The Basics of Medication for Anxiety

[bhamlaxy]

Just wanted to post a few simple tips I think would be helpful for people thinking of using medication or who have questions. If it would be helpful to sticky this, please do. And if you believe any corrections need to be made let me know. I'm not a doctor, and these are just tips I believe would be beneficial. Medication has brought me back from the brink, allowing me to live a productive and normal life while working on my issues with my therapist.

Medication isn't for everyone, but it can help many people. If you are struggling to live a normal life, experience serious anxiety or panic attacks, and aren't finding relief through things like meditation, therapy, relaxation techniques, exercise, proper diet, etc., then medication can be the key to balancing your life, stabilizing things, and allowing you to reduce your anxiety to focus on true healing.

Before I start I just wanted to define the two major types of drugs used to treat anxiety.

Benzodiazepine- Benzo for short. These are fast acting drugs that are used to treat anxiety or panic attacks quickly and effectively. They can go into effect within 15 minutes to an hour of taking it, depending on the drug. The effects are quick and pronounced, producing a sense of calm. The correct dose is usually enough to firmly knock the edge off of steady anxiety, or pull you out of a panic attack. The most common side effect is drowsiness. Ideally, they should be used as needed, but many find they need them daily. Taking increasingly large amounts for a long period of time (months) can lead to addiction and tolerance, requiring more to get the same effect. If taken for an extended period of time, the use of them must be slowly reduced to avoid withdrawal symptoms. The most common benzos are Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Klonopin and Valium.

SSRI- Stands for Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor. While technically an "antidepressant", they are very commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. These take weeks, even up to a month or two depending on the drug, to begin seeing any positive effects. The drug takes time to build up in your system, but ideally will lower your overall anxiety. These are often prescribed with a benzo that you continue to take as needed, and can reduce as the SSRI begins to take effect. There are many possible side effects, and they vary widely based on the drug. Many can slightly interrupt your sleep or raise your anxiety at the beginning. Sexual side effects are also reported, ranging from lowered sex drive to increased difficulty in achieving orgasm. When used for a long period of time, they must be slowly tapered down to reduce withdrawal effects. The most common SSRI's are Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa and Prozac.

1. Don't be afraid of taking medication
It can be easy for the thought of medication to add to anxiety. The idea of taking a drug that will alter how you function and put you into some form altered state can be very disturbing. Don't be afraid. These medications were made specifically to work on anxiety, and are taken by millions of people around the world. It can and will help, and side effects can be minimized by following these tips.

2. If you can, meet with a psychiatrist instead of a general practitioner.
Often times normal doctors don't know very much about drugs for anxiety, and will not approach it correctly. I spoke with an individual here whose general practitioner simply prescribed her 1mg of Klonopin, 3 times daily. This was several times higher than it should have been, and in a few months she was horribly addicted. Psychiatrists are experienced with these drugs, and know how to start and stop them safely, as well as which drugs work the best. If money is tight, call around for a psychiatrist that offers a sliding scale. Normal doctors (and urgent care clinics) should only be used for small amounts of a benzo in an emergency or for a specific instance (ie a flight).

3. ALWAYS combine medication with therapy
Medication is a bandaid and will simply cover up the symptoms. While incredibly useful for being able to return to living a functional life, they will not address the symptoms, and the end goal is to be able to live normally without medication. Aggressively pursue therapy until you no longer need medication.

4. Benzos for short term relief, SSRI for long term
Some people need benzos for long term, but ideally you do not want to stay on a daily dose for an extended period of time as addiction and tolerance can set in within a few months and withdrawal can be painful. The standard medication plan involves starting an SSRI with a benzo on hand. You may need the benzo daily for the first few weeks, but as the SSRI kicks in you will need it less and less, only for when panic is very serious.

5. Start low and slow
With benzos, try and find the lowest effective dose and stick to it. For me, I found .5mg of ativan, a relatively small dose, was enough to provide relief for hours. There were only one or two occasions where I found 1mg to be necessary. Do your best to not increase the dose, but do it if necessary.

For SSRI's, the very beginning is when side effects are most pronounced. An inexperienced doctor may start you at the target dose. This is what produces heavy side effects and should be avoided. Slowly work your way up to a heavier dose. When I started lexapro, I did a week at 5mg, 3 weeks at 10mg, then topped out at 15mg and started to feel relief. I experienced very minimal side effects. Slowly introducing it to your body will reduce side effects.

6. When ready, slowly reduce the dose
If you have been on benzos for an extended period of time, work closely with your doctor to slowly taper off the dose. Do not immediately cease if you have been using them for months. The withdrawal effects can be severe. Slowly reduce your daily dose over a period of weeks (and in extreme cases, months) to slowly wean your body off the drug.

