Brief background - around Easter I had my first panic attack on an aeroplane but put it down to temporary fear. Was due to fly during the summer and in the week off work leading up to it I thought I was going crazy. Couldn't concentrate, couldn't think straight, was terrified all the time that I was broken and would be stuck like that forever. After the flight and follow up CBT, I felt "normal" again. At the end of October, I had a migraine like never before and woke up again with a "thick head" that wouldn't subside. I was worried all the time, frustrated, angry and then after another panic attack had no motivation to do anything. Couldn't face the world but then also couldn't face staying in bed all day with my own thoughts. After lots of trips back and forth to the GP, I was prescribed propranolol for panic attacks and 20mg citalopram for anxiety/depression where I was told I'd feel worse before I felt better and to expect to see little if any difference in the first 4-6 weeks. They were right! After thinking there wasn't a chance I could feel worse, the first few days were horrendous. Attempted work but had to be signed off. I couldn't process any thoughts, had a constant thick head, No appetite, nausea, hot flashes, palpitations, it was awful. But after a week back home with my mum, eating little and often when I could, I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Went back to work for a few days before planned leave and even went on a Xmas night out. Got back into the swing of planning Xmas and my boyfriend's suprise 30th party (I was usually always very organised and methodical) but during this last week, the thick head had returned, the lack of motivation, the hot flashes and the dread that I'll never be "normal" again. I have only been on citalopram for just over 3 weeks and I'm sure it takes time to fix things but is it normal to feel well and then for no apparent reason, fall back again? Any experiences and/or advice would be appreciated. I'm a previously strong minded 27 year old, confused by all this and need some help from people with real experiences.
Hi
Yes, its perfectly normal to feel well on Citalopram and then to fall backwards - its called a setback or blip, and seems how recovery works. Just let them be, go with it, expect more .... they do subside over time.
One thing to also help yourself is to slow down. Having panic attacks is often the result of stress, which is the result of doing too much. Its your body's way of telling you that it needs a break. Stop rushing from A to B, trying to fit everything in, relax your body as much as possible when moving about. Listen to your body - even when you think you feel well, treat it kindly and slowly.
You'll get there.
K x
Thank you. I was reading some of your posts and they're so helpful! I'd been told for a couple of years that I was stressed but brushed it off, I felt fine. Guess I was and my brain had enough prompting this mini meltdown! I try telling myself that I didn't "break" overnight so I won't get better overnight either. I'm just very impatient and usually independent so feels really strange to not be in control.
Onwards and upwards though! The success stories on here are certainly encouraging. Thank you x
We all ignore stress, thinking we can cope and all will be fine. Stress is your body's alarm system though which is telling you all is not well and its warning you to slow down. None of us do though - I did the same.
We all need stress in our lives, its how we prepare ourselves for fight or flight, but its when its constant over a long period of time that the trouble begins.
When you get stressed your body is releasing adrenaline, and each of us has our own peak stress level - some thrive on stress whilst others crumble at the smallest sign. Usually your body will cope with the stress and when its passed it'll quieten down and the adrenaline levels will return to normal (that lovely feeling when we relax and sigh). If you keep pushing your body through stress, day after day, month after month and constantly live with high stress levels, then it will give and will often result in a panic attack. This is your body 'breaking down' ..... its had enough. If you become frightened of the panic attack you start to fear it, and if you have another this fear can grow and you begin fearing having another ..... and so the anxiety cycle begins. You live in constant fear of panicking, start avoiding things or places, the anxiety manifests itself even more, anxious thoughts begin, you have more panic attacks and the whole anxiety / panic / fear cycle begins.
If you haven't got this far yet, then take note now and start slowing down, because once in the anxiety cycle its a whole different ball game.
Relaxing your body whilst you move around, slowing down, letting the feelings be there, including the panic when it strikes (thats the hardest I know and not easy to do), will help reverse this. Its actually your reaction to panic thats key - if you panic about the panic then you add more anxiety and fear to it, but if you go with it and let it do its worst (nothing can actually happen to you) and though its frightening and uncomfortable it will peak and then begin to die down. Each panic attack treated like this will slowly begin to deactivate them over time.
Yes it does take time - more time than you think too.
Hope it goes well ..... and remember to slooooooooooow things up
K xx