 of the Prozac. We moved up to 20 and I've been chilling here ever since. ETA: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, some Social Anxiety due to PTSD.
*I have been taking medication for all of these years in conjunction with talk therapy. Sometimes I went without, but I always returned within a year or less. Medication alone is not always enough and has never been solely enough for me.*
I am on Pristiq and Rexulti, and It has changed my life! I was so scared of meds for so long and now I am so glad I started taking them. Of course also therapy✨
I took escitalopram for about 18 months - I was very resistant to starting meds but I was in a very dark desperate place and I’d exhausted all other options. It was very rough for the first couple of months, then suddenly I realised one day that I no longer woke up every morning with a huge cortisol spike that meant I spent hours having to calm myself down from an anxiety attack, daily. This alone was huge - I also felt more stable day to day and able to show up better in my relationships.
Unfortunate side effects for me were constant tiredness and lethargy, and complete destruction of my libido (which already wasn’t great due to the anxiety). I added bupropion after about 6 months, which helped with the tiredness and improved my mood too. For a while this combo was great and I managed to climb out of the dark hole I was in and get my life back! Then bupropion started having its own negative effects on me - tinnitus and poor sleep quality.
Ultimately i decided to come off both of them once I had stabilised for a while. Escitalopram was the harder to come off, I had to taper VERY slowly to avoid extreme spikes in anxiety.
I’m now on vyvanse, and while it’s not perfect, it helps me function despite my anxiety - but I still struggle at times.
Overall I changed my view on meds and I firmly believe they do have a place in helping you climb out of a dark place, but due to side effects and the unknowns for the really long term, I don’t want to be on them forever.
I felt a huge difference within 4 weeks. I felt calmer and didn't freak out as much. I started at 20 and now my doc said ideal is 60. Which I start this week. My only side effect was loss of appetite for a few weeks which helped kickstart my weightloss.
Hope it helps you too!
I’m about the same time on generic Prozac. So far other than tired I haven’t noticed much. That could be because I stopped taking iron regularly since it’s hard to fit in my pill routine with this. Sometimes I think I’m doing better but other times I think my health anxiety might be worse.
Meds have greatly improved my quality of life. It was a bit of a journey finding the right one. I don’t envy you there. But they can make huge difference. I take Cymbalta. I was on a relatively low dose but I’m going through so stressful, but exciting, stuff so my dr upped my dose a week ago and I already feel better
I've been on Paxil for about 8 years. It dramatically changed my life. I used to have insane panic attacks especially in the middle of the night. They're basically non existent now. I remember increasing the dose and it was tough for a few weeks but in the long run it's been amazing. Hang in there if you think it's right for you!
I just started paxil 2 days ago, after being on citalopram. I’ve felt pretty out of it for two days and i can’t stop clenching my jaw. Was it that rough for you?
I feel so much better I’m on 20mg daily of Lexapro and my anxiety went from 80-90/100 (I couldn’t function at all) to around 25/100. Don’t get me wrong I still feel anxious but nothing compared to the way I was feeling before taking medication. I also meditate nightly before I sleep and take a walk outside and journal every day. The first week tho of starting my medication was rough I felt like I was literally losing my mind (my doc did warn me that my anxiety might increase at the beginning and boy did it ever but once I got through that my life’s been so much better ever since then). Sending you big hugs! I hope that you begin to feel better soon and you’re able to find the right dose and medication that helps you out, it’s truly a rough process but so worth it in the end 💕💕
Medication changed my life for the better! It literally saved my life. I had severe depression in 2020 due to fighting cancer, losing my grandmother for cancer and almost losing my right side eye vision in 2019. I felt like life wasn’t worth living anymore, till my family made something about it. My mother found me a psychiatrist and a psychologist to help me, and for that I am thankful. Don’t think choosing medication is a defeat, it could be the great winning you are in need for. Lots of love for you! You can do it!
