Advice for medication?

[lilyjane90]

Hi guys.

Basically I need a bit of advice regarding anti-anxiety medication. About a year and a half ago I went through pretty severe agoraphobia and I was constantly anxious. I ended up having CBT which helped me SO much, and now I'm back at a full time job and have a relatively acceptable social life, despite not fully enjoying going anywhere too far from home.

I've started thinking about anti-anxiety medication. CBT did me so much good, but I still find myself to be anxious quite often- I can't make solid plans as I just think that I will end up having to back out, and recently I've gotten panicky again about eating in restaurants, and even had a panic attack on a date with my boyfriend and ended up throwing up which was really embarrassing. I'm worried it is going to affect my relationship and send me back into agoraphobia.

At my current age (23) a lot of my friends are going away travelling and really enjoying life. I would love to be able to travel so much, but going on a plane is a total no-go. Sometimes I ask my closest friends to go on a flight with me, but they all say no, because they just think I will back out at the airport and waste their money. I want to do it as part of 'exposure therapy', but then when it actually comes down to it, the panic sets in and i give up.

I don't know how anti-anxiety meds work. I've been prescribed paroxetine in the past but not taken it, as I was due to start my CBT then and didn't want to mix the two. If it's purely psychological, my fear of having a panic attack while away from my safe place, then how can the medication help? I'm also worried about becoming dependent on them forever, never finding a real cure for the anxiety, and also I read about how paroxetine can increase risks of self-harm and suicidal thoughts in those prone to self harm. As someone who self harms (albeit rarely) should my GP really have prescribed it to me?

I guess I just want to hear peoples opinions and if they have had good experiences with medication. My exposure therapy worked, but it seems so temporary- like I started taking the train, but if I don't take it in a while, the anxiety comes back.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you !

[em1]

Hello there,first let me say well done in how far you have come,medication can help some and not others and I think you have to get your dose and what one your on to feel right for you :)
I was on setraline 50mg for a year.it worked amazing for me and if I ever needed to go back on it again I would no problem.
Sometimes there's such a stigma with going on anything.

There will always be people for it and others that are not.
I think it's a personal choice
Talk to your GP about it and take time to think it over for you
I wish you luck:)

[gypsylee]

Hello there :)

Well I've been on pretty much every "anti-anxiety" medication under the sun.

I've found the SSRIs to be the best long-term but to be honest I don't think there's any medication that's really effective for anxiety (long-term).

The benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax etc) are the most effective by far in my opinion, but there's the problem of addiction and if you take them regularly for long enough they actually make you more anxious.

But really it's not like there's any medication that will make the anxiety completely go away in the long-term. I stay on an SSRI (Lexapro) mainly because I don't want to have to go through the initial side effects again if I have another breakdown. I find non-medical approaches (such as CBT and facing fears) are far more effective.

All the best..
Gypsy x

[lilyjane90]

Hello there,first let me say well done in how far you have come,medication can help some and not others and I think you have to get your dose and what one your on to feel right for you :)
I was on setraline 50mg for a year.it worked amazing for me and if I ever needed to go back on it again I would no problem.
Sometimes there's such a stigma with going on anything.

There will always be people for it and others that are not.
I think it's a personal choice
Talk to your GP about it and take time to think it over for you
I wish you luck:)

Thanks for your reply! Can I ask why and how you stopped taking it? I think my biggest concern is being dependent on something and not getting to the root of the problem, but i want to use meds temporarily to make the bigger things easier to handle!

[lilyjane90]

Hello there :)

Well I've been on pretty much every "anti-anxiety" medication under the sun.

I've found the SSRIs to be the best long-term but to be honest I don't think there's any medication that's really effective for anxiety (long-term).

The benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax etc) are the most effective by far in my opinion, but there's the problem of addiction and if you take them regularly for long enough they actually make you more anxious.

But really it's not like there's any medication that will make the anxiety completely go away in the long-term. I stay on an SSRI (Lexapro) mainly because I don't want to have to go through the initial side effects again if I have another breakdown. I find non-medical approaches (such as CBT and facing fears) are far more effective.

All the best..
Gypsy x

Thank you for replying. I agree about the long term. CBT has helped me get my life into a manageable state, but now I want to live a life that doesn't involve using all of my mental energy to apply CBT techniques to daily activities in order to do them, as I still struggle often despite regular exposure therapy

thanks for sharing your opinion :)

[em1]

Thanks for your reply! Can I ask why and how you stopped taking it? I think my biggest concern is being dependent on something and not getting to the root of the problem, but i want to use meds temporarily to make the bigger things easier to handle!

