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Should I see a phsychiatrist
Should I see a psychiatrist as I can't get hiv off my mind and have tested negative up to 12 weeks or 3 months after my possible exposure and that is considered conclusive. Do anxiety meds work?
Thank you, you have been of so much help to me and I really do appreciate your kind and knowledgeable replies. I have seen that you also are a top answered on the hiv prevention forum and that is great that you help people like me so I would really appreciate if you could tell me is my 12 week negative oraquick oral fluids is completely conclusive. I would like to see what a health professional as yourself thinks about these oral swab test at 12 weeks if that Is okay with you. I will also keep updating you about how my medication is working, thank you very much. (:
That sounds like a perfect plan! Your doctor is conservative about dosing, starting you out on a low dose to make the adjustment period easier. That's good!
My doctor said I should take half a pill which would be 25 mg for 10 days and if I do good then move up to a full pill. She said that she recommends this because it is more tolerable and is FDA approved for both anxiety and depression. I understand your points about therapy as I will continue therapy. What do you think about the dosage I'm going to be taking?
Hello again, thanks for the update.
Zoloft is a great starting place as far as medications go to treat anxiety. It's actually the most commonly prescribed antidepressant for anxiety disorders, that's because it has a pretty good success rate and is easily tolerated for most. That being said, of course obviously, everyone reacts differently to medications. One person may have great success with a medication, while yet another person may have a terrible experience.
Just keep in mind that it takes some time for Zoloft to build in the system and start working. It's normal to expect that it may take up to about 8 weeks before obvious improvements are noted, and that doesn't include any time spent waiting for dosage increases to work, if at some point you and your doc decide you will need a higher dose. So, basically, be patient and try not to think too much about it.
There are a few side effects that are common during the adjustment phase of Zoloft. Those would include feeling "jittery" as though you have drank a lot of coffee. Other side effects could include a temporary increase in anxiety, drowsiness, disturbances in sleep (more or less than you're accustomed to), headaches, and some GI disturbances, like nausea, diarrhea, lack of appetite. The most commonly reported side effect is the jittery feeling. Most side effects will start to improve at about 1-2 weeks after starting the Zoloft, and should abate completely shortly thereafter. It's not uncommon to feel a little worse before you feel better, but try not to think that your experience will be bad. If you DO struggle with side effects to the point where they are bothersome, contact your doctor, as there are some ways to approach that to make the side effects more manageable while waiting for them to resolve. What dose are you starting out at?
A few other tidbits about Zoloft, it's important to take it every day, as close to the same time every day. Put your pill bottle in a visible place, or put a post-it note up, so you won't forget to take it. Also, if there comes a point where you decide you want to come off the Zoloft, it shouldn't be discontinued abruptly. In that case, you'll need to work with your doctor to formulate a taper plan.
Lastly, like I said earlier in the thread, therapy is also a vital component of anxiety treatment. The Zoloft is to help manage your symptoms, but the therapy aspect is what will help you learn how to cope with the anxious cycle of thinking. Taking the Zoloft alone isn't the "fix".
Please keep us updated and let us know how you're doing on the Zoloft. I'll be anxious to follow along with your progress. I really hope it helps you!
Zoloft is a great starting place as far as medications go to treat anxiety. It's actually the most commonly prescribed antidepressant for anxiety disorders, that's because it has a pretty good success rate and is easily tolerated for most. That being said, of course obviously, everyone reacts differently to medications. One person may have great success with a medication, while yet another person may have a terrible experience.
Just keep in mind that it takes some time for Zoloft to build in the system and start working. It's normal to expect that it may take up to about 8 weeks before obvious improvements are noted, and that doesn't include any time spent waiting for dosage increases to work, if at some point you and your doc decide you will need a higher dose. So, basically, be patient and try not to think too much about it.
