Anxiety Medications

[MrMoonlight]

I take Gabapentin/Neurontin up to four times a day. It's helped me greatly with anxiety. I'm also using duloxetine which also helps reel m eback. I hope everyone finds something that works for them. It's been an important piece for me.

 

[Lionheart]

I am taking Atarax, 3 times a day and 37.5 mgs of Effexor. It helps a bit but I am learning to let go of my need to control everything that happens and I focus on the control that I do have. It helps a lot. I also hope everyone finds something that works to reduce anxiety.

 

[Rainman8772]

For me what eased my ptsd/ anxiety was a shotgun approach. I take Effexor one 75mg and one 37.5mg in the morning. Also have Buspar 10mg three times a day. Also Mirtazapine 15mg and prazosin 2mg at night.

 

[Lionheart]

I am having full blown panic attacks associated with the breathlessness of COPD. I hope my doctor will see fit to give me a better medication than the Atarax (one that actually works well to stop the panic). My breathing tho is returning to a more normal level after being off of oxygen therapy for a couple of weeks. Stop the breathlessness and that stops the panic.

I hope something can be changed or added to my medicine regimen...(I am using my CBT tools to help reduce panic, but there is only so much one can do when the brain hits red alert. Staying calm and serene is much more difficult when one is gasping for air.).

I don't know when my next psychiatry appointment is but I will keep updating as I go.

 

[Carpman]

I am having full blown panic attacks associated with the breathlessness of COPD. I hope my doctor will see fit to give me a better medication than the Atarax (one that actually works well to stop the panic). My breathing tho is returning to a more normal level after being off of oxygen therapy for a couple of weeks. Stop the breathlessness and that stops the panic.

I hope something can be changed or added to my medicine regimen...(I am using my CBT tools to help reduce panic, but there is only so much one can do when the brain hits red alert. Staying calm and serene is much more difficult when one is gasping for air.).

I don't know when my next psychiatry appointment is but I will keep updating as I go.

Hope you are doing ok:)

 

[Lionheart]

Hope you are doing ok:)

Yes, @Carpman and thank you. I am doing better now that my COPD is under better control. I am learning that I can't deviate from my medication regimen even a little bit without unhappy consequences. Still, when I speak to my doctor on August 5th I will make another assessment and perhaps I will ask for a medication change to deal with panic, That is, if problems continue.

 

[EmmaOwl]

Yes, @Carpman and perhaps I will ask for a medication change to deal with panic, That is, if problems continue.

Have you tried cannabis? They have oils and tinctures; apparently some people find that calming. Ask your doctor if they are more comfortable with that.

For anxiety, you can slip a few milligrams of oil under your tongue, or get ready-made buccal or sublingual preparations. That's where I'd look next, for anxiety-reduction effects, if it's available in your area.

And hey, either way - I'm glad your COPD is under better control! That is absolutely the most important thing, your breathing.

 

[Lionheart]

Thanks @Allie D. It is not available in my area....yet, but my primary care physician knows I will be first in line if it legalized for medicinal purposes.

My COPD is under better control, but I seem to be having problems with sleep apnea again and the records indicate that it is severe. (I had 46 events per hour last night and it needs to be 5 or under). That means I stopped breathing for 10 seconds, 46 times in one hour.

This is one reason I have to be very careful if I am prescribed benzos...it can depress my breathing and potentially worsen breathing disorders....so I really need an alternative like cannabis. Thanks for the reminder!!!

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

According to my psychiatrist, the Clozaril I'm on is never the drug of first choice because of the seriousness of the potential side effects.

But it's worth the risk to me because it's the best psychiatric pill I've never been on, for me anyway.

 

[woodsy1]

Hello Lionheart. I know this is an old thread. I hope you have found relief.

Like many of the folks here, I have quite a story when it comes to meds. Basically, over time, I have tried just about every class of psych meds (aside from antipsychotics) and most every drug in every class...to little or no avail. Much of the time the meds have only made things worth.

With that in mind and noting that everyone responds to meds differently, there are a couple thoughts I would share.

Mirtazapine has helped some with depression and anxiety, but mostly just with sleep. Nothing works as well for me for sleep as Mirtazipine.

Clonazepam helped me go from "life is absolutely unbearable" to "OK, I can at least tolerate life at home, by my myself". It never got me to a place of even close to full functioning. In the long run, the price I paid for taking Clonazepam was not worth the benefit.

Benzodiazapines are horrible drugs. Horrible. Probably the most addictive drugs in the world. Not addictive like, oh, I've just got to have some more of that stuff. Horrible like, when I cut down slowly, even 5% per week or two, I feel like living death most every moment of every day. The withdrawals are actually 10x worse than the underlying anxiety. And they last for months or years. In hindsight, I would never have taken a single benzo if I knew the price that comes with them. For many folks, staying on benzos long term means dementia and even worse anxiety that cannot be treated by anything in the long run.

Lithium is not typically prescribed for anxiety necessarily. But if your anxiety is a comorbidity, then it may be helpful. My only experience is with the supplement form in very low doses. It has been somewhat helpful. The prescribed form in higher doses may be similarly or more helpful.

There are some other substances which can be helpful for some folks. Some minerals and supplements. Some substances, discussion of which belongs in another topic.

In my case, I've had to come to be resigned to being disabled by anxiety. (c-PTSD, MDD, GAD, Social Anxiety Disorder, etc.) I have found that time and being easier on my self has helped some. Beyond that, my case appears to be pretty much "refractory."

I hope for better things for you!
Woodsy

 

[RussellSue]

I seem to be having problems with sleep apnea again

I have breathing problems that were caused by corrections done to my cleft palate which presumably also caused me to develop sleep apnea as a kid. Ultimately, my airway is narrow and I have constant post-nasal drip that means an even narrower airway and a lot of coughing. I can deal with a whole lot without panic these days but struggling to breathe is hard to manage in conjunction with anxiety. A lot of my breathing issues are somewhat controlled with over-the-counter medications these days but I still have bad days when the pollen count is high or the neighbors are burning something I am allergic to.

Right now, I am just on Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) which was prescribed for pain but its introduction meant I was able to get rid of my other anxiety meds, including my as-needed "severe panic" benzos, though I admit that I always have valerian herb on hand, just in case, because it is very helpful for me in panic attack situations.

 

[Lionheart]

I am now taking 75 mg of Effexor extended-release and expect to be on a full 225 mg dose in the future as it is really helping my anxiety and panic, at least it seems to be helping some at 75 mg dosage.

I think I have my COPD under control for the most part so that I am not having panic from breathing difficulties anymore.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.