Is this panic or something else?

[Jgirl-73]

I'd like to know if anyone out there has had some of these symptoms. I've become worried that my issue is only partly panic disorder and partly something else. I've searched everywhere and can't find anyone that says, "yep! I do that too!".

I've just started Zoloft in the last week and a half too. Thought I better mention that. So here is what happens:

I become so uncomfortable, like I'm gonna come out of my skin and lose all control. I will have horrible frightening emotions that flow through my body and make me feel a hopelessness like I've never experienced. I feel restless and exhausted at the same time and often my stomach is a mess too. The waves of fear that come over me, sometimes are so intense that I feel like I'll pass out or die or actually go hysterical. Sometimes thinking of something mundane like, "I need to run the dishwasher" will send me to the above feelings!

I know some of this is panic but the emotional anguish is so severe it's actually making me think something else is wrong. I am depressed. I'm not sleeping well. I don't have manic episodes so I'm fairly certain it's not bipolar.

I'm not sure I'm thinking rationally due to new meds causing me such weird sensations. I'll see my pdoc Monday but please, anyone, is this strictly panic disorder or am I slipping into a nervous breakdown? HELP.

[jessed03]

That doesn't sound nice j-girl.

To be honest, I think a nervous breakdown was just an old fashioned way of saying panic attacks, or high anxiety. I think everybody has had a nervous breakdown of some sorts on this forum. Only, the term is so old fashioned now, as treatment and understanding is so much better, that it's no big deal anymore. It's not the societal death sentence it once was. It's something many recover from. That's why the term has been medically retired. Confused nerve impulses are over activity are better ways of describing the so called 'breakdown'.

So don't sweat that :)

Whatever happens, just try and keep it as anxiety. It's all anxiety - just in various degrees. There's no breakdown, just over stimulation.

And right now, you're stimulation sounds close to the max!!

That does sound SSRI related. I believe strongly that a lot of what you're feeling at the moment is caused by the meds. I know you suspect that too.

I've had a very similar experience too. Prozac sent my anxiety upto a 9.5. All of the sensations you've described. I was bedridden for two months. The very thought of getting out of bed sent me into a spiral. Similar thoughts to your dishwasher example provoked the same reaction in me.

A lot of the time I felt I was being whipped. Emotionally. It was that painful. More painful than any pain I've had physically so far in my life so far. Emotionally you can really be up against the worst of the worst when your anxiety is high and you begin an SSRI.

the most brutal of stuff can come out.

Yes it most certainly does sound anxiety and panic related.

Nothing else is wrong. I'm practically sure of it. You're just in a boxing ring right now with your condition, and you have to hang on in there whilst it throws it's punches.

If it helps try and put a time limit on things. Try to make it clear to your anxiety, that there is a time limit on this. That if in 6 weeks of starting Zoloft there is no improvement, then you will stop, take a couple of benzos for a few days as it leaves your system, and a lot of this stuff will stop. It will stop.

It can be helpful reminding yourself like that that this isn't going to go on I definetly.

I really hope you feel better son Jgirl. That storm does end. Promise.

[Jgirl-73]

That doesn't sound nice j-girl. To be honest, I think a nervous breakdown was just an old fashioned way of saying panic attacks, or high anxiety. I think everybody has had a nervous breakdown of some sorts on this forum. Only, the term is so old fashioned now, as treatment and understanding is so much better, that it's no big deal anymore. It's not the societal death sentence it once was. It's something many recover from. That's why the term has been medically retired. Confused nerve impulses are over activity are better ways of describing the so called 'breakdown'. So don't sweat that :) Whatever happens, just try and keep it as anxiety. It's all anxiety - just in various degrees. There's no breakdown, just over stimulation. And right now, you're stimulation sounds close to the max!! That does sound SSRI related. I believe strongly that a lot of what you're feeling at the moment is caused by the meds. I know you suspect that too. I've had a very similar experience too. Prozac sent my anxiety upto a 9.5. All of the sensations you've described. I was bedridden for two months. The very thought of getting out of bed sent me into a spiral. Similar thoughts to your dishwasher example provoked the same reaction in me. A lot of the time I felt I was being whipped. Emotionally. It was that painful. More painful than any pain I've had physically so far in my life so far. Emotionally you can really be up against the worst of the worst when your anxiety is high and you begin an SSRI. the most brutal of stuff can come out. Yes it most certainly does sound anxiety and panic related. Nothing else is wrong. I'm practically sure of it. You're just in a boxing ring right now with your condition, and you have to hang on in there whilst it throws it's punches. If it helps try and put a time limit on things. Try to make it clear to your anxiety, that there is a time limit on this. That if in 6 weeks of starting Zoloft there is no improvement, then you will stop, take a couple of benzos for a few days as it leaves your system, and a lot of this stuff will stop. It will stop. It can be helpful reminding yourself like that that this isn't going to go on I definetly. I really hope you feel better son Jgirl. That storm does end. Promise.

Are you still on the prozac? Did it even out? Omg, that sounds terrible! Two months bedridden! I can not do that! This has got to improve soon...please tell me it does. I just took Xanax which I hate to do but I needed to calm down.
Years ago I was on Lexapro and I remember the first week was horrible for me. Then it got better as far as anxiety went but took another week or two before I felt better. This is day 11 on Zoloft and I thought I'd be in the evening out phase. I'm coping but just barely...