Still feeling drunk/dizzy after 5 weeks on meds.

[Hopefulone]

After being diagnosed with Anxiety and Panic in August I was put on 10mg of Citalopram. I've been taking them for 5 weeks and the first week was absolute hell. Got over and my symptoms have improved. Apart from 2 major panic attacks one in June and the other in July (Both times ended up in hospital). My daily symptoms got worse after the July attack which were, here goes......weakness, trembling, dizzy, palpitations and for me the worst of all severe nausea, all at the same time every single day. Didn't eat (apart from bananas and bread) for two weeks and lost 14lbs.

I couldn't take anymore so went to the doctor who pit me on medication. My symptoms have improved greatly but slowly and I now go swimming most days, joined a yoga class, have improved my breathing by learning belly breaths (Google belly breaths) and started an online CBT course referred by the doctor. You may be thinking, what am I complaining about? Well, the symptom that remains is the feeling of being drunk all the time. It's really getting to me, I feel unreal with it and detached. It goes for an hour a day usually in the evenings. Have any of you experienced this? Do you think it is me or the side effects of the medication, but after 5 weeks? I take the odd 10mg of propranolol and this seems to sort it but I don't want to be taking tablets for everything. Please help.

[Aazz]

That is depersonalisation/derealization. You say it happens at night could be because you are getting tired from the day mine tends to get worse at night when I'm tired or if I've had an overwhelming day. I would give it more time your body still needs time to recover the best thing you can do is not give it any attention just say oh it's dp/dr who cares it will pass.

It's a very annoying feeling but it is just a side effect of anxiety and stress you will make it worse by worrying about it.

Good on you buy the way sounds like you are doing all the right things to get better

[Hopefulone in reply to Aazz]

Thanks for your reply. I said it goes in the evening, meaning I usually get relief from it for an hour. Not I feel dizzy for an hour lol

[Bex88Foz]

Hiya. I'm new here!! I have the exact same thing as u! I'm 27 and this year my anxiety has peaked to an all time hight. The worst part being, like u, this drunk dizzy feeling..I feel like I'm walking to around in a bubble half the bloody time! I am not on any medication, I'm too scared..my doctor has prescribed 10mg propranolol but because another doctor put me on 80mg of the same, my BP dropped and I freaked out, so now I choose to suffer. I hate it. My panic attacks are crazy at the minute too. U are not alone love! Xx

[Hopefulone in reply to Bex88Foz]

Listen, please don't suffer with this. Things that you can do to tackle this that I have done and winning. From the start.

* Ilovepanicattacks.com (This guy is amazing, he overcame his terrible anxiety after 14 years. Watch his FREE videos and download his free app. They are on YouTube too. He set me in the right direction.

* Visit your doctor and say you need help. They put me on 10mg of Citalopram and after the first week of hell (side effects), I started to improve. In time you will feel happier and less anxiety because you are happier. Use this platform to fight some more.

* Ask doctor about CBT. I don't visit a CBT centre but do a weekly course online called Silvercloud. It is helping the way I think,feel and behave.

*If you like swimming, Go. It's relaxing just being in the water, refreshing and when you get out it will tell your brain you are relaxing. I also started weekly yoga, I'm in week two and my breathing is much improved.

*Google "Belly Breaths". I would say this is the single most important thing I've trained myself to do when I have time. Babies breath this way and as adults we have forgotten how. It's natural, relaxing and destressing.

*Take Magnesium/Calcium. It's natures own chill pill. It will calm and relax your muscles.

* Reduce or cut caffeine. I drink only decaff tea,coffee and coke now and can say that I sleep much better. I haven't cut it out completely cause it's virtually impossible.

If you only do half of these things I am sure you will be on the road to recovery. And remember, anxiety is not an illness, it is learned behaviour, and bad thought processes that you have trained yourself over the years. CBT can definitely help with this.

Lastly, don't worry about any symptoms you may get. This feeds the anxiety and you will enter into a vicious loop. Let me know how you get on. I am still battling on and don't intend on giving up. I want my life back.

Alex

[Beevee in reply to Bex88Foz]

Bex88Fox

Don't lose hope. I suffered from severe anxiety for 6 years before recovering without medication. I felt severely distressed 24/7 and could barely cope with anything. You just need to understand anxiety and how it works and how the symptoms can be different for sufferers. Once you know this, it takes away the fear of the not knowing (what's wrong with me!?) and your mind and body can begin to recover naturally. Aazz understands how it works. You need to pass through the anxiety to bring peace to your mind and body. Don't question any of it and accept that all the symptoms are anxiety and live your life, taking the anxiety with you. Fear of the symptoms is what is keeping the anxiety alive and the only way to beat this is to feel the fear willingly so that your brain gets the message that there is no threat and switches off your fear/flight safety defence and the anxiety melts away. As Aazz says, you have to let time pass for your body to recover, much the same way as it takes time to recover from a broken limb. It won't happen straight away so don't lose hope.

Hope this helps.