Starting anxiety medication for the first time, after 20 years of chronic GAD.

[Nicole511]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I'm 26 years old and have had severe anxiety since I was about 8. After years of living what my dr called a 'narrow' life, not being able to function as your average child, student, teenager, adult, etc. I had children which means I have to get up and go and do all these new things. If I'm honest it's made me a lot stronger with my anxiety and i haven't felt this good in my adult years. But my anxiety is still constantly present and I have a lot of trouble concentrating and being present. I guess I'm so used to it that I learn to live with it. But it really effects my parenting so I decided I need to really think about getting on medication and after a long talk with my doctor he diagnosed me with chronic GAD and has prescribed me medication. I start tomorrow and of course the thought of starting it has given my anxiety. I'm worried about being alone with my kids on a farm, the side effects look pretty full on. Also I'm anxious to find out what it would be like if they worked?? Has anyone had anxiety for as long as they can remember and had medication? What's it like to not feel this way anymore? I can't imagine.

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Nicole511,

Welcome and thanks for reaching out.

Starting a new medication is a big step and
not one to take lightly. Hope that you'll keep in mind this is all our
different experiences and there isn't really one 'normal' experience.

I have been on more medications than I can
count for many different things (not just mental health). The side
effects list is incredibly daunting and starting a new medication will always
give me some anxiety. The truth is that we do not know how our bodies
will respond and if we will get any side effects and how long they will last
(or how intense they'll be).

All that being said though, side effects are
listed because in the trials/research people have experienced them. It
does not mean that every person will have them and often the percentage of the
side effects are actually quite low. Your pharmacist will know so much
more about the likelihood of them. Many side effects will also wear off
as your body adjusts to the medication, so even though it might be difficult
the first day or two, it often does get easier.

It's also important to remember why you're
taking it; remind yourself that this anxiety is affecting your life and the
medication can help, so it is worth trying. The side effects could be
minimal and if they are too bad you can stop it or try another one (depending
on your GP's advice of course). Please don't let the list scare you.

Also one hint of advice - take it on a day
when you have less on. I always start my medications on the weekend when
I have less expectations for that day so that I can allow time to adjust/adapt
without needing to be anywhere.

Hope this helps

[MarkJT]

Nicole, welcome to the forums and well done for asking the question. That is what the forums are for!

romantic_thi3f is spot on with what he has said regarding meds and to add my bit to it, the first batch i tried did not sit well with me so tried a different type and they worked really well and continue to this day. One of my best mates, who is very similar to me, he was on the same type that didn't sit well with me, yet did with him.

Like the movie Lost Boys (showing my age!), no two vampires die alike, meds affect different people in different ways.

Is it possible to have someone stay with you for a couple of days after which you should get an indication on how you are going to react to them?

Regards

Mark.

[blondguy]

Hello Nicole

Good on you for posting! Romantic and Mark have great noteworthy advice

I used to have chronic anxiety and spent 13 years of my life trying to 'self heal' and cope. I understand your feelings and it can be a unsettling period for you.

The side effects can be many pages long and scary, but the chances of any issues occurring are very remote.

I felt like the meds gave me most of my life back...it was such a relief to feel better and more peaceful.

Whether meds are for GAD or high blood pressure they are there to help us heal. Meds arent a total fix...they do though provide us with a sound foundation on which we can heal more effectively using therapy and all the coping mechanisms that exist 🙂

I dont blame you for having difficulty concentrating...Having a tired mind can cause this. It will pass and you will have a greater sense of clarity as well.

Im in my 50's and have never encountered 1 person with GAD that felt worse after starting taking meds.

Regular visits with your GP to have a chat will also work well with the meds (or your counsellor)

Mark mentioned having someone stay for a couple of days for support when you start the meds. This is a good idea. There are many kind people on the forums that can be here for you too as well 🙂

I hope you can get back to us Nicole

my kind thoughts for you

Paulx