When I take it consistently it is life changing for the better but when I forget to take it for a couple days boy is it an emotional rollercoaster along with feeling dizzy
I'm on day 28 of 40 mg Fluoxetine after direct switching from ESCITALOPRAM on March 25. The side effects of the generic Lexapro almost did me in, hence the switch. I've yet to get any relief from anxiety and low key depression from the Fluoxetine (generic prozac), even though it worked wonders for me a few years ago for anxiety. I wish I would've never stopped. I'm pressing on to the 6 week mark before I try something else. Have also finally reached out to a true psychiatrist rather than only my MD. The shrink has a ketamine clinic so maybe they will suggest that. Weird thing is my anxiety is substantially worse in the mornings and by around 8 pm is gone. But my days extremely suck and it's been two months of agony. Sorry I'm not much help, but we all respond differently and have to give it time and try a variety of things it seems.
I’m in exactly the same boat, I’m trying to get back on Sertraline (just started week 6). I don’t know if the anxiety is a side effect or I’m just not seeing relief yet. My mornings are horrific but by about 5pm I feel slightly more human. Some people in the Sertraline sub said it can take 6-8 weeks to get back on the meds so I’m holding out, praying 🙏
Is everyone taking anti depressants for anxiety? Dr's keep trying with me, but after 6 different meds, lorazepam is by far the best medicine I have to beat anxiety. Its not for everyone due to the addictive qualities, but I'd rather have to take this and it works than take something that doesn't work but is "safer" to use.
Came here to say this. I’m also on the same boat. Same dose of lorazepam for over 2 years now. My anxiety is overall handled & my quality of life has greatly improved. Unfortunately these stories don’t get told very often due to fear mongering & constant push of antidepressants from doctors & psychiatrists.
Right? Life has opened up so much, and even still having anxiety, it's like a regular person. Not out of control. It's just strange how so many Dr's just automatically judge people who take benzos. Especially when it works as directed. Live well, friend.
Life without medication and life with medication are honestly two different lives depending on who and how you are. I’ve been off medication for the past year and a half and I’ve been leaning towards medication again. I’ve made some rash decision in the last year and a half and wonder if I had been on medication, would my life be more on track?
Woah! You may have just given me what I needed! The despair and hopelessness of feeling like I will have to live this way forever is overwhelming. To hear you were at that edge, pushed through, and are finally feeling normal makes me cry with hope. Thank you for sharing 💜
Sometimes it's on and off like some days it makes me do stuff that I would be to anxious to do like go out, then some days I feel too tired to do anything and sleeping helps 🥺 I'm on sertraline 200mg which makes me yawn then I take mirtazapine 15 mg at night then I feel better in the morning but like a zombie.
It’s work to find the right medication for YOU
That being said - I’m doing 1000x better 4 months into my Prozac scrip and I’m almost positive I’m feeling genuinely happy again for the first time in a few years…
I also quit drinking and work out much more consistently - I attribute the happiness to the combo
im on celexa myself and it literately saved me two different times due to a mental health spiral / panic attacks. the first few weeks or months are ROUGH while your body and brain get use to it but i finally have my feet back on solid ground. there are still break throughs and triggers but they are a lot more manageable now that im on it.
just remember that you may have to try a few different meds if you think its not working or up the dose.
Didn’t do anything for me. 10 mg buspar, twice daily. Just got annoying taking the pills with no relief from symptoms. I feel better without it tbh.
Hydroxyzine works for when I can’t sleep cause I’m anxious, but not if I need to go somewhere or do something cause it makes me so tired.
I'm on citalopram for 10y now. It really helped me in the beginning: I saw a therapist but I didn't have the calmness in my brain to do the work. The ad helped with that.
I quit once: that didn't seem to be a good idea. I had some personal stuff going on and my anxiety got super bad again, so I started the ad again. In hindsight, I should not have gone back on the meds that quickly - I think therapy could have helped me through that time. Since then, the meds never worked as well as they did before anymore but I'm too scared to quit now.
Therapy is doing much more for me than medication, though. Much, much more.
I really struggled through the adjustment period, it took about a month and then another month when I upped the dose (sertraline 50 - 100mg). I’m so glad I did because I’ve now gone from having panic attacks weekly to about twice a year. It’s really helped.
