Medication for anxiety?
So I went to the doctors the other day after years of anxiety and low mood.
He has given me propanolol but he didn't sound too convinced that it would actually do much.... is anyone else taking this or has done in the past that could shed some light on this?
He also said that some people with anxiety respond well to ssri's and he suggested looking into something like citalopram after i see him next. Again, any experiences of this please?
I'm a bit confused by all this.
He has given me propanolol but he didn't sound too convinced that it would actually do much.... is anyone else taking this or has done in the past that could shed some light on this?
He also said that some people with anxiety respond well to ssri's and he suggested looking into something like citalopram after i see him next. Again, any experiences of this please?
I'm a bit confused by all this.
I was on citalopram recently for depression and anxiety but had to come off due to feeling 100 times worse and for the first time in my life I was suicidal and I was constantly puking as well. I was also on Prozac last year, pretty much felt the same as I did on Citalopram with that. For me personally, meds make my depression and anxiety worse but for some they are work, which is great.
For me making a challenge chart for my anxiety was the best thing I could have done. I wrote down all the things I was scared to do due to panics I made it a challenge to do those things at least 5 times within a month. Its only been over a week but I've already done most of the things more than 5 times. Its hard, the first few times I was clinging onto my bf for dear life but slowly it got easier. Its still early days but this seems to work better for me than meds and I was really bad. At my worst I never left the house for over 6 months.
For me making a challenge chart for my anxiety was the best thing I could have done. I wrote down all the things I was scared to do due to panics I made it a challenge to do those things at least 5 times within a month. Its only been over a week but I've already done most of the things more than 5 times. Its hard, the first few times I was clinging onto my bf for dear life but slowly it got easier. Its still early days but this seems to work better for me than meds and I was really bad. At my worst I never left the house for over 6 months.
Original post by Anonymous
So I went to the doctors the other day after years of anxiety and low mood.
He has given me propanolol but he didn't sound too convinced that it would actually do much.... is anyone else taking this or has done in the past that could shed some light on this?
He also said that some people with anxiety respond well to ssri's and he suggested looking into something like citalopram after i see him next. Again, any experiences of this please?
I'm a bit confused by all this.
He has given me propanolol but he didn't sound too convinced that it would actually do much.... is anyone else taking this or has done in the past that could shed some light on this?
He also said that some people with anxiety respond well to ssri's and he suggested looking into something like citalopram after i see him next. Again, any experiences of this please?
I'm a bit confused by all this.
I'm on propranolol, its a beta blocker so slows your heart rate so you feel less panicky.
I was on prozac for a month before and felt terrible, i was so exhausted i couldn't make it through a day without a nap! i went back to the doctors and was given propranolol and it was amazing, after 3 days of taking it i managed to go book a counselling appointment, something I had been way too scared to do! ive been on it now over 2 months and really love it, ive felt more confident, i still get the butterflies in my stomach but i've been able to do so much since.
When I went back to my doctor she said that she wasnt very surprised that the prozac hadnt worked due to the nature of my anxiety, i think if its more general anxiety then antidepressants may work but if its social anxiety, like me, a beta blocker is best.
Propranolol works by stopping the physical symptoms of anxiety manifesting. For instance sweaty palms and fast heartbeat. The idea is that if these symptoms don't appear you'll feel better able to handle your anxiety. Propranolol is a take as needed drug which differs from citalopram which you'd need to take every day. I never really had much luck with SSRIs for anxiety but they have been shown to help people with it. If you're also experiencing low mood an SSRI might be able to help you with that - two birds one stone.
I was put on Sertraline, 1/day, about 2 months ago. Didn't notice anything for a while so stopped but about a week ago I thought I'd try again. Suddenly a huge amount of anxiety is off my back.
I was prescribed propranolol recently due to exam stress. I've been really anxious about going to uni and doing my a level and even had a panic attack in a class because the teacher mentioned doing a test…
I have been wondering what other people in this situation have felt taking it because I am currently talking myself out of taking them…
I have been wondering what other people in this situation have felt taking it because I am currently talking myself out of taking them…
Original post by NicolaJ6366
I was prescribed propranolol recently due to exam stress. I've been really anxious about going to uni and doing my a level and even had a panic attack in a class because the teacher mentioned doing a test…
I have been wondering what other people in this situation have felt taking it because I am currently talking myself out of taking them…
I have been wondering what other people in this situation have felt taking it because I am currently talking myself out of taking them…
Why don't you want to take it?
