Anxiety medication help

[ebarbz]

Hello all. To make this brief, I've been suffering with really bad anxiety for the past 2 years and I'm only 20. It started with panic attacks, and now it seems as though I'm either dying (which I doubt) or I just have chronic anxiety (if that makes sense). For example, for the past few weeks I've been feeling as though I can't get a full breath in, like I have to force myself to breathe...and at times it hurts to take a deep breath.
That being said, my main point of posting a question is for anyone out there to help me figure out what medication I should take.
I'm against most anti-depressants. I tried Paxil and woke up in the middle of the night feeling extremely sick. Lexapro I took in the morning and a few hours later I thought I was going to puke. More recently I've been prescribed Zoloft but I've been hearing so many horror stories about weight gain and loss of desire to have sex that I decided I don't want to take it.
I've taken Xanax before, and it has helped tremendously. However, I was only on it for a short period of time for the obvious reason; so I don't become a crazy addict.
At the moment I'm just taking Klonopin as needed, and it sort of helps; not as much as the Xanax, but it does that the edge off a little. It also makes me a little tired.
All in all...help me!! I just want this breathing problem and all of my other problems with anxiety to be gone, but I don't want to take a medication that's going to make me fat and not want to have sex (or just be extremely nauseous). I know it's a trial-and-error thing but obviously I'm just not having luck with these types of medications.
My doctor did suggest I try possibly Effexor XR, which I've been thinking about since it is in a different class than Zoloft, Paxil, and Lexapro.
Is anyone familiar with taking Wellbutrin for anxiety? Maybe in conjunction with Klonopin as I've heard Wellbutrin may make anxiety worse?
Any input is appreciated!

[Nancy1234]

I have been on both and am currently taking 6 mg of klonapin For me, the wellbutrin just made me more anxious so I had to stop taking it. The klonapin helps, but I have built up a tolerance to it and it is in the same class as xanax. Most of the other medications have made me gain weight which I don't want either. I think Serequel is a good med but it causes weight gain. I agree with the person who suggested therapy to explore the cause of your anxiety since you haven't had it for a long period of time.

[Robbed]

I think Serequel is a good med but it causes weight gain.

Weight gain is the least of your concerns with Seroquel or any other antipsychotic. It seems like lately, there have been ALOT of people here on this forum who have been prescribed antipsychotics (such as Seroquel) for anxiety disorder. I don't know if this is part of a disturbing new trend in medicine (ie prescribing antipsychotics for anxiety disorder). But given the damage that these drugs can do (physically, mentally, AND spiritually), I would HIGHLY recommend you avoid antipsychotics for anxiety disorder. These drugs are only meant to be CONSIDERED for anxiety disorder IF you have tried everything else possible under the sun (including nonpharmaceutical treatments, which are a better way to go than meds in the first place) and they have failed. And I emphasize the word CONSIDERED since the side effects of these drugs can be nearly as bad to worse than the anxiety that you are trying to treat. And unlike mere anxiety symptoms, the damage these drugs can cause can be PERMANENT.

As for Effexor, it is different from Paxil, Lexapro, and Zoloft in that it is an SNRI rather than an SSRI. But in most ways that are relevant, there is actually little difference between an SNRI and SSRI. For instance, the side effect profile is actually quite similar between the two classes of drugs. As an example, the common side effects of weight gain, loss of libido, and brain fog can all be experienced with either an SSRI or SNRI. Of course, a given individual might experience different side effects from each. But this is also true when comparing, say, one SSRI to another.

I have to agree about going the nonpharmaceutical route, though. Yes, I know that everybody who has anxiety disorder wants it gone yesterday. But, as you experienced, the current medications leave much to be desired in terms of both effectiveness and side effects. Furthermore, ANY anxiety medication can be addictive. And none can cure you of anxiety disorder. Only working your way through your anxiety disorder can actually cure you.

[texzen123]

I had panic attacks for about 7 years when I was in my mid 20's. Was panic free for about 5-7 years. I'm 47 now and they have returned since I hyperventilated on a treadmill last year. ANYWAY, I stumbled onto Kolonopin? I wonder where this was 20 years ago! It is the only thing I can take and literally NOT have a panic attack. It's funny, when I take one on a day when I really can't afford a panic attack, I can literally "walk through" any panic symptom or trigger thrown my my. Hope it helps.