Hiya everyone. I suffered from terrible health anxiety since last December 2016. We are now December 2017 and the change is crazy! Last December up until September this year, I was the worst person ever, well that's how I felt. Constantly worrying about my heart, always checking my pulse and listening to my heart beats, or sometimes checking my oxygen levels. I've been in the hospital twice, docotos plenety of times, to be told "it's only anxiety, you're to young to have heart problems" one you can be any age so if you generally feel like something is wrong demand it. But two to be told it was anxiety I was so annoyed. I always thought someone like me can't have it?! Long story short, it got to much, I went to the doctors and said I've had enough I need help, I can't do councselling in far to busy at the moment and I need something quick. They put me on 50gm of sertraline, they warned me the side effects would be bad, and oh my word I put up with them for nearly two months?! Feeling so dizzy, so sick, extremely tired, my anxiety felt heightened, I was having panic attacks in handover at work, at home. Before bed. Not a lot but more then I have had before. I was opening my bowels more, had headaches, I had it all. Thankfully I just put up with them, because now I'm not checking my heart and BPM or oxygen levels as much, still sometimes, but not everyday and I don't constantly have it on my mind. It gets worse before it gets better. Recently got put up to 100gm as I was signed off with stress at work but I don't even take them because I don't want the side effects again I just half them now. I still feel dizzy and fuzzy head but not sure if that's something else. I hope this can help and just give it a month or two to get into your system x
Thanks for your positive feedback!
I'm like u with health anxiety after having tumours removed I'm scared of any little feeling I get. I had enough and am on week 3 of 25 and your so right about the tiredness dizziness and heightened anxiety.
I'm riding it out and hopefully things get better.
Take care
Thank you for your encouraging story. I’m up to 150mg for 4 weeks now but I am wishing I’d stayed at 100mg because I hadn’t realised how long the side effects can last for. I’m still going through increased anxiety, no appetite, headaches and sometimes depression. It’s hard to know sometimes what is the illness and what are the side effects. It’s so good to know that someone has been through this awful thing and come out the other side. Xx
So sorry to hear about your tumours glad they have gone now! Honestly once they kick in, and settled in your system it'll be okay. I use to have anxiety niggles all day everyday now I rarely have them I just think about them a few times a day. Hopefully they kick in soon xxx
Thank you very much! Honestly just stick with them and make yourself eat, or try take them before bed, maybe you'll get th symptoms through your sleep instead of during the day xxx