Cassie6

Hello.

I was wondering if any one has had any experiences with these two drugs?

I was previously prescribed Prozac (Fluoxetine in the UK) - for anxiety after quitting, but suffered terrible side effects (I could not swallow, water or food, had morning sickness type symptoms, was constantly drowsy - there is no way I am pregnant - unless it's the immaculate conception!) I've tried 'anti nausea drugs, ginger tea, eating small meals, but every night I am kept awake.

The new drugs seem even worse. I cannot even hold them down for more than a half hour (I have no problems with vitamins etc. so )

I asked my Doctor for Diazepam, and was told it was too addictive at my age. (I totally appreciate that it probably is).

My apologies for the waffle(!) but if anyone has ANY tips or advice it would be greatly appreciated

Cassie x

BixBees505

Hi, Cassie...keep working with a pleasant and patient psychiatrist to get the right combo for you, because that combo can be a trick to find. No one should ever make dosage changes, stop or start meds, without direct instructions from the prescribing doc. I would just encourage you to keep working with a psychiatrist who is comfortable working with your individual experiences and needs.

MY own experience:
Each SSRI (like Sertraline and Prozac) gave me different difficult side effects. I think my doc tried them all with me. Finally, my doc suggested trying Sertraline again, starting at a very low dose...and I mean loooow. No side effects. The very low dose was increased extremely gradually over weeks, and suddenly I hit the sweet spot, where the lifelong agitated depression was just...gone. Sertraline happened to be the SSRI that was game changer for me, and a few years later I am still at that very low dose that would be way too low for most people. My brain is just that sensitive to this drug. Everyone's brain is so different.

Propranolol helped me with situational anxiety/panic when I had to perform at work regardless. For me it tamped down the physical aspects of extreme anxiety...heart rate, blood pressure...without altering my ability to focus on and care about the tasks at hand. I took it occasionally and only situationally, which is not a problem, with this drug, for me. Once my Sertraline dose was right, I personally never had to use propranolol again!

There is a prohibition on SR regarding medical advice. I have tried not to break that rule with my comments. But if I have erred, a moderator will remove my post and tell me my mistake.

Irnldy001

Our bodies are so unique and sensitive. It's incredible how different SSRI's affect people in so many different ways. My last attempt was Zoloft - of which I know several people that are doing extremely well on and feel wonderful. Not so for me and I needed to taper off. What's most interesting to me is if we are so uniquely sensitive to each type of SSRI, imagine how sensitive we are to the thing that got us here......
I'm holding steady at the moment unmedicated, but if the anxiety becomes overwhelming again I'm ready to give it another go with what will be the 5th type of SSRI I will have tried (I believe this is inevitable).
Good luck - perhaps there is something in the pill itself that sickens you. I know a person who has to take a lactose pill before most meds because apparently they are stabilized with some form of lactate. You could ask your doctor about additives to the meds used as stabilizers and see if you can isolate something

entropy1964

I have never heard of the first drug and I have taken zoloft to try to help with anxiety and ptsd. It did not work for me at all. None of the SSRI's work for me. Yep, benzo's work, but your dr is absolutely right that they are very addictive and alcoholics do tend to abuse them (not all of course). They really are alcohol in pill form. I've seen addiction to them and its brutal. I believe far worse than alcohol addiction....in my opinion.

I am left with a holistic approach to my anxiety, which is very difficult but works if I am very consistent.