How do I get over this?

[Aundrethekidd 1]

For a few days I was doing better. My therapist took me off Prozac because it caused major side effects. After a week of being off of it we switched to Lexapro 2 days ago. Now my fears are back again, I keep thinking I have the beginning stages of CJD and idk how to combat this, I feel like I'm playing a waiting game to die and I notice every little symptom. The hands shaking, random leg twitches, I cry around the same time every day it feels like, I keep trying to remember everything I can in fear im losing my mind, I keep grinding my teeth. I keep feeling like I can't swallow and lately it feels like I'm having trouble walking. I'm so scared.

[Ironman 190]

You're in between medications.  This is a good time to take a look at the symptoms and how you are handling them.   I would look up Prozac withdrawal/tapering issues.  It might give you what to expect.

You're not going to die; you are thinking it and your body is reacting.  Combine that with the biochemistry changes of being with medication (you're kind of going through a withdrawal. 

I was on Paroxetine/Paxil for about 14 years, but after broken teeth from the bruxism (two crowns, and damage to surrounding teeth) and 55 pounds of weight gain despite running 18 to 24 miles a week.....it took its toll, so I transition to Cymbalta.  It was a seven week process, and I still ended up with lockjaw as one of the side effects of coming off Paxil! 

You're not losing your mind - you are preoccupied with returning fears, though.  That part you do need to work on.  Why are you thinking these thoughts, and what is really going on that you might be afraid to address.  That was a BIG question for me when I switched.

[Aundrethekidd 1]

On 10/9/2021 at 1:24 PM, Ironman said:

You're in between medications.  This is a good time to take a look at the symptoms and how you are handling them.   I would look up Prozac withdrawal/tapering issues.  It might give you what to expect.

You're not going to die; you are thinking it and your body is reacting.  Combine that with the biochemistry changes of being with medication (you're kind of going through a withdrawal. 

I was on Paroxetine/Paxil for about 14 years, but after broken teeth from the bruxism (two crowns, and damage to surrounding teeth) and 55 pounds of weight gain despite running 18 to 24 miles a week.....it took its toll, so I transition to Cymbalta.  It was a seven week process, and I still ended up with lockjaw as one of the side effects of coming off Paxil! 

You're not losing your mind - you are preoccupied with returning fears, though.  That part you do need to work on.  Why are you thinking these thoughts, and what is really going on that you might be afraid to address.  That was a BIG question for me when I switched.

My biggest thing is being afraid of dieing before I accomplish all my dreams. I turn 30 next June and I feel like I'm getting so old, my teen years are gone, and soon my 20s will be and I'm overweight actively working on getting healthy, but it's the fact that so many things can happen to a person. And then I made the mistake of reading a reddit forum on people who died and came back that experienced nothing, and that troubles me because I've always believed in heaven and life after. 

[davide.h 26]

Don't turn to older people for help. They like scaring you and telling you there is no hope, either that or they laugh at you and dismiss you. Happened to me many times 

[Ironman 190]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2021 at 4:50 PM, Aundrethekidd said:

My biggest thing is being afraid of dieing before I accomplish all my dreams. I turn 30 next June and I feel like I'm getting so old, my teen years are gone, and soon my 20s will be and I'm overweight actively working on getting healthy, but it's the fact that so many things can happen to a person. And then I made the mistake of reading a reddit forum on people who died and came back that experienced nothing, and that troubles me because I've always believed in heaven and life after. 

I am 46 and have a lot of living to do lol.  Yeah, a lot of things can happen to a person. 

If other people "don't see anything" doesn't mean you wouldn't.  Pray for Salvation, know John 3:16, and it's all good.  Grow every day....it accumulates.

[Doug97 19]

On 10/13/2021 at 1:37 AM, davide.h said:

Don't turn to older people for help. They like scaring you and telling you there is no hope, either that or they laugh at you and dismiss you. Happened to me many times 

I agree, older people have this "suck it up, buttercup" mentality that is really not helpful. If I could will away my anxiety I'd have done it years ago, it doesn't work like that! 

