desling with negative thoughts

Treatment and medication
1

I'm on my 3rd week of flu and needing some suggestions on how to deal with all the negative thoughts.

2

Try to distract them as much as you can. Force yourself to work,play,listen,read.....or whatever...literally force yourself...I know it's hard...I am on week 3 tomorrow finishing and starting week 4...I am still on 20mg. Yesterday I had bad morning but after that I had rest of the day feeling just fine...I forced myself to go to work and it get better later on...I have positive opinion about this med and I will stick with it...Stick and report we are here....

3

Hi Brittany

I had this too and was worse in the morning in fact my anxiety levels were so high I was physically sick. I found I felt better as the day went on until bedtime, when I would start thinking about going through it all again the next day sad

I don't know about you but having my children keeping me busy would distract me and talking to someone. Many times I would pour all the thoughts out and end up a wreck crying but then would feel better for having shared those thoughts with someone close who understands what you are going through. Keeping your mind busy is the key and I know this isn't easy as nothing would keep the thoughts from entering my mind. Try not to be on your own too much. Unfortunately this is a slow journey but sounds like you are well on your way as I remember going through this stage.

4

Thank you for the advise

5

Thank you so much I'm going to stick with it

6

The thoughts just race and I have that cold rush of Anxiety that goes through my body. My mind will say what if this doesn't work and you will be like this forever

7

I know how is it, Brittany. It is a real psychological torture. My most painful week in my life was the second one after I started taking 20 mg of fluoxetine.

To be honest, I couldn't get rid of the negative thoughts and I had zero energy to watch movie/tv show/do anything. The only thing that I could do, and actually I was frenetically doing, was reading about depression. I consumed huge amount of information about depression during this time (I guess this is a very wise way to spend your time during these weeks, in my opinion).

In my case, it took about 2 months and 60 mg of fluoxetine daily for killing those thoughts. I wish I had a better advice for you... I liked to think that no matter how painful it was, that was the right way to proceed... i.e., sticking with the treatment and being your own lawyer when talking to the doctor (they don't really know what you are feeling if they never had depression).

 

8

Thank you. I look up everything about anxiety and nervous breakdown I'm dealing with anxiety but I'm going to stick with it

9

That is EXACTLY how I was with the cold rush!. Please, please believe me I say you WILL get through this. It is slow its taken me 10 weeks and now @ 30mg a day and feel so much better. Its hard to see when your at the stage ypu are but trust me,I have worn that exact same tshirt. You WON"T be like this forever and it WILL work.....you just have to be patient with this med but you will get there

10

Thank you so much I need that reassurance

11

Hi alex,

I am on 20mg tomorrow is day 21 full three weeks period. I am feeling different from time to time..some good hours ...more bad and ect....but a piece of hope came to me when I noticed that even one hour can be good...I am patient and I will stick on it for sure cause as I see from experiences here 3 weeks it's at the beginning...When did you raise on 30mg? Do you take it in the morning? All together or separated?

12

Hi Alex

I started to feel better at around 6 weeks but still had underlying anxiety. I held off going to Drs until I had finished a full 2 months and as I say I felt better but somehow knew 20mg was just taking the edge off, so @ 8 weeks we decided to up to 30 (this is the start of week 3 @ 30mg).

I take it in the morning (I actually alternate between 20 and 40mg so it evens out to a daily dose of 30mg because of the half life of this med) at about 9.30 depending on if/when I am working. I am on sleeping meds as well but have always had an issue with insomnia and the flu just intensified it.

13

Thanks,

I am thinking to raise earlier on 30 mg or to take 20 in the morning and 10 before bed....Insomnia subsided and I started to sleep without VALIUM....I don't take alprazolam(xanax) also anymore....just fluoxetine 20 mg in the morning with breakfast...

I 'Ve noticed that my health anxiety(hypochondriac) thoughts subsided a bit but must admit there are present still...

Do you now feel as you are like you were before complete ok?

14

I wouldn't say I'm 100% no not yet, I am prob 80-90%? Dr said it may take 40mg to feel 'normal' again everyone is different but I'm bobbing along on 30 for now and will see how it goes. I still think about it everyday and feel maybe when I get to the point where I'm not thinking about it everyday then I would say I was 100%.

But I am so much better than I was 10 weeks ago.....a very different place

15

I understand.

But do you know someone that is ok with 20 all the time? Or can 20mg solve the problem?

How do you know it is a time for going up on a higher dose?

I mean from your personal experience..when do you felt it that it's a time to go up?

Sorry maybe I am asking to much..but you understand me I suppose cause it's my third week full tomorrow and I am just curious ....

16

Do you get increased anxiety when starting flu

17

Yes . That's weird...but it's from the flu obviously...it Will subside..

18

At 6 weeks I felt better but with underlying anxiety so went to Drs and.she increased my dose. You will know if it is working fornyou or not at between 6-8 weeks.you ahould seen some channge.

19

I started having good hours during the day even now at the end of the week 3. Do you think it's the sign it's working? Was it the same in your case at the end of week 3? Can you remember?