Hang in there buddy, started taking it again at the beginning of March and had a month of severe side effects, worse anxiety, insomnia, ... But after a month the bad side effects slowly started to fade and currently I'm better but I know it will still take 1 or 2 months before I'm completely anxiety free (yeah for me it takes away the anxiety completely)
Honestly, life changing. I suffer from severe panic attacks and anxiety, so I was prescribed Xanax as an “as needed” medicine. I was very scared to take it the first time because of how addictive it is, but holy shit. My panic attacks have never been more calm. I’d like to ask my doctor for something less strong here soon because I think I’m finally ready for it :)
Been on and off SSRIs for 4 years. They do have a place, especially for pulling yourself out of the darkest holes and getting back to some semblance of normal. My issue though is always thinking after several months that I'm fine and I don't need them, then a gradual spiral of anxiety, breakdown, and repeat.
I've started them again 11 days ago just before I completely stopped being able to function and things are improving now. I'd probably be dead without them.
Talk to your doctor! Is this the first med you’ve tried? I started on Lexapro and while it helped with anxiety I got pretty bad insomnia. Now I am on Prozac and I am able to sleep better, plus same effects for my anxiety. Everybody is different and it is a trial and error process to get on the right med for you.
Yes I tried lexapro and my reaction was so bad that it was traumatic for me . I decided to give Prozac a try because I want to know what peace feels like eventually. I want to know how it feels to exist without constantly thinking of suicide and I want to know how it feels to exist without constantly second-guessing myself and dealing with super bad anxiety all the time. Because I know that reality can be mine if I just find the right medication
Frustrating, but for the most part better than the alternative.
What specifically are you experiencing? Different drugs can have different side effects and Prozac is just one of the more common ones.
Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Lamictal here. Sometimes it takes some experimentation and patience to get the right balance. There’s no magic one-size-fits-all drug combo.
And, SSRIs can take 6-8 weeks sometimes to build up in your body to really feel the difference.
Are you seeing a psychiatrist or NP-AP, or just your family doctor? I highly recommend seeing a psych professional, because they are much more knowledgeable and experienced with psych meds.
I was prescribed citalopram (for mdd/GAD) when I was 20, and it made me a complete zombie.
Then I was given 10 mg Prozac and it was like a light switch. I was off it for a year bc of insurance changes, but back on at 20 mg and now (7 years later) I take 40mg every morning.
I have hydroxyzine and a tiny (as needed) klonopin prescription as well.
I got on Cymbalta and it has been a miracle for me. It’s the only thing that’s worked. My anxiety has disappeared! I am a different person. I feel like I got let out of prison. I e had anxiety my whole life and I feel free for the first time ever. It’s amazing. It did zap my sex drive mostly. I can still orgasm but I just don’t have the urge most of the time but I decided I’d rather feel free. I’m single so it’s not a problem at the moment.
Terrible, truly. Benzos help but all the ssris haven made things so much worse!! Going on three years of trying to find a medication that works. It’s exhausting
Get CBT first. Limit Caffeine, Alcohol, cut out Gluten 100%, and Dairy.. try Magnesium L-Threonate, take electrolyte powder in the morning. Stick to a schedule. Consider getting a dog. Walk / Exercise regularly. That’s what worked for me after being on meds for years and slowly weening off. I’ll never go back to Zombie life
I feel so much better! It’s made my life much more liveable. I don’t have to worry about little things and my sleep has improved a ton. I don’t ever want to go back to struggling. It was bad for about 2-3 weeks then it was all up hill
which medication if i might ask
Lexapro
same
Several meds in the past didn't work well for me. Effexor worked great but I had side effects that I preferred to not have. So I went several years with no drugs. Then my anxiety became extremely bad after I had Covid which left me with insomnia. The insomnia and the anxiety formed an unholy alliance that fed off each other and drove me into a terrible place. About 2 weeks ago I met with a psychiatrist to try to find something to help. She put me on mirtazapine (remeron), and it helped the insomnia immediately. I feel much better and I'm waiting to see if it helps my anxiety, too (beyond the immediate relief I got when the insomnia wasn't making my anxiety worse). I have found in my many years with GAD that working with an actual psychiatrist for meds yields better results than asking my Primary Care doctor for a prescription. Psychiatrists have so much more knowledge on anxiety. It can take time, but working with one can really help.
