Was I Being Polydrugged? 8 Medications in Just 2 Months

This all started after I was unexpectedly told that I might lose my job. The stress and uncertainty hit me hard, and I went to my GP because I felt I needed psychological support. I was referred to a mental health professional who works within a GP practice.
During the appointment, I was emotional and mentioned that I hadn’t been sleeping very well because of everything that was going on. Medication was suggested to help me sleep.

I was first prescribed temazepam. I experienced very severe side effects that felt like a heart attack — chest pain, pain in my arm and jaw. I became very worried and called the out-of-hours GP service, who told me not to worry and that these were normal side effects. A few days later I went back to my GP and discussed this.

I was then prescribed zolpidem. I experienced similar symptoms again, as well as electrical sensations in my head.

After stopping these medications, my insomnia became significantly worse.

I told my GP about what was happening, and I was then prescribed mirtazapine. While taking it, I developed unexplained bruises on my body even though I hadn’t bumped into anything, and I also started seeing floaters in my vision.

I was then prescribed promethazine. While taking it, I experienced what appeared to be dystonia in my neck. My sleep still wasn’t improving, and I suddenly started having involuntary muscle jerks in my abdomen and severe panic attacks.

After that, I was prescribed trazodone. I had a severe reaction where my nose became so blocked/swollen that I couldn’t breathe through it properly. I still couldn’t sleep and, at one point, I was only sleeping around one hour per night.

My GP also suggested seroquel, sertraline and lexapro, but I decided not to take these medications.

Looking back, I’m struggling to understand how quickly everything escalated. I originally went to my doctor because I was distressed about potentially losing my job and wanted psychological support. I mentioned that the stress was affecting my sleep, but within a short period of time I went from stress-related sleep problems to severe insomnia, panic attacks, involuntary movements, unexplained bruising, visual symptoms, and other reactions I had never experienced before. I was also pacing around my house.

At one point I called a suicide helpline, and I also contacted the emergency GP service once.
What concerns me most is that whenever I reported new symptoms, I said that I thought it could be related to the medication, but I was told that this was not possible, that it was likely anxiety or something else, and that I should continue taking the medication and give it time.

Within roughly two months, I was prescribed multiple psychoactive medications. Looking back at the sequence of events, I can’t help but wonder whether I was being polydrugged, and whether some of the symptoms being treated with additional medications could actually have been related to the previous medications or medication changes.

Has anyone here experienced something similar? The whole experience has left me deeply traumatized, and I honestly feel a lot of shame about everything that happened.

I also have a lot of regret about asking for help in the first place, even though all I wanted at the time was some support during a difficult period in my life. 😔
I’m still trying to process everything that happened. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been through something similar and understands how overwhelming this can feel.