The same goes for SSRI's. It varies depending on the drug, but you will want to slowly teach your body to function without it. Immediately stopping can be a shock to your system, and cause "rebound anxiety". Slowly reduce the dose over a long period of time.

7. Discuss methods to reduce side effects with your doctor
In addition to starting low and slow, there are many ways to reduce side effects. Depending on the drug, taking it with or without food can be helpful with nausea or other stomach issues. Taking it before bed can largely eliminate side effects.

8. If you experience side effects, work to manage them and understand they will go away
Side effects often only last for a few days, or weeks at the most. It is simply your body getting adjusted to the drug. What you experience will dissipate quickly. Do your best to power through the rough days at the beginning (if it happens to you) and get to a point where the side effects go away.

9. Depending on your type of anxiety, do NOT research the drug or read side effect lists
Those with health related anxiety or certain types of anxiety should avoid researching reviews of the drug or reading side effect lists AT ALL COSTS. All it will do is add to your anxiety as you imagine yourself having extreme side effects. Every drug has a handful of bad reactions and extreme side effects, but these happen in EXTREMELY rare cases, almost all when not using these tips (like starting low and slow), or coming off of them immediately. Ask your doctor questions, but do NOT go online and end up scaring yourself by irrationally focusing on the most extreme, unlikely scenarios.

That being said, for some people online reviews may help. I remember reading some reviews for Lexapro right after being prescribed it, and feeling an immediate sense of relief after reading several rave reviews in a row. I was able to ignore the one or two bad reviews citing extremely unlikely effects. Only do this if you are sure you will be able to do the same- if you have the slightest thought that it may increase your anxiety, DON'T!

10. Work closely with your doctor
Ask any questions that come up. Get as comfortable as possible with them. Call if you have questions.

11. Don't be embarrassed
Tens of millions of people around the world need medication at some point to level out. We live in an incredibly stressful world and it can be tough.

Let me know if you have any questions, changes, or tips you think should be added. I wanted to share this because of the enormously positive impact the responsible use of medication has had on my life.

[ekennedy]

Thanks for the information. Have you heard any good stories about cymbalta? My dr prescribed me that for anxiety and I'm scared to take it.

[10x10]

I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist over a GP any day of the week. I actually had a GP Google a drug in front of me. Psychiatrists can be expensive - but definitely worth paying the money for peace of mind!

[alankay]

Good info on anxiety meds and don't forget betablockers for perfomance/social anxiety. Also they use some other drugs off label like atarax and lyrica but not as commonly as the ones you listed. Good info.!!! Like me(I hope) it looks like you know your stuff.:)
Thanks for posting for other to read. Alankay

[bhamlaxy]

Thanks for the information. Have you heard any good stories about cymbalta? My dr prescribed me that for anxiety and I'm scared to take it.
Don't be scared- just slowly increase the dose so your body gets used to it.

A website that provides drug reviews shows Cymbalta has very good reviews for anxiety. Of the 96 reviews, about 80% of them are on the very positive side. Reading through them and there are some RAVE reviews about how it has completely changed people's lives and gotten rid of their anxiety.

I was nervous to start taking meds too. But once I heard the crazy good reviews, I was almost excited to take them each night- every day you will get closer and closer to stability.


Good info on anxiety meds and don't forget betablockers for perfomance/social anxiety. Also they use some other drugs off label like atarax and lyrica but not as commonly as the ones you listed. Good info.!!! Like me(I hope) it looks like you know your stuff.
Thanks for posting for other to read. Alankay
Thanks. You have definitely been a huge help on here, and for me as well since we have taken similar drugs. I can look into working something in about betablockers. Thanks

[bhamlaxy]

Any chance we can get this stickied?

[yesIcan]

Thanks for the info.

[bhamlaxy]

Bump to the top

[chrisz]

Some of the above information is not factual and is just a opinion of the author. My anxiety stems from a defective Gene. I can never stop taking medication. I have been taking Xanax since it was invented without any tolerance issues. If it were not for Xanax I would probably be dead. I have severe Panic Disorder. My doctors all tell me they do not know where these anxiety and severe chronic depression comes from. Even the drug manufacturers are not sure how the medications work. They state that on their packaging infomation. I would hate for some one to come here a read information that is not true and proceed to suffer the rest of their life because of it. Do your own research. You will see. There are things about this disease that a very controversal. For someone to present it as FACT is doing a major injustice to those of us that are suffering.

[MeToo]

Which medications are best at controlling the physical manifestations of anxiety? ie the knotted up stomach, intestinal upsets, chest tightness, shallow breathing, rapid heartbeat? I know most of my anxious/paranoid thoughts are irrational, unreasonable and ridiculous but I can still get worked into a tizz and feel like the body is acting independently of the brain, my body won't listen to my commands to relax sometimes. I can also get quite exciteable, "hyped up" or just generally worked up and flustered and get a feeling of being rushed.(think Basil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers).

