So I switched from lexapro to sertaline (general name of Zoloft). I did the whole lowering lexapro amount thing according to what the doctor advised, but my body feels like a wreck. I only took my first dose yesterday and my anxiety has been relentless. 

I feel like my pulse is racing so fast, I can’t sleep, and I’m a bit dizzy. I read a lot of people got this side effect at first but with my anxiety being related to health anxiety, I’m like convinced I’m having a bad reaction or dying or maybe I have a disease and don’t know and it’s finally getting really bad and I’m thinking it’s the medication but it’s the disease. 

It also sucks because since getting off lexapro I’m getting insanely terrible night terrors (which is a side effect I used to get when I would fall asleep and forget to take a dose of lexapro when that was my prescribed medication). So then I’m waking up with anxiety too.

I feel like I’m in this endless cycle of being terrified I’m gonna die and then not being able to sleep. I’m getting anxiety over things that aren’t even triggers from anxiety- like I’ll just be sitting and get an anxiety attack. 

I’m starting to regret switching medications. The lexapro worked for like 6 years but it stopped being effective so my doctor was like let’s try something new bc your panic attacks and anxiety are like everyday now. But like at least I didn’t feel like this on lexapro.

I know I need to give it 2 weeks of time but I’m so scared and my health anxiety is like something is really wrong let’s go to a hospital or else we will die. 

Did anyone else experience anything like this? Any tips or comfort?

I just feel so alone and scared. I hate living like this I’m only 20 and I feel like my life is just an endless cycle of anxiety and crying. I know it’ll get better one day but why can’t it just stop now