Best SSRI for health anxiety?

[noumenalist]

I'm wanting to try the SSRI route again because I had a really bad Ativan-requiring panic attack last night after not needing one for weeks. I've read that the most prescribed for anxiety are Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Prozac. Does anyone take one of these for health anxiety? Is there a preferred drug for health anxiety or do you pretty much need to try them out and see which is best for you? I really don't want to have to go through the initial side effects more than once so I'm really hoping to just choose the winner straight from the get-go!

[Judie]

Well all the SSRI's are effective for health anxiety, given that health anxiety is just obsessive thoughts at work. They will all work at preventing obsessive thoughts. Prozac is a great antidepressant but it takes up to 6 weeks to reach its effectiveness. Celexa works very quickly, often in as little as days. Choosing an antidepressant can be individual as far as side effects. I am not on any SSRI's now and haven't been for five years but I do take daily 2,000 mg of Omega 3 Fish Oil. ( brain vitamins) which truly are very effective. I recommend you use that as an adjunct to any antidepressant you choose. I believe that for me it has worked as effectively as the SSRI's but that is me, not you . I see that many on the Forum are prescribed Celexa ( probably because it is fast acting ) Good Luck !

[noumenalist]

Thanks, Judie. I agrees that the vitamins and fish oils can help too! I've been taking fish oil, magnesium, and a b complex. I'm leaning towards Zoloft because I feel like in general, I've read good things about it. The hardest thing to deal with is the skipped heartbeats. :( I really just hope an SSRI will eventually help with all of the seemingly unbearable physical symptoms.

[jacqui]

Hii also suffer from panic attacks social phobia and anxiety depression. I suffer from tmj disotder. I never relax only when im alone im on dothep and lexotan can u take fish oil while on all these meds its scary. I had lots of reactions to alo of meds can anyone in my situation recomend a n antidrepression that worked for them as the gp said dothep isnot strong enough for me

[scared44]

Hii also suffer from panic attacks social phobia and anxiety depression. I suffer from tmj disotder. I never relax only when im alone im on dothep and lexotan can u take fish oil while on all these meds its scary. I had lots of reactions to alo of meds can anyone in my situation recomend a n antidrepression that worked for them as the gp said dothep isnot strong enough for me

Hi Avanza is a great antidepressant with little to no side effects! Ive been on it for 10yrs now and to me it's a wonder drug (not addictive either)! Hope this helps? Take Care. :-)