I don't drink anything with caffeine in it, and I've tried slashing my sugar intake but after 2 months I've seen no noticeable change.
I've tried CBT some years ago, buit it doesn't help at all with the physical side of things, so any ideas of what is the best medication for this? I also have mild astham so I guess that rules out Beta blockers?

[bossdream]

By Dr. Manuel J Sanchez Our bodies have specific nutritional requirements that need to be met in order for us to be healthy. For example, we need minerals like iron in order to form hemoglobin, a substance that is found in red blood cells that allows oxygen to be transported to all our cells. Vitamins are also essential substances that are needed to perform diverse functions in our bodies. A healthy diet will include fruits and vegetables loaded with vitamins in order to supply the demands of our bodies. Some vitamins do not need to be consumed because they can be manufactured by our bodies like vitamin D.

There are 13 essential vitamins that we need in our bodies and each has its own function. Vitamin A is needed to form metabolite, a substance that is needed in our eyes in order to have good night and color vision. Vitamin A in its diverse forms is contained in carrots, broccoli, leafy vegetables, eggs, milk, and other foods. Vitamin C is needed to perform many important metabolic reactions in the body and it has been proven to prevent scurvy, a rare condition that is characterized by bleeding of the gums, and sometimes bleeding of the skin, and bleeding in the eye. There a popular belief that vitamin C helps to reduce the chances of acquiring the common cold, this has not been proven yet, however it does help your body in many ways, including the immune system. Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe and other fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin D is a really important vitamin that can be produced by our bodies when we are exposed to the sun. This way of obtaining vitamin D can be considered unsafe if the exposure is prolonged because of the danger involved by the exposure to UV light (which can cause skin cancer, photo-aging, melanoma if not protected properly) vitamin D can also be obtained from fortified foods and vitamin supplements. Another disadvantage of obtaining vitamin D by the exposure to the sun, is that we might not the amount that we actually need. Vitamin D is linked with the proper absorption of calcium in our bones and prevents rickets in little children. Research involving vitamin D is being done and the future holds many possibilities of learning the connections vitamin D has with heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions.

Vitamin K is linked with the manufacture of proteins required for blood clotting. Sources of vitamin K include cauliflower, spinach, soybeans, and cereals.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and is related to immune response as well. Sources of vitamin E include nuts, seeds, asparagus, spinach, asparagus, and corn. There are many types of B vitamins and their main purpose is to keep the skin healthy, to produce red blood cells, and to metabolize carbohydrates and proteins. Sources of vitamin B include dairy products, nuts, eggs, legumes, cereals, lean meats, etc.

We see that the thing that vitamins have in common is that most of them can be found in many fruits and vegetables. So to keep a healthy body we have to consume vegetables and fruits since they are rich in vitamin which as we have examined, perform many vital functions in our bodies. Also look in the labels of the products that you consume to check if they are fortified with the vitamins that you need. Keep in mind that excess vitamins can also harm you so make sure and consult your doctor in case you want to start vitamin supplements and do not what dosages are safe for you.

As a practicing primary care doctor, I do recommend for all my patients to take vitamins on a regular basis because most people don't always eat a healthy diet.

[pindi]

hi you seem vey clued up on anxiety its a great read ive had anxity on and off for around ten years now im having a very bad time at the mo and am struggleing ive tried many meds but the side effects scare me so much i only take them a couple of days then stop i would love to take something as i am not great and hate wot i am its been a year this time and i can say ive only had a few weeks wen i have been ok ive had cbt which helped a bit but then the anxiety creeps up and i cant get rid of it and now ive got very bad tinitus and am in a total mess
how can i ever get better i would value any advice thanks

[kimsmith5607]

Topic of discussion is so good. If you have severe anxiety that’s interfering with your ability to function, medication may be right for you. However, many people use anti-anxiety medication when therapy, exercise, or self-help strategies would work just as well or better minus the side effects and risks.

[jesikahlaine]

Just wanted to post a few simple tips I think would be helpful for people thinking of using medication or who have questions. If it would be helpful to sticky this, please do. And if you believe any corrections need to be made let me know. I'm not a doctor, and these are just tips I believe would be beneficial. Medication has brought me back from the brink, allowing me to live a productive and normal life while working on my issues with my therapist.

Medication isn't for everyone, but it can help many people. If you are struggling to live a normal life, experience serious anxiety or panic attacks, and aren't finding relief through things like meditation, therapy, relaxation techniques, exercise, proper diet, etc., then medication can be the key to balancing your life, stabilizing things, and allowing you to reduce your anxiety to focus on true healing.

Before I start I just wanted to define the two major types of drugs used to treat anxiety.

