Thread: Back on the tablets

Hiya, haven't been on here for ages with one thing and another.

For the couple of you out there that know me I could do with some words of wisdom (and from anyone who doesn't!).

After being anti-depressant free for a year, my panic attacks and anxiety have reared their ugly head again. I was feeling twitchy at the beginning of July and by the end of July was in the grip of panic attacks and constantly anxious. I was on the phone to my hubby, mum and friends in tears several times a day.

After a week of feeling totally crap went to GP and said I wanted to have some diazepam for a short spell. That didn't work, so about 10 days later I returned and said I wanted to go back on my anti-depressants.

They kicked in quite quickly and the first couple of wks I had a few ups and downs but not constantly and not so bad. For the last 3 wks I've felt like my old self again, until the weekend.

I'm anaemic and have heavy periods, so I've been on iron for most of the year. The iron levels are slowly going up but it's a bit of a losing battle. My GP prescribed me some tablets to stop me losing so much blood each month. I took them last month for the first time (have to take 2-3 tablets 3-4 times a day!). Everything seemed fine. Last Saturday my period started so I took the pills. On Sunday, all day, I had a splitting headache and eventually just had to go to bed. Woke up Monday feeling good, went to work, picked kids up from school, went and did the shopping, came home and fed kids. When Chris got home he was cooking tea whilst I put kids in the bath. About 15 minutes before tea was ready I took an iron tablet, an anti-d and 2 period pills. Suddenly I felt terribly sick, I kept running to the loo thinking I might be sick, but wasn't. The feeling was awful and again I went up to bed. After about 2 hrs it subsided enough that I felt fairly sure I wasn't going to throw up.

Yesterday morning I woke up still feeling grotty and just sooo tired. Arranged for a friend to take kids to school and went back to bed hoping for some decent sleep - it didn't happen. Again this morning not feeling to great, but a bit better than yesterday. I just get so frustrated at the bad days, especially when I've been feeling great for the last 3 wks. I know the bad days aren't as bad as they were a month ago, but I still hate the feeling.

Mum suggested that taking the tablets on an empty stomach probably made me feel sick, which makes sense I s'pose. I also hadn't eaten much the headache day and missed my tea the sick day, so didn't have much food in my system, on top of having my period and feeling so tired, which all makes sense to feeling a bit crappy I s'pose.

I've a great hubby and parents and a couple of friends who'll be there at a drop of a hat when I need them, but I hate feeling like I'm putting them out. Chris especially, trying to run our own business is so draining on him. He goes into work about 8.30am, comes home at 6.30pm and goes back to work at 9pm until anytime between midnight and 2am. This last couple of weeks he's been coming home regularly at 2am. He's so tired himself, on top of running the business, making sure everyone knows what their doing - he doesn't need the added pressure of me feeling crap and not being able to pull my weight around the house or with the kids.

I'm just feeling sorry for myself today and needed to put it all down somewhere, so if you've read this to the end - thanks.

Jo xx

Hi Jo, nice to see you again

Have you checked the packets for your medication. Usually it states whether or not to take on an empty stomach. Some recommend an empty stomach some don't.

Have you tried betablockers for the anxiety? I know MIL was on AD's and one of the side effects was anxiety....mad I know. Both SIL and my own Mum have been on Beta blockers with great success.

Be kind to yourself, whenever you can.

Jo.. from me..another Jo!

crikey...what alot you have going on..... I can relate to you...I had a very bad clinical depression that lasted nearly 2 yrs...thankfully that was right back at the start of the 90's...touching wood as I write this I am ok now & have been off medication for 8 yrs.

I wish I had a magic wand to wave for you...!

Have you checked that taking all these tablets at the same time is ok? read the packets or check with your GP about the empty stomach thing...

All I can say is make the most of it when you have a good day & when the days aren't so good be as kind to yourself as you can be & take any help offered from family & friends.... it sounds like you have a nice supportive family there & friends also.

sorry I don't have any magical answers for you... take care

Hi Clairey!!!

The anti-d's are the same ones that worked really well for me previously. As for the period tablets the leaflet is absolute rubbish, it tells you nothing. It lists all the things you can take them for and the side effects but doesn't really explain anything else. I had to go to the GP on Monday to ask whether I had to take them the whole time I was using sanitary protection or just the days that I was bleeding heavily, as the leaflet didn't specify.

The iron tablets are supposed to be taken after food, but I've taken them before about 10 minutes before eating and have been fine. I think the culprit is probably the period pills 'cos their the newest thing I'm taking.

Rang the GP earlier to get the results of my blood test for iron count and their poxy computers are down!! Have to try again later.

Jo xx

Hi Jo,

Again, as for taking the tablets at the same time I'm not sure, but I think to be safe in the future I'll space them out a bit!!

Thanks for replying.

Jo xx

Originally Posted by beetlebabe

Hi Clairey!!!


The iron tablets are supposed to be taken after food, but I've taken them before about 10 minutes before eating and have been fine. .

Jo xx

The only thing I'd say is that sometimes the tablets need the stomach acids to be 'busy' when you take the pill as it may cause discomfort if taken when the stomach is empty.

So if you have eaten, the stomach is not digesting just the pills.

Don't know for sure though.

hello Jo, sorry to hear you are having a bit of a relapse (so to speak)

i'd try and reorganise when you take your tablets, and make sure you eat regularly so nothing is taken on an empty stomach. make sure you go back to the GP about the ones for your period if you have any doubts about them.

hope you feel better soon, and nice to see you back xx

Just dropped in to send you (((hugs)))

Thanks for the hug.

Woke up this morning and just cried for about the first hour. Had to ask my friend to take kids again to school, cried down the phone to her. Arranged to go see my GP, spent about ½ hour with him - he's great, never rushes you through or makes you feel silly. We've decided to drop the period pills, he gave me a talking to about taking all those tablets on an empty stomach!! My iron levels have gone up to 12.5 so I can reduce my iron tablets from 3 times a day to twice. I'm to take my diazepam only when I feel anxious/panicky and not just every morning like I was. We had a long chat about the voice at the back of my head!!! (I'm not mad, apparently most people have them just not everybody recognises them!!!) As soon as I feel panicky I get this voice saying "your panicking your panicking" over and over which obviously makes it worse. He did a little exercise with me trying to change the tone of the voice, speed etc. It was a bit hippy dippy, but it made me realise that the rapid voice is sort of how fast my heart's beating when I'm panicking and if I can slow the voice down, I may be able to slow my heart beat down (just a breathing exercise really).

Anyway I'm a bit headachey now 'cos I've cried so much today, so must go and have a drink and something to eat. Oh, I'm also going to see a nutritionist (sp?), as my eating habits are pretty dire and I think that doesn't help - do others find their eating isn't terribly healthy? My mum and hubby keep insisting that I should change my diet to help how I feel.

Jo xx

Glad you have been to see your GP, it sounds like he cleared a few things up for you, he sounds like a great doctor, you are very lucky.

I hope your headache clears, so now be nice & kind to yourself for the rest of the day!

On the diet front I'm afraid I am a veggie so I love my fruit & veg so I have quite a good diet, although I love choccie, cakes & biccies!