I need reassurance from swimmers!

Of course!

All new things do take a bit to learn, and trust me I understand your pain! I've swam competitively my whole life, and was on my University's Varsity team last year. The coach looked at my stroke (which had gotten me to Nationals twice) and ripped it to shreds!!

Here's some of the things he told me:
-You do too much catch up
-You dont kick AT ALL
-You only breathe on your right side on fast sets
-Dont lift the head so much when breathing

Now, I'm a distance swimmer and watching guys like Grant Hackett swim like me (I tried to emulate his style of catch up + lots of kick) was encouraging and I thought I was totally doing the right thing and improving!

I had to start doing things the way he wanted, since I was getting free training due to being Varsity. Tough choice!
My 100 time during 20x100s best average went from a best average of about 1:02-1:03 to about 1:07-1:08, and THAT was going all out.

Now, I didnt continue swimming Varsity this year as I switched to Tri (best decision ever!!!), but now that I've adopted these changes, I can MAINTAIN a teensy bit slower pace then before (about 1:04 /100m) but for MUCH longer (5k +).

The big thing is, is that when you get tired, concentrate VERY hard on keeping that new form consistent, as that is BY FAR the best way to ingrain that technique into your head!! Take it from me, that's definitely the way to do it!

Good luck and let us all know how your new form is progressing once in awhile!!!
Derek

ditto above, slow down really focus on "getting it" then as you add the meters back it will come.

Totally normal. Many people get discouraged by that fact that learning to swim more efficiently can be slower (and more tiring) at first. They then go back to their old inefficient stroke. Yes, it's faster, but it's probably not going to get any faster no matter the yardage. Keep working with your coach/instructor and keep doing the drills. You'll be much happier six months or a year from now when your new, efficient stroke is second nature and much faster (and less tiring) than your old stroke.

yeah tri swimming is not about speed as much as the energy you have when you get out of the water. We are not swimming 300 yard alot of times around 800 meters up to 2.4 miles.

Even if your out of the water slower having more energy for the bike and the run is huge.

I did my first him and did ok in the swim. I realised I was screwing up my pull and I corrected it. Now for my next him I think I will not only be faster out of the water but I will be more rested which means the bike should be alot faster.