Benzodiazepine- Benzo for short. These are fast acting drugs that are used to treat anxiety or panic attacks quickly and effectively. They can go into effect within 15 minutes to an hour of taking it, depending on the drug. The effects are quick and pronounced, producing a sense of calm. The correct dose is usually enough to firmly knock the edge off of steady anxiety, or pull you out of a panic attack. The most common side effect is drowsiness. Ideally, they should be used as needed, but many find they need them daily. Taking increasingly large amounts for a long period of time (months) can lead to addiction and tolerance, requiring more to get the same effect. If taken for an extended period of time, the use of them must be slowly reduced to avoid withdrawal symptoms. The most common benzos are Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Klonopin and Valium.

SSRI- Stands for Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor. While technically an "antidepressant", they are very commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. These take weeks, even up to a month or two depending on the drug, to begin seeing any positive effects. The drug takes time to build up in your system, but ideally will lower your overall anxiety. These are often prescribed with a benzo that you continue to take as needed, and can reduce as the SSRI begins to take effect. There are many possible side effects, and they vary widely based on the drug. Many can slightly interrupt your sleep or raise your anxiety at the beginning. Sexual side effects are also reported, ranging from lowered sex drive to increased difficulty in achieving orgasm. When used for a long period of time, they must be slowly tapered down to reduce withdrawal effects. The most common SSRI's are Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa and Prozac.

1. Don't be afraid of taking medication
It can be easy for the thought of medication to add to anxiety. The idea of taking a drug that will alter how you function and put you into some form altered state can be very disturbing. Don't be afraid. These medications were made specifically to work on anxiety, and are taken by millions of people around the world. It can and will help, and side effects can be minimized by following these tips.

2. If you can, meet with a psychiatrist instead of a general practitioner.
Often times normal doctors don't know very much about drugs for anxiety, and will not approach it correctly. I spoke with an individual here whose general practitioner simply prescribed her 1mg of Klonopin, 3 times daily. This was several times higher than it should have been, and in a few months she was horribly addicted. Psychiatrists are experienced with these drugs, and know how to start and stop them safely, as well as which drugs work the best. If money is tight, call around for a psychiatrist that offers a sliding scale. Normal doctors (and urgent care clinics) should only be used for small amounts of a benzo in an emergency or for a specific instance (ie a flight).

3. ALWAYS combine medication with therapy
Medication is a bandaid and will simply cover up the symptoms. While incredibly useful for being able to return to living a functional life, they will not address the symptoms, and the end goal is to be able to live normally without medication. Aggressively pursue therapy until you no longer need medication.

4. Benzos for short term relief, SSRI for long term
Some people need benzos for long term, but ideally you do not want to stay on a daily dose for an extended period of time as addiction and tolerance can set in within a few months and withdrawal can be painful. The standard medication plan involves starting an SSRI with a benzo on hand. You may need the benzo daily for the first few weeks, but as the SSRI kicks in you will need it less and less, only for when panic is very serious.

5. Start low and slow
With benzos, try and find the lowest effective dose and stick to it. For me, I found .5mg of ativan, a relatively small dose, was enough to provide relief for hours. There were only one or two occasions where I found 1mg to be necessary. Do your best to not increase the dose, but do it if necessary.

For SSRI's, the very beginning is when side effects are most pronounced. An inexperienced doctor may start you at the target dose. This is what produces heavy side effects and should be avoided. Slowly work your way up to a heavier dose. When I started lexapro, I did a week at 5mg, 3 weeks at 10mg, then topped out at 15mg and started to feel relief. I experienced very minimal side effects. Slowly introducing it to your body will reduce side effects.

6. When ready, slowly reduce the dose
If you have been on benzos for an extended period of time, work closely with your doctor to slowly taper off the dose. Do not immediately cease if you have been using them for months. The withdrawal effects can be severe. Slowly reduce your daily dose over a period of weeks (and in extreme cases, months) to slowly wean your body off the drug.

The same goes for SSRI's. It varies depending on the drug, but you will want to slowly teach your body to function without it. Immediately stopping can be a shock to your system, and cause "rebound anxiety". Slowly reduce the dose over a long period of time.

7. Discuss methods to reduce side effects with your doctor
In addition to starting low and slow, there are many ways to reduce side effects. Depending on the drug, taking it with or without food can be helpful with nausea or other stomach issues. Taking it before bed can largely eliminate side effects.

8. If you experience side effects, work to manage them and understand they will go away
Side effects often only last for a few days, or weeks at the most. It is simply your body getting adjusted to the drug. What you experience will dissipate quickly. Do your best to power through the rough days at the beginning (if it happens to you) and get to a point where the side effects go away.