I was on mine for one year and when I felt I no longer needed it I went to my GP(doctor) as said i am ready to come off the Meds and I had to cut down the dose by half and so on
I found coming off them ok,I had what felt like brain zaps but that was it and the did not last that long

[Two One]

You should be proud of how far you've come without medication. I understand your perspective though, although therapy has helped me greatly as well, there are certain situations that still cause a lot of anxiety for me. Assuming the anxiety is situational for you your best bet is to get a prescription for a benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines are by far the most effective drugs in relieving anxiety. The addiction and dependence risk is not an issue as long as you take them as directed. You also want to be on a benzodiapine with a long half-life as it will be more effective. So, either Valium or Klonopin.

I've been on 0.5 mg of Klonopin since July on an as needed basis. It still works just as well as the first time I took it. I don't feel over-sedated or have any side effects. I have not felt a need or urge to abuse it and I have not built up a tolerance to it. It works wonders with how well it calms me down.

[superchick22684]

Hello there. Thought I'd throw in my two cents. Last fall I started taking meds again after being off for 7 years (mostly because I didn't have insurance) and attending therapy again. First time around I was on meds for about a year and was prescribed three different antidepressants (had to switch twice due to them either being ineffective or issues with insurance).
Right now I'm prescribed 60 mg of Cymbalta (extended release) and 10 mgs of Buspirone (taken three times a day) for my panic disorder and depression. I'm continuing to go to therapy and utilizing yoga, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation to deal with any anxiety that comes up. I pretty much view my meds as one of the tools that I have that allows me to go about my life normally. I've only been on the buspirone a little over a month and a half but have seen a huge difference in my anxiety and depression.
I can relate to some of the situations that you've mentioned like eating in restaurants causing anxiety and backing out of making plans with people. Prior to beginning meds it was nearly impossible for me to eat out at a restaurant by myself because it caused me terrible anxiety. I still get a little uncomfortable sometimes but don't look at eating out alone as terrifying anymore. I'm still working on not backing out of making plans with people. Sometimes my anxiety flares up and I feel much better just staying at home.
Not sure if this was helpful or not. Best of luck to you.

[BrookeLynnnn]

Hi there!! Back in February, I developed agoraphobia also. After years of just regular anxiety & panic attacks. The agoraphobia had a hold on my life & I couldn't handle it. I got on meds.. I was taking 40mgs of Paxil (Paroxetine) & .25 of xanax as needed which was only when I went out of town. For me, the meds saved my life. I was just one of the people who couldn't handle things without the meds.. I've been off everything for about 2 months due to becoming pregnant. I plan on going back on meds once I deliver because the anxiety is now back full force. The only problem with paxil is I gained 20 lbs in about a year. Good luck!! I know it isn't easy

[lilyjane90]

You should be proud of how far you've come without medication. I understand your perspective though, although therapy has helped me greatly as well, there are certain situations that still cause a lot of anxiety for me. Assuming the anxiety is situational for you your best bet is to get a prescription for a benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines are by far the most effective drugs in relieving anxiety. The addiction and dependence risk is not an issue as long as you take them as directed. You also want to be on a benzodiapine with a long half-life as it will be more effective. So, either Valium or Klonopin.

I've been on 0.5 mg of Klonopin since July on an as needed basis. It still works just as well as the first time I took it. I don't feel over-sedated or have any side effects. I have not felt a need or urge to abuse it and I have not built up a tolerance to it. It works wonders with how well it calms me down.

Thank you. Sometimes I have to remind myself to be proud of how far I've come- the CBT therapist did say it's common for us anxiety sufferers to do 'catastrophic' and 'black and white thinking' where everything is bad, and how I would often overlook the positive things I was doing to fight the anxiety!

I was prescribed Xanax for a flight about six years ago, at the start of my anxiety, but it sadly did nothing for me and I missed the flight. I think I will book an appointment with my GP and see about another benzodiazepine though.

Thanks for replying :)

[lilyjane90]

Hello there. Thought I'd throw in my two cents. Last fall I started taking meds again after being off for 7 years (mostly because I didn't have insurance) and attending therapy again. First time around I was on meds for about a year and was prescribed three different antidepressants (had to switch twice due to them either being ineffective or issues with insurance).
Right now I'm prescribed 60 mg of Cymbalta (extended release) and 10 mgs of Buspirone (taken three times a day) for my panic disorder and depression. I'm continuing to go to therapy and utilizing yoga, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation to deal with any anxiety that comes up. I pretty much view my meds as one of the tools that I have that allows me to go about my life normally. I've only been on the buspirone a little over a month and a half but have seen a huge difference in my anxiety and depression.
I can relate to some of the situations that you've mentioned like eating in restaurants causing anxiety and backing out of making plans with people. Prior to beginning meds it was nearly impossible for me to eat out at a restaurant by myself because it caused me terrible anxiety. I still get a little uncomfortable sometimes but don't look at eating out alone as terrifying anymore. I'm still working on not backing out of making plans with people. Sometimes my anxiety flares up and I feel much better just staying at home.
Not sure if this was helpful or not. Best of luck to you.