There are a few side effects that are common during the adjustment phase of Zoloft. Those would include feeling "jittery" as though you have drank a lot of coffee. Other side effects could include a temporary increase in anxiety, drowsiness, disturbances in sleep (more or less than you're accustomed to), headaches, and some GI disturbances, like nausea, diarrhea, lack of appetite. The most commonly reported side effect is the jittery feeling. Most side effects will start to improve at about 1-2 weeks after starting the Zoloft, and should abate completely shortly thereafter. It's not uncommon to feel a little worse before you feel better, but try not to think that your experience will be bad. If you DO struggle with side effects to the point where they are bothersome, contact your doctor, as there are some ways to approach that to make the side effects more manageable while waiting for them to resolve. What dose are you starting out at?
A few other tidbits about Zoloft, it's important to take it every day, as close to the same time every day. Put your pill bottle in a visible place, or put a post-it note up, so you won't forget to take it. Also, if there comes a point where you decide you want to come off the Zoloft, it shouldn't be discontinued abruptly. In that case, you'll need to work with your doctor to formulate a taper plan.
Lastly, like I said earlier in the thread, therapy is also a vital component of anxiety treatment. The Zoloft is to help manage your symptoms, but the therapy aspect is what will help you learn how to cope with the anxious cycle of thinking. Taking the Zoloft alone isn't the "fix".
Please keep us updated and let us know how you're doing on the Zoloft. I'll be anxious to follow along with your progress. I really hope it helps you!
Hey so today my phsychiatrist prescribed Zoloft which she said is for depression and for anxiety so what are your experiences about this medicine.
Sounds good! Hopefully you will find an effective regimen so you can start putting this behind you!
Okay thank you for your input and knowledge and I will still be seeing my counselor at my school as she will help me with changing my way of thinking and thank you about the suggestion about doing my homework on the meds. Hopefully therapy works for me and I will come back to tell you if my phsychiatrist prescribed me any medication.
There are many different medications used to help manage anxiety. Understand first, before you agree to take a med that it isn't a "cure". Therapy is still vital, as again, you have to learn how to change the way you think.
That being said, the most common medications used to treat anxiety are the anxiolytics, or anti-anxiety medications, like Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin. The other medications commonly Rx'ed are the SSRI antidepressants, like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro. ANY medication of course comes with its own risks, and I would advise anyone to do their homework about any medication that is being recommended.
Come back and let us know what was recommended, and we can give you some input.
That being said, the most common medications used to treat anxiety are the anxiolytics, or anti-anxiety medications, like Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin. The other medications commonly Rx'ed are the SSRI antidepressants, like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro. ANY medication of course comes with its own risks, and I would advise anyone to do their homework about any medication that is being recommended.
Come back and let us know what was recommended, and we can give you some input.
I have practically been experiencing anxiety to hiv for about 3 months now and I just can't get over it. I had it all the way through the 12 week window period which I tested negative with about 6 different hiv test and 2 of them were 4th generation test at 3 and 6 weeks. I went to the counselor at my university and she made an appointment for me with a phsychiatrist on Tuesday and I am kind of nervous but I have to accept that this is all anxiety and I need help. My symptoms are tingling sensations in my body or crawly sensations. Are anxiety meds safe? I think I need them because I have panic attacks at night.
Hello and welcome!
You can easily browse several threads on this forum with people in the same situation as you. HIV anxiety is very common and often occurs after a person has had a sexual encounter that they regret.
How long have you been experiencing anxiety related to HIV? Is this a fairly new thing for you? If it is, I would recommend finding a therapist first and try to work on changing your thinking. That is the best way to tackle things anyway, that is how you will accomplish long term progress.
Good luck and keep us updated.
You can easily browse several threads on this forum with people in the same situation as you. HIV anxiety is very common and often occurs after a person has had a sexual encounter that they regret.
How long have you been experiencing anxiety related to HIV? Is this a fairly new thing for you? If it is, I would recommend finding a therapist first and try to work on changing your thinking. That is the best way to tackle things anyway, that is how you will accomplish long term progress.
Good luck and keep us updated.
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