9. Depending on your type of anxiety, do NOT research the drug or read side effect lists
Those with health related anxiety or certain types of anxiety should avoid researching reviews of the drug or reading side effect lists AT ALL COSTS. All it will do is add to your anxiety as you imagine yourself having extreme side effects. Every drug has a handful of bad reactions and extreme side effects, but these happen in EXTREMELY rare cases, almost all when not using these tips (like starting low and slow), or coming off of them immediately. Ask your doctor questions, but do NOT go online and end up scaring yourself by irrationally focusing on the most extreme, unlikely scenarios.

That being said, for some people online reviews may help. I remember reading some reviews for Lexapro right after being prescribed it, and feeling an immediate sense of relief after reading several rave reviews in a row. I was able to ignore the one or two bad reviews citing extremely unlikely effects. Only do this if you are sure you will be able to do the same- if you have the slightest thought that it may increase your anxiety, DON'T!

10. Work closely with your doctor
Ask any questions that come up. Get as comfortable as possible with them. Call if you have questions.

11. Don't be embarrassed
Tens of millions of people around the world need medication at some point to level out. We live in an incredibly stressful world and it can be tough.

Let me know if you have any questions, changes, or tips you think should be added. I wanted to share this because of the enormously positive impact the responsible use of medication has had on my life.




Thank u so much for the read. It was all positive & definetly what i needed to read as im looking into taking meds after 4wks of anxiety keeping me holed inside my house x

[Lin]

Thanks very much for the really useful information - really good.

I do not know what SSRIs are except I that I think they are anti depressants, and I know that I have rejected most of them, so having trouble finding one and now on Agomelatine, which is new.

Is diazepam a Benzo? Or what is a Benzo if not like diazepam? I take diazepam regularly now, 8 a day, but have taken others like that before but they made me more jittery and less calm all the time.

I also I wish I knew what "stickied" meant?!

Thanks very much, good to learn!

[Lin]

I should have read original post more clearly I see that SSRIs are anti depressants, and you have explained Benzos too. I am very sorry, but just woken up after a nap because of a bad night - my only excuse for not having read it properly, but I have now!

No need to know what "stickied" means either, I have copied your whole post on the tablets on to a word document so can refer to it in future - thanks very much.

[jolene]

i can remeber being so ill with anxiety that i took myself to the doctors everyday they started me on 10mg citalopram which made my anxiwty worse i was certaini was dying! didnt matter if they done ecg bloods or tried to reasure me it didnt work. they gave me 2 mg after my 6th visit in one week to the doctors demanding i was seen. they took the edge of it but it was still there they also up my dose to 20mg and after about 6 weeks i started to feel a tad better. although i was unable to leave my house for a while, searched the internet and featured on embarrasing bodies as i was fed up of how i felt. they got me cbt which i did find helpful as she learnt me ways of relaxing and calming myself. the more i took these 20mg citalopram the less valium i had to take. i stopped these citalporam about a year n half ago stupid me and now a year n half later im back to been really bad with anxiety again. docs tried me on fluxetine 20mg and i managed 4 days the side effects were unbearable i lost 6lb in 4 days and had a lot of side effects i asked if i could start taking 10mg instaed of 20mg but his reply was thats a baby dose told me to stop and said you cant take anymore tablets cos your guna feel like that with all of them. i had a list of how i felt and he wasnt interested. referred me to talking changes its cbt i think. ive asked if i can be referred to a proper pschologist but they say i dont need one. ive seen 3 different doctors now and all ive getting is bloods took ecg took and referred to a palpataion clinic. none have offered an alternative ssri to take. what does it take for the doctors to actually realise i need a proper doctor who deals with this kind of behaviour. im going to book another appointment with another doctor as i am certain i need to be back on meds! but started low and slow

[jolene]

my bloods and ecg came back fine, today docs have prescribed me trazadone not sure what mg as i pick them up tomorrow, i had to take a 2mg valium today to felt so bad with anxiety

[J19o94y]

I'm really struggle with taking medication I have been prescribed many different types and all of them make me really sick and I always take one and just continuously throw up all day so I'm put off but then get desperate and try again this is an on going cycle? the only type that worked was sertraline but I stopped taking them then tried them again a few months later and had the worst experience with them. I dunno if I have a small phobia as I struggle with swallowing them and hate the idea of them inside me.

[Fight the stress]

Meditation is a great medication, it takes practice, it takes commitment but the benefits are beautiful. Reaching within to conquer these fear and beliefs that we have been living with for so long. Realizing that they are just thoughts that have been embedded into our subconscious minds and that we program ourselves to live with. We are spirally perfect!

[Surfside]

I find Meditation and self talk really help out a lot with my anxiety. I'm not one to to take a lot of medication, these days. My doctor might have me on some new meds, at some point, again so I'll let you know when that times comes.