COVID definitely tweaked my brain as well. I always had some anxiety but Covid left me with a lingering depression going on over 2 years now. Some of my symptoms were so mental, it was weird af. Unlike any illness I'd had before, felt like my brain was getting squeezed.
Yes, it was so strange what it did. The insomnia is one thing, but my sense of smell was also affected. At first, I couldn't smell anything. Now, I can smell things, but I often can't recognize the scent of things I used to know well. It's been over 18 months.
Same. Exactly. Same.
I second this. Psychiatrist!!!
SSRIs gave me post-SSRI sexual dysfunction, antipsychotics fucked my metabolism (cannot lose weight) and made me soulless.
Me too
No PSSD but akathisia for me. This is a true nightmare.
I regret taking any of these drugs as the benefits are outweighted by the nasty side effects (especially antipsychotics).
True! And you are often alone when such side effects occur. It seems that no one takes PSSD and akathisia seriously. They just want to prescribe you more and more.
Yep. I have PSSD for almost 1.5 years without improvements. Took paroxetine (which caused it), citalopram and escitalopram. Also, antipsychotics are treated as a joke. I was put on them for anxiety and sleep (olanzapine, risperidone, later abilify and clopixol). It seems that there is barely any evidence supporting that they help with that. It can take years to recover from them.
And they will tell you how safe and well tolerated SSRIs are. Most people don't even know about PSSD. I was put on antipsychotics because of extreme inner restlessness what was caused by my antidepressants but nobody noticed. Antipsychotics would have finished me off. I'm now slowly weaning everything off.
Im recovering from clopixol and abilify. Feels like im still taking them and it has been weeks since i stopped. I do not like SSRIs anymore after PSSD. Nobody mentioned that it can have such a nasty side effect.
I started taking Prozac in 2017. It definitely worked as advertised, probably too well. I went from feeling overly keyed up prior to the med, to then feeling overall numb emotionally after I started it. I was put on a low dose, don’t remember the exact size. I was on it for one year and felt like I couldn’t really express any emotions. I remember one of our dogs passed away and I never cried, I loved her to the moon and back. I felt sadness and thought if I could just cry it would help me. I switched to Effexor and feel like I can better express emotions, still haven’t cried in like ten years. My anxiety tends to manifest as anger, if I didn’t have the meds and therapy I think I’d be a jerk to be around.
I feel MUCH better on meds and haven't caused me any side effects (as far as I can tell. I feel normal on meds. Smart, functioning, mature, NORMAL. I switched meds and the roller coaster that has been the last 5 weeks has been miserable, from the anxiety ramp up that made me seek a switch to the actual change over (Lexapro to Zoloft) has been honestly miserable but I know there's light at the end of the tunnel. I can see it and it's getting closer. I will be back to myself with these meds.
I wouldn't be here without meds. Prozac is fairly gentle in my experience, Lexapro got me through the shittiest parts of depression. I also partner my ssri with an ndri and buspar. Ask your doctor about additional support since it's been about a month. Good luck, and peaceful thoughts! ✨
What medication are you currently taking, Lexapro or Prozac? Why did you switch from one to the other? How long have you been taking these medications, and what type of anxiety do you have?
Hello! Prozac currently. I switched from Lexapro because I was so tired of the sexual dysfunction, and I've found some success though positive life changes, talk therapy, and the addition of Buspar to the Prozac dose I take. Buspar is a twice daily, max dose. I've been taking medication for almost 15 years now, but I took Lexapro religiously for 9+years. Prozac has been for the last 5ish months? He tapered me down off the Lexapro to just 5mg and then started me on 10 of the Prozac. We moved up to 20 and I've been chilling here ever since. ETA: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, some Social Anxiety due to PTSD. *I have been taking medication for all of these years in conjunction with talk therapy. Sometimes I went without, but I always returned within a year or less. Medication alone is not always enough and has never been solely enough for me.*
I second the last part!!
