Anxiety Meds Experiences?

[EvenStrongerNow]

Abstract, here is my experience so far with Risperdal: https://www.myptsd.com/threads/risperdal.39986/

I so hear you about not tolerating the feeling of being sedated. I am exactly. the same way. I do not like feeling high or anything even remotely similar.

Your description about having no recollection of reactions while taking benzodiazepines is a good indication that you are in the small category of people which experiences a paradoxical reaction. No recollection is also dangerous.

Surprisingly, the risperdal lowered my anxiety to what I feel is a normal level. I didn't want to get rid of anxiety completely, but I also did not want to increase it. Same with other symptoms. I don't want to rid of anything completely. I want a balance. And I wanted to stop dissociating so much so that I can manage any increase in symptoms brought on by symptoms, if that makes sense, better. I wanted to be able to have the choice. I am very happy that I have a neuropsych who listened to me.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Are you looking to treat mental anxiety or physical anxiety? OCD type anxiety? Anxiety linked to depression (anxiety follows depression)? I ask because certain meds are better for certain types of anxiety.

 

[Nanguam Iterum]

I have used venlafaxine for almost a year now, it is a mood stabilizer so it inhibits the neurotransmitter that force you into fight or flight. As well as supplies you with dopamine. For me it helps me out a lot balancing me out. My memory has returned. I am able to study and remember what I read, I don't have outbreaks of rage and can control my anger in public. I have come along way over the last year and this medicine was a miracle for me.

 

[EvenStrongerNow]

Hmm, after posting that, it seems the Risperdal is actually treating the PTSD rather than symptoms of it. The symptoms of it are caused by the PTSD. I think the (fragmentation and dissociation)--trauma, was causing the increased (anxiety, depression, ocd tendencies etc)--probably some kind of avoidance or maladaptive coping mechanisms, but I view being triggered as a form of the repressed aspects of trauma.

 

[Abstract]

@Solara I'm not even sure at this point. Thought I would gather the info, look at the possible side effects and then see what may be helpful that I am willing to risk.

I am open to looking at something to help obsessive tendencies but I think it is more a case of something I can use to get over the stumbling blocks when I need to take action. I am thinking the dissociation may be less if my anxiety is lower. SSRI's that I take have helped my ruminating thoughts actually.

 

[EvenStrongerNow]

Did you mean to put my name at the beginning of your post? :laugh:

 

[DharmaGirl]

The problem with asking for individual experiences is that the meds work differently for everyone. I am good with either Zoloft (Sertraline) and Paxil, lorazepam works to calm me, my T suggests Clonazepam since it lasts longer. I was put on every atypical antipsychotic, one at a time, because I was so suicidal. They all made me a zombie, and one gave me diabetes. They don't really know how these work, they just throw them at you until one sticks.

 

[Barconian]

My ex wife is taking a combination of so many drugs, She is taking 300 to 500 milligrams of Seroquel. Watching her on Axanax was not good... GP's can be so stupid these days :( No wonder she looks like the living dead). I surrendered to Zoloft for my head and LYRACA for my nerves. I had a bike accident and it upset my left leg. As for my head... hmmmm I won't need Zoloft for long :D

 

[EvenStrongerNow]

My apologies. That's so weird. I didn't see Solara's post before *shrugs*

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Ahhh Gotcha. :-)

Buspar. It's effects are subtle for most as you need to take it for awhile so it can build up in your system. It's not a controlled substance, one of the few non-controlled substance anxiety meds (as in meds only used for anxiety). It worked well but side effects snuck up on me as my dose was pushed to the max. It seemed to be best for more general anxiety symptoms.

Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, etc). A big drawback is that they can cause dependence in some people. I prefer Ativan myself. I didn't like Xanax and Klonopin makes me horribly depressed. (I'm med sensitive). Small infrequent doses of Ativan can be helpful---both "small" and " infrequent" being key words!

Antipsychotics (Geodon, etc). I'll only discuss Geodon as I was on a few others so shortly that I can't give a good review of them. Geodon is probably the best AND the worst med I've ever been on. The best because it is the only one that helps me with dreaded physical anxiety. You know, when you can feel it physically pulsing through your veins and the wrong sound can send shock waves through your body. It also is the only one that can stop my obsessive thoughts dead in their tracks. Geodon is one of those meds that has both immediate effects and effects that build over time. I only take it for the immediate effects. I'm so med sensitive that I take 1/5th of the smallest size capsule. As for the bad effects, well it kills my muscles. That is, it really weakens them. I was in a tiny dose every other day or so for a month back in October. My muscles are still quite weak. I went running in December and injured my knee because my leg muscles were so weak. It was a very low intensity interval run that I used to be able to easily perform, so I know it wasn't a matter of simply pushing myself too hard. My physical therapist says my muscles are very weak right now so I'm working on strength training. But, if my obsessive symptoms hit tilt again, I wouldn't hesitate to take Geodon again. It literally saved my life back in October.

Antidepressants never helped with my anxiety as my depression (numbing) sets in after high anxiety, not the other way around. I think antidepressants may help more if someone has anxiety that stems from depression.

Atarax/Vistaril. Related to Benadryl. Mild anti- anxiety properties for me. I can't remember getting a lot of benefit from it, but I know others say it works well for them.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

I crawled back to bed, called in sick and I felt stoned all day. I threw them out.

This wasn't my problem -those I had initially that caused me to be so tired that I HAD to sleep was a blessing as I hadn't slept more than an hour or two a night in three weeks. Now the dose I'm on only causes me to sleep if I lie down with all the lights out for half an hour and if my anxiety doesn't build in that time I will sleep, if not I will be doubly anxious all night and if I do drift off I keep waking up. I am unemployed and am able to take my time over it, I am just trying to find anything that helps me enough to become even marginally functional at this stage.

 

[Barconian]

I didn't like Xanax

Xanax works well if you don't depend on it... We need to respect something like Xanax!!!