Hey guys just a positive update

[suriael]

If you saw any of my posts a while ago I was doing terribly, infact over 4 years of no driving and barely leaving the house.. it got so much worse that I stopped leaving my bed for sometimes a week at a time. Scared that if I stood up or did any basic activity I'd faint or spin out.. I was convinced I had so many health problems all while dealing with agoraphobia. Anyway it reached the point that people were so concerned. I was not showering and avoiding eating because it involved preparing food, I had to visit our local mental health hospital, surprisingly after the first visit with my mum taking me. The medication I was prescribed and the routine I was giving completely changed everything, I've tried atleast 4 different ssri medications all of which had terrible side effects and only made me feel worse but I was prescribed cymbalta, 60mg and it's completely destroyed my anxiety.. I know it won't be the same for everyone but I figured it's worth sharing because it feels like a miracle, I'm not fully confident to travel super long distances but I've basically gotten my own car again, a new job and even started dating..

Moral of this story is never give up no matter how terrible you think it is.. please keep trying different options.

[Starrlight]

Awe. some.I’m so happy for you!!! That is amazing! I have a similar story. I was a complete wreck. I was so depressed and anxiety was having me fear at all times. I tried so many and thought no meds would help me except benzos and then not even those helped and I did not want to live. I had debilitating panic attacks. I remember barely making it to pick up my kids from school and then standing there at the school with everything spinning around me trying not to faint or loose my mind. And I went through this. Every. Damn. Day. For years. Some were harder than others, but basically all were hard. I have bipolar and ocd ptsd and anxiety. But the anxiety/ panic was the worst I could barely explain to my doctors how hellish it all was. I visited crisis care a lot when I was just too overwhelmed with so much in my life that I couldn’t handle. I’d had a lot of trauma happen that I needed help healing from but wasn’t getting ( I am now through therapy)

I eventually tried Paxil about a year ago I think and it really turned things around for me. I did gain weight from it so now I’m working hard to combat this trouble plus try to grow back hair I lost from stress but you know I’m staying as positive as I can. I’ve recently had some rough family conflicts and I’ve made some bad decisions so im a bit down but I’m moving forward still and not beating myself up as much as I possible that’s what I’ve always tend to do. I don’t want to or I will just self sabotage my life and not be able to help those I love when I’m not at my best.

So basically a lot can change in a short period of time, right? so never give up! I am able to help my kids with virtual learning and go out driving where I need to go, walk down the street without being afraid of people and make phone calls and go on elevators without a scary thought-all these things were nearly impossible before- were too much. I have had a good therapist and Paxil and let myself have time to breathe, to write, take photos, meditate, exercise, be in nature, heal. Thanks for sharing your story, Surieal.

[suriael in reply to Starrlight]

Thanks for sharing, its so interesting to me that paxil was one of the medications I couldn't handle. Just goes to show how different we all are, glad you're doing alot better now. My road to full recovery is still a ways off but definitely on track, I am trying to be carefull of mistakes and self sabotage.. I found it usually happens when I over extend or push to far out of my comfort zone. Just take each day a little further.. wish you the best moving forward x

[Starrlight in reply to suriael]

Thank you Suriael! I’m a ways off as you say you are. Although you sound to me like you’ve got your stuff together! Keep it up.

[Agora1]

A Big Congrats to you suriael :)Like you, I never gave up, I always knew I would win over Agoraphobia/Anxiety.

Finding the right medication and dose can make a big difference in breaking that

cycle of fear. Go forward and live your amazing life. You did it xx

P.S. Thanks for sharing a positive post

[suriael in reply to Agora1]

Thank you agora, you do a wonderful job here 😀

[Agora1 in reply to suriael]

Thank you suriael x I share what I've been through myself and all I have achieved.

Passing our success forward hopefully gives others a sense of belief xx

[Kathush]

Thank you for your post and congratulations.

[suriael in reply to Kathush]

Thank you 😊

[TyrSwimmer_Sac]

That is so awesome. I take Cymbalta too at 80mg and it has helped with my anxiety too. Though my depression is ever present. Glad you had a success/win. Cheers man.

