Looking for suggestions on medicication w/least side effects

[sunshine09]

I have been suffering from Anxiety and Panic attacks for as long as I can remember and things only seem to get progressively worse over time. I'm feeling pretty hopeless, but I am determined to get control of this and live a fullfilling life. I am avoiding and missing out on some really fun and quality times with family and friends because of my constant worry and panic issues and in turn, this gets me very down.

I'm looking for suggestions on meds that have the least amount of side effects particularly as far as weight gain, night sweats and loss of libido goes.

I have tried Paxil, it worked okay but the side effects were awful - night sweats every night, loss of libido and I gained 35 lbs onto my slender 120 lb figure. Coming off of it was a nightmare and took a few months and in that time I experienced "brain zaps" and nausea.

I also tried Lexapro. The first time it just kind of took the edge off... didn't have too many side effects and wasn't too bad to come off of. However the second time I went to get on Lexapro, it had an adverse reaction from the second day in and after 4-5 days on it I was so anxious/panicky that I was on the verge of checking myself into the hospital. I quit taking it and felt better but my anxiety was still there.

I've also tried Celexa but only for a few months and don't remember any terrible side effects. I'm not sure how well it worked as I was going through hell at that point - bestfriend/brother was in a coma for a month and for the first 3 weeks we were told he would not make it and were told to say our goodbyes. But for the normal ins and outs of life, I'm wondering if anyone has had good experience with it.

So... I would love suggestions. I hate having to take anything and avoid it, but I am at the end of my rope and need to do something.

[Giz]

Unfortunately all of the medications have side effects..
Have you looked into Nutrition?
Anxiety is one of the symptoms of a B vitamin deficiency-particularly B3(Niacin) B6(Pyridoxine) B12(Cyanocobalamin) and Folic Acid. It may not be the source of your problem precisely(there are always other factors), but taking B vitamins is very safe. They are water soluble vitamins and you would need to take huge amounts of them in order to overdose.
The only side effects are Bright yellow urine (riboflavin) and in some cases a mild tingling in the extremities (thats either B5-pantothenic acid, or B6 pyridoxine-I always muddle them up) the tingling only happens if you have an excess of it. Which is unlikely if you are predisposed toward needing more.
When you are stressed your body uses up more B vitamins than usual. And people who are prone to anxiety and depression have a higher need for B vitamins naturally. Which is why nutritional therapy is so beneficial to people with mental health problems.

Minerals are also calming, and taking calcium and magnesium not only benefits your bones, but also your inner tension levels..

B Vitamins are also involved in the process of making energy from food, so taking them can boost your energy levels. So vitamins should be taken early in the day with food. Minerals-as they are calming, should be taken at night, again with food.
And be sure that you vitamins are food source or "naturally sourced". Ask at your local health shop, dont buy them in a chemists (synthetic vitamins are often not as easily absorbed by the body-and will not be available in doses sufficient enough to have the desired effect. Aim for 100mg B3 & B6, 1,000mcg folic acid and 100mcg B12. Calcium and magnesium check to see what they have, the person in the health food shop will be able to guide you to the best they have:))

And be sure that you eat lots of vegetables and whole foods to keep your blood sugar levels even. Fluctuating blood sugar levels, caused by an excess of simple carbohydrates (like sugars) can cause anxiety symptoms too.

Hope that helps, Northstar posted a very informative post on anxiety and natural tips.

Also-Bachs Rescue Remedy is useful for unexpected attacks, 4 drops under the tongue.
Ylang Ylang and Frankincense oils (1 drop of either on a tissue and held to the face) both encourage deep breathing. If you put a drop of lavender with whichever of the two you prefer that will enhance the effect. Please only use one drop of each oil though-as sometimes too much can have the opposite effect!
And its best to go with whichever one you like the smell of most, as this will have more positive psychological effects.
If you want to use them in the bath, put them in some full fat milk, and use either 3 drops frankincense 3 drops lavender or 2 drops ylang ylang and 4 drops lavender-as ylang ylang is quite heady and can cause nausea in high doses!!