[Doug97 19]

On 10/9/2021 at 12:09 AM, Aundrethekidd said:

For a few days I was doing better. My therapist took me off Prozac because it caused major side effects. After a week of being off of it we switched to Lexapro 2 days ago. Now my fears are back again, I keep thinking I have the beginning stages of CJD and idk how to combat this, I feel like I'm playing a waiting game to die and I notice every little symptom. The hands shaking, random leg twitches, I cry around the same time every day it feels like, I keep trying to remember everything I can in fear im losing my mind, I keep grinding my teeth. I keep feeling like I can't swallow and lately it feels like I'm having trouble walking. I'm so scared.

ALL of your symptoms are completely explained by a combination of medication withdrawal and severe anxiety. You don't need to go looking for anything else, least of all extremely rare and exotic diseases like CJD. 

[BrightPhoenix 78]

On 10/12/2021 at 2:37 PM, davide.h said:

Don't turn to older people for help. They like scaring you and telling you there is no hope, either that or they laugh at you and dismiss you. Happened to me many times 

I do find that younger doctors, and they don't have to be in their 20's or 30's - just doctors in their late 30's to earlier 50's tend to be a bit more receptive to those of us who have health anxiety.

[Aundrethekidd 1]

3 hours ago, BrightPhoenix said:

I do find that younger doctors, and they don't have to be in their 20's or 30's - just doctors in their late 30's to earlier 50's tend to be a bit more receptive to those of us who have health anxiety.

I switched from an old doctor to a young doctor 6 years ago when my anxiety was bad then too and through the years he's always listened thoroughly to my concerns unlike my doctor before him who shrugged things off immediately as anxiety and then when I brought that up to him he called me a hypochondriac. Which I am but it's worth having someone actually listen to your concerns. 

[Aundrethekidd 1]

On 10/15/2021 at 10:16 AM, Doug97 said:

ALL of your symptoms are completely explained by a combination of medication withdrawal and severe anxiety. You don't need to go looking for anything else, least of all extremely rare and exotic diseases like CJD. 

I know. At least the logical part of me does. It's the what if/illogical part of my brain that sucks. I'm 1 and a half weeks in Lexapro, off Prozac for 2 and a half weeks. 

[Wonky 92]

4 hours ago, Aundrethekidd said:

I know. At least the logical part of me does. It's the what if/illogical part of my brain that sucks. I'm 1 and a half weeks in Lexapro, off Prozac for 2 and a half weeks. 

Have you talked to your doctor about how cruddy you feel right now? I wonder if they'd be able to help with any of this. 

[Aundrethekidd 1]

1 minute ago, Total Eclipse said:

Have you talked to your doctor about how cruddy you feel right now? I wonder if they'd be able to help with any of this. 

Yeah, they tell me it's not anything serious and that is just my body adjusting

[Wonky 92]

Just now, Aundrethekidd said:

Yeah, they tell me it's not anything serious and that is just my body adjusting

That's good your communicating with them. Drink lots of water and try to rest until you adjust to medicine. 

[Ironman 190]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2021 at 8:37 PM, davide.h said:

Don't turn to older people for help. They like scaring you and telling you there is no hope, either that or they laugh at you and dismiss you. Happened to me many times 

How so?  I just implied that there IS hope.  Wisdom comes with age!

[Ironman 190]

 

3 hours ago, Aundrethekidd said:

Yeah, they tell me it's not anything serious and that is just my body adjusting

 

2 hours ago, Total Eclipse said:

That's good your communicating with them. Drink lots of water and try to rest until you adjust to medicine. 

Yep - it might be rough for a few weeks.  I had to transition from Paxil to Cymbalta.  Over an EIGHT WEEK period, I was literally taking both meds.  Every two weeks, I was to step down a dosage on Paxil and up a dosage on Cymbalta.  Even with that slow of a transition, I still ended up with lockjaw (a TETANUS symptom!).  It was actually a symptom of withdrawal.  Stay in  contact with your doctor - they may need to know this information even in a case study in case it could happen to someone else.