Other Drugs Besides Ativan?

[FUBAR1]

I've been off meds for a while, just wanted to give it a go and see how I did. Still undetermined whether I want to go back on regular anti-anxiety meds or not, but I'm kind of leaning towards at least having something that I can take as needed during severe panic attacks to get some quick relief. I was on Ativan for quite a while but it stopped working after several months, also it put me right to sleep after taking it which means it's really not something I can use on the days I work. Just wondering if there are some other meds out there specifically to take when one feels a panic attack coming on, that doesn't make you drowsy as all hell. Would just like some options to discuss with my doc. I know people have mentioned various meds on different threads I've posted before but my memory is shit and instead of searching back through everything I've ever posted just wanted to get all the med suggestions listed here in one place. Feel free to talk about anti-anxiety/anti-depressant as well; that way I can just refer back to this thread whenever I want to discuss meds with my doc.

 

[Jimmy1]

Mate, Anthony has mentioned on here before that he takes a small dosage of Valium which is slow release, and it deals with his anxiety. But once again it's part of the benzo family and does have a tolerance level.
I am on an SNRI (Pristiq) which is like Effexor which is good as an anti anxiety.
But if you are not taking them all the time then Xanax is ok

 

[daniel]

a caution about xanax - it has been know to elevate one to extreme violence. it really is a short term fix. it used to be prescribed years ago for long term. it is addictive and if you ever go cold turkey on the crap, the withdraw hurts deep into your bones. imo it is worse than kicking a heroin habit.

my two on meds: less is best, don't take anything you can die from overdose or have to be dependent on. i have a script for hydroxizine for anxiety. i only use it as needed. it will knock your ass out for the day, but then cuts the edge off anxiety for quite some time.

 

[Jimmy1]

Yeah, Xanax did not help Whitney Houston. Its a matter of control. I watch mine carefully and have Margaret watch too. Just to make sure I am not taking them daily for the sake of taking them. Its the bodies tolerance which is the problem, it builds up quickly and we think the drug is ineffective where really it just needs an increase.
I have stopped taking mine at the moment and will for a couple of months to zeroise the levels.

The only major problem I have with Xanax is with Gas!!!!. I can clear the kids out of the lounge room in a heart beat.

 

[Sludge]

Some where around here in my piles of research for school is a great paper on the high instance of paradoxical effects (that is, undesirable, opposite effects rather than the intended) in Combat PTSD treatment utilizing Xanax.

I get to digging it out to share the DOI info so all can read it. It is one hell of a good read into PTSD pharmacological and comparative of treatments. Ironically enough, I had to get that paper to write a mock research document of my own for my abnormal psychology class.

 

[Jimmy1]

Would love to see that mate

 

[Animal1]

Salute to Vietnam era VA trauma: (kind of on topic)
I spoke with a vet who was with Air Cav in 70-72. He said he was not socially apt when he got back so the VA had him in shock therapy for 3 months then had him drugged on ... I'll get the name from him tomorrow.
Anyways I can't believe that the experts thought that would help!

 

[Zipperhead]

After WW2 they treated Veterans with Shell Shock by feeding them liquor. We really haven't come that far. The idea back then was to get them to talk to other vets while under the influence. Only differance today is we talk to therapists and they deny us the aid of verbal lubricants like alcohol.

 

[Sludge]

Would love to see that mate

May take me a few days as I have no filing system and five research projects going simultaneously. I'll keep digging1

 

[Sludge]

May take me a few days as I have no filing system and five research projects going simultaneously. I'll keep digging1

As it may take some time for me to dig up the file here is the information on the study I am referring to. I am subscribed to a number of journals so I may just reorder the paper and then can share it with you all.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390811002565

It is an damned Elsevier journal, so it can be problematic to acquire the full article given the battle currently raging between this publisher and the scientific community, but I will continue working on it.

 

[Ned]

Appreciated mate.

 

[Animal1]

He was pumped with 500 mg of Thorazine every five hours.