Hi I'm new here. My name is Jack. I have a depressive illness and anxiety disorder. I also have hepatitis c. Recently I have been suffering some unpleasant symptoms with my hep c and it has exacerbated my anxiety. I also recently stopped taking an antipsychotic I've been prescribed for years. I didn't inform my CPN or psychiatrist that I was going to stop taking it. I'm not on a CTTO so I just stopped taking the quitiapene. My anxiety levels went through the roof. This was also complicated by the fact that I've been reducing my dose of diazepam over the last few months too. I had been taking 60mgs a day last year when I was so ill I was hospitalised for a time. So now I'm stable on 5mgs of diazepam a day and that's what I'll be staying on. I've suffered terrible symptoms of anxiety for years but in the last few months the combination of hepatitis c symptoms, quitiapene withdrawal, benzodiazapines withdrawal and my anxiety disorder, I have been so profoundly anxious I have seriously contemplated ending my life. I just don't have the words to describe how horrible this has been and still is. I have lived through a lot, I'm not someone that throws the towel in easily but this unending relentless anxiety, this unremitting feeling of terror and doom......I feel like it is destroying me. Every single day is a battle. I must sound like a whiney idiot. I'm not prone to moaning and I'm not being melodramatic. I feel like I'm clutching at straws most of the time. I just want some respite, even just a few hours of relief. I'm seeing my GP in the morning and as much as I don't want to I may have to ask him to put my dose of Valium back up to 10 mgs. I know that's not going to make much of a difference. I have to hope it will make things a little bit more tolerable. Everyone understands when you talk about physical pain, but it's so much harder to articulate mental torment to someone and help them to see how it wears you down and ruins your quality of life.
I'm sorry this has probably been a bit too grim for an introduction.
I'd just like to hear from anyone who has developed coping strategies or found anything that helps. Any advice or encouragement would be truly appreciated.
Thanks.
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JackMcG
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Hello Jack! (= sounds like a hard situatuon but the good news is you are not alone. NEVER GIVE UP. I understand that things can lead to some very negative thoughts, but I know from experience with my struggle of anxiety and panic that no matter what... as long as I'm still breathing I'm going to keep on fighting the good fight. Never give up on life. (= Music and prayer helps me a lot, everyone is different, but music might just give you some relief. Try it out.
Thank you for your reply. I will give listening to music a try, it does sound like a good idea. Anything that helps distract from the anxiety and negative thoughts.
Hello Jack. DO NOT THROW IN THE TOWEL SO SOON! You are not done yet. Hundreds of thousands of people are suffering right now as you read this. Some with physical pain, mental anguish, emotional instability, etc. But, we all need each other and We here at this anxiety forum need you to help us. By the way, it is absolutely OK to go back on a higher dose of valium. We all at HealthUnlocked care about what you think and have to say. So please, carry on and fight the good fight. It is worth it. May our heavenly Father bless you and give you peace.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I read them this morning before I visited my doctor. I was really feeling like maybe increasing my dose of diazepam was a step backwards. When I read your kind words it made me realise that I was only giving myself something else to be anxious about. I spoke to my GP about all my health concerns and my anxiety and he increased my dose of Valium by 15 mgs. I know it will help to ease the anxiety, but I know I also have to do other things like distracting my anxious thoughts with music and maybe some exercise.
I'm glad I joined this forum. I do have a lot of experience I've picked up over the years and maybe I will be able to offer some support and ancouragement to someone too.
I do have a faith so your words were truly appreciated. God bless you.
Hello Jack. DO NOT THROW IN THE TOWEL SO SOON! You are not done yet. Hundreds of thousands of people are suffering right now as you read this. Some with physical pain, mental anguish, emotional instability, etc. But, we all need each other and We here at this anxiety forum need you to help us. By the way, it is absolutely OK to go back on a higher dose of valium. We all at HealthUnlocked care about what you think and have to say. So please, carry on and fight the good fight. It is worth it. May our heavenly Father bless you and give you peace.
Hi! Jack i will share with You my experience with my husband, he was really anxious with chirrosis and guess depressed; he reads a lot about meditation and started everyday in the Morning and before bed, it helped him a lot; i advice You to eat a lot of legumes it will help your hepatitis a lot and perhaps helps You with your anxiety, seek professional advice also is never too late, You are welcome in México to have some Sun and warm weather, best wishes!!!!
Hi Jack. I know I am late in responding but I hope you still get to see my response. There's a gentleman on the site called The Anxiety Guy. He's also on YouTube and a recovered sufferer, he has some brilliant tips. Go check 'em out.
I've actually seen some of his responses as I've been on the forum for a while now. I didn't know he was on YouTube. Thank you for letting me know and of course I will check his YouTube channel out. It's always great to be given another asset to use. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know.
Hi jack you are defiantly not alone I suffer from anxiety rather bad I been having severe panic attacks all night as I go to sleep I feel faint and my heart feels like it's stops it jumps me out of bed I came on here looking for some reassurance also and it goes to show we are all not alone and it's a great place to come and seek some reassurance
I think you're right Elliemaie, thank you for your reply, I've also found this community to be hugely reassuring. It really does make a difference to know I'm not alone. I've also found that when I try to encourage someone else or offer them some advice that's worked for me that it somehow reinforces that advice in my own mind and helps me too.
Hi I am new on here too. And new to suffering from anxiety and depression and all of the awful things that come along with it. I don't blame you for feeling like it would be better to end everything because who wouldn't feel like that when your mind is going crazy and you're always terrified. For me when helps is my constant research on how I can get better. Finding new supplements that others say help, chances in diets, medications, books that help etc. It gives me hope because a few of my symptoms have started to fade.
The BIGGEST thing that helped was changing my diet. I only eat whole foods like vegetables, good grass fed meat, lots of salmon etc.) No dairy, NO GLUTEN, no bread no sugar. The day after changing my diet I never had a panic attack again. Also, reding the book DARE The New Way to End Anxiety was SOO helpful.
I hope some of this helps. Keep pushing on. You will make it and have a bright future.
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