That's a good way to look at it. I've also tried utilising things like yoga etc to deal with anxiety.

It sounds like the meds work really well for you- I'm going to try to have an in-depth chat with my GP although they are usually rushing to get you in and out as quickly as possible at my local GP so an in-depth chat is usually difficult to find!

[lilyjane90]

Hi there!! Back in February, I developed agoraphobia also. After years of just regular anxiety & panic attacks. The agoraphobia had a hold on my life & I couldn't handle it. I got on meds.. I was taking 40mgs of Paxil (Paroxetine) & .25 of xanax as needed which was only when I went out of town. For me, the meds saved my life. I was just one of the people who couldn't handle things without the meds.. I've been off everything for about 2 months due to becoming pregnant. I plan on going back on meds once I deliver because the anxiety is now back full force. The only problem with paxil is I gained 20 lbs in about a year. Good luck!! I know it isn't easy

Thanks for replying. Sounds like the meds really work for you - I guess I just feel strange about taking them because I'm so much better than I used to be, it feels almost like I'm taking a step back, but I think I'm viewing taking meds in the wrong way and need to think of them more positively

Thanks for replying. I hope you manage okay with the anxiety during your pregnancy!

[Emilym80]

Hi guys.

Basically I need a bit of advice regarding anti-anxiety medication. About a year and a half ago I went through pretty severe agoraphobia and I was constantly anxious. I ended up having CBT which helped me SO much, and now I'm back at a full time job and have a relatively acceptable social life, despite not fully enjoying going anywhere too far from home.

I've started thinking about anti-anxiety medication. CBT did me so much good, but I still find myself to be anxious quite often- I can't make solid plans as I just think that I will end up having to back out, and recently I've gotten panicky again about eating in restaurants, and even had a panic attack on a date with my boyfriend and ended up throwing up which was really embarrassing. I'm worried it is going to affect my relationship and send me back into agoraphobia.

At my current age (23) a lot of my friends are going away travelling and really enjoying life. I would love to be able to travel so much, but going on a plane is a total no-go. Sometimes I ask my closest friends to go on a flight with me, but they all say no, because they just think I will back out at the airport and waste their money. I want to do it as part of 'exposure therapy', but then when it actually comes down to it, the panic sets in and i give up.

I don't know how anti-anxiety meds work. I've been prescribed paroxetine in the past but not taken it, as I was due to start my CBT then and didn't want to mix the two. If it's purely psychological, my fear of having a panic attack while away from my safe place, then how can the medication help? I'm also worried about becoming dependent on them forever, never finding a real cure for the anxiety, and also I read about how paroxetine can increase risks of self-harm and suicidal thoughts in those prone to self harm. As someone who self harms (albeit rarely) should my GP really have prescribed it to me?

I guess I just want to hear peoples opinions and if they have had good experiences with medication. My exposure therapy worked, but it seems so temporary- like I started taking the train, but if I don't take it in a while, the anxiety comes back.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you !

I think maybe, if you feel you need it, it would be helpful to take some form of medication so that you can resume your therapy and work on strategies to manage your panic without having to deal with the actual anxiety at the same time; maybe that could make it easier?

As far as I know, any antidepressant or medication that alters the brain chemistry has a very small chance of causing suicidal ideation, but this is experienced almost exclusively by adolescents who take them.

I personally took lexapro for 5 days and had to stop as it was exacerbating my asthma and even after such a short amount of time it was already helping me feel less anxious and worry less about everything. It was probably the placebo effect, but who cares! It worked.

It might be worth seeing a psychiatrist just once or twice if you're really concerned about taking medication to see what they say (if it's feasible). If not, if you're feeling like things are getting a bit overwhelming the medication could help you get back on track; but only take it if you want to.

Either way, best of luck :)

[lilyjane90]

I think maybe, if you feel you need it, it would be helpful to take some form of medication so that you can resume your therapy and work on strategies to manage your panic without having to deal with the actual anxiety at the same time; maybe that could make it easier?

As far as I know, any antidepressant or medication that alters the brain chemistry has a very small chance of causing suicidal ideation, but this is experienced almost exclusively by adolescents who take them.

I personally took lexapro for 5 days and had to stop as it was exacerbating my asthma and even after such a short amount of time it was already helping me feel less anxious and worry less about everything. It was probably the placebo effect, but who cares! It worked.

It might be worth seeing a psychiatrist just once or twice if you're really concerned about taking medication to see what they say (if it's feasible). If not, if you're feeling like things are getting a bit overwhelming the medication could help you get back on track; but only take it if you want to.

Either way, best of luck :)

Thank for for clarifying that. I guess I just got worried that my GP wasn't considering all of the facts when he prescribed me paroxetine without asking about my history of self harm.

Thank you :)