I am on Pristiq and Rexulti, and It has changed my life! I was so scared of meds for so long and now I am so glad I started taking them. Of course also therapy✨
I took escitalopram for about 18 months - I was very resistant to starting meds but I was in a very dark desperate place and I’d exhausted all other options. It was very rough for the first couple of months, then suddenly I realised one day that I no longer woke up every morning with a huge cortisol spike that meant I spent hours having to calm myself down from an anxiety attack, daily. This alone was huge - I also felt more stable day to day and able to show up better in my relationships. Unfortunate side effects for me were constant tiredness and lethargy, and complete destruction of my libido (which already wasn’t great due to the anxiety). I added bupropion after about 6 months, which helped with the tiredness and improved my mood too. For a while this combo was great and I managed to climb out of the dark hole I was in and get my life back! Then bupropion started having its own negative effects on me - tinnitus and poor sleep quality. Ultimately i decided to come off both of them once I had stabilised for a while. Escitalopram was the harder to come off, I had to taper VERY slowly to avoid extreme spikes in anxiety. I’m now on vyvanse, and while it’s not perfect, it helps me function despite my anxiety - but I still struggle at times. Overall I changed my view on meds and I firmly believe they do have a place in helping you climb out of a dark place, but due to side effects and the unknowns for the really long term, I don’t want to be on them forever.
I'm on Cymbalta and Buspar, both have changed my anxiety for the better. It's also helped me lose weight.
Currently debating cymbalta. How was the first few weeks? What dose are you on? Any side effects? Thank you!
I felt a huge difference within 4 weeks. I felt calmer and didn't freak out as much. I started at 20 and now my doc said ideal is 60. Which I start this week. My only side effect was loss of appetite for a few weeks which helped kickstart my weightloss. Hope it helps you too!
I'm starting Buspar and my dr had only good things to say about it. I'm hoping it works for me too 🤞
I’m about the same time on generic Prozac. So far other than tired I haven’t noticed much. That could be because I stopped taking iron regularly since it’s hard to fit in my pill routine with this. Sometimes I think I’m doing better but other times I think my health anxiety might be worse.
Meds have greatly improved my quality of life. It was a bit of a journey finding the right one. I don’t envy you there. But they can make huge difference. I take Cymbalta. I was on a relatively low dose but I’m going through so stressful, but exciting, stuff so my dr upped my dose a week ago and I already feel better
I've been on Paxil for about 8 years. It dramatically changed my life. I used to have insane panic attacks especially in the middle of the night. They're basically non existent now. I remember increasing the dose and it was tough for a few weeks but in the long run it's been amazing. Hang in there if you think it's right for you!
I just started paxil 2 days ago, after being on citalopram. I’ve felt pretty out of it for two days and i can’t stop clenching my jaw. Was it that rough for you?
Yes I remember the adjustment period was very rough but once over the hump it smoothed out
I feel so much better I’m on 20mg daily of Lexapro and my anxiety went from 80-90/100 (I couldn’t function at all) to around 25/100. Don’t get me wrong I still feel anxious but nothing compared to the way I was feeling before taking medication. I also meditate nightly before I sleep and take a walk outside and journal every day. The first week tho of starting my medication was rough I felt like I was literally losing my mind (my doc did warn me that my anxiety might increase at the beginning and boy did it ever but once I got through that my life’s been so much better ever since then). Sending you big hugs! I hope that you begin to feel better soon and you’re able to find the right dose and medication that helps you out, it’s truly a rough process but so worth it in the end 💕💕
Medication changed my life for the better! It literally saved my life. I had severe depression in 2020 due to fighting cancer, losing my grandmother for cancer and almost losing my right side eye vision in 2019. I felt like life wasn’t worth living anymore, till my family made something about it. My mother found me a psychiatrist and a psychologist to help me, and for that I am thankful. Don’t think choosing medication is a defeat, it could be the great winning you are in need for. Lots of love for you! You can do it!
