Medication

Hi

I take a beta-blocker called propranolol which I can take whenever I can feel my anxiety increasing which helps quite a lot. I think it is primarily prescribed for blood pressure but my GP prescribed it for me because it can also be effective for helping with anxiety and other medications had not worked.

I mostly take it if I think I could be heading for a melt down. My GP said to take one or two tablets whenever I feel I need to, although I think the overall limit is 8 tablets a day. I use it especially at work or public places. Sometimes I take it before the anxiety is severe and it helps keep it at a level I can control. It might not work for everybody but might be worth mentioning to your GP. 

Hope you find something!

Hi Everyone

I've taken them before and they do help a  bit, especially with that awful feeling in your stomach. It's a coincidence you mention them as I have a few left and will be calling the surgery for more. I'd stopped taking them but as mentioned, work is so stressful I'm going to take them on the days I have to be there.

Writing this and receiving  all your kind words and advice has been lovely and made me feel part of something.

Thanks to you all

I had a mega meltdown 7 months ago in which I wanted to kill myself, and was on a hunger and water strike for 2 days. I eventually came out of it and wondered what it was all about (triggered by a rather small thin but I couldn't find a solution).

During that time, I was seen by 101, NHS Walk in after they closed, the main hospital, and then my GP, who assigned me SSRIs. still being in meltdown mode, I wouldn't take the prescription out as it required paying and drinking/eating. 

Once I was out of the meltdown, I was asked why I hadn't taken the prescription out of the pharmacy in a follow up appointment with the hospital the next day and also with my GP a week later. I asked both of them (after conversations) if they thought I was depressed after speaking to me post-meltdown, and they replied 'no'.

After a fair amount of research, I suggested to my GP going on a course of lower strength diazepam for 'if and when' I felt an episode about to kick off (my heart feels like a coiled spring before I go off on one so if I am quick to react and take the medicine before I refuse to take it, I can maintain 'pre-episode' state at worst, and avoid the episode completely at best.

A few months later I moved up to 5mg, as 2mg was not really enough. Diazepam is a very addictive substance, I think it is effective in controlling my episodes to a point, but I also have to consider whether I can manage myself before taking one. 

Even though I don't take them daily, or even weekly, sometimes not for a couple of months... It's funny, because I seem to crave one just before a meltdown or when I am stressed and a bit on the edge...It must be how a smoker feels. I can see how easily it is to become addicted to them if you don't have the mental strength to leave them in the pack when you don't need them.

I've spent so much time researching medications that I thought would help but anything that's addictive scares me too! I can't imagine taking it at that amount but if it gets others through, who I am I to judge?  It's their choice but I personally wouldn't recommended it.

I've spent so much time researching medications that I thought would help but anything that's addictive scares me too! I can't imagine taking it at that amount but if it gets others through, who I am I to judge?  It's their choice but I personally wouldn't recommended it.