Right now, I take L-Theanine, Ginseng, and Benadryl in a daily basis. I know these are considered a natural treatment(s). They seem to help, and I didn't need my doctor to prescribe them, as they are over the counter. Things that work for me, of course, might not work for others.

Please consult with your doctor, before taking anything, if you are already on medication for you anxiety/depression.

[Ambition]

What about beta blockers like propranolol?

[Mike Castillo]

Cymbalta is an amazing med. It can help with anxiety and depression. I been on it for several months.

[amanda1827]

Hi as an Anxiety suffer at the moment I am sooooooooo scared of a forthcoming op that I have left it too late for any meds to work I am on Inderal LA 80 MG twice a day these are beta blockers. I have been on them for years. I am in need of advise Regards Amandah

[PurpleStarGirl]

I always research before deciding what needs to be done...probably doesn't help my hypochondriacal fears. Lol. But thanks for the info.

[JosephNgPublishing]

I take 30 milligrams of mirtazapine daily. It helped over the last few years stabilize my mental state to bring me out of depression and severe social anxiety disorder and sever generalized anxiety disorder. I have tried with venlaxafine and atavan but both those prescriptions were too strong for me, with undesirable side effects that made daily function impossible. I eventually would not like to be on any prescription meds so I experiment a lot with green drinks, fish oils cannabis and other natural supplements. Thoughts on any of this?

[James Waide]

I found a natural remedy for Anxiety it's called the Natural Pen
1671

[James Waide]

I found a natural remedy for Anxiety it is called the Natural Pen
1673

[heyziejo]

Thankyou for this information, helped me a great deal with my new medication, oh an by the way, I did try post 2 posts in the welcome forum but for some reason each time it just booted me and I lost everything I wrote twice..........sorry, I'll try again when I'm positive it will work....

[CantTalkSober]

Really helpful post, good job!

[Eyeloverock]

Thanks for this post! I have been taking a quarter MG twice a day for 8 months. I have decided to start weaning myself and I want to try Rhodiola Rosea to help with withdraw symptoms. Does anyone know if you can take these 2 simultaneously?

[jlibertyra]

I thought the same - initially was told no by my PCP, but then asked my psychiatrist about it because an NP had prescribed them in college and I'd had no issues. It took me twice bringing it up with the psychiatrist but the second time he agreed to try them b/c I have very med resistant anxiety/cannot take SSRI/SNRIs basically at all. We started as needed at 10mg of inderal with a solemnly swear promise to tell him if it kicked up my asthma at all. Same weekend started had an anxiety attack 2 hours before a scheduled hike in cold weather. Took meds, then hiked and if anything was going to flare up my lungs the hiking would have. Nothing. In the two months since we're up to 30mg divided over 3 doses/day regularly not as needed. Its really helping. Finding a doctor who is willing to listen, trust you to not exacerbate another condition and try it seems to be the key.


Which medications are best at controlling the physical manifestations of anxiety? ie the knotted up stomach, intestinal upsets, chest tightness, shallow breathing, rapid heartbeat? I know most of my anxious/paranoid thoughts are irrational, unreasonable and ridiculous but I can still get worked into a tizz and feel like the body is acting independently of the brain, my body won't listen to my commands to relax sometimes. I can also get quite exciteable, "hyped up" or just generally worked up and flustered and get a feeling of being rushed.(think Basil Fawlty from Fawlty Towers).

I don't drink anything with caffeine in it, and I've tried slashing my sugar intake but after 2 months I've seen no noticeable change.
I've tried CBT some years ago, buit it doesn't help at all with the physical side of things, so any ideas of what is the best medication for this? I also have mild astham so I guess that rules out Beta blockers?

[Choule]

thank you this helped me some im right now experiencing side effects to vraylar in my first week going on second week..

[Laura Ertel]

Thank you for the helpful information. I have suffered from anxiety for the past four years and have tried a plethora of different medications, but the only medication that seems to work is cannabis. Unfortunately, cannabis sometimes gives me anxiety while other times it helps. Is there anything out there that I can try? Thank you.

[Bjursten]

Thank you for the helpful information. I have suffered from anxiety for the past four years and have tried a plethora of different medications, but the only medication that seems to work is cannabis. Unfortunately, cannabis sometimes gives me anxiety while other times it helps. Is there anything out there that I can try? Thank you.

Well you have to let us know which class of medications you have tried first...

Have you tried SSRIs (Prozac, Lexapro), SNRIs (Wellbutrin), TCAs (Remeron), Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin), other GABAergics (phenibut, pregabalin, gabapentin, alcohol), atypical antihistamines (Hydroxyzine), others (Buspar), etc...

[Logan Roland]

Thank you for the helpful information. I have suffered from anxiety for the past four years and have tried a plethora of different medications, but the only medication that seems to work is cannabis. Unfortunately, cannabis sometimes gives me anxiety while other times it helps. Is there anything out there that I can try? Thank you.