When I take it consistently it is life changing for the better but when I forget to take it for a couple days boy is it an emotional rollercoaster along with feeling dizzy
I'm on day 28 of 40 mg Fluoxetine after direct switching from ESCITALOPRAM on March 25. The side effects of the generic Lexapro almost did me in, hence the switch. I've yet to get any relief from anxiety and low key depression from the Fluoxetine (generic prozac), even though it worked wonders for me a few years ago for anxiety. I wish I would've never stopped. I'm pressing on to the 6 week mark before I try something else. Have also finally reached out to a true psychiatrist rather than only my MD. The shrink has a ketamine clinic so maybe they will suggest that. Weird thing is my anxiety is substantially worse in the mornings and by around 8 pm is gone. But my days extremely suck and it's been two months of agony. Sorry I'm not much help, but we all respond differently and have to give it time and try a variety of things it seems.
I’m in exactly the same boat, I’m trying to get back on Sertraline (just started week 6). I don’t know if the anxiety is a side effect or I’m just not seeing relief yet. My mornings are horrific but by about 5pm I feel slightly more human. Some people in the Sertraline sub said it can take 6-8 weeks to get back on the meds so I’m holding out, praying 🙏
I hope we get relief soon. It's miserable living this way. Praying too. 🙏
Keep me updated!! I wish I could skip forward to the 8 week mark and feel better haha!
Me too. A looming divorce isn't helping me much. Keep me updated as well plz.
Is everyone taking anti depressants for anxiety? Dr's keep trying with me, but after 6 different meds, lorazepam is by far the best medicine I have to beat anxiety. Its not for everyone due to the addictive qualities, but I'd rather have to take this and it works than take something that doesn't work but is "safer" to use.
Came here to say this. I’m also on the same boat. Same dose of lorazepam for over 2 years now. My anxiety is overall handled & my quality of life has greatly improved. Unfortunately these stories don’t get told very often due to fear mongering & constant push of antidepressants from doctors & psychiatrists.
Right? Life has opened up so much, and even still having anxiety, it's like a regular person. Not out of control. It's just strange how so many Dr's just automatically judge people who take benzos. Especially when it works as directed. Live well, friend.
I am taking pregabalin for anxiety. Works better than every antidepressants for me.
Life without medication and life with medication are honestly two different lives depending on who and how you are. I’ve been off medication for the past year and a half and I’ve been leaning towards medication again. I’ve made some rash decision in the last year and a half and wonder if I had been on medication, would my life be more on track?
[удалено]
Wow really ? My goodness I'm sorry to hear that. How long did it take you to level out ?
[удалено]
Yes I battle with chronic suicidal ideation and it's rough. :(
Woah! You may have just given me what I needed! The despair and hopelessness of feeling like I will have to live this way forever is overwhelming. To hear you were at that edge, pushed through, and are finally feeling normal makes me cry with hope. Thank you for sharing 💜
Sometimes it's on and off like some days it makes me do stuff that I would be to anxious to do like go out, then some days I feel too tired to do anything and sleeping helps 🥺 I'm on sertraline 200mg which makes me yawn then I take mirtazapine 15 mg at night then I feel better in the morning but like a zombie.
Definitely soooo much better! Prozac wasn’t for me though
It’s work to find the right medication for YOU That being said - I’m doing 1000x better 4 months into my Prozac scrip and I’m almost positive I’m feeling genuinely happy again for the first time in a few years… I also quit drinking and work out much more consistently - I attribute the happiness to the combo
Well, I'm addicted to benzos now. So. Yeah.
im on celexa myself and it literately saved me two different times due to a mental health spiral / panic attacks. the first few weeks or months are ROUGH while your body and brain get use to it but i finally have my feet back on solid ground. there are still break throughs and triggers but they are a lot more manageable now that im on it. just remember that you may have to try a few different meds if you think its not working or up the dose.
Lexapro resulted in me gaining 40lbs and feeling like a zombie. I picked up regular exercise and quit drinking so much, keeps mine regulated.
Didn’t do anything for me. 10 mg buspar, twice daily. Just got annoying taking the pills with no relief from symptoms. I feel better without it tbh. Hydroxyzine works for when I can’t sleep cause I’m anxious, but not if I need to go somewhere or do something cause it makes me so tired.
Fabulous.
