Hi guys I’m so low about my anxiety and panic attacks. I’m terrified it’s my heart (I’ve had so many tests to prove otherwise). I’m 8 days into Citalopram (I also take Mirtazapine and Diazepam when really bad) but I feel like this is never going to get better and never go way. I just want someone to tell me I’m not alone and things will improve. It’s so very lonely having panic disorder and health anxiety :-(
Hey Chris :
I suffered from depression and panic disorder for many years. You are not alone ! For the citalopam, it takes at least 4-6 weeks to see the effect. (Although it doesn’t work for me, I feel nausea and dizzy when I was in them) miritzapine will make you gain weight but give you a very sedating effect, it helps you to sleep . I am taking diazapam too and it really helps to stop a panic attack. However it is addictive. How many mg of diazapam are you taking ? I fully understand how you feel as I am feeling the same too. I am benzodiazepines dependency now . My dr wants me to taper off as I am taking it everyday.
I have huge health anxiety with certain symptoms which are real. This spikes my anxiety and i couldnt tolerate antidepressants so am like you, i found diazepam the only help even though not completely. Now im taking every day. What mg do you use? My gp just prescribes. Try to reduce is all they say but i dont find that easy. How will you do it?
I am taking 15 mg. 5 mg x 3 throughout the day. And yes , it is really hard to get off them . What about you
If tapering , you need to do it on a slow pace. I suggest you go on https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha02.htm
Read it and it helps .
Hey man, hope your good 
I've suffered with anxiety for around 10 years now i reckon. When i first starting feeling that way it was very traumatic, with feelings of going mad and not understanding why i feel this way. It took me a long time to be able to talk about it, and still is now sometimes, only on the occasional bad spell. I never got any sleep, 2-3 hours a night. At one point i could hardly leave the house and was having some incredibly bad thoughts. Life was hell. But slowly and surely it got better. When i think back i cant believe how i felt, or how i let myself feel that way. The mind is an incredible thing. Lots of things helped me to change my way of thinking about things, mostly just trying to feel my feet on the ground, and breathing exercises. The most helpful thing for me, was giving myself permission to feel this way and try to look at my thoughts or situations from another perspective. Could of been anyone's, but usually it was my perspective but looking at myself like i was another person. (self observational thought i guess?) And it does help, slowly and surely, hella man I felt broken, i wanted to die. I dont wanna die anymore. It gets so much better. Everything gets better. Yeah sometimes its still hard, but its still better. Every week i feel a bit better. Your mind is powerful, allow yourself to feel the way you feel. Look into yourself and try to understand your mind. You will get better if you believe you will get better. Give yourself permission to get better. You're worth it man.
Hey Chris. I have the same exact thing. Always fearful of my heart. I have had tons of test done and visits to ER and I have been fine. I don't take meds currently in therapy. I have good days and bad days right now my anxiety is in full force n all my symptoms are back. I just keep trying to tell myself it's anxiety. I hope you find some peace and I'm glad others share the same things I am and don't feel so alone
Hi magmag thanks for the reply. That’s exactly how the Citalopram is making me feel; nauseous and headaches, with hot flushes, but it’s only been a few days so I need to give it a chance. It’s just so isolating feeling this way. Terrified of every little pain and sensation in my body as if it’s the worse possible scenario. I piled on the weight when I first started Mirtazapine but have managed to lose two stone but mostly because I can’t stomach a lot of food at the moment with these bloody side effects. Every cloud eh? :-) Are you in the US or UK? My UK GPs hate giving out Diazepam and I’ve had to really fight for it (which hasn’t helped my panic attacks!) but I’ve managed to get 2mg tablets to take when a PA occurs. But I find I have to take two to stop one. I probably take 7-10 of those a week. What about you? Thank you for taking the time to message. It helps knowing others understand.
Hey SmegHead (love the name lol) thanks for the reply today has been one of the better days. Still a lot of nausea and hot flushes but I’m trying to plough through. I’ve had depression of about 14 years (managed by meds) but the health anxiety and panic only started in February and it’s taking a massive toll on my entire life. I don’t go out socially or exercise. Anything that makes my heart beat fast terrified me. Even though I’ve been told it’s fine (I’ll never believe them). Now I’m getting anxious about being on two different antidepressants because some inconsiderate people keep telling me I’ll get Seratonine Syndrome and that terrifies me. But I have to true my doctors and psychiatrist. I’m really pleased to hear you’re doing better man. That’s awesome. It gives me hope that maybe one day I can get there too! I’m being referred for EMDR therapy which I’m told will deal with PTSD (psychiatrist believes all this stems from that) so fingers crossed it helps! Stay good man!
Hey Renee That’s exactly how I am, ECG, X-ray, bloods, all negative yes because I get pain in my chest area I’m terrified. I feel like the doctors are all missing something. I have better days too but like you my anxiety is through the roof right now. I hope You too find the peace we deserve. And you’re right it helps knowing you aren’t the only one :-) stay strong.
Hi ann my GP is the opposite. They were refusing to prescribe it at one point which made my anxiety so much worse because it meant I had nothing to help me when a big panic attack took hold. It’s catch 22 isn’t it. Take it and feel better but risk dependence or don’t take it and feel utterly utterly awful every single day. I hope you find a way to deal with your anxiety :-)
I am down to 5 at night and approx 3 in day. If i try to drop to 4.5 at night wonder if it will be a problem
Hey Chris:
I moved from Canada to Hong Kong now. I am taking 2.5 mg diazapam (cut the 5 mg into half) x 4 times in the day time and take a whole 5 mg at night. Total 15 mg. If the citalopam doesn’t work for you even after you give it chance, push your dr to change meds so that you find the right one . You are not alone on this . I suffered from panic attacks for many years and they are horrible . Best wishes
Hey Ann: I think tapering 0.5 mg of diazapam is not a big one so you should feel any big difference. How could you take 3 mg? Diazapam comes with 2 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg. Did you cut them ? I am not ready taper off mine . I had bad experience when I taper off my 3 mg lorazapam a few years ago and was sent to the ER becaise of a serious panic attack and seizure . Keep in mind if you taper off quickly , you will get seizure. Do it slowly !
Hey magmag. Thank you for that. I’m actually going to try and get in to the GP today. I need my Diazepam increasing temporarily I had a massive panic attack last night :-( I really hope it all just settles down it’s exhausting. Have a great day :-)
I fully understand how you feel when strike by a panic attack. I think you should take diazapam on a stable basis until you settle with your panic attacks but not to the point where you are addicted. How much do you plan to increase ? Hope you get better soon
Yes i cut one to try to keep daytime down to 3mg. I shall do my taper very slowly over a long period of time but feel unable to do it yet. Cant manage without it
Thank you, yes all info hekpful. Slow tapering is definitely the route but cannot get started. Have you tried yet?
they tried mirtazapine three years and i couldnt tolerate it. Its not easy to get off either. I am back to diazepam now and not well. Other a.d.s have not done well for me
Hi magmag. I’ve seen the GP they’ve given me a small amount of tablets again. Enough for 4mg a day. But only
for a week until the side effects of the Citalopram calm down and (hopefully) start to work.