[suriael in reply to TyrSwimmer_Sac]

Yeah I feel you, I can see how depressive symptoms can still creep in but I'm trying to get out and mix things up. Best of luck x

[Blue_81]

Hello suriaelIm glad to hear that you are doing alot better!! I need to start looking into medication. Most days I feel I dont want to get out of bed anymore or just dont have any interest in anything. Reading your post gives me hope. Congrats again.

[suriael in reply to Blue_81]

Sometimes it can get so ingrained into you that you lose all motivation, atleast that's what happened to me.. professional help is definitely worth it. Best of luck

[Caseopia]

Thank you for showing. You have me hope and I'm sure others also. I've given up many times with my meds and therapy, realized it was a mistake, yet I've done it since after. I am in then now tho. I want to be healthy. I also could not take ssri. They made me so much worse and suicidal. I'm on a couple meds now that help a bit but I wish they worked a little better. I do really appreciate you sharing your positive outlook and how far you've come. Hopefully I will too one day. I also don't drive. Scared to go to stores, etc. But I try to work through the anxiety. Repetition helps me. Thank you once again

[suriael in reply to Caseopia]

Oh ssri medication really messed me up, the side effects far outweighed any benefits. But cymbalta is an snri which is a bit different and as someone who is sensitive to these things its really not effected me in any negative way.. have you looked into it?

[Caseopia in reply to suriael]

I don't know if I've been on Cymbalta. I don't think I have been. I can ask my doctor about it. I don't know anything about it. Ssri really poor me in a scary place every side I was 14. Thank you for the suggestion

[suriael in reply to Caseopia]

Yeah just ask, my doctor would only prescribed ssris it wasn't until I saw a proper psychologist that I was put on this. Best of luck 👍

[Pat9]

well done to you .. and thank you for posting as it always helps to hear of those who were rock bottom and yet somehow managed to pull back up again. Best wishes to you and wishing you well for the future 😀

[suriael in reply to Pat9]

Thanks pat good luck in your journey also

[Trishly1234]

Thank you so much for sharing- exactly what I need to hear right now - the last two years have been awful for me and I try to remind myself it can’t get worse but guess what it does !! I’m about to start that medication as ssri’s also not effective- although fluoxetine was for 12 years until it just stopped working and every minute of every day has been a battle since - currently withdrawing from sertraline and wow the symptoms are unbearable- I’ve cried for 2 days solid- tinnitus so bad I want to smash my head to make it stop - I’m shaking so much and every time I move my head I get a brain zap like an electric shock - I’m managing to go to local shop in my pjs and jumping at things that aren’t there - so I really really needed to hear recovery and hope stories x I hope the peace stays with you and you continue the positive journey x

[suriael in reply to Trishly1234]

Glad you feel that way and I'm sorry to hear you're still struggling, I totally agree with you about ssris I also went through a big week, withdrawing from escitalopram. Sweating, shaking and anxiety so bad i couldnt be alone for even 30 minutes it was horrible. Part of the reason I felt so doomed over the years is that the medication never agreed with me. Until one did.. but it took things getting worse before they ever got better. Either way, I hate to know you're currently going through withdrawals. I hope you have some support? It can feel like the most dreadful undescribable emotions.. reach out if you need of course!

[Trishly1234 in reply to suriael]

Thank you - when I first started getting physical anxiety symptoms I really thought it couldn’t get worse but withdrawal is the worst I’ve ever felt- I tried citalopram for a few months wow was I erratic - I’d laugh hysterically at nothing and within minutes I’d be sobbing on the floor to then feel like I was floating - the thing that gives me that hopeless feeling is the lack of readily available adequate therapy- I started paying privately but haven’t been able to work for a while so can’t afford it - what do I do in the meantime!! I’ve managed to get a social worker who is pushing things along so fingers crossed- I know things will get better but it’s hard to rationalise that when you hit crisis x

[Kam360]

Hey lovely.....thank you for your positive update, I'm so happy that you're improving and eating, which is great. I'm pretty much the same as you symptoms wise, but I'm on Zoloft/Sertraline and whilst I have noticed some improvement ie. eating and functioning to a degree. I find I slip backwards moodwise and this is caused, I think by anxiety and worrying about health problems...half of which don't exist! But my brain tells me they do. The anxiety is mildly improved, but I do get an awful " Elevator drop" sensation, which precedes a drop in my mood. I'm flummoxed as to how I can cope with this.......Keep improving..sending hugs to Oz.🤗🤗🤗