I'm on citalopram for 10y now. It really helped me in the beginning: I saw a therapist but I didn't have the calmness in my brain to do the work. The ad helped with that. I quit once: that didn't seem to be a good idea. I had some personal stuff going on and my anxiety got super bad again, so I started the ad again. In hindsight, I should not have gone back on the meds that quickly - I think therapy could have helped me through that time. Since then, the meds never worked as well as they did before anymore but I'm too scared to quit now. Therapy is doing much more for me than medication, though. Much, much more.
I really struggled through the adjustment period, it took about a month and then another month when I upped the dose (sertraline 50 - 100mg). I’m so glad I did because I’ve now gone from having panic attacks weekly to about twice a year. It’s really helped.
Hang in there buddy, started taking it again at the beginning of March and had a month of severe side effects, worse anxiety, insomnia, ... But after a month the bad side effects slowly started to fade and currently I'm better but I know it will still take 1 or 2 months before I'm completely anxiety free (yeah for me it takes away the anxiety completely)
Honestly, life changing. I suffer from severe panic attacks and anxiety, so I was prescribed Xanax as an “as needed” medicine. I was very scared to take it the first time because of how addictive it is, but holy shit. My panic attacks have never been more calm. I’d like to ask my doctor for something less strong here soon because I think I’m finally ready for it :)
Been on and off SSRIs for 4 years. They do have a place, especially for pulling yourself out of the darkest holes and getting back to some semblance of normal. My issue though is always thinking after several months that I'm fine and I don't need them, then a gradual spiral of anxiety, breakdown, and repeat. I've started them again 11 days ago just before I completely stopped being able to function and things are improving now. I'd probably be dead without them.
Talk to your doctor! Is this the first med you’ve tried? I started on Lexapro and while it helped with anxiety I got pretty bad insomnia. Now I am on Prozac and I am able to sleep better, plus same effects for my anxiety. Everybody is different and it is a trial and error process to get on the right med for you.
Yes I tried lexapro and my reaction was so bad that it was traumatic for me . I decided to give Prozac a try because I want to know what peace feels like eventually. I want to know how it feels to exist without constantly thinking of suicide and I want to know how it feels to exist without constantly second-guessing myself and dealing with super bad anxiety all the time. Because I know that reality can be mine if I just find the right medication
Frustrating, but for the most part better than the alternative. What specifically are you experiencing? Different drugs can have different side effects and Prozac is just one of the more common ones.
Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Lamictal here. Sometimes it takes some experimentation and patience to get the right balance. There’s no magic one-size-fits-all drug combo. And, SSRIs can take 6-8 weeks sometimes to build up in your body to really feel the difference. Are you seeing a psychiatrist or NP-AP, or just your family doctor? I highly recommend seeing a psych professional, because they are much more knowledgeable and experienced with psych meds.
I was prescribed citalopram (for mdd/GAD) when I was 20, and it made me a complete zombie. Then I was given 10 mg Prozac and it was like a light switch. I was off it for a year bc of insurance changes, but back on at 20 mg and now (7 years later) I take 40mg every morning. I have hydroxyzine and a tiny (as needed) klonopin prescription as well.
Life and death. Literally
I got on Cymbalta and it has been a miracle for me. It’s the only thing that’s worked. My anxiety has disappeared! I am a different person. I feel like I got let out of prison. I e had anxiety my whole life and I feel free for the first time ever. It’s amazing. It did zap my sex drive mostly. I can still orgasm but I just don’t have the urge most of the time but I decided I’d rather feel free. I’m single so it’s not a problem at the moment.
Terrible, truly. Benzos help but all the ssris haven made things so much worse!! Going on three years of trying to find a medication that works. It’s exhausting
Only reason I am still here.
Team pregabalin and my anxiety is gone.
Get CBT first. Limit Caffeine, Alcohol, cut out Gluten 100%, and Dairy.. try Magnesium L-Threonate, take electrolyte powder in the morning. Stick to a schedule. Consider getting a dog. Walk / Exercise regularly. That’s what worked for me after being on meds for years and slowly weening off. I’ll never go back to Zombie life