Any Helpful Medications?

[Courage2Heart]

Anyone find medication helpful? I am about to start therapy for trauma, and I read good things about wellbutrin for depression. I read it has few side effects. I feel depressed because open "scars" with my own trauma make me feel so much less than who I truly am. I miss myself.

 

[soulofLC]

I tried Wellbutrin to quit smoking, and it did alleviate the anxiety that made me want a cigarette. But what will work for your depression -- that is a very individual thing. What works for some will not work for others. But it does seem to have few side effects, and would be a good place to start. I hope it works for you. I know the feeling of having open scars, and having re-opened scars. Meds can help.

 

[Carol]

I am currently on Celexa which has an anti-anxiety effect and I use trazadone for sleep which is a MAJOR issue for me. Be careful of Ambien for sleep because of the amnesia which may worsen your PTSD symptoms.

 

[soulofLC]

Like your avatar, Carol...I am on Prozac which was working for a while but has quit. I take Clonazapam for Essential Tremor but it really helps with the anxiety and sleep. I need to find new doc that is good with meds...I still feel like a mess; I know I am not medicated properly. I asked for Wellbrutrin to take with the Prozac but no dice. I remembered when I quit smoking, I felt good with both of them.

 

[Courage2Heart]

oh man! crummy doctor for not giving you wellbutrin with the prozac! I read wellbutrin helps alleviate the side effects of SSRI's. Keep looking for a new doc, don't be discouraged :)

 

[soulofLC]

Thanks Courage2Heart; I now have insurance (sigh of relief) and am shopping for new P doc. Have a new therapist that will make recommendations went I figure out my insurance...all new right now. Thank you for your encouragement. Every bit helps, as I have so little excepting this forum!!

Yeah, he was incompetent as far as I can tell. Get this...I was sitting there bawling, telling him my Prozac wasn't working and that I wasn't functioning, his cell phone rings and he takes a personal call! Unbelievable! I am not taking that personally, no way, no how!! He is the purported sane one? Geese...

 

[Tosh]

Medication is helpful to me. I don't feel that I am sedated during the day, just able to function. It's important cause I can't stop living my life just cause I have PTSD. I take an antidepressent at night that makes me sleepy and keeps me from having nightmares (most of the time). When I can sleep at night, I feel a little better during the day. I also take an antianxiety, which really helps take the edge off. My anxiety can be paralyzing, so it's nessessary so that I can do what I need to.

Finding a good doc who knows about prescribing these kind of meds and about what works for PTSD is essential. At first my general practitioner was prescibing my meds, but I kept searching out a psyciatrist. After about six months on a waiting list, I finally got into one. He just tweaked the dosage a bit and it helped me a bunch. It seems like it takes forever, but your worth it!

 

[soulofLC]

Thanks Tosh, my last therapist had the nerve to tell me there is no magic pill; while I know in some abstract sense she is right, it is a dumb thing to say to someone like me. Being properly medicated is so important, and thank you again for your support, I am worth it! Meds have been a bugger for me; many I can't take due to adverse reactions. I am holding out for something that will work and not make me sick physically. It has to be out there! Anyone out there have this problem with meds?

 

[Gamereign555]

Medication has helped me quite a bit. Some of the medication I could probably come off of slowly now though.

 

[Kb3]

Seroquel has been great for my sleep and anxiety issues but I'd like to come off of it because it has a terrible side effect profile. Like sudden cardiac death (scd) which I just read about tonight:eek: Lovely.

 

[soulofLC]

Yes, Eat, all in Seroquel's class of drugs are not very user friendly. I have had trouble with all mood stabilizer's and anti psychotics, although they help my symptoms so much. I had to get off Seroquel, but I am so nuts now (really, just symptoms flaring badly) waiting to find a good psychiatrist, I have started taking one here and there, as I have a few left. I did not have much trouble getting off Seroquel, although I did start taking an herbal sleep med that really did the trick. The anxiety is the kicker, thought.

Yes, lovely! LOL! The cardiac thing scares the crap out of me too.

 

[soulofLC]

Thanks Almost, I will consider that. Not sure if I have been on that one. Yes, my anxiety on Prozac is so bad it is unbearable, even with a huge dose (1mg 3x day) of Benzo for Essential Tremor. There is not much to offer in the way of meds for this tremor, which is a genetic thing. The other med on the market causes low blood pressure in people who tend to have it, which I do. So it is pass out or these. So I am stuck for now with the Benzos.

I should say that I am also Bi-Polar II, which can cause problems with SSRIs. They can actually make it worse! Between a rock and hard place, to use a well worn cliche.