Extreme Anxiety/Panic

I took meds for years but it wasn’t directly related to pmo. I started doing cbt based on a book...have to find the name now it’s often referenced here...and meditation and prayer. That was really helpful. Sleeplessness can cause all sorts of side effects that can make you feel loony toons. Might start by addressing that.

 

Working on the sleep issue, for sure. Slept fairly well last night. I know this is all withdrawals but it sucks, all the same. Knowing the nature of a thing is thr first step in understanding the nature of a thing. I look at these nasty withdrawal symptoms as my balance sheet getting back to zero. Pleasure in=pain to get out. I will do what it takes but it is hard on me both physically and mentally, for sure.

 

I can share my experience with SSRI/SNRI...

The first time I took SSRI it was Escitalopram and I took it for almost 2 years. This was before I abstained from PMO. Side effects were severe and depression got much worse the first month I started to take medication. After 4-6 weeks I started to get better, but during all these 2 years I took medication I wasn't feeling completely healed. I hardly tolerated the drug and it caused me lots of side effects including the sexual ones (delayed ejaculation, hard to reach orgasm, etc.). I discontinued Escitalopram very slowly so I was not getting any withdrawals, but when I finally got off it I was feeling much better physically. Mentally it was about the same, I didn't noticed much difference.

After I went hardmode, the first 6 months were ups and downs, depression wasn't so bad, but I had noticeable increased anxiety, especially the first month. However after 6 months depression and anxiety worsened a lot suddenly. I don't know why this happened. So I started to take SSRI again, this time Paroxetine (I was told by the doctor that it works better with anxiety than Escitalopram). Again, side effects were severe... When I started taking the full dose I felt extreme weakness, so I'm taking only 1/2 recommended dose now. I also tried Venlafaxine (it's a SNRI class drug) few weeks ago hoping it will work better with depression and anxiety, but this instantly made the depression much worse and after few days I quit it and got back to Paroxetine.

So I have very mixed experience with SSRI... It looks like I hardly tolerate any SSRI/SNRI at all. My advice would be, if you feel that you can go without drugs during your reboot don't start to take them. They can work or they can not, but you will feel side effects anyway and it will affect your sexuality noticeable. But if you get to the point when your anxiety goes out of control or when you get hit by depression so hard that you can't get out of bed and live your everyday life, taking medication is probably the fastest way to get out of this. I have no idea how it can effect suicidal thoughts, because I never had such.

 

Thanks a lot. That information is unbelievably useful. I want to try to go through this without. I never had ANY of these symptoms before quitting. I was great before I stopped pm, and felt pretty good, then it dropped on me again 2 weeks ago. I hit 60 days on Monday, so I'm going to grit my teeth for another month if I can...

 

A friend told me about that blanket. Good to know it works for you. I find my massage chair, camomile tea and a paperback help. I may just have to try the blanket, too

 

Thanks man! I was actually just looking at them. Help for anxiety AND PTSD! Might be a winner! My only problem is I tend to sleep hot. Do they get really hot?

 

I will be getting one this evening. Thanks man. I appreciate everyone being so helpful here. I'm trying to manage these withdrawals without drugs.

 

You too. My buddies are a little weirded out but trying to be cool. Here I sit, 220 pound military tatted guy, weeping quietly while watching the Simpsons movie. I will NEVER go back once I"m through this tunnel. I don't see the light yet, but the knowledge gained here and shared experience is like gold. Is it crappy of me to say I'm glad some other guys feel as shitty as me? It lets me know I'm not friggen nuts.

 

I'm doing a lot of deep breathing exercises too. 7 days straight of this is enough, as far as I'm concerned. Hope you're doing better as well. Weighted blanket in 2 days. Love Amazon prime.

 

Don't lose heart every thing will be normal, willpower is your key weapon run it always

 

Good morning gentlemen. Slept like crap again but at least I didn't wake up in the middle of the night clutching my chest in an anxiety attack. Not even baby steps, but at least the movement is towards the positive. Now to get through the day...

 

One of my buddies asked me to describe my anxiety, and the best I could come up with was "It's like the feeling when your pet or someone you love, dies. Or when you get your heart broken. That ball of tightness and pain in your chest. But this has lasted a week. Dissapating so slowly it feels like it will take weeks to pass, if ever"

 

Well, interesting... When asked I describe my feelings exactly the same (feeling like someone you love died), but I call this feeling 'depression', not 'anxiety'. Physical symptoms are the same, tightness in the chest and throat area.

When I get this feeling I always think that I'm stuck with it forever, but it will pass, it always passes... It's cyclical by the nature.

 

This is the first time I've felt it like this. Had three panic attacks when I first quit pmo, in the first 2 weeks, but this is different. I'm on day 8 with it this time. How long have you felt like this before it passes?