I have smoked cannabis since junior year of high school and over the past year I noticed my anxiety getting worse. So I did some research and actually had a friend refer me to this cannabis company called Quanta. They only sell cannabis vape products but after trying I noticed that I was getting the same results but without any anxiety. Not sure if it's just me but worth a try!

[Bjursten]

I have smoked cannabis since junior year of high school and over the past year I noticed my anxiety getting worse. So I did some research and actually had a friend refer me to this cannabis company called Quanta. They only sell cannabis vape products but after trying I noticed that I was getting the same results but without any anxiety. Not sure if it's just me but worth a try!

Hmm so I did some looking in this company - they aren't selling anything. This is probably a shill post...

I just love it when a company is so dumb they claim "Originally used in creating cures for cancer and HIV" NEWS FLASH - there's no cure for either Cancer or HIV yet...

Laura Ertel - cannabis is potently anxiogenic for most people, I'd recommend quitting. Although if cannabis does work, good for you and keep with it, but I doubt any of us here will be able to give you any real helpful pointers. It's also still illegal for the majority of us here, so keep that in mind.

[Ponder]

Just wanted to post a few simple tips I think would be helpful for people thinking of using medication or who have questions. If it would be helpful to sticky this, please do. And if you believe any corrections need to be made let me know. I'm not a doctor, and these are just tips I believe would be beneficial. Medication has brought me back from the brink, allowing me to live a productive and normal life while working on my issues with my therapist.

Medication isn't for everyone, but it can help many people. If you are struggling to live a normal life, experience serious anxiety or panic attacks, and aren't finding relief through things like meditation, therapy, relaxation techniques, exercise, proper diet, etc., then medication can be the key to balancing your life, stabilizing things, and allowing you to reduce your anxiety to focus on true healing.

Before I start I just wanted to define the two major types of drugs used to treat anxiety.

Benzodiazepine- Benzo for short. These are fast acting drugs that are used to treat anxiety or panic attacks quickly and effectively. They can go into effect within 15 minutes to an hour of taking it, depending on the drug. The effects are quick and pronounced, producing a sense of calm. The correct dose is usually enough to firmly knock the edge off of steady anxiety, or pull you out of a panic attack. The most common side effect is drowsiness. Ideally, they should be used as needed, but many find they need them daily. Taking increasingly large amounts for a long period of time (months) can lead to addiction and tolerance, requiring more to get the same effect. If taken for an extended period of time, the use of them must be slowly reduced to avoid withdrawal symptoms. The most common benzos are Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Klonopin and Valium.

SSRI- Stands for Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor. While technically an "antidepressant", they are very commonly used to treat anxiety disorders. These take weeks, even up to a month or two depending on the drug, to begin seeing any positive effects. The drug takes time to build up in your system, but ideally will lower your overall anxiety. These are often prescribed with a benzo that you continue to take as needed, and can reduce as the SSRI begins to take effect. There are many possible side effects, and they vary widely based on the drug. Many can slightly interrupt your sleep or raise your anxiety at the beginning. Sexual side effects are also reported, ranging from lowered sex drive to increased difficulty in achieving orgasm. When used for a long period of time, they must be slowly tapered down to reduce withdrawal effects. The most common SSRI's are Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa and Prozac.

1. Don't be afraid of taking medication
It can be easy for the thought of medication to add to anxiety. The idea of taking a drug that will alter how you function and put you into some form altered state can be very disturbing. Don't be afraid. These medications were made specifically to work on anxiety, and are taken by millions of people around the world. It can and will help, and side effects can be minimized by following these tips.

2. If you can, meet with a psychiatrist instead of a general practitioner.
Often times normal doctors don't know very much about drugs for anxiety, and will not approach it correctly. I spoke with an individual here whose general practitioner simply prescribed her 1mg of Klonopin, 3 times daily. This was several times higher than it should have been, and in a few months she was horribly addicted. Psychiatrists are experienced with these drugs, and know how to start and stop them safely, as well as which drugs work the best. If money is tight, call around for a psychiatrist that offers a sliding scale. Normal doctors (and urgent care clinics) should only be used for small amounts of a benzo in an emergency or for a specific instance (ie a flight).

3. ALWAYS combine medication with therapy
Medication is a bandaid and will simply cover up the symptoms. While incredibly useful for being able to return to living a functional life, they will not address the symptoms, and the end goal is to be able to live normally without medication. Aggressively pursue therapy until you no longer need medication.

4. Benzos for short term relief, SSRI for long term
Some people need benzos for long term, but ideally you do not want to stay on a daily dose for an extended period of time as addiction and tolerance can set in within a few months and withdrawal can be painful. The standard medication plan involves starting an SSRI with a benzo on hand. You may need the benzo daily for the first few weeks, but as the SSRI kicks in you will need it less and less, only for when panic is very serious.

