Best Sedative/calming Medication?

[Upside Down Eagle]

Hey.

I´m on oxazepam for anxiety, but lately my anxiety is so high that it doesn´t quite cut it anymore. My doc told me to use a double dosage (2x 10mg) whenever I´m really anxious but even that isn´t enough. Does anyone know if it´s safe to take 3x 10mg in one take?

I did a google search but all I can find is about 3 x 10mg spread out over one day and seriously that will not stop my anxiety at all.

I will discuss this with my doc as well but I like to have a general idea of the possibilities; are there any medications around that are stronger than oxazepam and can calm me down to the extent that I´m not freaking out so much I want to hurt myself?

 

[Ed Norton]

Hey. Radise, well the first thing that I would recommend is an hour in the Cub for anxiety but since we are in a similar situation with that...I find that propanalol in conjunction with a benzo is very helpful for me. It will decrease heart rate by blocking (beta adrenergic) receptors. I find that a slower heart rate is very important to stave off the physiological manifestations of panic. As long as your bp is ok and you don't have certain heart problems it is super safe.

Oxazepam, is one that you have to be very careful about because it can increase depression and ideation. Although, I never took clorazepic acid, (tranxene) one former member raved about it. Maybe you can give us a report.

I hope this helps...yes I have to find a way to put some aviation reference if I talk to you

:hug:

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

Haha I don´t think I´m safe to fly now Ed ´cause I´m pretty sedated... I´d probably fly zig zag pattern, or in a fall and rise pattern, like a dolphin :D

Thank you for the information. I didn´t know oxazepam could increase symptoms of depression and ideation, I have been having both, but I am also on an St Johnsworth high dosage antidepressant so that could interact with it. Usually I don´t take oxazepam at all, or in a high dose, really only when the anxiety is on self-harm level.

And yes I also have noticed heart rate to be very influential in my state of mind, breathing does not always help bring it down.

 

[Ed Norton]

"Haha I don´t think I´m safe to flynow Ed ´cause I´m prettysedated... I´d probably fly zig zagpattern, or in a fall and rise pattern, likea dolphin :D"

That's why I said a Cub ;) :p

I met him once..:)

 

[EveHarrington]

It's a controlled substance that can cause dependency issues so I don't think that I'd trust the opinions of people online regarding dosing. It's probably best to contact your doctor to see if you can take more or if you should be switched to something else.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

Yeah you´re right @EveHarrington but I wanted to get a picture of the possibilities, mainly. I would never self-prescribe.
But I do know that doctors have a certain mindset (at times) that causes them to not mention possible alternatives. For example, if I hadn´t found out St Johnsworth can also be used as a pill dosage to combat depression, I would have never found out. The doc never mentioned it.

I´ve actually used marihuana in combination with oxazepam, although not doctor prescribed, it did help a LOT in changing the way my brain works (i.e from "I need to control everything franctically" to a more mild "who cares".)

 

[Chava]

I'm an alcoholic so can't do benzos, but oddly manage okay with one for sleep...alternated with other non-addictive sleep meds. The one I take is temazepam. Anyway, that's a little beside the point...but my angle would be to perhaps not look for one magic pill or increasing doses but a combination that might be more helpful. I have to do this with pain also. Because of my addictive history, it's not helpful to just increase opioids, for example. But they also do nothing for the source of the pain. I have a combo of pain killers and nerve meds that are actually anti-convulsants. One is gabapentin and it actually curbs my anxiety and sometimes wild heart rate too.

So I'd echo suggestions above...ask your doctor about adding something like a beta blocker, and/or possibly an anti-convulsant of some sort, a different benzo but not in increasing doses...find what can safely be combined (I know, for example, that gabapentin is safe with many meds, but of course there are some interactions when mixing meds...that's for your doctor or pharmacist to figure out...but I'm not dependent on any one med or needing to increase doses with having the right combination. It's never perfect, but it actually works pretty well for my pain most of the time, and also my anxiety.

 

[Chava]

a more mild "who cares".)

p.s. the gabapentin I take for pain actually gives me a little bit of this effect. It is safely tolerated by many people in larger doses. I keep to low dose, but it helps in combination with my other stuff. The slight mood and chill effect is very helpful. Worth asking your doctor...I think looking at what you can add or safely combine, vs one pill (especially one benzo at ever-increasing doses...30% of the people in rehab with me were in there to get off their benzo addictions that started with good medical reason, just turned ugly)

 

[Ed Norton]

I agree about caution with benzodiazines but my personal experience with one is that if you take it as needed..then neither tolerance or withdrawal develops..I've been on klonopin for a few years, my anxiety isn't too bad now at all...I don't think that I took any for at least 3 weeks...yes I have taken much bigger doses than prescribed before (not a suggestion) but..in most cases for me the effective dose is lower not higher...I agree that they must be used with caution...withdrawal can be very dangerous.


The reason I suggested a switch, which of course, only a doctor can do...is because of known side effects to his current benzo. Use of benzodiazepines doesn't need to lead to an inexorable march towards horrorible addiction if used carefully. I read someone say that they aren't recommended for PTSD..but they have helped me a lot. So has propanalol which I take first if anxiety is there.

Edit..My phone picked ' benzene' not benzodiazepines...benzene not too great for human consumption lol

 

[EveHarrington]

I understand. Doctors here aren't trained in alternative medicine. Pharmacists know nothing about non prescription alternative/natural supplements. We're all plugged into the big pharma money making machine. Alternative treatments must be sought out on your own as "natural" doctors are few and far between. It's easier to order a supplement online and do the whole trial/error thing instead of searching out one of these alternative docs who charge a small fortune.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

I understand. Doctors here aren't trained in alternative medicine. Pharmacists know nothing about non prescription alternative/natural supplements. We're all plugged into the big pharma money making machine.

This. I just don´t trust doctors that much anymore because I´m not sure if they´re being sponsored somehow by Big Pharma to sell me medication that might potentially mess with me even more. I really like the St Johnsworth but I had to make an explicit effort to force this solution out of the psychologist.

My dose has been upped to 20mg x 3 daily and they said to maybe add a dosage of olanzepine which is suppossed to be a variant of seroquel. Anyone have any experience with that? I will also discuss the option of propanolol tomorrow with my regular GP.

Hmmm yummy benzene. I prefer jetfuel though. Matter of personal choice. ;)

 

[Ronin]

Anyone have any experience with that?

Yep, that seroquel itself was a mess and benzos simultaneously with it really didn't help it. As in a couple neuromuscular issues I didn't have prior to that & was super fun being so thoroughly not in control of my body.