Original post by Sabertooth
Why don't you want to take it?
I don't want to become reliant on tablets and I'm scared it'll stop me working full stop…
Original post by NicolaJ6366
I don't want to become reliant on tablets and I'm scared it'll stop me working full stop…
Propranolol is not addictive unlike some other drugs taken for anxiety (valium for example). It works by helping with the physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heartbeat and increased sweating. This means that you feel more in control and should help the anxiety. I'm not sure why you think it will stop you working full stop, from all the accounts I've read about people taking it (and I read quite a lot before I took it for the first time), I don't think I've come across anyone who is stopped working because of it. You could give it a shot and see if it works or not, no harm is going to be done by taking it once.
If you really don't want to take it, I'd recommend returning to the doctor who prescribed it and ask for CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). The problem here however, is that there's likely a long waiting list and then there's a fair amount of hard work when you do get the CBT, it's certainly not a quick fix.
Original post by Yasmin25
I was on citalopram recently for depression and anxiety but had to come off due to feeling 100 times worse and for the first time in my life I was suicidal and I was constantly puking as well. I was also on Prozac last year, pretty much felt the same as I did on Citalopram with that. For me personally, meds make my depression and anxiety worse but for some they are work, which is great.
For me making a challenge chart for my anxiety was the best thing I could have done. I wrote down all the things I was scared to do due to panics I made it a challenge to do those things at least 5 times within a month. Its only been over a week but I've already done most of the things more than 5 times. Its hard, the first few times I was clinging onto my bf for dear life but slowly it got easier. Its still early days but this seems to work better for me than meds and I was really bad. At my worst I never left the house for over 6 months.
For me making a challenge chart for my anxiety was the best thing I could have done. I wrote down all the things I was scared to do due to panics I made it a challenge to do those things at least 5 times within a month. Its only been over a week but I've already done most of the things more than 5 times. Its hard, the first few times I was clinging onto my bf for dear life but slowly it got easier. Its still early days but this seems to work better for me than meds and I was really bad. At my worst I never left the house for over 6 months.
Sorry to hear that you didn't have a great experience with meds. I've been given citalopram now too, how long after starting taking them would you say the side affects started??
Original post by Sabertooth
Propranolol works by stopping the physical symptoms of anxiety manifesting. For instance sweaty palms and fast heartbeat. The idea is that if these symptoms don't appear you'll feel better able to handle your anxiety. Propranolol is a take as needed drug which differs from citalopram which you'd need to take every day. I never really had much luck with SSRIs for anxiety but they have been shown to help people with it. If you're also experiencing low mood an SSRI might be able to help you with that - two birds one stone.
Thanks for the reply! By 'not having much luck with SSRI's for anxiety', do you mean they just didn't help or they made it worse?
Thanks
Original post by Anonymous
Sorry to hear that you didn't have a great experience with meds. I've been given citalopram now too, how long after starting taking them would you say the side affects started??
Thanks for the reply! By 'not having much luck with SSRI's for anxiety', do you mean they just didn't help or they made it worse?
Thanks
Thanks for the reply! By 'not having much luck with SSRI's for anxiety', do you mean they just didn't help or they made it worse?
Thanks
My symptoms started an hour or two after taking the first pill and lasted about 3 or 4 days after I stopped taking them.
Original post by Anonymous
Thanks for the reply! By 'not having much luck with SSRI's for anxiety', do you mean they just didn't help or they made it worse?
Thanks
Thanks
They didn't help but didn't make my anxiety worse either.
Do Some kind yoga to controls your habits, Learn some new kind of arts, Listening fast pace of music, go to some new trip,
Advice some new consultant.
Advice some new consultant.
Just take the Antidepressants, what have you got to loose. you wont become addicted and they may make you feel better. Propranolol only works to dampen down the physical manifestations of anxiety, so sweat, panic, tremor etc, it is not like Diazepam which is the GOLD STANDARD for Anxiety, it will chill you out and works great, it's addictive though! SSRIS/Antidepressants work for a good lot of people, they did for me, although i had to try literally 12, before i found the right one for me, and it was a Tricyclic Antidepressant, one of the strongest actually.
I'm on propranolol for my heart condition. It will slightly lower the physical symptoms of anxiety but not the mind symptoms of anxiety. For the mind symptoms, there are benzodiazepines. I'm on them also but I honestly cannot recommend that. Tolerance builds up really quickly and it's easy to get addicted.