5. Start low and slow
With benzos, try and find the lowest effective dose and stick to it. For me, I found .5mg of ativan, a relatively small dose, was enough to provide relief for hours. There were only one or two occasions where I found 1mg to be necessary. Do your best to not increase the dose, but do it if necessary.

For SSRI's, the very beginning is when side effects are most pronounced. An inexperienced doctor may start you at the target dose. This is what produces heavy side effects and should be avoided. Slowly work your way up to a heavier dose. When I started lexapro, I did a week at 5mg, 3 weeks at 10mg, then topped out at 15mg and started to feel relief. I experienced very minimal side effects. Slowly introducing it to your body will reduce side effects.

6. When ready, slowly reduce the dose
If you have been on benzos for an extended period of time, work closely with your doctor to slowly taper off the dose. Do not immediately cease if you have been using them for months. The withdrawal effects can be severe. Slowly reduce your daily dose over a period of weeks (and in extreme cases, months) to slowly wean your body off the drug.

The same goes for SSRI's. It varies depending on the drug, but you will want to slowly teach your body to function without it. Immediately stopping can be a shock to your system, and cause "rebound anxiety". Slowly reduce the dose over a long period of time.

7. Discuss methods to reduce side effects with your doctor
In addition to starting low and slow, there are many ways to reduce side effects. Depending on the drug, taking it with or without food can be helpful with nausea or other stomach issues. Taking it before bed can largely eliminate side effects.

8. If you experience side effects, work to manage them and understand they will go away
Side effects often only last for a few days, or weeks at the most. It is simply your body getting adjusted to the drug. What you experience will dissipate quickly. Do your best to power through the rough days at the beginning (if it happens to you) and get to a point where the side effects go away.

9. Depending on your type of anxiety, do NOT research the drug or read side effect lists
Those with health related anxiety or certain types of anxiety should avoid researching reviews of the drug or reading side effect lists AT ALL COSTS. All it will do is add to your anxiety as you imagine yourself having extreme side effects. Every drug has a handful of bad reactions and extreme side effects, but these happen in EXTREMELY rare cases, almost all when not using these tips (like starting low and slow), or coming off of them immediately. Ask your doctor questions, but do NOT go online and end up scaring yourself by irrationally focusing on the most extreme, unlikely scenarios.

That being said, for some people online reviews may help. I remember reading some reviews for Lexapro right after being prescribed it, and feeling an immediate sense of relief after reading several rave reviews in a row. I was able to ignore the one or two bad reviews citing extremely unlikely effects. Only do this if you are sure you will be able to do the same- if you have the slightest thought that it may increase your anxiety, DON'T!

10. Work closely with your doctor
Ask any questions that come up. Get as comfortable as possible with them. Call if you have questions.

11. Don't be embarrassed
Tens of millions of people around the world need medication at some point to level out. We live in an incredibly stressful world and it can be tough.

Let me know if you have any questions, changes, or tips you think should be added. I wanted to share this because of the enormously positive impact the responsible use of medication has had on my life.

Perhaps some information relating to lifestyle changes considering the admission that our modern life feeds the need. As in addressing appropriate lifestyle changes in conjunction with the psychotherapy that you mentioned. Something like that. More focus on being proactive, but I see you made an effort to include that.

Nice positive breakdown.

As a someone who is bias to medicine I find your post encouraging.

[Bjursten]

Just as a followup to the above post:

There are also other alternatives if you don't want to go with Benzodiazepines or SSRIs.

There's a medication called Buspar (Buspirone) which is commonly used for GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) that is not an SSRI. It works fairly well, worked great for me.

There's also the TCAs (Tricyclic Anti-Depressants) such as Remeron (mirtazapine) that has a much better side-effect profile compared to most SSRIs. It's fairly drowsy compared to stanbdard SSRIs but doesn't come with nearly the risks, despite being a TCA.

I'd highly recommend you ask about both Buspar and Remeron. They are much better in the long term, and have far fewer side effects than SSRIs or Benzos. I'm honestly surprised doctors don't start with these, they're safer, more effective, and less addictive.

[NickNgaruiya]

Thanks for the information.

[Dahila]

they both are good when you do not take any other meds. Even tylenol or advil have pretty serious interaction

[NickNgaruiya]

Thanks for sharing good information.

[EwaGee]

I just wanted to share that I won with anxiety without any medication and I believe that everyone can do it. I had the worst possible side effects after meds. It took few months and by working with my mind and thought- I set myself free <3

[Juny]

Thanks for this good information.

[Timex]

Thank you for the helpful information - I also don't use medication - I use meditation to deal with the symptoms. Thanks again and I'm so glad I found this forum.