I have been prescribed Zoloft but terrified to take it due to recent terrible side effects on a different anti-anxiety drug. Lately my anxiety has been really bad and my blood pressure and heart rate have both been very high. I want to start the meds to fix my anxiety which will hopefully reduce blood pressure but I'm terrified of the side effects when starting to take this drug (more anxiety)
What should I do?
Hi. If your doctor has prescribed it I would give it a try. Having anxiety you will worry about side effects to the point of convincing yourself you will have them. Some perceived side effects you make think are the meds could actually be anxiety as we wind ourselves up so much. Some people have no problems but if you do have side effects ring your doctor, know it's scary not knowing if you will get side effects but only way to know is to try them, they may help your anxiety greatly in the long run , that would be great., discuss with doc your your fear of side effects if you decide not to take them, be honest , they will understand and discuss options. It is a dilemma, I have tried meds over years with varying results but can help greatly, natural remedies can be great but often mads are needed short term to treat anxiety❤️
Hi Adam the side effects of any antidepressant lasts for 2 to 3 weeks but anxiety lasts for a lot longer.You have got nothing to lose let's face it you are feeling miserable at the minute.The doctor can prescribe diazepam for a couple of weeks until you get on the medication however don't take them if you don't need them and don't take them for more than a couple of weeks
Anxiety meds are more like a cast to complete therapy and help yourself. They do not work like an antibiotic nor are they a requirement to heal. A dr. Will perscribe pills that mostly all they do for whatever ails you. But a therpaist wont and will work woth you and try to teach you skills to guide and help you, the issue is the level of discomfort you can handle because oanic disorders make it rough, still doable. There are alternative too. There are holistic doctors that have a different set of natural herbs or ways to deal with the exact same symptoms. Without the extreme effects some do get. Or the addiction aspect.So its okay not to want to take these oills or any pills for an anxiety disorder. Truth is science has no clue at this time how to reset all this so keep that in mind whislt being perscribed anything,
i will say when the day comes that science figures this out, and it will come.. then id take whatever they had to rid it. But that day is not today.
Yes anxiety is very scary. I have been taking lexapro for three days now and I am hoping ng it works for me. I was in a bad relationship and I guess it triggered it. My heart beats fast as a matter of fact right now so I think I need to up my dose. But it is very scary.
Thanks for the info. How are you doing with the side effects?
Thanks for replying. But how do I get thru the first few weeks? I was prescribed Ativan if I need it but scared it will make me worse since it is an addiction med.
Thanks. I was given 12 ativans to help cope if I get harsh side effects. But scared because they are addictive. I get to the point where I am set to take them and then chicken out.
Hi, I'm on day 4 of Lexpro and struggling?
How are you doing?
If you have only been given enough to get you through a bad patch it will probably help to calm you then your doc will reasses how you are doing and stop this altogether, no danger of addiction unless you start taking too many and long term. I would go with medical advice,but get in touch with doc if things worsen, so many people here needing reasurance about meds. There are so many and everyone's different, a lot of people can put up with side effects if the end result helps their anxiety. I was always wary but had to go with docs advice they have the medical training and I wanted help. Along with meds, self help, and support I feel much more positive nowadays, even on a bad day I know it will pass and I look forward to the good days😊❤️
Hi Adam you are overthinking everything as l have said you will not become addicted if used for a couple of weeks and again you may not need them.Everyone is different try to keep your mind occupied and try to give the drugs a chance to work.
Hi Karen. I am struggling myself. The side effects are getting me. I only take like half of a 10 milligram pill at night and that is the only time I get a little relief is at night once I take it but through the day its not so good. My chest scares me. I guess the muscles around my chest walls are acting up and the guess that is apart of anxiety. My arms burn I have to vomit pretty much every time I eat. I am trusting God that my healing is manifested and I will be OK.
Hi karen. Not so good. My chest bothers me a lot and it scares me. I vomit every time I eat and my arms burn bad. I just trust that God has healed me and is being manifested.
Hello, Adam. I have the same issues with starting new medication. It is extremely common. The most important first step is to understand that you will be ok, but you will try to trick yourself into believing that you're not. I would recommend making sure you have someone close to you the first day you start your medicine. Then, i suggest taking the lowest dose that you feel comfortable taking, after asking if that's ok with your doctor. Usually it is. I literally have cut QUARTERS of tablets to give myself a crutch if i felt my irrational self trying to talk myself into believing that i was experiencing true side effects.
Btw Adam i am on ativan 4 mg a day. I suggest that you prepare yourself correctly. Understand that the medication is to help you until you get better, and then when you're ready... You can taper. But it is true, benzos are addictive. But you must weigh the benefits vs the risks. But the worst that usually happens is you are very tired. But you do have to have an exit strategy with benzos and understand the addiction risk. But you must weigh the risks vs benefits.
Lastly, Ativan at that low of a dose .5 mg has a short half life. So, unlike many drugs, it's effects are gone fairly quickly. This is partially why they are so addictive.